Yamagata (山形市) is the capital city of Yamagata Prefecture located in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 242,505 in 103,165 households, and a population density of 636 persons per km². The total area of the city is 381.58 km².

Geography

Yamagata is in the southern portion of the Yamagata Basin in southeast Yamagata Prefecture. The northern and northwestern parts of the city are flatland, and the eastern part of the city is occupied by the Ōu Mountains. The city includes Mount Zaō within its borders. The Mamigasaki River passes through the city, and the Tachiyagawa River forms the border between Yamagata and Tendō.

Neighboring municipalities

Climate

Yamagata has a Humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa) closely bordering on Humid Subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from July to September. The average annual temperature in Yamagata is 11.7 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1163 mm with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25 °C, and lowest in January, at around -0.1 °C, just below the 0.0 °C isotherm required to earn the Humid Subtropical (Cfa) climate classification. Yamagata city is part of the heavy snow area of Japan (Gosetsu chitai, 豪雪地帯) with snowfall most days throughout the winter season. Yamagata City is located in a wide central valley that can heat up quickly in spring and summer and is often grey and humid, while to the east in Miyagi Prefecture on the Pacific coast it is usually clearer and more temperate.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Yamagata has remained relatively steady over the past 40 years.

History

The area of present-day Yamagata was part of Dewa Province. During the Edo period, it was a castle town and the center of Yamagata Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. The city of Yamagata was founded on April 1, 1889 as the capital of Yamagata Prefecture with the creation of the modern municipalities system. The city attained special city status on April 1, 2001. The city's status is then further elevated into a core city on April 1, 2019.

Government

Yamagata has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 33 members. The city contributes nine members to the Yamagata Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Yamagata District 1 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Education

Universities

High schools

Transportation

Railway

East Japan Railway Company - Yamagata Shinkansen East Japan Railway Company - Ōu Main Line(Yamagata Line) East Japan Railway Company - Senzan Line East Japan Railway Company - - Aterazawa Line

Highway

Culture

Ramen

Yamagata is famous in Japan for eating the most ramen on average.

Local events

Local attractions

International relations

Sister cities

Yamagata is twinned with:

Partner cities

Notable people