is a town located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 9,349 in 3480 households, and a population density of 54.2 persons per km². The total area of the town was . Geography Tsunan is located in southwestern Niigata Prefecture, in a mountainous area bordering northern Nagano Prefecture. The town is located on a river terrace of the Shinano River with the town hall at an elevation of 241 meters; however, much of the town area is mountainous, with Mount Naeba (2143 meters) is partly located within the town limits. Due to its geographical location between the Sea of Japan and the surrounding Japanese Alps, it has one of the highest annual snowfalls in Japan. There are numerous ski resorts within the region. Surrounding municipalities Niigata Prefecture Tōkamachi Yuzawa Nagano Prefecture Sakae Climate Tsunan has a Humid subtropical climate with continental influences (Köppen Cfa/Dfa) characterized by hot, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Tsunan is . The average annual rainfall is with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around . Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Tsunan has declined steadily over the past 70 years and is now considerably less than it was a century ago. History The area of present-day Tsunan was part of ancient Echigo Province and was tenryō territory under the direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate in the Edo period. Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organised into various villages within Nakauonuma District, Niigata The town of Tsunan was established on January 1, 1955 by the merger of the villages of Tomaru, Kamigō, Ashigasaki, Akinari, Nakafukami and Shimofunato. Government Tsunan has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 14 members. Tsunan, together with the city of Tōkamachi, collectively contributes two member to the Niigata Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Niigata 6th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. Economy The local economy is dominated by agriculture. The area is known for its rice, sake, tomatoes, sunflowers, and buckwheat noodles. The town is also within commuting distance of neighbouring Tōkamachi. Education Tsunan has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government. There