Akiōta, Hiroshima

Akiōta (安芸太田町, Akiōta-chō) is a town in Yamagata District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. As of 28 April 2023^[update], the town had an estimated population of 5,643 in 3066 households and a population density of 17 inhabitants per square kilometre (44/sq mi).^[1] The total area of the town is 341.89 square kilometres (132.00 sq mi).

Akiōta 安芸太田町
Town
Akiōta town hall
Flag Emblem
Location of Akiōta in Hiroshima Prefecture
Akiōta Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°35′N 132°14′E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūgoku San'yō
Prefecture	Hiroshima
District	Yamagata
Government
• Mayor	Hiroaki Hashimoto (since May 2020)
Area
• Total	341.89 km2 (132.00 sq mi)
Population  (April 28, 2023)
• Total	5,643
• Density	17/km2 (43/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address	784-1 Oji Togochi, Akiota-machi, Yamagata-gun, Hiroshima-ken 731-3810
Climate	Cfa
Website	Official website
Symbols
Flower	Lilium
Tree	Maple

Sandan Falls

Terraced rice fields

Geography

Akiōta is in the Chūgoku Mountains of north-western Hiroshima, bordered by Shimane Prefecture to the north. Due to its location and elevation, it is a heavy snowfall region.

Adjoining municipalities

Hiroshima Prefecture

• Hiroshima
• Hatsukaichi
• Kitahiroshima

Shimane Prefecture

• Masuda

Climate

Akiōta has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by cool to mild winters and hot, humid summers. The average annual temperature in Akiōta is 13.4 °C (56.1 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,817.5 mm (71.56 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.6 °C (78.1 °F), and lowest in January, at around 2.0 °C (35.6 °F).^[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Akiōta was 39.5 °C (103.1 °F) on 15 August 2024; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −12.8 °C (9.0 °F) on 28 February 1981.^[3]

Climate data for Kake, Akiōta (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	18.1 (64.6)	22.6 (72.7)	26.3 (79.3)	31.8 (89.2)	34.7 (94.5)	36.2 (97.2)	38.6 (101.5)	39.5 (103.1)	38.5 (101.3)	32.4 (90.3)	27.7 (81.9)	22.7 (72.9)	39.5 (103.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	7.1 (44.8)	8.8 (47.8)	13.5 (56.3)	19.7 (67.5)	24.7 (76.5)	27.3 (81.1)	30.5 (86.9)	32.2 (90.0)	27.9 (82.2)	22.4 (72.3)	16.2 (61.2)	9.6 (49.3)	20.0 (68.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)	2.0 (35.6)	2.8 (37.0)	6.5 (43.7)	12.0 (53.6)	17.0 (62.6)	20.9 (69.6)	24.7 (76.5)	25.6 (78.1)	21.3 (70.3)	15.2 (59.4)	9.3 (48.7)	4.1 (39.4)	13.5 (56.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−1.3 (29.7)	−1.3 (29.7)	1.1 (34.0)	5.6 (42.1)	10.5 (50.9)	16.0 (60.8)	20.6 (69.1)	21.3 (70.3)	17.0 (62.6)	10.4 (50.7)	4.8 (40.6)	0.7 (33.3)	8.8 (47.8)
Record low °C (°F)	−8.7 (16.3)	−12.8 (9.0)	−6.9 (19.6)	−2.8 (27.0)	−0.1 (31.8)	5.7 (42.3)	12.0 (53.6)	13.9 (57.0)	4.1 (39.4)	1.0 (33.8)	−2.6 (27.3)	−7.1 (19.2)	−12.8 (9.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	106.6 (4.20)	103.7 (4.08)	132.7 (5.22)	133.5 (5.26)	158.3 (6.23)	220.8 (8.69)	302.8 (11.92)	172.0 (6.77)	204.5 (8.05)	104.4 (4.11)	79.3 (3.12)	120.6 (4.75)	1,817.5 (71.56)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	15.3	13.4	13.1	9.9	9.5	12.4	13.2	10.2	10.2	8.1	9.5	14.8	139.6
Mean monthly sunshine hours	76.1	95.4	147.4	180.5	207.3	147.8	151.5	178.1	146.9	154.7	117.7	83.1	1,686.3
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[2][3]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Akiōta in 2020 is 5,740 people.^[4] Akiōta has been conducting censuses since 1920.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1920	21,043	—
1925	20,717	−1.5%
1930	20,364	−1.7%
1935	19,258	−5.4%
1940	19,133	−0.6%
1945	22,339	+16.8%
1950	22,454	+0.5%
1955	23,312	+3.8%
1960	21,292	−8.7%
1965	17,021	−20.1%
1970	14,115	−17.1%
1975	12,992	−8.0%
1980	12,784	−1.6%
1985	11,738	−8.2%
1990	10,879	−7.3%
1995	10,257	−5.7%
2000	9,181	−10.5%
2005	8,238	−10.3%
2010	7,259	−11.9%
2015	6,472	−10.8%
2020	5,740	−11.3%
Akiōta population statistics[4]

History

The area of Akiōta was part of an ancient Aki Province, and was part of the holdings of Hiroshima Domain during the Edo Period . Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organized into villages within Yamagata District, Hiroshima with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889, including the villages Kake, Togouchi and Tsutsuga. Kake was raised to town status on February 10, 1898 and Togouchi on August 1, 1933. The town of Akiōta was formed on October 1, 2004 from the merger of the towns of Kake and Togouchi, and the village of Tsutsuga, all from Yamagata District.

On April 7, 2020, Shinji Kosaka, the mayor of Akiōta resigned after having accepted 200,000 yen from former Minister of Justice Katsuyuki Kawai in a vote-buying scandal.^[5]

Government

Akiōta has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 12 members. Akiōta contributes one member to the Hiroshima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Hiroshima 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The economy of Akiōta is largely based on agriculture and forestry, with seasonal tourism to its ski resorts.

Education

Akiōta has four public elementary schools and two public junior high schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Hiroshima Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

Akiōta does not have any passenger railway service. The nearest train station is Aki-Kameyama Station on the JR West Kabe Line in Asakita-ku, Hiroshima

Highways

• Chūgoku Expressway
• National Route 186
• National Route 191
• National Route 433
• National Route 434

Notable places

• Mount Osorakan
• Nukui Dam
• Sandan Ravine

Notable people from Akiōta

• Kimie Bessho — para table tennis player
• Minoru Genda (1904 – 1989) — commander of the JASDF and politician (from Kake)
• Yasuhiko Moriwaki — judo wrestler (from the former town of Kake)