Kōsa (甲佐町, Kōsa-machi) is a town located in Kamimashiki District, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 July 2024[update], the town had an estimated population of 10,004 in 4441 households, and a population density of 24 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the town is 57.93 km2 (22.37 sq mi).
Kōsa
甲佐町 | |
|---|---|
 Kōsa Town Hall | |
 Flag  Emblem | |
 Location of Kōsa in Kumamoto Prefecture | |
 | |
  Kōsa Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates: 32°39′01″N 130°48′41″E / 32.65028°N 130.81139°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kyushu |
| Prefecture | Kumamoto |
| District | Kamimashiki |
| Area | |
• Total | 57.93 km2 (22.37 sq mi) |
| Population (July 31, 2024) | |
• Total | 10,004 |
| • Density | 170/km2 (450/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 719-4 Toyonai, Kosa-cho, Kamimashiki-gun, Kumamoto-ken 861-4696 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Flower | Chrysanthemum |
| Tree | Osmanthus fragrans |
Geography
editKōsa is located in the central inland region of Kumamoto Prefecture, about 20 kilometers southeast of Kumamoto City. The northwestern part is at the southeastern edge of the Kumamoto Plain, but most of the town area is included in the Kyushu Mountains and is at a high altitude. The Midorigawa River, a first-class river, flows through the center of the town.
Neighboring municipalities
editKumamoto Prefecture
Climate
editKōsa has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot, humid summers and cool winters. There is significant precipitation throughout the year, especially during June and July. The average annual temperature in Kōsa is 16.3 °C (61.3 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,145.6 mm (84.47 in) with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.1 °C (80.8 °F), and lowest in January, at around 5.4 °C (41.7 °F).[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Kōsa was 37.9 °C (100.2 °F) on 14 August 2018; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −8.8 °C (16.2 °F) on 25 January 2016.[3]
| Climate data for Kōsa (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 22.0 (71.6) |
25.1 (77.2) |
28.8 (83.8) |
30.0 (86.0) |
34.0 (93.2) |
35.7 (96.3) |
37.9 (100.2) |
37.9 (100.2) |
36.2 (97.2) |
32.9 (91.2) |
27.9 (82.2) |
24.6 (76.3) |
37.9 (100.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 10.6 (51.1) |
12.3 (54.1) |
15.9 (60.6) |
21.3 (70.3) |
26.0 (78.8) |
28.0 (82.4) |
31.6 (88.9) |
33.0 (91.4) |
29.7 (85.5) |
24.7 (76.5) |
18.6 (65.5) |
12.8 (55.0) |
22.0 (71.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.4 (41.7) |
6.7 (44.1) |
10.1 (50.2) |
15.0 (59.0) |
19.5 (67.1) |
23.0 (73.4) |
26.5 (79.7) |
27.1 (80.8) |
23.8 (74.8) |
18.5 (65.3) |
12.8 (55.0) |
7.4 (45.3) |
16.3 (61.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.9 (33.6) |
1.7 (35.1) |
4.7 (40.5) |
9.2 (48.6) |
14.1 (57.4) |
18.9 (66.0) |
22.6 (72.7) |
22.9 (73.2) |
19.5 (67.1) |
13.5 (56.3) |
8.0 (46.4) |
2.8 (37.0) |
11.6 (52.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −8.8 (16.2) |
−7.2 (19.0) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
5.7 (42.3) |
9.6 (49.3) |
16.5 (61.7) |
15.1 (59.2) |
8.0 (46.4) |
2.4 (36.3) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
−8.8 (16.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 71.5 (2.81) |
97.3 (3.83) |
133.9 (5.27) |
141.1 (5.56) |
169.1 (6.66) |
473.7 (18.65) |
395.2 (15.56) |
190.0 (7.48) |
201.7 (7.94) |
103.0 (4.06) |
94.7 (3.73) |
74.6 (2.94) |
2,145.6 (84.47) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 8.2 | 9.2 | 11.6 | 10.5 | 10.1 | 15.5 | 13.5 | 11.4 | 10.3 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 8.6 | 124.9 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 118.5 | 130.5 | 155.8 | 174.6 | 182.4 | 119.9 | 169.3 | 195.8 | 161.5 | 167.4 | 138.4 | 124.4 | 1,844.7 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
editPer Japanese census data, the population of Kōsa in 2020 is 10,132 people.[4] Kōsa has been conducting censuses since 1920.
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| Kōsa population statistics[4] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History
editThe area of Kōsa was part of ancient Higo Province, During the Edo Period it was part of the holdings of Kumamoto Domain. After the Meiji restoration, the town of Kōsa and villages of Miyauchi, Tatsuno, Shirahata, and Otome were established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On January 1, 1955 Miyauchi, Tatsuno, Shirahata, and Otome merged with Kōsa.
Government
editKōsa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 11 members. Kōsa, collectively with the other municipalities of Kamimashiki District contributes two members to the Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Kumamoto 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
editThe local economy relies on agriculture, and Kōsa's geographic position as a logistics hub.
Education
editKōsa has four public elementary schools and one public junior high school operated by the town government, and one public high schools operated by the Kumamoto Prefectural Board of Education.
Transportation
editRailways
editKōsa does not have any passenger railway service. The nearest station is Matsubase Station on the [[[JR Kyushu]] station is Matsubase Station on the Kagoshima Main Line in neighboring Uki.
Highways
editSports
editSince its inception in 1983, the Kumamoto Kōsa 10-Miler road race has seen several top rated achievements being set during the event, which is run in December. The most recent new world record for the 10 miles was set in December 2022 by Bernard Koech.
References
edit- ^ "Kōsa Town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
- ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
- ^ a b 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
- ^ a b Kōsa population statistics
External links
editMedia related to Kōsa, Kumamoto at Wikimedia Commons
- Kōsa official website (in Japanese)
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