Kikuchi, Kumamoto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kikuchi
菊池市
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Kikuchi City Hall
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 Kikuchi
Location in Japan
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| Country | Japan | ||||||||||||
| Region | Kyushu | ||||||||||||
| Prefecture | Kumamoto | ||||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||||
| • Total | 276.85 km2 (106.89 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Population
(June 30, 2024)
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| • Total | 46,684 | ||||||||||||
| • Density | 168.626/km2 (436.738/sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) | ||||||||||||
| Climate | Cfa | ||||||||||||
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Kikuchi (菊池市 (Kikuchi-shi)) is a city in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. It is located on the island of Kyushu. As of June 30, 2024, about 46,684 people live in Kikuchi. They live in 20,392 homes. The city covers an area of 276.85 square kilometers. This means there are about 170 people living in each square kilometer.
Contents
Geography of Kikuchi
Kikuchi is about 25 kilometers northeast of Kumamoto City. It sits along the Kikuchi River. This river flows through the northern part of Kumamoto Prefecture. The city's main area is in the southwest. It is at the edge of the Kumamoto Plain.
The city center is called Kumafu. This was once the home of the Kikuchi clan. They were important government officials. The eastern part of Kikuchi has many natural trees. These trees grow on the outer slopes of Mount Aso.
Nearby Cities and Towns
Kikuchi shares borders with several other places. These are in Kumamoto Prefecture and Oita Prefecture.
- In Kumamoto Prefecture:
- Aso
- Kōshi
- Kumamoto
- Ōzu
- Yamaga
- In Oita Prefecture:
- Hita
Kikuchi's Climate
Kikuchi has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, wet summers. The winters are cool. There is a lot of rain throughout the year. June and July are usually the wettest months.
The average yearly temperature in Kikuchi is about 15.9 degrees Celsius. The average yearly rainfall is 1915.1 millimeters. August is the hottest month, with temperatures around 27.4 degrees Celsius. January is the coldest month, with temperatures around 4.4 degrees Celsius.
The hottest temperature ever recorded in Kikuchi was 38.8 degrees Celsius. This happened on July 19, 2018. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -9.9 degrees Celsius. This was on February 27, 1981.
| Climate data for Kikuchi (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.8 (69.4) |
23.8 (74.8) |
26.1 (79.0) |
31.3 (88.3) |
35.3 (95.5) |
35.7 (96.3) |
38.8 (101.8) |
38.8 (101.8) |
37.0 (98.6) |
34.2 (93.6) |
26.7 (80.1) |
23.7 (74.7) |
38.8 (101.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 10.2 (50.4) |
12.0 (53.6) |
15.7 (60.3) |
21.0 (69.8) |
25.8 (78.4) |
28.0 (82.4) |
31.4 (88.5) |
32.9 (91.2) |
29.7 (85.5) |
24.6 (76.3) |
18.4 (65.1) |
12.4 (54.3) |
21.8 (71.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.4 (39.9) |
6.0 (42.8) |
9.5 (49.1) |
14.6 (58.3) |
19.5 (67.1) |
23.0 (73.4) |
26.6 (79.9) |
27.4 (81.3) |
23.9 (75.0) |
18.0 (64.4) |
11.9 (53.4) |
6.4 (43.5) |
15.9 (60.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −1.0 (30.2) |
0.1 (32.2) |
3.4 (38.1) |
8.2 (46.8) |
13.5 (56.3) |
18.7 (65.7) |
22.9 (73.2) |
23.2 (73.8) |
19.2 (66.6) |
12.2 (54.0) |
6.1 (43.0) |
0.7 (33.3) |
10.6 (51.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −9.0 (15.8) |
−9.9 (14.2) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
−3.4 (25.9) |
1.8 (35.2) |
7.0 (44.6) |
14.3 (57.7) |
15.1 (59.2) |
5.1 (41.2) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−9.9 (14.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 55.0 (2.17) |
79.6 (3.13) |
122.9 (4.84) |
139.6 (5.50) |
157.7 (6.21) |
400.9 (15.78) |
381.4 (15.02) |
181.8 (7.16) |
168.9 (6.65) |
82.3 (3.24) |
83.9 (3.30) |
61.3 (2.41) |
1,915.1 (75.40) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 7.1 | 8.5 | 10.8 | 10.1 | 9.6 | 14.0 | 13.0 | 10.5 | 9.2 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 114.8 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 133.3 | 139.9 | 163.8 | 178.9 | 182.9 | 111.9 | 162.2 | 197.4 | 170.1 | 181.2 | 150.4 | 138.2 | 1,918.8 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency | |||||||||||||
Kikuchi's Population Changes
The population of Kikuchi has changed over the years. In 2020, there were 46,416 people living in Kikuchi.
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A Brief History of Kikuchi
The area where Kikuchi is today was once part of an old province called Higo Province. Kikuchi Castle was built here during the Asuka period. This was a mountain fort.
The local Kikuchi clan was very important. They strongly supported the Southern Court during the Nanboku-cho period. Later, during the Edo Period, the area was part of the Kumamoto Domain.
Modern towns and villages were created on April 1, 1889. The town of Kumafu and the village of Kikuchi were formed then. On September 1, 1956, several villages joined with Kumafu. These included Kikuchi, Kawahara, Suigen, Ryumon, Hasama, Hanabusa, and Tozaki. They all became the town of Kikuchi.
Kikuchi officially became a city on August 1, 1958. On March 22, 2005, Kikuchi grew even larger. It absorbed the towns of Shichijo and Shisui. It also absorbed the village of Kyokushi. These places were all from Kikuchi District.
Kikuchi's Economy
Kikuchi has been known for growing rice for a long time. Its special rice has won many national awards. Farmers also grow melons, burdock, and shiitake mushrooms. Raising livestock, like dairy cows, is also very important. Kikuchi is the biggest dairy farming area in western Japan.
The city also has many factories. These factories make parts for cars and electronics. Tourism is also a big part of the economy. Many people visit the city's hot spring resorts. This has been popular since the 1950s.
Education in Kikuchi
Kikuchi has many schools for young people. The city government runs ten public elementary schools. It also runs five public junior high schools. The Kumamoto Prefectural Board of Education runs two public high schools. There is also one private high school in Kikuchi.
Transportation in Kikuchi
Railways
Kikuchi does not have passenger train service anymore. The Kumamoto Electric Railway Kikuchi Line stopped most of its services in 1986. The closest train stations are Miyoshi Station and Higo-Ōzu Station.
Highways
Several important highways pass through Kikuchi. These roads help people travel to and from the city.
National Route 325
National Route 387
National Route 443
Sister Cities
Kikuchi has special friendships with other cities and towns. These are called sister cities.
Nishimera, Miyazaki, Japan
Gimje, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea (since 1985)
Sishui County, Shandong, China (since 1994)- Tōno, Iwate, Japan (since 1998)
- Cheongwon County, Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea (since 2005)
Famous People from Kikuchi
- Shigeru Chiba, an actor
Places to Visit in Kikuchi
- Kikuchi Shrine
See also
In Spanish: Kikuchi para niños
