Murata (村田町, Murata-machi) is a town located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 May 2020[update], the town had an estimated population of 10,675, and a population density of 140 persons per km2 in 4026 households.[1] The total area of the town is 78.38 square kilometres (30.26 sq mi). In September 2014, the 7.4 hectare old centre of town was protected as an Important Preservation District by the national government for its traditional merchant quarter architecture.[2]
Geography
Murata is located in south-central Miyagi Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. The Shiroishi River runs through the town.
Murata has a humid climate (Köppen climate classificationCfa) characterized by mild summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature in Murata is 12.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1271 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.0 °C, and lowest in January, at around 1.5 °C.[3]
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,[4] the population of Murata declined over the past 30 years.
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1950
16,049
—
1960
15,015
−6.4%
1970
13,337
−11.2%
1980
13,370
+0.2%
1990
13,632
+2.0%
2000
13,166
−3.4%
2010
11,995
−8.9%
2020
10,666
−11.1%
History
The area of present-day Murata was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and was part of the holdings of Sendai Domain under the Edo periodTokugawa shogunate. The modern village of Murata was established on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of post-Meiji restoration modern municipalities system. It was promoted to town status on October 31, 1895. The town merged with the neighboring towns on Tomioka and Numabe on April 20, 1955.
Government
Murata has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 12 members. Murata, collectively with the other municipalities in Shibata District contributes two seats to the Miyagi Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Miyagi 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
The economy of Murata is largely based on agriculture, and the town is especially known for its production of fava beans.
Education
Murata has two public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Miyagi Prefectural Board of Education.
^"International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
