Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Asagiri in 2020 is 14,676 people.

History

The area of Asagiri was part of ancient Higo Province, During the Edo Period it was part of the holdings of Hitoyoshi Domain. After the Meiji restoration, the villages of Ue, Minagoe, Menda, Ōkaharu, Sue, and Fukada were established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Minagoe was incorporated into Ue village on December 7, 1895, which was elevated to town status on April 1, 1937. On April 1, 2003, villages of Ue, Ōkaharu, Sue, Fukada were merged with town of Menda to create Asagiri. The name was chosen because for the fog that blankets the valley from fall through spring.(Asa – morning, kiri/giri – fog)

Government

Asagiri has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 14 members. Asagiri, collectively with the other municipalities of Kuma District, contributes two members to the Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Kumamoto 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Agriculture dominates the local economy. Soybeans, strawberries, melons and tobacco and shōchū are produced here.

Education

Asagiri has five public elementary school and one public junior high school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Kumamoto Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railways

Kumagawa Railroad - Yunomae Line

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Highways

Notable people from Asagiri

  • Yasushi Kaneko, politician
  • Kazuaki Kiriya, photographer, video director
  • Yoshifumi Matsumura, politician
  • The village of Sue (now part of Asagiri) was the topic of a 1939 text, Suye Mura, a Japanese Village by John Embree.

References

  • Official website updated: February 2019