Asahi, Toyama

Asahi (朝日町, Asahi-machi) is a town located in Shimoniikawa District, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 April 2018^[update], the town had an estimated population of 11,574 and a population density of 51.1 persons per km². Its total area was 226.30 square kilometres (87.37 sq mi). The town claims to be the birthplace of beach volleyball^{[citation needed]}.

Asahi 朝日町
Town
Asahi Town Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Asahi in Toyama Prefecture
Asahi
Coordinates: 36°56′46.2″N 137°33′35.8″E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Hokuriku)
Prefecture	Toyama
District	Shimoniikawa
Government
• Mayor	Yasunao Sasahara
Area
• Total	226.30 km2 (87.37 sq mi)
Population  (October 1, 2020)
• Total	11,093
• Density	49.02/km2 (127.0/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
Postal code	939-0793
Phone number	0765-83-1100
Address	1133 Dōge, Asahi-machi, Shimoniikawa-gun, Toyama-ken
Climate	Cfa
Website	Official website
Symbols
Flower	Azalea
Tree	Pinus parviflora

Geography

Asahi is located in north-west Toyama Prefecture, in between the North Alps and the Sea of Japan. Mount Shirouma is the highest point, with an elevation of 2,932 meters.

Climate

The town has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by hot summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Asahi is 13.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2219 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.5 °C.^[1]

Climate data for Asahi (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	18.7 (65.7)	23.6 (74.5)	29.1 (84.4)	30.3 (86.5)	33.3 (91.9)	33.4 (92.1)	37.2 (99.0)	37.2 (99.0)	38.0 (100.4)	34.3 (93.7)	26.4 (79.5)	24.1 (75.4)	38.0 (100.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	6.4 (43.5)	7.1 (44.8)	11.1 (52.0)	16.5 (61.7)	21.7 (71.1)	24.8 (76.6)	29.1 (84.4)	30.8 (87.4)	26.8 (80.2)	21.3 (70.3)	15.5 (59.9)	9.6 (49.3)	18.4 (65.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)	3.4 (38.1)	3.6 (38.5)	6.8 (44.2)	11.9 (53.4)	17.1 (62.8)	20.9 (69.6)	25.1 (77.2)	26.6 (79.9)	22.7 (72.9)	17.2 (63.0)	11.5 (52.7)	6.2 (43.2)	14.4 (58.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	0.7 (33.3)	0.5 (32.9)	2.9 (37.2)	7.7 (45.9)	13.2 (55.8)	17.7 (63.9)	22.1 (71.8)	23.1 (73.6)	19.3 (66.7)	13.6 (56.5)	7.9 (46.2)	3.1 (37.6)	11.0 (51.8)
Record low °C (°F)	−8.1 (17.4)	−6.9 (19.6)	−4.0 (24.8)	−1.3 (29.7)	5.0 (41.0)	10.8 (51.4)	15.2 (59.4)	14.8 (58.6)	10.9 (51.6)	4.5 (40.1)	0.1 (32.2)	−4.5 (23.9)	−8.1 (17.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	279.1 (10.99)	184.7 (7.27)	194.3 (7.65)	167.6 (6.60)	155.0 (6.10)	188.4 (7.42)	253.4 (9.98)	214.5 (8.44)	242.4 (9.54)	228.0 (8.98)	309.2 (12.17)	350.0 (13.78)	2,748.7 (108.22)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	104 (41)	86 (34)	15 (5.9)	1 (0.4)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	37 (15)	240 (94)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	24.0	19.4	18.0	13.3	11.7	11.4	13.3	10.5	13.4	14.2	18.4	23.4	191
Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm)	10.2	8.4	1.6	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4.0	24.3
Mean monthly sunshine hours	49.5	79.2	130.2	179.4	205.1	164.2	160.7	215.3	148.9	141.9	96.1	56.6	1,632.6
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[2][3]

Surrounding municipalities

• Nagano Prefecture
  • Hakuba
• Niigata Prefecture
  • Itoigawa
• Toyama Prefecture
  • Kurobe
  • Nyūzen

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,^[4] the population of Asahi has decreased over the past 50 years.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1970	19,311	—
1980	18,631	−3.5%
1990	17,569	−5.7%
2000	15,915	−9.4%
2010	13,651	−14.2%
2020	11,081	−18.8%

History

The area of present-day Asahi was part of ancient Etchū Province. During the Edo period, the Tomari developed as a post station on the Hokurikudo highway. The area was organised as part of Shimoniikawa District, Toyama after the Meiji restoration. The modern town of Tomari was created with the establishment of the municipalities system on April 1, 1889. It merged with six surrounding villages to form the town of Asahi on August 1, 1954.

Economy

Asahi is dependent on agriculture and commercial fishing. Notable crops include rice, asparagus, and Spaghetti squash.

Education

Asahi has two public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Toyama Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

• Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line
  • Tomari – Etchū-Miyazaki

Highway

National Route 8

Local attractions

• Fudōdō Site, ruins of a Jōmon period settlement and a National Historic Site.^[5]