Ubuyama, Kumamoto

Village in Kyushu, Japan

Ubuyama Flag Chapter
Location of Ubuyama in Kumamoto Prefecture


Symbols

Flower	Echinops setifer
Tree	Sawtooth oak

Ubuyama (産山村, Ubuyama-mura) is a village located in Aso District, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. As of 15 July 2024^[update], the village had an estimated population of 1,378 in 654 households, and a population density of 23 persons per km².^[1] The total area of the village is 60.81 km² (23.48 sq mi).

Geography

Ubuyama is located in the Kyushu Mountains in central Kyushu, between the outer rim of Aso caldera and the Kuju mountain range in Oita Prefecture. Most of the village is within the borders of the Aso-Kuju National Park.The Oso River, a part of the Oono River system, flows through the village, and the Oso Dam is located there.

Neighboring municipalities

Kumamoto Prefecture

Aso
Minamioguni

Ōita Prefecture

Taketa

Climate

Oguni has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Oguni is 12.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1846 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around 0.7 °C.^[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Ubuyama is as shown below

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1940	2,478	—
1950	3,119	+25.9%
1960	3,168	+1.6%
1970	2,417	−23.7%
1980	1,981	−18.0%
1990	1,856	−6.3%
2000	1,824	−1.7%
2010	1,606	−12.0%
2020	1,382	−13.9%

History

The area of Ubuyama was part of ancient Higo Province, During the Edo Period it was part of the holdings of Kumamoto Domain. After the Meiji restoration, the village of Ubuyama was established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system.

Government

Ubuyama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral village council of eightmembers. Ubayama, collectively with the other municipalities of Aso District contributes one member to the Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the village is part of the Kumamoto 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Ubuyama's economy is mainly based on agriculture and tourism.

Education

Ubuyama has one public combined elementary/junior high school operated by the village government, The village does not have a high school.

Transportation

Railways

The village does not have any passenger railway service since the closure of the Miyahara Line in 1984. Miyaji Station on the JR Kyushu Hōhi Main Line is the nearest station.