Matsukawa, Nagano (Kitaazumi)

This article is about the village in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. For the town in the same prefecture, see Matsukawa, Nagano (Shimoina).

Matsukawa (松川村, Matsukawa-mura) is a village located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 April 2019^[update], the village had an estimated population of 9,689 in 3813 households,^[1] and a population density of 210 persons per km². The total area of the village is 47.07 square kilometres (18.17 sq mi).^[2]

Matsukawa 松川村
Village
Matsukawa Village Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Matsukawa Village in Nagano Prefecture
Matsukawa
Coordinates: 36°25′26.3″N 137°51′16.5″E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Kōshin'etsu)
Prefecture	Nagano
District	Kitaazumi
Area
• Total	47.07 km2 (18.17 sq mi)
Population  (April 2019)
• Total	9,689
• Density	210/km2 (530/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Symbols
• Tree	Pinus densiflora
• Flower	Rhododendron
Phone number	0261-62-3111
Address	76-5, Matsukawa-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano-ken 399-8501
Website	Official website

Chihiro Art Museum in Matsukawa

Geography

Matsukawa is located in northwestern Nagano Prefecture, in the Azumidaira plateau, bordered by the Hida Mountains to the north and west.

Surrounding municipalities

• Nagano Prefecture
  • Azumino
  • Ikeda
  • Ōmachi

Climate

The village has a climate characterized by characterized by hot and humid summers, and cold winters (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Matsukawa is 10.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1278 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 23.4 °C, and lowest in January, at around -2.4 °C.^[3]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,^[4] the population of Matsukawa has recently plateaued after a long period of growth.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1940	4,176	—
1950	5,912	+41.6%
1960	6,200	+4.9%
1970	6,342	+2.3%
1980	7,496	+18.2%
1990	8,337	+11.2%
2000	9,701	+16.4%
2010	10,093	+4.0%
2020	9,599	−4.9%

History

The area of present-day Matsukawa was part of ancient Shinano Province and was part of the territory controlled by Matsumoto Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of the Edo period. The modern village of Matsukawa was established on April 1, 1889 by the establishment of the municipalities system.

Education

Matsukawa has one public elementary school and one public middle school operated by the village government. The village does not have a high school.

Transportation

Railway

• East Japan Railway Company – Ōito Line
  • Hosono - Kita-Hosono - Shinano-Matsukawa

Highway

• National Route 114

International relations

• – Lukang, Changhua, Taiwan, friendship city^[5]