Yakage, Okayama

{{Infobox settlement | name = Yakage | official_name = | native_name = {{nobold|矢掛町}} | native_name_lang = ja | settlement_type = Town | other_name = | image_skyline = 160320 Yakage-juku Yakage Okayama pref Japan05n.jpg | imagesize = 275 | image_caption = Yakage-juku | image_flag = Flag of Yakage, Okayama.svg | image_seal = Emblem of Yakage, Okayama.svg | image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|frame-width=260|plain=yes|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|zoom=9}} | image_map1 = Yakage in Okayama Prefecture Ja.svg | map_caption = Location of Yakage in Okayama Prefecture | pushpin_map = Japan | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Japan | coordinates = {{coord|34|37|39|N|133|35|14|E|region:JP|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Japan | subdivision_type1 = [[List of regions of Japan|Region]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Chūgoku region|Chūgoku]]<br>[[San'yō region|San'yō]] | subdivision_type2 = [[Prefectures of Japan|Prefecture]] | subdivision_name2 = [[Okayama Prefecture]] | subdivision_type3 = [[Districts of Japan|District]] | subdivision_name3 = [[Oda District, Okayama|Oda]] | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = | leader_title1 = Vice Mayor | leader_name1 = | unit_pref = Metric | area_total_km2 = 90.62 | population_total = 13,418 | population_as_of = March 1, 2023 | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone1 = [[Japan Standard Time|JST]] | utc_offset1 = +09:00 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | blank_name_sec1 = City hall address | blank_info_sec1 = 3018 Yakage, Yakage-cho, Oda-gun, Okayama-ken 714-1297 | website = {{Official website|1=http://www.town.yakage.lg.jp/}} | footnotes = | module = {{Infobox region symbols| embedded=yes | tree = [[Pine|Japanese red pine]] | flower = [[Sakura]] | bird = [[Japanese bush warbler]] | butterfly = | fish = }} }} [[file:Yakage town office.jpg|right|thumb|270px|Yakage Town Hall]] {{nihongo|'''Yakage'''|矢掛町|Yakage-chō}} is a [[List of towns in Japan|town]] located in [[Oda District, Okayama|Oda District]], [[Okayama Prefecture]], [[Japan]]. {{As of|2023|03|01}}, the town had an estimated population of 13,418 in 5445 households and a [[population density]] of 150 persons per km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name="Yakage-hp">{{cite web |url=http://www.town.yakage.okayama.jp|title= Yakage town official statistics|location= Japan|language= ja}}</ref> The total area of the town is {{convert|90.62|sqkm|sqmi}}.

== Geography == Yakage is located in southwestern Okayama. About half of the town's area(in the north) is occupied by hills and mountains; most of the population is concentrated in the plains in the south.

=== Neighbouring municipalities === Okayama Prefecture * [[Asakuchi]] * [[Ibara]] * [[Kasaoka]] * [[Kurashiki]] * [[Sōja]]

==Climate== Yakage has a [[Humid subtropical climate]] (Köppen ''Cfa'') characterized by warm summers and cool winters with moderate snowfall. The average annual temperature in Yakage is 15.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1493 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in January, at around 27.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.9 °C.<ref>[https://en.climate-data.org/asia/japan/okayama-prefecture/yakage-55471/ Yakage climate data]</ref>

==Demography== Per Japanese census data,<ref>[https://www.pref.okayama.jp/page/detail-58070.html Yakage population statistics]</ref> the population of Yakage has been as follows. The population has been decreasing since the 1950s.

{{Historical populations | 1920 | 20447 | 1930 | 20490 | 1940 | 19600 | 1950 | 24113 | 1960 | 21960 | 1970 | 18665 | 1980 | 18400 | 1990 | 17306 | 2000 | 16230 | 2010 | 15094 |align = none | footnote = }}

== History == The area of Yakage was part of ancient [[Bitchū Province]]. Yakage was a former [[shukuba|post station]] along the [[San'yōdō]] highway, and during the [[Edo period]] was part of [[Niwase Domain]]. The village of Yakage was established on June 1, 1889, with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to town status on February 26, 1896. Yakage annexed the five neighboring village of Mikawa, Mitani, Yamada, Kawamo, and Nakagawa on May 1, 1954. On January 15, 1961, Yakage annexed the village of Oda.

==Government== Yakage has a [[mayor-council]] form of government with a directly elected mayor and a [[unicameral]] town council of 12 members. Yakage, collectively with the city of Ibara, contributes two members to the Okayama Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Okayama 3rd district of the [[House of Representatives of Japan|lower house]] of the [[Diet of Japan]].

==Economy== The main industry is agriculture, but recently, commerce and tourism are also increasing. In terms of agriculture, rice is the main crop, but many fruits such as grapes, pears and figs are also grown.

==Education== Yakage has seven public elementary schools and one public junior high school operated by the town government, in addition to one public high school operated by the Okayama Prefectural Board of Education.

== Transportation == === Railway === [[File:Ibara Railway logo.gif|20px]] [[Ibara Railway Company]] - [[Ibara Line]] * {{STN|Mitani|x|Okayama}} - {{STN|Yakage|x}} - {{STN|Oda|x|Okayama}}

=== Highways === * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|486}}

==Local attractions== * Yakage old town. A samurai parade (大名行列) is held every November in commemoration of the town's history as a major stopping point for ''[[daimyō]]'' on ''[[sankin-kōtai]]''.

==Noted people from Yakage== *[[:ja:伊吹剛|Go Ibuki]], Japanese actor *[[Okanoyama Yoshiro]], sumo wrestler

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline}} *[http://www.town.yakage.okayama.jp/index.html Yakage official website] *[https://www.yakage-kanko.net/ Tourist Guide] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106024005/https://www.yakage-kanko.net/ |date=2022-01-06 }}{{in lang|ja}}

[[Category:Towns in Okayama Prefecture]] [[Category:Yakage, Okayama]]