View source for Karumai, Iwate

{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name                    = Karumai
| official_name           = 
| native_name             = {{nobold|{{lang|ja|軽米町}}}}
| native_name_lang        = ja
| settlement_type         =  [[Towns of Japan|Town]]
<!-- images, nickname, motto -->
| image_skyline           = {{multiple image
  | border        = infobox
  | total_width   = 300
  | perrow        = 1
  | image_style   = border: 2px solid black;
  | caption_align = center
  | image1        = KarumaiTownOffice.jpg
  | alt1          = Karumai Town Hall
  | caption1      = Karumai Town Hall
  | image2        = 090513軽米フォリストパーク.jpg
  | alt2          = Park in Karumai
  | caption2      = Park in Karumai
 }}
| image_flag              = Flag of Karumai, Iwate.svg
| flag_alt                = Flag of Karumai, Iwate
| image_blank_emblem      = Emblem of Karumai, Iwate.svg
| blank_emblem_alt        = Emblem of Karumai, Iwate
| blank_emblem_type       = Emblem
| nickname                = 
| motto                   = 
<!-- maps and coordinates -->
| image_map               = Karumai in Iwate Prefecture Ja.svg
| mapsize                 = 300
| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = {{color box|#fde047}} Location of Karumai in [[Iwate Prefecture]]
| pushpin_map             = Japan
| pushpin_mapsize         = 300
| pushpin_label_position  = <!-- position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_map_alt         = 
| pushpin_map_caption     = Location of Karumai in Japan
| coordinates             = {{coord|40|19|36.3|N|141|27|37.7|E|region:JP|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint           = <!-- to specify exact location of coordinates (was coor_type) -->
| coordinates_footnotes   = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
<!-- location -->
| subdivision_type        = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name        = [[Japan]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[List of regions of Japan|Region]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Tōhoku region|Tōhoku]]
| subdivision_type2       = [[Prefectures of Japan|Prefecture]]
| subdivision_name2       = [[Iwate Prefecture|Iwate]]
| subdivision_type3       = [[Districts of Japan|District]]
| subdivision_name3       = [[Kunohe District, Iwate|Kunohe]]
<!-- established -->
| established_title       = <!-- Settled -->
| established_date        = 
| founder                 = 
| named_for               = 
<!-- seat, smaller parts -->
| seat_type               = <!-- defaults to: Seat -->
| seat                    = 
<!-- government type, leaders -->
| government_footnotes    = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| leader_party            = 
| leader_title            = -Mayor
| leader_name             = 
| leader_title1           = 
| leader_name1            = <!-- etc., up to leader_title4 / leader_name4 -->
<!-- display settings  -->
| total_type              = <!-- to set a non-standard label for total area and population rows -->
| unit_pref               = <!-- enter: Imperial, to display imperial before metric -->
<!-- area -->
| area_magnitude          = <!-- use only to set a special wikilink -->
| area_footnotes          = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_total_km2          = 245.82
| area_land_km2           = 
| area_water_km2          = 
| area_water_percent      = 
| area_note               = 
<!-- elevation -->
| elevation_footnotes     = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| elevation_m             = 
<!-- population -->
| population_footnotes    = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| population_total        = 8895
| population_as_of        = March 1, 2020
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_est          = 
| pop_est_as_of           = 
| population_demonym      = <!-- demonym, i.e. Liverpudlian for someone from Liverpool -->
| population_note         = 
<!-- time zone(s) -->
| timezone1               = [[Japan Standard Time]]
| utc_offset1             = +9
| timezone1_DST           = 
| utc_offset1_DST         = 
<!-- postal codes, area code -->
| postal_code_type        = 
| postal_code             = 
| area_code_type          = <!-- defaults to: Area code(s) -->
| area_code               = 
<!-- blank fields (section 1) -->
| blank_name_sec1         = Phone&nbsp;number
| blank_info_sec1         = 0195-46-2111
| blank1_name_sec1        = Address
| blank1_info_sec1        = Karumai dai-10 jiwari 85, Karumai-machi, Kunohe-gun, Iwate 028-6302
<!-- blank fields (section 2) -->
| blank_name_sec2        = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
| blank_info_sec2        = [[Humid continental climate|Dfa]]
<!-- website, footnotes -->
| website                 = {{Official|1=http://www.town.karumai.iwate.jp/}}
| footnotes               =
| module = {{infobox place symbols
  | embedded = yes
  | tree = [[Taxus cuspidata|Japanese Yew]]
  | flower = ''[[Magnolia kobus|Kobushi]]''
  | bird = [[Copper pheasant]]
  | flowering_tree = 
  | butterfly = 
  | fish = 
  | other_symbols = 
 }}
}}
{{Nihongo|'''Karumai'''|軽米町|Karumai-machi}} is a [[Towns of Japan|town]] located in [[Iwate Prefecture]], [[Japan]]. {{As of|2020|03|31}}, the town had an estimated [[population]] of 8,895 in 3769 households,<ref>[http://www.town.karumai.iwate.jp/index.html Karumai Town official statistics]</ref> and a [[population density]] of 36 persons per km². The total area of the town is {{convert|245.82|sqkm|sqmi}}.

==Geography==
Karumai is located in far northcentral Iwate Prefecture, bordered by [[Aomori Prefecture]] to the north.

===Neighboring municipalities===
Aomori Prefecture
*[[Hachinohe, Aomori|Hachinohe]]
*[[Hashikami, Aomori|Hashikami]]
*[[Nanbu, Aomori|Nanbu]]
Iwate Prefecture
*[[Hirono, Iwate|Hirono]]
*[[Kuji, Iwate|Kuji]]
*[[Kunohe, Iwate|Kunohe]]
*[[Ninohe, Iwate|Ninohe]]

===Climate===
Karumai has a humid [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfa'') characterized by mild summers and cold winters.  The average annual temperature in Karumai is 9.5&nbsp;°C. The average annual rainfall is 1209&nbsp;mm with September being the wettest month and February being the driest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.5&nbsp;°C, and lowest in January, at around -2.4&nbsp;°C.<ref>[https://en.climate-data.org/location/50958/ Karumai climate data]</ref>
{{Weather box
|width=auto
|collapsed = Y
|single line = Y
|metric first = Y
|location = Karumai (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present)
|Jan record high C = 14.2
|Feb record high C = 17.2
|Mar record high C = 21.1
|Apr record high C = 29.1
|May record high C = 33.0
|Jun record high C = 33.8
|Jul record high C = 34.6
|Aug record high C = 36.2
|Sep record high C = 33.9
|Oct record high C = 28.3
|Nov record high C = 23.4
|Dec record high C = 18.4
|Jan high C = 1.4
|Feb high C = 2.4
|Mar high C = 6.6
|Apr high C = 13.7
|May high C = 19.6
|Jun high C = 22.6
|Jul high C = 25.8
|Aug high C = 27.0
|Sep high C = 23.3
|Oct high C = 17.4
|Nov high C = 11.0
|Dec high C = 4.2
|Jan mean C = -2.6
|Feb mean C = -2.0
|Mar mean C = 1.6
|Apr mean C = 7.7
|May mean C = 13.4
|Jun mean C = 17.0
|Jul mean C = 20.9
|Aug mean C = 22.0
|Sep mean C = 18.0
|Oct mean C = 11.5
|Nov mean C = 5.5
|Dec mean C = 0.0
|Jan low C = -7.5
|Feb low C = -7.3
|Mar low C = -3.6
|Apr low C = 1.5
|May low C = 7.1
|Jun low C = 11.8
|Jul low C = 16.8
|Aug low C = 17.8
|Sep low C = 13.2
|Oct low C = 5.7
|Nov low C = 0.1
|Dec low C = -4.5
|Jan record low C = -21.7
|Feb record low C = -23.0
|Mar record low C = -18.8
|Apr record low C = -10.0
|May record low C = -2.8
|Jun record low C = 0.1
|Jul record low C = 6.3
|Aug record low C = 6.4
|Sep record low C = 1.1
|Oct record low C = -4.4
|Nov record low C = -10.5
|Dec record low C = -18.6
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 40.1
|Feb precipitation mm = 38.1
|Mar precipitation mm = 54.5
|Apr precipitation mm = 57.9
|May precipitation mm = 80.5
|Jun precipitation mm = 93.3
|Jul precipitation mm = 150.2
|Aug precipitation mm = 162.6
|Sep precipitation mm = 151.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 113.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 60.4
|Dec precipitation mm = 56.3
|year precipitation mm = 1050.9
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm 
|Jan precipitation days = 8.1
|Feb precipitation days = 7.3
|Mar precipitation days = 8.8
|Apr precipitation days = 9.6
|May precipitation days = 10.1
|Jun precipitation days = 9.2
|Jul precipitation days = 11.5
|Aug precipitation days = 11.7
|Sep precipitation days = 11.4
|Oct precipitation days = 9.7
|Nov precipitation days = 10.1
|Dec precipitation days = 8.5
|Jan sun = 113.5
|Feb sun = 112.2
|Mar sun = 156.0
|Apr sun = 178.7
|May sun = 196.6
|Jun sun = 163.3
|Jul sun = 136.6
|Aug sun = 156.1
|Sep sun = 142.9
|Oct sun = 148.9
|Nov sun = 125.5
|Dec sun = 109.6
|year sun = 1752.1
|source 1 = [[Japan Meteorological Agency|JMA]]<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=33&block_no=0206&year=&month=&day=&view=h0
|script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）
| publisher = [[Japan Meteorological Agency|JMA]]
| access-date = February 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=33&block_no=0206&year=&month=&day=&view=h0
|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値） 
| publisher = [[Japan Meteorological Agency|JMA]]
| access-date = February 25, 2022}}</ref>}}

==Demographics==
Per Japanese census data,<ref>[https://www.citypopulation.de/Japan-Iwate.html Karumai population statistics]</ref> the population of Karumai peaked at around the year 1960 and has steadily declined over the past 60 years.

{{Historical populations
| 1920 | 12,147
| 1930 | 13,561
| 1940 | 14,716
| 1950 | 16,842
| 1960 | 17,672
| 1970 | 15,462
| 1980 | 13,768
| 1990 | 12,646
| 2000 | 11,863
| 2010 | 10,212
| 2020 | 8,895
|align       = none
| footnote = 
}}

==History==
The area of present-day Karumai was part of ancient [[Mutsu Province]], dominated by the [[Nambu clan]] from the [[Muromachi period]], and part of [[Hachinohe Domain]] under the [[Edo period]] [[Tokugawa shogunate]]. During the early [[Meiji period]], the village of Karumai within Kitakunohe District, Iwate Prefecture was created on April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. Kita-Kunohe District and Minami-Kunohe Districts merged to form [[Kunohe District, Iwate|Kunohe District]] on April 1, 1897. The village was raised to town status on January 1, 1925. The neighboring villages of Kogarumai and Hareyama were merged with Karumai on January 1, 1955.

==Government==
Karumai has a [[mayor-council]] form of government with a directly elected mayor and a [[unicameral]] town council of 12 members. Karumai, as part of Kunohe District, contributes two seats to the Iwate Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the town is part of [[Iwate 2nd district]] of the [[House of Representatives of Japan|lower house]] of the [[Diet of Japan]].

==Economy==
The economy of Karumai is based on agriculture, particularly the various grains, including [[millet]], livestock raising, and the production of charcoal. The [[Actinidia arguta|hardy kiwi]] is a noted local specialty.<ref>[http://www.town.karumai.iwate.jp/syokokanko/tokusan/ Karumai official home page]</ref>

==Education==
Karumai has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education.

==Transportation==
===Railway===
*Karumai does not have any passenger train service.

===Highway===
* {{jct|country=JPN|Exp|E4A|dab1=H}} – Orizume Service Area - Karumai Interchange
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|340}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|395}}

==Noted people from Karumai==
*[[Haruichi Furudate]], manga artist (''[[Haikyu!!]]'', ''[[Yotsuya Senpai no Kaidan]]''). Much of ''[[Haikyu!!]]'' is based on actual locations in Karumai.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
*[http://www.town.karumai.iwate.jp/ Official Website] {{in lang|ja}}

{{Iwate}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Iwate Prefecture]]