Wakasa, Fukui

Town in Chūbu, Japan

Wakasa

若狭町

Town

Wakasa Town Hall

Flag

Seal

Location of Wakasa in Fukui Prefecture

Wakasa

Coordinates: 35°32′56.2″N 135°54′29.4″E﻿ / ﻿35.548944°N 135.908167°E﻿ / 35.548944; 135.908167
Country| Japan
Region| Chūbu (Hokuriku)
Prefecture| Fukui
District| Mikatakaminaka
Area

• Total

| 178.49 km2 (68.92 sq mi)
Population

(April 2018)

• Total

| 14,577
• Density| 82/km2 (210/sq mi)
Time zone| UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
City symbols|
Phone number| 0770-45-1111
Address| 1-1 Chuo, Wakasa-cho, Mikatakaminaka-gun, Fukui-ken 919-1393
Website| www.town.fukui-wakasa.lg.jp
Mikata five lakes Annotated aerial view of the Mikata Five Lakes in Wakasa, Fukui Prefecture, Japan (2018/2023). Measurements refer to maximum depth.

Wakasa (若狭町, Wakasa-chō) is a town located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 April 2018[update], the city had an estimated population of 14,577 and the population density of 82 persons per km2. The total area of the town was 178.49 square kilometres (68.92 sq mi).

## Geography

[edit]

Wakasa is located in southwestern Fukui Prefecture, bordered by Shiga Prefecture to the south and the heavily indented ria coast of Wakasa Bay of Sea of Japan to the north. Parts of the town are within the borders of the Wakasa Wan Quasi-National Park.

### Neighbouring municipalities

[edit]

* Fukui Prefecture
* Mihama
* Obama
* Shiga Prefecture
* Takashima

### Climate

[edit]

Wakasa has a Humid climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Wakasa is 14.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2115 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.7 °C.[1]

## Demographics

[edit]

Per Japanese census data,[2] the population of Wakasa has declined over the past 40 years.

Historical populationYear| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1970 | 18,090| —
1980 | 18,114| +0.1%
1990 | 17,835| −1.5%
2000 | 17,313| −2.9%
2010 | 16,099| −7.0%
2020 | 14,003| −13.0%

## History

[edit]

Wakasa is part of ancient Wakasa Province. During the Edo period, the area was part of the holdings of Obama Domain. Following the Meiji restoration, it was organised into part of Mikatakaminaka District in Fukui Prefecture. The town of Wakasa was formed on March 31, 2005 by the merger of the former towns of Mikata, from Mikata District, and Kaminaka, from Onyū District.

## Economy

[edit]

The economy of Wakasa is dependent on commercial fishing, agriculture and seasonal tourism.

## Education

[edit]

Wakasa has ten public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government. The town has one public high school operated by the Fukui Prefectural Board of Education.

## Transportation

[edit]

### Railway

[edit]

* JR West \- Obama Line
* Kiyama, Mikata, Fujii, Tomura, Ōtoba, Wakasa-Arita, Kaminaka

### Highway

[edit]

* Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway
* National Route 27
* National Route 162
* National Route 203

## Notable people

[edit]

* Tsutomu Sakuma (1879-1910), was a career naval officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy and a pioneer submarine commander[3]

## Local attractions

[edit]

* Kumakawa-juku, one of the nationally protected Groups of Traditional Buildings
* Mikata Five Lakes
* Torihama shell mound
* Wakasa Mikata Jomon Museum
* Shimofunazuka Kofun, Kamifunazuka Kofun, Nakatsuka Kofun, Nishizuka Kofun, Jōnozuka Kofun, National Historic Sites

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Wakasa climate data
2. ^ Wakasa population statistics
3. ^ Trevor N. Dupuy|Dupuy, Trevor N. Harper Encyclopedia of Military Biography, New York, 1992

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to Wakasa, Fukui at Wikimedia Commons
* Official website (in Japanese)

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* Japan

* v
* t
* e

Fukui Prefecture

Fukui (capital)

Core city|

* Fukui

Cities|

* Awara
* Echizen
* Katsuyama
* Obama
* Ōno
* Sabae
* Sakai
* Tsuruga

Districts|

* Imadate District
* Ikeda
* Mikata District
* Mihama
* Mikatakaminaka District
* Wakasa
* Nanjō District
* Minamiechizen
* Nyū District
* Echizen
* Ōi District
* Ōi
* Takahama
* Yoshida District
* Eiheiji

Former Districts|

* Asuwa District
* Ōno District
* Onyū District
* Sakai District
* Tsuruga District

List of mergers in Fukui Prefecture

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*[±%]: Percent change
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