Miura, Kanagawa

Miura
三浦市
City

Miura City Hall

Flag

Seal

Location of Miura in Kanagawa Prefecture
Miura

 

Coordinates: 35°9′N 139°37′E / 35.150°N 139.617°E / 35.150; 139.617Coordinates: 35°9′N 139°37′E / 35.150°N 139.617°E / 35.150; 139.617
Country Japan
Region Kantō
Prefecture Kanagawa Prefecture
Government
  Mayor Hideo Yoshida (since June 2005)
Area
  Total 32.05 km2 (12.37 sq mi)
Population (September 1, 2016)
  Total 44,728
  Density 1,395.57/km2 (3,614.5/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols  
• Tree Japanese black pine
• Flower Crinum
• Bird Japanese cormorant
Phone number 046-882-1111
Address 1-1 Shiroyama-cho, Miura-shi, Kanagawa-ken 238-0298
Website www.city.miura.kanagawa.jp/hisho/eng/index.html
Misaki harbor at sunset, looking south towards Jōgashima
An 1886 view of Misaki: the University of Tokyo Marine Experiment Center
A view of Jogashima bridge

Miura (三浦市 Miura-shi) is a city located in central Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

As of September 1, 2016, the city had an estimated population of 44,728 and a population density of 1,395.57 persons per km2. The total area is 32.05 km2.

Geography

Miura is located on the very southern end of Miura Peninsula in southeast Kanagawa Prefecture, surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean, with Sagami Bay to the west. To the south of the urban area and port is the island of Jōgashima, connected to the city by a bridge. It is a popular destination for weekend tourism. The Jōgashima Lighthouse was built by the French engineer Léonce Verny at the end of the 19th century.

Surrounding municipalities

Climate

Climate data for Miura (1981 - 2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 18.7
(65.7)
21.8
(71.2)
22.1
(71.8)
26.5
(79.7)
29.6
(85.3)
32.8
(91)
36.4
(97.5)
36.0
(96.8)
35.9
(96.6)
29.2
(84.6)
24.5
(76.1)
22.6
(72.7)
36.4
(97.5)
Average high °C (°F) 10.4
(50.7)
10.7
(51.3)
13.5
(56.3)
18.4
(65.1)
22.1
(71.8)
24.6
(76.3)
28.1
(82.6)
30.4
(86.7)
27.0
(80.6)
21.8
(71.2)
17.1
(62.8)
12.9
(55.2)
19.8
(67.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 6.4
(43.5)
6.6
(43.9)
9.3
(48.7)
14.1
(57.4)
18.0
(64.4)
20.9
(69.6)
24.4
(75.9)
26.3
(79.3)
23.2
(73.8)
18.1
(64.6)
13.4
(56.1)
9.0
(48.2)
15.8
(60.4)
Average low °C (°F) 2.5
(36.5)
2.6
(36.7)
5.3
(41.5)
10.1
(50.2)
14.5
(58.1)
18.1
(64.6)
21.8
(71.2)
23.5
(74.3)
20.3
(68.5)
14.9
(58.8)
9.7
(49.5)
5.2
(41.4)
12.4
(54.3)
Record low °C (°F) −3.8
(25.2)
−3.6
(25.5)
−1.8
(28.8)
−0.2
(31.6)
7.2
(45)
11.8
(53.2)
14.8
(58.6)
17.7
(63.9)
11.8
(53.2)
6.2
(43.2)
2.9
(37.2)
−1.7
(28.9)
−3.8
(25.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 56.1
(2.209)
69.8
(2.748)
129.6
(5.102)
134.3
(5.287)
136.9
(5.39)
183.4
(7.22)
158.3
(6.232)
128.0
(5.039)
195.5
(7.697)
192.6
(7.583)
111.9
(4.406)
60.3
(2.374)
1,556.8
(61.291)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 5.8 6.4 11.5 10.8 10.4 11.7 9.8 6.9 10.9 10.7 7.9 5.7 108.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours 176.6 165.1 166.3 186.1 182.1 140.0 177.2 225.3 152.5 147.4 154.1 176.3 2,051
Source #1: [http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=46&prec_ch=%90_%93%DE%90%EC%8C%A7&block_no=0392&block_ch=%8EO%89Y&year=&month=&day=&elm=normal&view= Japan Meteorological Agency
Source #2: 観測史上1〜10位の値(年間を通じての値)

History

The area of modern Miura has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Archaeologists have uncovered numerous remains from the Japanese paleolithic, Jōmon and Yayoi periods. From the late Heian period through the end of the Sengoku period, the area was ruled by the Miura clan. During the Edo period, it was tenryō territory ruled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate.

After the Meiji Restoration, the town of Misaki within Miura District, Kanagawa was created on April 1, 1889. The town was electrified in 1913, but did not have running water until 1934.

The area was badly shaken during the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, which had its epicenter in Sagami Bay just a few kilometers offshore from the city. The whole geographical area around the city was lifted by about 10 meters by tectonic movement, before subsiding to its original level during the next few days. No major tsunami was recorded.

On January 1, 1955, Misaki absorbed neighboring Minami-Shitaura Town and Hasse Village to create the city of Miura. The city was connected to the Tokyo Metropolis by rail on July 7, 1966 with the opening of Miurakaigan Station on the outskirts of the city. The line was extended to Misakiguchi Station on April 26, 1975, but plans to further extend the line to the city center have been abandoned.

Miura has been the arrival point of several trans-Pacific sailboat races, such as the 1969 San Francisco-Tokyo Transpacific Yacht Race. Misaki was also the arrival point of the record solo circumnavigation of 71-year-old Minoru Saito, on June 6, 2005.

Economy

The economy of the city is dominated by commercial fishing, centered on the harbor of Misaki, Japan's 18th most important fishing harbor, and the 2nd for its catch of tuna. Misaki is an important fishing harbor, mainly specializing in the processing of tuna. The harbor also has a quay which can accommodate sailboats from neighboring marinas.

Agriculture remains important to the local economy, especially watermelon and daikon.

Transportation

Railway

Highway

Education

Miura is home to Misaki Fisheries High School, a specialist fishery high school. The school trains students in one of four commercial fisheries skills: radio communications, engineering, food processing, and ocean fishing. The school maintains two fishing vessels, one of which is the ocean-going tuna fishing ship Shōnan Maru, launched in 2005. The Shōnan Maru is a frequent visitor to the port of Honolulu as part of the training programme.

Local events

Miura is well known for the Miura Marathon which is normally held in the first week of March. The race consists of three events: 5 kilometer, 10 kilometer, and a half marathon.

Sister city relations

Notes

    References

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