Kanuma (鹿沼市) is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 94,926 in 36,795 households, and a population density of 190 persons per km2. The total area of the town is 490.64 km2.

Geography

Kanuma is located in the central area of Tochigi Prefecture. The city is located in the northern part of the Kanto region. The western half of the city area is occupied by the Ashio Mountains, and the eastern half, by a diluvial plateau called Kanuma Plateau. The city is bordered by the prefectural capital of Utsunomiya to the east.

Surrounding municipalities

Gunma Prefecture Tochigi Prefecture

Climate

Kanuma has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kanuma is 13.1 C. The average annual rainfall is 1677.2 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.9 C, and lowest in January, at around 1.5 C.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Kanuma peaked around the year 2000 and has declined since.

History

Kanuma was the castle town for a 25,000 koku feudal domain in the early Edo period. Even after the domain was suppressed by the Tokugawa shogunate, the area continued to prosper from its location with a number of post stations on the Nikkō Reiheishi Kaidō. The town of Kanuma was created on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of then modern municipalities system. It was raised to city status on October 10, 1948. On January 1, 2006, the town of Awano (from Kamitsuga District) was merged into Kanuma.

Government

Kanuma has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 24 members. Kanuma contributes three members to the Tochigi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Tochigi 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The economy of Kanuma is primarily agricultural. Hemp was once a major cash crop, but has been supplanted by soba and strawberries.

Education

Kanuma has 24 primary schools and ten middle schools operated by the city government. The city has four public high schools operated by the Tochigi Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

JR East – Nikkō Line Tobu Railway – Tobu Nikkō Line

Highway

Local attractions

International relations

Notable people