is a town located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 7,058 in 3,292 households, and a population density of 37 persons per km². The total area of the town is . Shimonita is famous for its konjac and Welsh onion. Geography Shimonita is located in southwestern Gunma Prefecture bordering on Nagano Prefecture to the west. Part of the town is within the borders of the Myōgi-Arafune-Saku Kōgen Quasi-National Park. Approximately 84% of the town's total area is covered by forests. Mountains: Mount Arafune (1423 m), Mount Inafukumi, Mount Ōgeta, Ozawadake, Kanatake, Mount Nikkura, Mount Yotsumata, Mount Monogatari, Mount Midō, Mount Myogi, Mount Monomi Rivers: Kabura River Surrounding municipalities Gunma Prefecture Fujioka Tomioka Annaka Nanmoku Kanna Kanra Nagano Prefecture Saku Karuizawa Climate Shimonita has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Shimonita is 11.7 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1106 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 31.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around -0.5 °C. Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Shimonita has decreased steadily over the past 70 years. History During the Edo period, the area of present-day Shimonita was largely part of the tenryō territory held directly by Tokugawa shogunate within Kōzuke Province. The town of Shimonita was created within Kitakanra District of Gunma Prefecture on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration. In 1950 Kitakanra District was renamed Kanra District. Shimonita annexed the neighboring villages of Osaka, Saimoku, Aokura and Mayama on March 10, 1955. Government Shimonita has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 12 members. Shimonita, together with the other municipalities in Kanra District contributes one member to the Gunma Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Gunma 5th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. Economy The economy of Shimonita is heavily dependent on agriculture. Education Shimonita has one public elementary school and one public middle school operated by the town government and one public high school operated by the Gunma Prefectural Board of Education. Transportation Railway Jōshin Dentetsu - Jōshin Line Highway – Shimonita IC Local attractions Shimonita Onsen Noted people from Shimonita Miyuki