View source for Naganohara

{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name                    = Naganohara
| official_name           =
| native_name             = {{nobold|{{lang|ja|長野原町}}}}
| native_name_lang        = ja
| settlement_type         = [[Towns of Japan|Town]]
<!-- images, nickname, motto -->
| image_skyline           = Naganohara town office.jpg
| imagesize               =
| image_alt               =
| image_caption           = old Naganohara town office
| image_flag              = Flag of Naganohara, Gunma.svg
| flag_alt                =
| image_seal              = Emblem of Naganohara, Gunma.svg
| seal_alt                =
| image_shield            =
| shield_alt              =
| image_blank_emblem      =
| nickname                =
| motto                   =
<!-- maps and coordinates -->
| image_map               = Naganohara in Gunma Prefecture Ja.svg
| map_alt                 =
| map_caption             = Location of Naganohara in Gunma Prefecture
| pushpin_map             = Japan
| pushpin_label_position  = <!-- position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_map_alt         =
| pushpin_map_caption     = &nbsp;
| coordinates             = {{coord|36|33|8.2|N|138|39|15.3|E|region:JP|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint           = <!-- to specify exact location of coordinates (was coor_type) -->
| coordinates_footnotes   = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
<!-- location -->
| subdivision_type        = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name        = [[Japan]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[List of regions of Japan|Region]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Kantō region|Kantō]]
| subdivision_type2       = [[Prefectures of Japan|Prefecture]]
| subdivision_name2       = [[Gunma Prefecture|Gunma]]
| subdivision_type3       = [[Districts of Japan|District]]
| subdivision_name3       = [[Agatsuma District, Gunma|Agatsuma]]
<!-- established -->
| established_title       = <!-- Settled -->
| established_date        =
| founder                 =
| named_for               =
<!-- seat, smaller parts -->
| seat_type               = <!-- defaults to: Seat -->
| seat                    =
<!-- government type, leaders -->
| government_footnotes    = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| leader_party            =
| leader_title            = Mayor
| leader_name             =
| leader_title1           =
| leader_name1            = <!-- etc., up to leader_title4 / leader_name4 -->
<!-- display settings  -->
| total_type              = <!-- to set a non-standard label for total area and population rows -->
| unit_pref               = <!-- enter: Imperial, to display imperial before metric -->
<!-- area -->
| area_magnitude          = <!-- use only to set a special wikilink -->
| area_footnotes          = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_total_km2          = 133.85
| area_land_km2           =
| area_water_km2          =
| area_water_percent      =
| area_note               =
<!-- elevation -->
| elevation_footnotes     = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| elevation_m             =
<!-- population -->
| population_footnotes    = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| population_total        = 5495
| population_as_of        = January 2020
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_est          =
| pop_est_as_of           =
| population_demonym      = <!-- demonym, ie. Liverpudlian for someone from Liverpool -->
| population_note         =
<!-- time zone(s) -->
| timezone1               = [[Japan Standard Time]]
| utc_offset1             = +9
| timezone1_DST           =
| utc_offset1_DST         =
<!-- postal codes, area code -->
| postal_code_type        =
| postal_code             =
| area_code_type          = <!-- defaults to: Area code(s) -->
| area_code               =
<!-- blank fields (section 1) -->
| blank_name_sec1         = City Symbols
| blank1_name_sec1        = - Tree
| blank1_info_sec1        = [[Larix kaempferi|Japanese Larch]]
| blank2_name_sec1        = - Flower
| blank2_info_sec1        = [[Azalea]]
| blank3_name_sec1        = - Bird
| blank3_info_sec1        = [[Copper pheasant]]
| blank4_name_sec1        =
| blank4_info_sec1        =
| blank5_name_sec1        =
| blank5_info_sec1        =
| blank6_name_sec1        =
| blank6_info_sec1        =
| blank7_name_sec1        =
| blank7_info_sec1        =
<!-- blank fields (section 2) -->
| blank_name_sec2         = Phone&nbsp;number
| blank_info_sec2         = 0279-82-2244
| blank1_name_sec2        = Address
| blank1_info_sec2        = 66-3 Naganohara, Naganohara-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma-ken 377-1392
<!-- website, footnotes -->
| website                 ={{Official|1=http://www1.town.naganohara.gunma.jp/}}
| footnotes               =
}}
[[file:Naganohara town office 2019-02.jpg|thumb|right|250px|New Naganohara town office]]
[[file:1015yukake.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Festival at Kawahara onsen]]
{{nihongo|'''Naganohara'''|長野原町|Naganohara-machi}} is a [[List of towns in Japan|town]] located in [[Gunma Prefecture]], [[Japan]].
== Population ==
{{As of|2020|01|31}}, the town had an estimated [[population]] of 5,495 in 5630 households,<ref name="Higashiagatsuma-hp">{{cite web |url=https://www.town.naganohara.gunma.jp/www/contents/1363230325247/files/jinkouR2.pdf |title= Naganohara Town official statistics|location= Japan|language= Japanese|accessdate=}}</ref> and a [[population density]] of 41 persons per km².
== Size ==
The total area of the town is {{convert|133.85|sqkm|sqmi}}. The controversial [[Yamba Dam]] project is located within Naganohara.<ref>[http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090930f1.html Dam cancellation leaves local residents high and dry]</ref>
==Geography==
Located in the northwestern portion of [[Gunma Prefecture]], almost all of Naganohara has an elevation higher than 500 meters. The town has [[Mount Kusatsu-Shirane]] (2171m) to the north and [[Mount Asama]] (2568m) to the south.
* Rivers: [[Agatsuma River]], Shirasuna River, [[Kuma River (Japan)|Kuma River]]
===Surrounding municipalities===
[[Gunma Prefecture]]
* [[Higashiagatsuma, Gunma|Higashiagatsuma]]
* [[Kusatsu, Gunma|Kusatsu]]
* [[Nakanojō, Gunma|Nakanojō]]
* [[Takasaki, Gunma|Takasaki]]
* [[Tsumagoi, Gunma|Tsumagoi]]
[[Nagano Prefecture]]
* [[Karuizawa, Nagano|Karuizawa]]
===Climate===
Naganohara has a [[Humid continental climate]] (Köppen ''Cfa'') characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall.  The average annual temperature in Naganohara is 7.6&nbsp;°C. The average annual rainfall is 1453&nbsp;mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 20.4&nbsp;°C, and lowest in January, at around -4.7&nbsp;°C.<ref>[https://en.climate-data.org/asia/japan/gunma/naganohara-54034/ Naganohara climate data]</ref>
==Demographics==
Per Japanese census data,<ref>[https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-gunma.php Higashiagatsuma population statistics]</ref> the population of Naganohara has declined over the past 70 years.
{{Historical populations
| 1920 | 5,057
| 1930 | 5,509
| 1940 | 5,802
| 1950 | 8,018
| 1960 | 8,113
| 1970 | 7,342
| 1980 | 7,237
| 1990 | 6,878
| 2000 | 6,939
| 2010 | 6,017
| 2020 | 5,095
|align       = none
| footnote =
}}
==History==
The area of present-day Naganohara has human remains from the [[Japanese Paleolithic]] through [[Jōmon period]]s, although archaeological findings from the [[Kofun period]] are scarce compared with surrounding areas. During the [[Edo period]], the area was part of the ''[[hatamoto]]''-administered territory within [[Kōzuke Province]].
Naganohara Town was created within Agatsuma District of Gunma Prefecture on April 1, 1889, with the creation of the modern municipalities system after the [[Meiji Restoration]].
==Government==
Naganohara has a [[mayor-council]] form of government with a directly elected mayor and a [[unicameral]] town council of 10 members. Naganohara collectively with the other municipalities in Agatsuma District, contributes two members to the Gunma Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of [[Gunma 5th district]] of the [[House of Representatives of Japan|lower house]] of the [[Diet of Japan]].
==Economy==
The economy of Naganohara is heavily dependent on agriculture.
==Education==
Naganohara has four public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high schools operated by the Gunma Prefectural Board of Education.
==Transportation==
===Railway===
[[File:JR logo (east).svg|20px]] [[JR East]] – [[Agatsuma Line]]
* {{STN|Kawarayu-Onsen}} - {{STN|Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi}} - {{STN|Gunma-Ōtsu}} - {{STN|Haneo}}
===Highway===
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|144}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|145}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|146}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|292}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|406}}
==Local attractions==
*[[Agatsuma Gorge]], a National Place of Scenic Beauty
*[[Asama Volcano Museum]]
*Kawarayu Onsen
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{commons category-inline}}
*[http://www1.town.naganohara.gunma.jp/ Official Website] {{in lang|ja}}
{{Gunma}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Towns in Gunma Prefecture]]
[[Category:Naganohara, Gunma]]