Makurazaki, Kagoshima


Makurazaki is a city located in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on September 1, 1949.
As of April 2017, the city has an estimated population of 21,960 and a population density of 290 persons per km². The total area is 74.88 km².
It is famous for its katsuobushi processing plants, which produce the chief flavoring ingredient—dried fish flakes—found in Japanese miso soup. About 70 small family businesses year-round boil, cut, dry and smoke the pungent fish, often sending a unique odor of steam, smoke and fish scent across the downtown area and out to sea.
Makurazaki is the site of the terminus of the southernmost JR train line in Japan. Japanese know the town as the Typhoon Ginza. Each summer many cyclones strike the main islands first in the area of Makurazaki.

Climate

Makurazaki has a humid subtropical climate with hot summers and mild winters. Precipitation is high throughout the year, and is especially high from May to July. The highest record temperature was on August 22, 2016 while the lowest recorded temperature was on February 19, 1977.