Sagae, Yamagata

Sagae (寒河江市, Sagae-shi) is a city located in Yamagata Prefecture, in the Tohoku region of northern Japan.

As of October 2015, the city had an estimated population of 41,174 and a population density of 296 persons per km². The total area was 139.03 square kilometres (54 sq mi).

Geography

Sagae is located in the Yamagata Basin in the geographic center of Yamagata Prefecture. The Asahi Mountains and Dewa Mountains form its western border, and the Mogami River forms the eastern border of the city.

Neighboring municipalities

• Yamagata Prefecture
  • Murayama, Yamagata
  • Tendo, Yamagata
  • Kahoku, Yamagata
  • Ōe, Yamagata
  • Nishikawa, Yamagata
  • Nakayama, Yamagata
  • Ōkura, Yamagata

Climate

Sagae has a Humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa) with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from August to October.

History

The area of present-day Sagae was part of ancient Dewa Province, and has been settled since prehistoric times, with numerous archaeological findings from the Japanese Paleolithic through the Kofun periods. In the late Heian through Kamakura periods, it was a shoen under the control of the Ōe clan. The Ōe were destroyed by the Mogami clan in the Sengoku period, who were in turn destroyed by the Tokugawa shogunate in the early Edo period. The territory was administered as tenryo under direct control of the shogunate until the Meiji restoration, and was briefly a battleground in the Boshin War. After the start of the Meiji period, the area became part of Nishimurayama District, Yamagata Prefecture. The modern village of Sagae was established on April 1, 1889 and was raised to town status on January 7, 1893. It became a city on August 1, 1954.

Economy

The economy of Sagae is primarily based on agriculture.

Transportation

Railway

• JR East - Aterazawa Line
  • Minami-Sagae - Sagae - Nishi-Sagae - Uzen-Takamatsu - Shibahashi

Highway

• Yamagata Expressway: Sagae interchange; Sagae parking area (ETC exit gate)
• National Route 112
• National Route 287
• National Route 347
• National Route 458

Local attractions

• Sagae is famous for its Cherryland tourist attraction. Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries in Japan.
• Jion-in temple,a national historic monument

Sister cities

• - Giresun, Turkey, since June 25, 1988
• - Andong, South Korea, since February 4, 1974

Noted people from Sagae

• Hiroh Kikai - photographer

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (Japanese)