Kōshū (甲州市, Kōshū-shi) is a city located in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 September 2020[update], the city had an estimated population of 29,659 in 13,141 households,[1][2] and a population density of 120 persons per km². The total area of the city is 264.11 square kilometres (101.97 sq mi). The city is the home of the indigenous Koshu grape and is synonymous with viticulture and wine production in Japan.
Kōshū
甲州市
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Katsunuma vineyard
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Flag 
Seal | |
Location of Kōshū in Yamanashi Prefecture
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  Kōshū
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| Coordinates: 35°42′15.6″N 138°43′45.9″E / 35.704333°N 138.729417°E / 35.704333; 138.729417 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Chūbu (Tōkai) |
| Prefecture | Yamanashi Prefecture |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Atsushi Tanabe (since December 2005) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 264.11 km2 (101.97 sq mi) |
| Population
(October 1, 2020)
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| • Total | 29,237 |
| • Density | 110/km2 (290/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| Phone number | 0553-32-2111 |
| Address | Enzan-Kamiozo 1085-1, Koshū-shi, Yamanashi-ken 404-8501 |
| Climate | Cfa |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
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| Bird | Cettia diphone |
| Flower | Cherry blossom |
| Tree | Grape |
Kōshū is in northeastern Yamanashi Prefecture, occupying the eastern portion of the Kofu Basin. Parts of the city are within the borders of the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park. The peak of Mount Daibosatsu, 2057 meters, is within the city limits.
The city has a climate characterized by characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Kōshū is 10.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1477 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around -1.8 °C.[3]
| Climate data for Katsunuma, Kōshū (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 17.2 (63.0) |
23.5 (74.3) |
26.9 (80.4) |
31.9 (89.4) |
34.8 (94.6) |
38.5 (101.3) |
39.3 (102.7) |
40.5 (104.9) |
37.4 (99.3) |
33.4 (92.1) |
24.9 (76.8) |
23.0 (73.4) |
40.5 (104.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 8.3 (46.9) |
10.0 (50.0) |
14.2 (57.6) |
20.3 (68.5) |
25.0 (77.0) |
27.5 (81.5) |
31.3 (88.3) |
32.7 (90.9) |
28.2 (82.8) |
21.9 (71.4) |
16.1 (61.0) |
10.7 (51.3) |
20.5 (68.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 2.1 (35.8) |
3.6 (38.5) |
7.6 (45.7) |
13.2 (55.8) |
18.0 (64.4) |
21.5 (70.7) |
25.2 (77.4) |
26.1 (79.0) |
22.2 (72.0) |
16.0 (60.8) |
9.8 (49.6) |
4.5 (40.1) |
14.2 (57.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −3.0 (26.6) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
2.0 (35.6) |
7.3 (45.1) |
12.5 (54.5) |
17.0 (62.6) |
21.1 (70.0) |
21.9 (71.4) |
17.9 (64.2) |
11.6 (52.9) |
4.8 (40.6) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
9.2 (48.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −11.3 (11.7) |
−10.6 (12.9) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
1.6 (34.9) |
9.1 (48.4) |
13.3 (55.9) |
14.0 (57.2) |
6.7 (44.1) |
0.7 (33.3) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
−8.5 (16.7) |
−11.3 (11.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 38.9 (1.53) |
38.5 (1.52) |
73.7 (2.90) |
73.0 (2.87) |
84.3 (3.32) |
113.2 (4.46) |
140.2 (5.52) |
123.8 (4.87) |
182.5 (7.19) |
150.6 (5.93) |
52.2 (2.06) |
35.3 (1.39) |
1,106.1 (43.55) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 4.5 | 5.0 | 8.3 | 7.7 | 8.9 | 11.1 | 11.5 | 9.2 | 10.3 | 8.9 | 5.7 | 4.3 | 95.4 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 209.0 | 197.6 | 201.1 | 205.0 | 200.4 | 144.8 | 165.1 | 197.2 | 149.7 | 158.0 | 180.2 | 201.2 | 2,209.4 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency[4][5] | |||||||||||||
Per Japanese census data,[6] the population of Kōshū has declined in recent decades.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 38,208 | — |
| 1950 | 47,719 | +24.9% |
| 1960 | 43,076 | −9.7% |
| 1970 | 38,138 | −11.5% |
| 1980 | 37,269 | −2.3% |
| 1990 | 37,038 | −0.6% |
| 2000 | 36,925 | −0.3% |
| 2010 | 33,927 | −8.1% |
| 2020 | 29,237 | −13.8% |
Kōshū is located near the center of ancient Kai Province and contains many ruins from the Jōmon period and burial mounds from the Kofun period. During the Heian period, the area was developed in shōen under control of the Minamoto clan, which devolved into feudal holdings by the Nikaido clan and later the Takeda clan from the Kamakura through Sengoku periods. During the Edo period, all of Kai Province was tenryō territory under direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate. Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organized into villages within Yamanashi District of Yamanashi Prefecture, which was later divided into Higashiyamanashi District and Nishiyamanashi District Many of these villages were consolidated into the city of Enzan, the town of Katsunuma, and the village of Yamato by April 1, 1955. The modern city of Kōshū was established on November 1, 2005, from the merger of these three municipalities.
Kōshū has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members. The city supplies two members to the Yamanashi Prefectural Assembly.
Most of the area of the city is agricultural, and is especially known for its production of peaches, grapes and wine.
Kōshū has 14 public elementary schools and six public junior high schools operated by the city government and one public high school operated by the Yamanashi Prefectural Board of Education. Then prefectural also operates the Yamanashi Industrial Technology Junior College.
- Futtsu, Chiba – since December 1, 1977 with former Enzan City
- Ames, Iowa, USA – since September 20, 1993 with former Enzan City
- Beaune, Côte-d'Or, France[7] – since September 18, 1976 with former Katsunuma City
– Turpan, Xinjiang, China[7] – since October 3, 2000 with former Katsunuma CityEvery year in autumn the "Koshu Fruit Marathon" is held. While it is called a "marathon" (the word is commonly used in Japan to describe races of varying distances) it actually consists of several shorter races, a 3.5 family race, a 10 km race, a half-marathon, and a 23 km race.[8]
Media related to Kōshū, Yamanashi at Wikimedia Commons
Koshu travel guide from Wikivoyage
