Chikuzen is located in the central-southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture, approximately 25 kilometers southeast of Fukuoka city and approximately 20 kilometers northeast of Kurume city. The western, southwestern, and southern parts of the town are located at the northern end of the Chikugo Plain, and the terrain is relatively flat, and the main urban area is on this flat land. On the other hand, the eastern, northeastern, and northern regions are mountainous.
Chikuzen has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Chikuzen is 14.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1766 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.9 °C.[2]
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Chikuzen is as shown below
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1940
21,117
—
1950
19,384
−8.2%
1960
18,737
−3.3%
1970
22,273
+18.9%
1980
24,572
+10.3%
1990
28,926
+17.7%
2000
28,822
−0.4%
2010
29,234
+1.4%
2020
29,578
+1.2%
History
The area of Chikuzen was part of ancient Chikuzen Province. Numerous burial mounds from the Kofun period are found in the area. During the Edo Period, the area was under the control of Akizuki Domain. After the Meiji restoration, the villages of Mine, Nakatsuya, Yasuno, Omiwa, and Kurita was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. In 1908 Mine, Nakatsuya, and Yasuno villages merged to form Yasu village, and Omiwa and Kurita villages merged to form Miwa village. Both were raised to town status on April 1, 1962, and merged on March 22, 2005 to form Chikuzen town.[3]
Government
Chikuzen has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 14 members. Chikuzen, together with the city of Asakira and village of Tōhō contributes two members to the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Fukuoka 5th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
The local economy is largely based on agriculture.
Education
Chikuzen has four public elementary schools and two public junior high schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education.
