Miyawaka

Miyawaka (宮若市) is a city located in Fukuoka, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 26,447 in 13369 households, and a population density of 190 persons per km². The total area of the city is 139.99 km2.

Geography
Miyawaka is located in the northern Chikuho region and western Naokura district of Fukuoka Prefecture. It is located south of Munakata City, between Kitakyushu City and Fukuoka City, and belongs to both the Kitakyushu Metropolitan Area and the Fukuoka Metropolitan Area. It is approximately 35 kilometers northeast of Fukuoka City and approximately 35 kilometers southwest of Kitakyushu. Historically, it is an area that has had strong ties with Munakata since ancient times.

Neighboring municipalities
Fukuoka Prefecture
 * Nōgata
 * Iizuka
 * Munakata
 * Koga
 * Fukutsu
 * Sasaguri
 * Hisayama
 * Kotake
 * Kurate

Climate
Miyawaka has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Miyawaka is 15.4 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1560 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.2 °C.

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

History
The area of Miyawaka was part of ancient Chikuzen Province, and is mentioned in the Nihon Shoki and other Nara period sources as territory of Munakata Shrine. During the Edo Period the area was under the control of Fukuoka Domain. After the Meiji restoration, the villages of Wakaymiya and Miyata were established on May 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. Miyata was raised to town status on April 1, 1926 and Wakamiya on February 11, 1943. The two towns merged on February 11, 2006 to form the city of Miyawaka.

Government
Miyawaka has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 16 members. Miyawaka、collectively with the municipalities of Kurate District, Fukuoka contributes one member to the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Fukuoka 8th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy
During the Meiji period, Miyawaka, along with the municipalities of the Chikuho area, developed with the Kitakyushu industrial zone through coal mining, and is still considered part of to the Greater Kitakyushu Metropolitan Area. Kaijima Coal Mine, the largest coal mine in Chikuho was located in the former Miyata Town. However, as the demand for coal decreased due to the energy revolution, the coal mines that had sponsored prosperity have closed, leading to depopulation. The last coal mine closed by 1976. After the coal mine closed, an industrial park was created near the Wakamiya Interchange on the Kyushu Expressway in an effort to attract new industries. Since February 1991, Toyota Motor Kyushu has been based in Miyawaka, building both Toyota and Lexus models. Many automobile industry-related factories are now located in the city, making it one of the leading industrial cities in the Kitakyushu industrial area.

Education
Miyawaka has five public elementary schools and two public junior high schools operated by the city government and one public high school operated by the Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education.

Railways
Following the discontinuation of the JR Kyushu Miyata Line in December 1989, the city not had any passenger railway service. The Kyushu Shinkansen runs through the city, but there are no stations within the city limits.

Highways

 * JP Expressway E3.svg Kyushu Expressway

Local attractions

 * Takehara Kofun, National Historic Site

Festivals
A firefly festival is held at Nishikura no Oka Sports Park. At the beginning of June, many fireflies dance around the whole park.