Nonoichi, Ishikawa

Nonoichi (野々市市, Nonoichi-shi) is a city located in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 January 2014^[update], the city had an estimated population of 54,112 in 25,381 households, and a population density of 4,000 persons per km².^[1] The total area of the city was 13.56 square kilometres (5.24 sq mi).

Nonoichi 野々市市
City
Nonoichi City Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Nonoichi in Ishikawa Prefecture
Nonoichi
Coordinates: 36°31′9.9″N 136°36′35.2″E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Hokuriku)
Prefecture	Ishikawa Prefecture
Government
• - Mayor	Tadaaki Awa
Area
• Total	13.56 km2 (5.24 sq mi)
Population  (January 31, 2024)
• Total	54,112
• Density	3,991/km2 (10,340/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols
-Tree	Camellia japonica
-Flower	Camellia japonica
Phone number	076-227-600
Address	1-1 Minō, Nonoichi-shi, Ishikawa-ken 921-8510
Website	Official website

Geography

Nonoichi is in central Ishikawa Prefecture, sandwiched between the geographically much larger cities of Kanazawa and Hakusan. The city is located on flatlands on the fertile floodplain of the Tedori River

Neighbouring municipalities

• Ishikawa Prefecture
  • Hakusan
  • Kanazawa

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,^[2] the population of Nonoichi has grown rapidly over the past 50 years.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1970	13,598	—
1980	31,817	+134.0%
1990	39,769	+25.0%
2000	45,581	+14.6%
2010	51,885	+13.8%
2020	57,238	+10.3%

Climate

Nonoichi has a humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Nonoichi is 14.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2,542 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.0 °C.^[3]

History

The area around Nonoichi was part of ancient Kaga Province. The area became part Kaga Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate, and nonoichi was a post station on the Hokuriku kaidō highway.^[4] Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organised into Ishikawa District, Ishikawa. The village of Nonoichi was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. It was raised to town status on July 1, 1924. A referendum to merge with the city of Kanazawa was rejected in 1937. On April 1, 1955, Nonoichi expanded by annexing the neighbouring village of Tomioka. Nonoichi was elevated to city status on November 11, 2011. Ishikawa District was dissolved as a result of this merger.^[5]

Government

Nonoichi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 15 members.

Economy

Nonoichi is primarily a bedroom community for the city of Kanazawa. Local industries include agriculture and food processing.

Education

College and university

• Ishikawa Prefectural University
• Kanazawa Institute of Technology
• International College of Technology, Kanazawa

Primary and secondary education

Nonoichi has five public elementary schools and two middle schools operated by the city government, and one public high school operated by the Ishikawa Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school.

Transportation

Railway

Effective 16 March 2024, JR West no longer operates in Nonoichi as its operations on the Hokuriku Main Line have since been transferred to the IR Ishikawa Railway.^[6]

IR Ishikawa Railway

• Nonoichi

Hokuriku Railroad Ishikawa Line

• Oshino - Nonoichi - Nonoichi-Kōdaimae

Highway

National Route 8

National Route 157

National Route 305

Sister cities

• Gisborne New Zealand, since 1990^[7]
• Shenzhen, China, friendship city

Local attractions

• Okyōzuka Site, a Jomon period archaeological site and National Historic Site^[8]
• Suematsu temple ruins, a National Historic Site ^[9]