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Kusu, Ōita

Coordinates: 33°16′59″N 131°9′5.4″E / 33.28306°N 131.151500°E / 33.28306; 131.151500
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Kusu
玖珠町
Kusu Town
Kusu Town
Flag of Kusu
Official seal of Kusu
Map
Location of Kusu in Ōita Prefecture
Location of Kusu
Kusu is located in Japan
Kusu
Kusu
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 33°16′59″N 131°9′5.4″E / 33.28306°N 131.151500°E / 33.28306; 131.151500
CountryJapan
RegionKyushu
Prefecture Ōita
DistrictKusu
Government
 • MayorMasakazu Shukuri
Area
 • Total286.51 km2 (110.62 sq mi)
Population
 (November 30, 2023)
 • Total14,085
 • Density49/km2 (130/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
ClimateCfa
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerRhododendron japonicum
TreeCamphor
Japanese zelkova
Kusu Town Hall

Kusu (玖珠町, Kusu-machi) is a town located in Kusu District, Ōita Prefecture, Japan. As of 30 November 2023, the town had an estimated population of 14,085 in 6590 households, and a population density of 49 persons per km2. [1] The total area of the city is 286.51 km2 (110.62 sq mi)

Geography

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Kusu is located in midwestern Ōita Prefecture, approximately 60 kilometers west of the prefectural capital at Ōita City, and slightly borders Kumamoto Prefecture in the south. The town area is in the Kyushu Mountains, and much of the town area is within the borders of the Yaba-Hita-Hikosan Quasi-National Park. In the northern part of the town is the Hiseidai Training Range, the largest training range for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in western Japan.

Neighbouring municipalities

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Kumamoto Prefecture

Ōita Prefecture

Climate

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Kusu has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year but is somewhat lower in winter. The average annual temperature in Kusu is 14.1 °C (57.4 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,878.0 mm (73.94 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.7 °C (78.3 °F), and lowest in January, at around 2.5 °C (36.5 °F).[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Kusu was 38.8 °C (101.8 °F) on 18 July 1994; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −14.7 °C (5.5 °F) on 3 February 2012.

[3]

Climate data for Kusu (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 19.4
(66.9)
23.6
(74.5)
25.2
(77.4)
30.9
(87.6)
33.2
(91.8)
35.9
(96.6)
38.8
(101.8)
38.3
(100.9)
37.1
(98.8)
32.5
(90.5)
26.7
(80.1)
22.6
(72.7)
38.8
(101.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 7.9
(46.2)
9.7
(49.5)
13.8
(56.8)
19.7
(67.5)
24.7
(76.5)
27.0
(80.6)
30.7
(87.3)
31.9
(89.4)
27.7
(81.9)
22.1
(71.8)
16.2
(61.2)
10.2
(50.4)
20.1
(68.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 2.5
(36.5)
3.9
(39.0)
7.5
(45.5)
12.8
(55.0)
17.8
(64.0)
21.5
(70.7)
25.3
(77.5)
25.7
(78.3)
21.8
(71.2)
15.8
(60.4)
9.9
(49.8)
4.4
(39.9)
14.1
(57.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −2.0
(28.4)
−1.3
(29.7)
1.7
(35.1)
6.3
(43.3)
11.5
(52.7)
17.1
(62.8)
21.2
(70.2)
21.4
(70.5)
17.4
(63.3)
10.6
(51.1)
4.5
(40.1)
−0.5
(31.1)
9.0
(48.2)
Record low °C (°F) −11.5
(11.3)
−14.7
(5.5)
−8.1
(17.4)
−3.8
(25.2)
0.4
(32.7)
6.4
(43.5)
11.7
(53.1)
13.7
(56.7)
5.3
(41.5)
−1.1
(30.0)
−4.7
(23.5)
−9.0
(15.8)
−14.7
(5.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 63.1
(2.48)
79.0
(3.11)
117.4
(4.62)
120.4
(4.74)
147.1
(5.79)
361.2
(14.22)
364.1
(14.33)
195.3
(7.69)
188.9
(7.44)
97.8
(3.85)
80.6
(3.17)
63.2
(2.49)
1,878
(73.94)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 9.0 9.8 11.9 10.1 9.9 14.1 13.8 11.4 11.2 7.9 8.7 8.9 126.7
Mean monthly sunshine hours 113.4 129.1 156.7 181.8 192.4 124.7 155.2 180.6 135.7 159.5 136.7 121.5 1,787.4
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[3][2]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data, the population of Kusu in 2020 is 14,386 people.[4] Kusu has been conducting censuses since 1920.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 19,064—    
1925 19,890+4.3%
1930 20,515+3.1%
1935 22,093+7.7%
1940 21,685−1.8%
1945 27,110+25.0%
1950 27,782+2.5%
1955 28,622+3.0%
1960 28,300−1.1%
1965 25,565−9.7%
1970 23,828−6.8%
1975 22,369−6.1%
1980 22,775+1.8%
1985 22,079−3.1%
1990 20,907−5.3%
1995 19,659−6.0%
2000 18,988−3.4%
2005 18,276−3.7%
2010 17,057−6.7%
2015 15,823−7.2%
2020 14,386−9.1%
Kusu population statistics[4]

History

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The area of Kusu was part of ancient Bungo Province. During the Edo period the area was mostly part of the holdings of Mori Domain. Following the Meiji restoration, the village of Mannen (万年村) within Kusu District, Ōita was established on May 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. Mannen was raised to town status on April 1, 1927 and was renamed Kusu. On March 1,1955 Kusu annexed the neighboring town of Mori and the villages of Kitayamata, and Yahata.

Government

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Kusu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 14 members. Kusu, together with Kokonoe, contributes one member to the Ōita Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Ōita 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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The economy of Kusu is centered on agriculture and forestry.

Education

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Kuso has nine public elementary schools and one public junior high school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Ōita Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

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Railways

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JR Kyushu - Kyūdai Main Line

Highways

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Local attractions

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Bungo-Mori Roundhouse in Kusu

Notable people from Kusu

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References

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  1. ^ "Kusu Town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ a b 気象庁 / 平年値(年・月ごとの値). JMA. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  3. ^ a b 観測史上1~10位の値(年間を通じての値). JMA. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Kusu population statistics
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