Awa, Tokushima

Awa 阿波市
City
Awa City Hall
Flag Emblem
Location of Awa in Tokushima Prefecture
Awa Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°6′5″N 134°17′47″E / 34.10139°N 134.29639°E / 34.10139; 134.29639
Country	Japan
Region	Shikoku
Prefecture	Tokushima
Government
• Mayor	Kunikatsu Nozaki (since May 2009)
Area
• Total	191.11 km2 (73.79 sq mi)
Population  (June 30, 2022)
• Total	35,631
• Density	190/km2 (480/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address	Awacho, Higashihara 173, Awa-shi, Tokushima-ken 771–1703
Website	Official website
Symbols
Bird	Cettia diphone
Flower	Cosmos
Tree	Zelkova serrata

Awa (阿波市, Awa-shi) is a city located in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. As of 30 June 2022^[update], the city had an estimated population of 35,631 in 15432 households and a population density of 190 persons per km².^[1] The total area of the city is 191.11 square kilometres (73.79 sq mi).

Awa is located in the northeastern part of Tokushima Prefecture, between the northern bank of the Yoshino River and Kagawa Prefecture. Parts of the city are within the borders of the Okumiyagawa-Uchidani Prefectural Natural Park.

Kagawa Prefecture

• Higashikagawa
• Sanuki

Tokushima Prefecture

• Kamiita
• Mima
• Yoshinogawa

Awa has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Awa is 14.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1,335 mm with September as the wettest month.^[2]

Per Japanese census data,^[3] the population of Awa has slowly declined over the past 60 years.

As with all of Tokushima Prefecture, the area of Awa was part of ancient Awa Province. The Yoshino River valley was settled since at least the Kofun period, and archaeologists have found many kofun burial mounds. During the Edo period, the area was part of the holdings of Tokushima Domain ruled by the Hachisuka clan from their seat at Tokushima Castle. Following the Meiji restoration, it was organized into villages within Awa District and Itano District, Tokushima with the creation of the modern municipalities system on October 1, 1889. The villages of Hisakatsu, Isawa and Hayashi were founded within Awa District on October 1, 1889. Hayashi was raised to town status on November 1, 1928, and Hisakatsu on November 3, 1951. Hayashi, Hisakatsu and Isawa merged to form the town of Awa on March 31, 1955. The city of Awa was established on April 1, 2005, from the merger of the former town of Awa, absorbing the town of Ichiba from Awa District, and the towns of Donari and Yoshino (from Itano District).

Awa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 20 members. Awa contributes two members to the Tokushima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Tokushima 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

The economy of Awa is primarily agricultural.

Awa has ten public elementary schools and four public middle schools operated by the city government and two public middle school and four public high schools operated by the Tokushima Prefectural Department of Education.

Awa has no passenger railway service. Awa-Kawashima Station is closest to the city hall, Awa-Yamakawa Station is close to center of former Awa town, and Kamojima Station is closest to the center of both former Donari and Yoshino towns.

• Tokushima Expressway
• National Route 318

• Awa-no-dochū. Natural Monument
• Hōrin-ji, 9th temple on the Shikoku Pilgrimage
• Jūraku-ji, 7th temple on the Shikoku Pilgrimage
• Kirihata-ji, 10th temple on the Shikoku Pilgrimage
• Kumadani-ji, 8th temple on the Shikoku Pilgrimage
• Okumiyagawa-Uchidani Prefectural Natural Park

• Takeo Miki, Prime Minister of Japan
• Kazuo Sakamaki, Imperial Japanese Navy officer

• Awa City official website (in Japanese)
• Awa Town website (in Japanese)