Yonago, Tottori

Yonago 米子市
City
Top: Kaike Spa and Kaike Coast, 2nd left: Mugibandai ruins in Yodoe, 2nd right: Yonago Castle Site, 3rd left: Mount Kōrei, 3rd right: Yonago Municipal Museum, Bottom: Aerial view of Yonago
Flag
Location of Yonago in Tottori Prefecture
Yonago Location in Japan
Coordinates:
Country	Japan
Region	Chūgoku (San'in)
Prefecture	Tottori Prefecture
Government
• Mayor	Yasuo Nozaka (since April 2003)
Area
• Total	132.21 km2 (51.05 sq mi)
Population (November 1, 2012)
• Total	150,232
• Density	1,136.31/km2 (2,943.0/sq mi)
Symbols
• Flower	Azalea
• Bird	Tundra swan
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City Hall Address	1-1 Kamo-chō, Yonago-shi, Tottori-ken 683-8686
Website	www.city.yonago.lg.jp

Yonago (米子市, Yonago-shi) is a city located in northwestern Tottori Prefecture, Japan, facing the Sea of Japan, and adjacent to Shimane. It is the prefecture's second largest city after Tottori, and forms a commercial center of the western part of this prefecture.

As of November 1, 2012, the city has an estimated population of 150,232 and a population density of 1,136.31 persons per km². The total area is 132.21 km².

The current city was administratively founded on April 1, 1927, and absorbed the town of Yodoe (from Saihaku District) on March 31, 2005. It is home to the Yonago City Museum of Art. Since the city has begun to develop into a trade center of note, it has acquired the nickname Osaka in San-in.

Etymology

The name of Yonago in the Japanese language is formed from two kanji characters. The first, 米, means "rice", and the second, 子 means "child".

Transportation

Yonago City Hall in Kamo area

Yonago Railroad Station

Yonago has always been an important crossing point of several routes in the area. Yonago Station serves three railway lines. The city also has a seaport to the Oki Islands. Miho-Yonago Airport, located in a neighboring city of Sakaiminato, serves the area.

History

The Amago clan, daimyo of the Sengoku period, constructed a castle in the area at the beginning of the 17th century. In the Edo period, the castle was kept by a castellan who served the Ikeda clan of nearby Tottori Castle.

Climate

Yonago has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, with July and September being particularly wet months.

Climate data for Yonago, Tottori
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	7.3 (45.1)	7.8 (46)	11.5 (52.7)	17.5 (63.5)	22.1 (71.8)	25.0 (77)	29.6 (85.3)	30.9 (87.6)	26.2 (79.2)	21.0 (69.8)	15.9 (60.6)	10.7 (51.3)	18.79 (65.83)
Daily mean °C (°F)	3.8 (38.8)	4.0 (39.2)	6.9 (44.4)	12.4 (54.3)	17.1 (62.8)	20.9 (69.6)	25.5 (77.9)	26.5 (79.7)	22.0 (71.6)	16.2 (61.2)	11.2 (52.2)	6.6 (43.9)	14.42 (57.97)
Average low °C (°F)	0.6 (33.1)	0.5 (32.9)	2.3 (36.1)	7.2 (45)	12.0 (53.6)	17.1 (62.8)	22.1 (71.8)	22.7 (72.9)	18.1 (64.6)	11.6 (52.9)	6.8 (44.2)	2.8 (37)	10.32 (50.58)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	147.8 (5.819)	137.0 (5.394)	125.1 (4.925)	119.6 (4.709)	117.1 (4.61)	188.2 (7.409)	244.6 (9.63)	154.5 (6.083)	224.7 (8.846)	140.4 (5.528)	132.4 (5.213)	124.8 (4.913)	1,856.2 (73.079)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	64 (25.2)	58 (22.8)	10 (3.9)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	24 (9.4)	156 (61.3)
Average relative humidity (%)	75	74	71	70	71	78	79	76	78	75	74	73	74.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours	76.6	88.2	146.5	182.5	219.5	177.2	196.5	221.1	158.6	160.3	114.3	89.6	1,830.9
Source: NOAA (1961-1990)

Attractions

• 

  San'in Historical Museum

• 

  Yonago Waterbirds Sanctuary

• 

  Kotobuki Castle of Sweets, in the Yodoe area, is modeled after Yonago Castle

External links

• Yonago City official website (Japanese)