Shimonita, Gunma

Shimonita 下仁田町
Town
Shimonita town office
Flag Seal
Location of Shimonita in Gunma Prefecture
Shimonita
Coordinates: 36°12′44.9″N 138°47′20.9″E / 36.212472°N 138.789139°ECoordinates: 36°12′44.9″N 138°47′20.9″E / 36.212472°N 138.789139°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Gunma Prefecture
District	Kanra
Area
• Total	188.38 km^2 (72.73 sq mi)
Population (February 2015)
• Total	7,855
• Density	41.7/km^2 (108/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Symbols
• Tree	Cryptomeria
• Flower	Sakura
• Bird	Japanese bush-warbler
Phone number	0274-82-2111
Address	682 Ōaza Shimonita, Shimonita-machi, Kanra-gun, Gunma-ken 370-2601
Website	Official website

Shimonita onion

Shimonita (下仁田町 Shimonita-machi) is a town located in Kanra District of southwestern Gunma Prefecture in the northern Kantō region of Japan. As of February 2015, the town had an estimated population of 7,855 and a population density of 41.7 persons per km². Its total area was 188.38 km². Shimonita is famous for its konjac and Welsh onion.

Geography

Shimonita is located in southwestern Gunma Prefecture bordering on Nagano Prefecture to the west. Part of the town is within the borders of the Myōgi-Arafune-Saku Kōgen Quasi-National Park. Approximately 84% of the town's total area is covered by forests.

• Mountains: Mount Arafune (1423 m), Mount Inafukumi, Mount Ōgeta, Ozawadake, Kanatake, Mount Nikkura, Mount Yotsumata, Mount Monogatari, Mount Midō, Mount Myogi, Mount Monomi
• Rivers: Kabura River

Surrounding municipalities

• Gunma Prefecture
  • Fujioka
  • Tomioka
  • Annaka
  • Nanmoku
  • Kanna
  • Kanra
• Nagano Prefecture
  • Saku
  • Karuizawa

History

During the Edo period, the area of present-day Shimonita was largely part of the tenryō territory held directly by Tokugawa shogunate within Kōzuke Province. The modern town of Shimonita was created within Kitakanra District of Gunma Prefecture on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration. In 1950 Kitakanra District was renamed Kanra District. Shimonita annexed the neighboring villages of Osaka, Saimoku, Aokura and Mayama on March 10, 1955.

Economy

The economy of Shimonita is heavily dependent on agriculture.

Education

• Primary schools
  • Shimonita Elementary School
  • Mayama Elementary School (closed)
  • Osaka Elementary School (closed)
  • Saimoku Elementary School (closed)
• Middle schools
  • Shimonita Middle School
• High schools
  • Shimonita High School

Transportation

Train

• Jōshin Dentetsu - Jōshin Line
  • Shimonita

Highway

• Joshin-etsu Expressway – Shimonita IC
• Japan National Route 254

Local attractions

• Shimonita Onsen

External links

Media related to Shimonita, Gunma at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (Japanese)