Itoda, Fukuoka

Coordinates: 33°39′10″N 130°46′44″E / 33.65278°N 130.77889°E / 33.65278; 130.77889
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Itoda
糸田町
Itoda Town Office
Itoda Town Office
Flag of Itoda
Official seal of Itoda
Map
Location of Itoda in Fukuoka Prefecture
Location of Itoda
Itoda is located in Japan
Itoda
Itoda
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 33°39′10″N 130°46′44″E / 33.65278°N 130.77889°E / 33.65278; 130.77889
CountryJapan
RegionKyushu
PrefectureFukuoka
DistrictTagawa
Area
 • Total8.04 km2 (3.10 sq mi)
Population
 (December 31, 2023)
 • Total8,448
 • Density1,100/km2 (2,700/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address1975-1 Itoda-cho, Tagawa-gun, Fukuoka-ken 822-1392
WebsiteOfficial website

Itoda (糸田町, Itoda-machi) is a town located in Tagawa District, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 December 2023, the town had an estimated population of 8448 in 4581 households, and a population density of 830 persons per km². [1] The total area of the town is 8.04 km2 (3.10 sq mi).

Geography[edit]

Itoda is located almost in the center of Fukuoka Prefecture, in the northeastern part of the Chikuho region, approximately 50 kilometers east of Fukuoka City, approximately 40 kilometers southwest of Kitakyushu City, approximately 10 kilometers east of Iizuka City, and approximately halfway between Iizuka City and Tagawa City. The eastern part of the town is a basin, which is the urban center. The western part of the town contains mountainous region called Karasuo Pass, which was the border area connecting former Chikuzen Province and Buzen Province.

Neighboring municipalities[edit]

Fukuoka Prefecture

Climate[edit]

Itoda has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Itoda is 15.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1560 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.7 °C.[2]

Demographics[edit]

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

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1940 15,428—    
1950 16,375+6.1%
1960 12,398−24.3%
1970 9,876−20.3%
1980 10,872+10.1%
1990 11,308+4.0%
2000 10,469−7.4%
2010 9,621−8.1%
2020 8,407−12.6%

History[edit]

The area of Itoda was part of ancient Buzen Province. During the Edo Period the area was partly under the control of Kokura Domain. After the Meiji restoration, the villages of Itoda was established on May 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to town status on January 1, 1939.

Government[edit]

Itoda has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 12 members. Itoda, collectively with the other municipalities of Tagawa District contributes two members to the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Fukuoka 11th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy[edit]

During the Meiji period, Itoda, along with the other municipalities of the Chikuho area, developed with the Kitakyushu industrial zone through coal mining, and is still considered part of to the Greater Kitakyushu Metropolitan Area. However, as the demand for coal decreased due to the energy revolution, the coal mines that had sponsored prosperity have closed, leading to depopulation. Since the 1970s, efforts have been made to maintain the economic base by creating industrial parks on former sites such as coal mines. In addition, horticultural crops such as roses, orchids, strawberries, and cherry tomatoes are cultivated, and wooden crafts are produced as special products.

Education[edit]

Itoda has one public elementary school and one public junior high school operated by the town government. The town does not have a high school.

Transportation[edit]

Railways[edit]

Heisei Chikuhō Railway - Itoda Line

Buzen-Ōkuma - Matsuyama - Itoda

Highways[edit]

Notable people from Itoda[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Itoda Town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ Itoda climate: Average Temperature, weather by month

External links[edit]