Nasu, Tochigi

Coordinates: 37°01′11.1″N 140°07′15.5″E / 37.019750°N 140.120972°E / 37.019750; 140.120972
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Nasu
那須町
Nasu Town Office
Nasu Town Office
Flag of Nasu
Official seal of Nasu
Location of Nasu in Tochigi Prefecture
Location of Nasu in Tochigi Prefecture
Nasu is located in Japan
Nasu
Nasu
 
Coordinates: 37°01′11.1″N 140°07′15.5″E / 37.019750°N 140.120972°E / 37.019750; 140.120972
CountryJapan
RegionKantō
PrefectureTochigi Prefecture
DistrictNasu
Area
 • Total372.34 km2 (143.76 sq mi)
Population
 (August 2020)
 • Total24,851
 • Density67/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number0287-72-6901
Address3-13 Terakohei, Nasu-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi-ken 329-3222
ClimateDfb
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdCommon cuckoo
FlowerGentian
TreePine
Chausudake volcano is one of the symbols of Nasu

Nasu (那須町, Nasu-machi) is a town located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 August 2020, the town had an estimated population of 24,851 in 10,400 households,[1] and a population density of 67 persons per km² (174 per sq. mi.). The total area of the town is 372.34 square kilometres (143.76 sq mi).

Geography[edit]

Nasu is located in the mountainous far northeast of Tochigi Prefecture. The Naka River runs through the southwestern portion of the town and the Kurokawa River through the northeast.

Surrounding municipalities[edit]

Tochigi Prefecture

Fukushima Prefecture

Climate[edit]

Nasu has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Nasu is 9.5 °C (49.1 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,014.7 mm (79.32 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 21.0 °C (69.8 °F), and lowest in January, at around −1.7 °C (28.9 °F).[2]

Climate data for Nasu (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 12.7
(54.9)
16.8
(62.2)
21.1
(70.0)
26.8
(80.2)
29.6
(85.3)
30.3
(86.5)
33.2
(91.8)
32.2
(90.0)
29.5
(85.1)
24.6
(76.3)
20.0
(68.0)
17.4
(63.3)
33.2
(91.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 1.9
(35.4)
2.7
(36.9)
6.8
(44.2)
13.0
(55.4)
18.2
(64.8)
20.7
(69.3)
24.3
(75.7)
25.4
(77.7)
21.4
(70.5)
16.1
(61.0)
10.9
(51.6)
5.1
(41.2)
13.9
(57.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.7
(28.9)
−1.3
(29.7)
2.0
(35.6)
7.8
(46.0)
13.0
(55.4)
16.4
(61.5)
20.2
(68.4)
21.0
(69.8)
17.3
(63.1)
11.8
(53.2)
6.4
(43.5)
1.1
(34.0)
9.5
(49.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −5.3
(22.5)
−5.3
(22.5)
−2.4
(27.7)
2.6
(36.7)
7.7
(45.9)
12.3
(54.1)
16.7
(62.1)
17.5
(63.5)
13.8
(56.8)
7.7
(45.9)
2.0
(35.6)
−2.6
(27.3)
5.4
(41.7)
Record low °C (°F) −11.7
(10.9)
−12.1
(10.2)
−10.4
(13.3)
−6.0
(21.2)
−2.3
(27.9)
3.6
(38.5)
8.7
(47.7)
8.9
(48.0)
3.2
(37.8)
−1.2
(29.8)
−6.1
(21.0)
−10.2
(13.6)
−12.1
(10.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 52.6
(2.07)
42.8
(1.69)
101.6
(4.00)
139.6
(5.50)
180.8
(7.12)
220.5
(8.68)
305.7
(12.04)
303.9
(11.96)
305.3
(12.02)
212.6
(8.37)
89.2
(3.51)
60.1
(2.37)
2,014.7
(79.32)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 103
(41)
79
(31)
45
(18)
7
(2.8)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
4
(1.6)
55
(22)
296
(117)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 9.1 8.3 10.4 11.3 12.1 15.9 18.3 17.0 14.8 11.5 8.3 9.1 146.1
Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) 11.5 8.8 5.5 0.6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 5.9 32.7
Mean monthly sunshine hours 131.0 129.0 156.4 170.4 169.1 108.8 98.7 115.3 98.9 115.1 130.1 132.6 1,555.2
Mean daily sunshine hours 3.8 4.6 5.0 5.8 5.2 3.7 3.3 3.8 3.2 3.7 4.3 4.0 4.2
Source 1: 理科年表
Source 2: Japan Meteorological Agency (Averages: 1991-2020; Max-Min: 1977-present)[2][3]

Demographics[edit]

Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Nasu has declined slowly over the past 70 years, with a small uptick around the year 2000.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 20,064—    
1930 22,216+10.7%
1940 23,069+3.8%
1950 31,241+35.4%
1960 30,359−2.8%
1970 28,121−7.4%
1980 26,824−4.6%
1990 26,670−0.6%
2000 27,027+1.3%
2010 26,754−1.0%
2020 23,956−10.5%

History[edit]

Nasu and Iouno villages and Ashino Town were created within Nasu District on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. The three municipalities merged to form Nasu Town on November 3, 1954.

Nasu Imperial Villa was built in 1926.

In March 2017 an avalanche killed 8 people.

Government[edit]

Nasu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 13 members. Nasu, together with the city of Nasushiobara collectively contributes four members to the Tochigi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Tochigi 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy[edit]

The economy of Nasu is heavily dependent on tourism from its numerous hot spring and ski resorts.

Education[edit]

Nasu has six public primary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government. The town has one public high school operated by the Tochigi Prefectural Board of Education. There is also one private school including junior and high school.

Transportation[edit]

Railway[edit]

JR EastTōhoku Main Line (Utsunomiya Line)

Highway[edit]

Local attractions[edit]

  • Nasu Imperial Villa
  • Nasu Highland (那須高原, Nasu kōgen)
  • Nasu Onsen, the collective name given to the various hot springs in the Nasu area surrounding Mt. Chausu. The eight hot springs in this area with accommodation and bathing facilities are sometimes referred to as Nasu Hachiyu (那須八湯) (Shika no yu (鹿の湯), sandogoya onsen (三斗小屋温泉), ōmaru onsen (大丸温泉), kita onsen (北温泉), benten onsen (弁天温泉), takao onsen (高雄温泉), yahata onsen (八幡温泉), shin nasu onsen (新那須温泉)) [5]
  • Ashio Onsen
  • Sessho-seki
  • Mount Nasu
  • Nasu Animal Kingdom
  • Mount Jeans Nasu Ski Resort, a ski resort to the far north of Nasu
  • Nasu Rindō-ko Lake View (那須りんどう湖レイクビュー, Nasu rindō-ko reiku byū), an amusement facility based around the rindō lake, with activities such as a zip-line, boat ride, go-karts, and more.[6]
  • Cannabis Museum
  • Nasu History Museum[7] (Designed by Kengo Kuma)
  • STONE PLAZA[8] (Designed by Kengo Kuma)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Nasu Town official home page" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ a b "平年値(年ごとの値)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
  3. ^ "観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
  4. ^ Nasu population statistics
  5. ^ Nasu tourism guide. (in Japanese) Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  6. ^ Nasu Rindō-ko Lake View (in Japanese) Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  7. ^ "那須歴史探訪館". www.town.nasu.lg.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  8. ^ "那須芦野・石の美術館 STONE PLAZA【公式】". stone-plaza.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-06-19.

External links[edit]