Masuda, Shimane

{{redirect|Masuda}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Masuda | official_name = | native_name = {{lang|ja|益田市}} | native_name_lang = ja | settlement_type = City | other_name =  | image_skyline = Masuda City Hall ac.jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = Masuda City Hall | image_flag = Flag of Masuda, Shimane.svg | image_seal = Emblem of Masuda, Shimane.svg | seal_type = Emblem  | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 8 | mapframe-point = none | map_alt = | map_caption = Location of Masuda in Shimane Prefecture | pushpin_map = Japan | pushpin_relief = | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Japan | coordinates = {{coord|34|40|29|N|131|50|34|E|region:JP|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_footnotes =   | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Japan | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Chūgoku (San'in) | subdivision_type2 = Prefecture | subdivision_name2 = Shimane | subdivision_type3 = District | subdivision_name3 =  | established_title =  | established_date = | extinct_title = Now part of | extinct_date = | founder = | named_for =  | seat_type =  | seat =  | government_footnotes =  | leader_party = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Hiroaki Yamamoto (since August 2012) | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 =  | total_type =  | unit_pref = Metric  | area_magnitude =  | area_footnotes =  | area_total_km2 = 733.19 | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_water_percent = | area_note =  | elevation_footnotes =  | elevation_m =  | population_footnotes =  | population_total = 43,885 | population_as_of = July 31, 2023 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_est = | pop_est_as_of =  | timezone1 = JST | utc_offset1 = +09:00  | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code_type =  | area_code =  | blank_name_sec1 = City hall address | blank_info_sec1 = 1-1, Tokiwa-chō, Masuda-shi, Shimane-ken 698-8650  | blank_name_sec2 = Climate | blank_info_sec2 = Cfa  | website = {{Official website|1=http://www.city.masuda.lg.jp/}} | footnotes = | module = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=yes | tree = Keyaki | flower = Narcissus | bird = | flowering_tree = | butterfly = | fish = | other_symbols = }} }} thumb|right|270px|Gardens at Manpuku-ji thumb|right|270px|Aerial view of central Masuda thumb|right|270px|Sanrigahama coast {{nihongo|'''Masuda'''|益田市|Masuda-shi}} is a city located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. {{As of|2023|07|31}}, the city had an estimated population of 43,885 in 21,249 households and a population density of 60 persons per km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name="Masuda-hp">{{cite web |url=https://www.city.masuda.lg.jp/index.html|title= Masuda City official statistics|location= Japan|language= ja}}</ref> The total area of the city is {{convert|733.19|sqkm|sqmi}}.

==Geography== Masuda is located on the western edge of Honshu, facing the Sea of Japan to the north and the Chugoku Mountains to the south and is bordered by Yamaguchi Prefecture to the west and Hiroshima Prefecture to the southwest. The city has the largest geographic area among municipalities in Shimane Prefecture. The urban center is on a narrow floodplain between the Takatsu River and the Masuda River. Parts of the southern region of the city are within the borders of the Nishi-Chugoku Sanchi Quasi-National Park.

==Neighboring municipalities== Hiroshima Prefecture *Akiōta *Hatsukaichi *Kitahiroshima Shimane Prefecture *Hamada *Tsuwano *Yoshika Yamaguchi Prefecture *Hagi *Iwakuni

===Climate=== Masuda has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification ''Cfa'') with very warm summers and cool winters. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year. The average annual temperature in Masuda is {{convert|15.9|C}}. The average annual rainfall is {{cvt|1570.5|mm}} with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around {{convert|27.6|C}}, and lowest in January, at around {{convert|5.5|C}}.<ref name=normals/> The highest temperature ever recorded in Masuda was {{cvt|39.3|C}} on 6 August 2017; the coldest temperature ever recorded was {{cvt|-7.3|C}} on 26 February 1981.<ref name=extremes/>

{{Weather box |width= auto |single line = Y |metric first = Y |location = Masuda (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present) |Jan record high C = 20.4 |Feb record high C = 24.1 |Mar record high C = 27.6 |Apr record high C = 31.7 |May record high C = 32.4 |Jun record high C = 36.1 |Jul record high C = 37.9 |Aug record high C = 39.3 |Sep record high C = 37.5 |Oct record high C = 33.7 |Nov record high C = 27.8 |Dec record high C = 25.3 |Jan record low C = -5.1 |Feb record low C = -7.3 |Mar record low C = -2.5 |Apr record low C = -1.9 |May record low C = 3.4 |Jun record low C = 8.7 |Jul record low C = 13.6 |Aug record low C = 16.3 |Sep record low C = 7.4 |Oct record low C = 2.9 |Nov record low C = 0.2 |Dec record low C = -2.3 |Jan high C = 9.3 |Feb high C = 10.3 |Mar high C = 13.7 |Apr high C = 18.8 |May high C = 23.5 |Jun high C = 26.4 |Jul high C = 30.7 |Aug high C = 32.2 |Sep high C = 27.9 |Oct high C = 22.8 |Nov high C = 17.5 |Dec high C = 11.9 |Jan mean C = 5.5 |Feb mean C = 6.1 |Mar mean C = 8.9 |Apr mean C = 13.7 |May mean C = 18.4 |Jun mean C = 22.1 |Jul mean C = 26.5 |Aug mean C = 27.6 |Sep mean C = 23.3 |Oct mean C = 17.7 |Nov mean C = 12.6 |Dec mean C = 7.8 |Jan low C = 1.9 |Feb low C = 1.9 |Mar low C = 4.0 |Apr low C = 8.4 |May low C = 13.3 |Jun low C = 18.2 |Jul low C = 23.0 |Aug low C = 23.8 |Sep low C = 19.3 |Oct low C = 13.1 |Nov low C = 8.2 |Dec low C = 4.0 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 97.0 |Feb precipitation mm = 80.5 |Mar precipitation mm = 121.4 |Apr precipitation mm = 109.8 |May precipitation mm = 124.4 |Jun precipitation mm = 179.8 |Jul precipitation mm = 238.2 |Aug precipitation mm = 136.0 |Sep precipitation mm = 169.6 |Oct precipitation mm = 107.6 |Nov precipitation mm = 96.5 |Dec precipitation mm = 109.8 |year precipitation mm = 1570.5 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 13.2 |Feb precipitation days = 12.2 |Mar precipitation days = 12.5 |Apr precipitation days = 10.4 |May precipitation days = 9.4 |Jun precipitation days = 11.4 |Jul precipitation days = 10.9 |Aug precipitation days = 8.8 |Sep precipitation days = 10.1 |Oct precipitation days = 8.7 |Nov precipitation days = 10.3 |Dec precipitation days = 13.5 |Jan sun = 74.5 |Feb sun = 99.4 |Mar sun = 156.3 |Apr sun = 191.9 |May sun = 213.9 |Jun sun = 160.9 |Jul sun = 182.9 |Aug sun = 215.4 |Sep sun = 164.2 |Oct sun = 170.0 |Nov sun = 121.4 |Dec sun = 81.2 |year sun = 1840.6 |source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency<ref name=extremes>{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=68&block_no=0704&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 = JMA | access-date = April 26, 2022}}</ref><ref name=normals>{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=68&block_no=0704&year=&month=&day=&view=h0 |script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値） | publisher = JMA | access-date = April 26, 2022}}</ref>}}

{{Weather box |width= auto |collapsed = Y |single line = Y |metric first = Y |location = Iwami Airport, Masuda (2003−2020 normals, extremes 2003−present) |Jan record high C = 18.8 |Feb record high C = 23.1 |Mar record high C = 26.8 |Apr record high C = 30.6 |May record high C = 30.7 |Jun record high C = 34.9 |Jul record high C = 35.2 |Aug record high C = 37.2 |Sep record high C = 35.9 |Oct record high C = 32.1 |Nov record high C = 27.0 |Dec record high C = 24.1 |Jan record low C = -5.2 |Feb record low C = -4.4 |Mar record low C = -2.2 |Apr record low C = -1.6 |May record low C = 4.2 |Jun record low C = 10.2 |Jul record low C = 15.3 |Aug record low C = 15.4 |Sep record low C = 11.1 |Oct record low C = 5.5 |Nov record low C = 0.5 |Dec record low C = -2.4 |Jan high C = 8.7 |Feb high C = 9.9 |Mar high C = 13.0 |Apr high C = 17.7 |May high C = 22.1 |Jun high C = 24.8 |Jul high C = 29.0 |Aug high C = 30.4 |Sep high C = 26.5 |Oct high C = 21.7 |Nov high C = 16.9 |Dec high C = 11.1 |Jan mean C = 5.0 |Feb mean C = 5.8 |Mar mean C = 8.5 |Apr mean C = 13.0 |May mean C = 17.5 |Jun mean C = 21.1 |Jul mean C = 25.3 |Aug mean C = 26.4 |Sep mean C = 22.5 |Oct mean C = 17.2 |Nov mean C = 12.4 |Dec mean C = 7.2 |Jan low C = 1.6 |Feb low C = 1.8 |Mar low C = 3.9 |Apr low C = 8.2 |May low C = 13.0 |Jun low C = 17.9 |Jul low C = 22.3 |Aug low C = 23.2 |Sep low C = 19.0 |Oct low C = 13.1 |Nov low C = 8.3 |Dec low C = 3.7 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 79.1 |Feb precipitation mm = 78.3 |Mar precipitation mm = 113.3 |Apr precipitation mm = 113.9 |May precipitation mm = 111.0 |Jun precipitation mm = 160.4 |Jul precipitation mm = 252.3 |Aug precipitation mm = 141.0 |Sep precipitation mm = 171.4 |Oct precipitation mm = 114.5 |Nov precipitation mm = 82.9 |Dec precipitation mm = 115.0 |year precipitation mm = 1533.0 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 11.6 |Feb precipitation days = 10.6 |Mar precipitation days = 11.7 |Apr precipitation days = 10.1 |May precipitation days = 7.9 |Jun precipitation days = 10.3 |Jul precipitation days = 11.5 |Aug precipitation days = 9.1 |Sep precipitation days = 10.4 |Oct precipitation days = 8.4 |Nov precipitation days = 9.4 |Dec precipitation days = 13.3 |source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=68&block_no=1474&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 = JMA | access-date = April 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=68&block_no=1474&year=&month=&day=&view=h0 |script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値） | publisher = JMA | access-date = April 26, 2022}}</ref>}}

===Demographics=== Per Japanese census data, the population of Masuda in 2020 is 45,003 people.<ref name=zensus/> Masuda has been conducting censuses since 1920.

{{Historical populations | 1920 | 52185 | 1925 | 53767 | 1930 | 54962 | 1935 | 57150 | 1940 | 56877 | 1945 | 66488 | 1950 | 68219 | 1955 | 72991 | 1960 | 70018 | 1965 | 63337 | 1970 | 58308 | 1975 | 57727 | 1980 | 59040 | 1985 | 60080 | 1990 | 57706 | 1995 | 56596 | 2000 | 54622 | 2005 | 52368 | 2010 | 49925 | 2015 | 47718 | 2020 | 45003 |align = none |cols = 1 |footnote = Masuda population statistics<ref name=zensus>[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/shimane/ Masuda population statistics]</ref> }}

== History == The area of Masuda was part of ancient Iwami Province, and corresponds almost exactly with Mino District, which is mentioned from the Nara period onwards. The area was controlled by the Masuda clan from the Kamakura period to the end of the Sengoku period. During the Edo Period, the area was divided between the holdings of Tsuwano Domain and Hamada Domain. After the Meiji restoration, the town of Masuda was established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. The city was founded on August 1, 1952 by the merger of Masuda with seven neighbouring villages. On November 1, 2004, the towns of Mito and Hikimi (both from Mino District) were merged into Masuda. Mino District was dissolved as a result of this merger.

==Government== Masuda has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 22 members. Masuda contributes three members to the Shimane Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Shimane 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

==Economy== The main industries in Masuda are agriculture and commercial fishing. Manufacturing includes textiles and electronic components.

==Education== Masuda has 15 public elementary school and ten public junior high schools operated by the city government, and two public high schools operated by the Shimane Prefectural Board of Education. There are also two private high schools, and the prefecture operates one special education school for the handicapped.

== Transportation == ===Airport=== *Iwami Airport

=== Railway === frameless|20x20px JR West (JR West) - San'in Main Line * {{STN|Kamate|x}} - {{STN|Iwami-Tsuda|x}} - {{STN|Masuda|x}} - {{STN|Todakohama|x}} - {{STN|Iinoura|x}}

frameless|20x20px JR West (JR West) - Yamaguchi Line * {{STN|Iwami-Yokota|x}} - {{STN|Honmataga|x}} - {{STN|Masuda|x}}

=== Highways === * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|9}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|187}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|191}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|488}}

==Sister cities == *{{flagicon|China}} Ningbo, China, since October 1990 *{{flagicon|New Zealand}} Queenstown, New Zealand

== Local attractions == *Ikō-ji, National Historic Site and National Place of Scenic Beauty *Iwami Art Museum *Manpuku-ji, National Historic Site and National Place of Scenic Beauty *Nakazu-Higashihara Site, National Historic Site *Nanao Castle ruins, National Historic Site *Ōmoto Kofun, National Historic Site *Sesshū Memorial Museum *Shimane Prefectural Manyō Park *Sukumozuka Kofun, National Historic Site

== Notable people from Masuda == *Kaoru Iwamoto was a Japanese professional go player. *Saki Kashima is a Japanese professional wrestler. *Manami Toyota is a Japanese retired professional wrestler.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline}} * [http://www.city.masuda.lg.jp Masuda City official website] {{in lang|ja}} * [http://visit-masuda.main.jp Masuda City official website] {{in lang|en}}

Category:Masuda, Shimane Category:Cities in Shimane Prefecture Category:Populated coastal places in Japan