Unzen, Nagasaki

Unzen (雲仙市, Unzen-shi) is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 30 June 2024^[update], the city had an estimated population of 40,831 in 17709 households, and a population density of 190 people per km².^[1] The total area of the town is 214.31 km² (82.75 sq mi).

Unzen 雲仙市
City
Unzen City Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Unzen in Nagasaki Prefecture
Unzen Location in Japan
Coordinates: 32°50′07″N 130°11′15″E
Country	Japan
Region	Kyushu
Prefecture	Nagasaki
Government
• Mayor	Hidesaburo Kanazawa (since January 2013)
Area
• Total	214.31 km2 (82.75 sq mi)
Population  (June 30, 2024)
• Total	40,831
• Density	190/km2 (490/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address	714 Ushiguchina, Agatsuma-machi, Unzen-shi, Nagasaki-ken 859-1107
Climate	Cfa
Website	Official website
Symbols
Flower	Rhododendron kiusianum
Tree	Kousa Dogwood

Fugendake Pyroplastic flow area

Obama Onsen

Geography

Unzen is located on the northern tip of Shimabara Peninsula, facing Ariake Bay in the east and Mount Unzen to the south. Parts of the city are within the borders of the Unzen-Amakusa National Park.

Neighbouring municipalities

Nagasaki

• Isahaya
• Minamishimabara
• Shimabara

Climate

Unzen has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Unzen is 16,6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2115 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.0 °C, and lowest in January, at around 6.7 °C.^[2]

Climate data for Mount Unzen, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1924–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	17.3 (63.1)	18.2 (64.8)	21.2 (70.2)	25.3 (77.5)	29.4 (84.9)	31.0 (87.8)	32.8 (91.0)	33.2 (91.8)	31.3 (88.3)	27.6 (81.7)	22.5 (72.5)	18.6 (65.5)	33.2 (91.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	6.1 (43.0)	7.7 (45.9)	11.2 (52.2)	16.1 (61.0)	20.5 (68.9)	22.7 (72.9)	25.8 (78.4)	27.2 (81.0)	24.5 (76.1)	19.8 (67.6)	14.2 (57.6)	8.6 (47.5)	17.0 (62.7)
Daily mean °C (°F)	2.5 (36.5)	3.6 (38.5)	6.8 (44.2)	11.5 (52.7)	15.9 (60.6)	19.2 (66.6)	22.5 (72.5)	23.3 (73.9)	20.4 (68.7)	15.3 (59.5)	10.0 (50.0)	4.7 (40.5)	13.0 (55.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−0.7 (30.7)	−0.1 (31.8)	2.8 (37.0)	7.2 (45.0)	11.6 (52.9)	16.1 (61.0)	20.0 (68.0)	20.5 (68.9)	17.1 (62.8)	11.5 (52.7)	6.3 (43.3)	1.2 (34.2)	9.5 (49.0)
Record low °C (°F)	−12.2 (10.0)	−12.8 (9.0)	−11.7 (10.9)	−6.0 (21.2)	1.3 (34.3)	7.6 (45.7)	13.0 (55.4)	12.9 (55.2)	8.1 (46.6)	0.3 (32.5)	−6.0 (21.2)	−10.2 (13.6)	−12.8 (9.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	88.2 (3.47)	129.2 (5.09)	202.5 (7.97)	253.3 (9.97)	265.1 (10.44)	575.4 (22.65)	513.6 (20.22)	314.4 (12.38)	260.7 (10.26)	132.8 (5.23)	123.5 (4.86)	103.1 (4.06)	2,961.8 (116.6)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	12 (4.7)	8 (3.1)	2 (0.8)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	3 (1.2)	25 (9.8)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	8.4	9.5	11.8	10.8	10.9	15.5	13.2	11.0	10.3	7.4	9.2	8.9	126.9
Average snowy days (≥ 1 cm)	3.0	2.6	0.9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.6	7.1
Average relative humidity (%)	78	76	75	74	76	86	90	86	83	79	80	78	80
Mean monthly sunshine hours	88.4	101.9	133.6	149.7	159.6	94.2	105.8	132.3	123.6	140.6	108.8	96.4	1,436.6
Source 1: JMA[3]
Source 2: JMA[4]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Unzen is as shown below:

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1940	57,072	—
1950	75,561	+32.4%
1960	70,418	−6.8%
1970	61,901	−12.1%
1980	58,861	−4.9%
1990	55,408	−5.9%
2000	52,230	−5.7%
2010	47,245	−9.5%
2020	41,096	−13.0%

History

The area of Unzen was part of ancient Hizen Province. During the Edo Period, the area was mostly under the control of Shimabara Domain. After the Meiji restoration, the villages of Tabira, Doguro, Jindai, Furube, Ifuku, Saigo, Moriyama, Yamada Aino, Chijiwa, Obama, Kuchiyama and Minamikushiyama were established in Minamitakaki District, Nagasaki with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889.

• April 1, 1924 Obama Village → Obama Town
• July 1, 1926 Ifuku and Taisho merged to form Furube Village
• November 1, 1928 Chijiwa Village → Chijiwa Town
• February 11, 1937 Tabira Village → Tabira Town
• August 1, 1949 Aino Village → Aino Town
• April 1, 1954 Moriyama and Yamada merged to form Agatsuma Village
• February 1, 1955 Obama and Kitakushiyama villages merged to form Obama Town
• September 1, 1956 Tabira and Doguro villages merged to form Kunimi Town
• September 25, 1956 Taisho and Saigo village merged to form Mizuho Village
• March 22, 1957 Jindai Village was raised to town status, becoming Kunimi Town
• April 1, 1963 Agatsuma Village → Agatsuma Town
• April 1, 1969 Mizuho Village → Mizuho Town, Minamikushiyama Village → Minamikushiyama Town

The city of Unzen was established on October 11, 2005, from the merger of the towns of Aino, Azuma, Chijiwa, Kunimi, Minamikushiyama, Mizuho and Obama (all from Minamitakaki District).^[5][6]

Government

Unzen has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 19 members. Unzen contributes two members to the Nagasaki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Nagasaki 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Unzen has a mixed economy of agriculture, commercial fishing, and tourism to its many hot spring resorts.

Education

Unzen has 17 public elementary schools and seven public junior high schools by the city government, and two public high schools operated by the Nagasaki Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railways

Shimabara Railway - Shimabara Railway Line

• Aino - Abozaki - Azuma - Kobe - Taishō - Saigō - Kōjiro - Taira

Highways

• National Route 57
• National Route 251
• National Route 389

Local attractions

• Aino
• Mount Unzen
• Obama Onsen is located in Unzen City. The poet Saito Mokichi wrote a verse about the beauty of this hot spring.
• Unzen Onsen

Festivals

Tachibana Park in Chijiwa hosts the Kanoukaen first festival on the final Saturday of March.