Iinan, Shimane

Iinan 飯南町
Town
Location of Iinan in Shimane Prefecture
Iinan Location in Japan
Coordinates: 35°0′N 132°43′E / 35.000°N 132.717°ECoordinates: 35°0′N 132°43′E / 35.000°N 132.717°E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūgoku San'in
Prefecture	Shimane Prefecture
District	Iishi
Area
• Total	242.84 km^2 (93.76 sq mi)
Population (January 1, 2011)
• Total	5,419
• Density	22/km^2 (58/sq mi)
Symbols
• Tree	Beech
• Flower	Peony
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City Hall Address	890 Shimoakana, Iinan-machi 690-3513
Website	www.iinan.jp

Iinan (飯南町 Iinan-chō) is a town located in Iishi District, Shimane Prefecture, Japan.

It was formed on January 1, 2005 from the merger of the towns of Tonbara and Akagi, both from Iishi District.

As of January 1, 2011 the town has a population of 5,419 and a density of 22.3 persons per km². The area is 242.84 km².

Geography

Located on the border of Shimane Prefecture and Hiroshima Prefecture, the Gōno River　flows to its west. The town is part of the Hiba-Dōgo-Taishaku Quasi-National Park.^[1]

Mountains: Mt. Oyorogi, Mt. Kotobiki, Mt. Mengame

Rivers: Kando River, Tonbara River, Akana River, Ono River (Tributary of Kando River)

Lakes:Lake Kijima (Kijima Dam lake)

Subdivisions

• Akana
• Kijima
• Oda
• Tani
• Tonbara, formerly part of Tonbara, Shimane

Surrounding municipalities

• Shimane Prefecture
  • Izumo
  • Misato
  • Unnan
  • Ōda
• Hiroshima Prefecture
  • Miyoshi

Population

Iinan Population Change over Time^[2]

Historical population
Year Pop. 1970 9,163 1975 8,180 1985 7,771 1985 7,650 1990 7,331	Year Pop. 1995 6,893 2000 6,541 2005 5,979 2010 5,535
(Population of Tonbara and Akagi added together before 2005)

Transportation

National Highways

• National Highway 54
• National Highway 184

Roadside Stations

• Roadside Station Akagi Plateau
• Roadside Station Tonbara

There is no railroad access to Iinan.

Notable places

AkanaSetoyamaCastle Distant view

• Akana Castle

  It is an old castle located on top of a hill in the Akana area of the town.

• Mount Mengame

  Situated on the border of Hiroshima Prefecture and Shimane Prefecture, Mount Mengame has an elevation of 830.3m. It is known for being the only place in the Chūgoku Region in which Luehdorfia are found.^[3]

• Mount Kotobiki

  Mount Kotobiki has an elevation of 1014m. Near the summit of the mountain is a small shrine and a forest of beech trees. The name "Kotobiki" comes from the traditional Japanese musical instrument, the koto.^[4]

• Akana Marshland

  The Akana Marshland is located in the Fukuda Area of the town, and is centered in Lake Nagao. It is known for having the largest forest of alders in the prefecture.^[5]

• Kotobiki Camp Area

  The Kotobiki Camp Area is located at the foot of Mount Kotobiki. It is open from late April to late October.^[6]

References

1. 考える社会科地図 Kangaeru Shakaika Chizu. 四谷大塚出版 Yotsuya-Ōtsuka Shuppan. 2005. p. 25.
2. ja:飯南町
3. (Japanese) おかえりなさい！：島根県飯南町観光ＷＥＢ
4. (Japanese) おかえりなさい！：島根県飯南町観光ＷＥＢ
5. (Japanese) おかえりなさい！：島根県飯南町観光ＷＥＢ
6. (Japanese) おかえりなさい！：島根県飯南町観光ＷＥＢ

External links

• Media related to Iinan, Shimane at Wikimedia Commons
• Iinan official website (Japanese)