is a city located in Akita Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 24,291 in 9,371 households, and a population density of 100 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Nikaho is located at the far southwest corner of Akita Prefecture, bordered by the Sea of Japan to the west, and by Yamagata Prefecture to the south. Part of the city is within the borders of the Chōkai Quasi-National Park. Neighboring municipalities Akita Prefecture Yurihonjō Yamagata Prefecture Yuza Climate Nikaho has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from August to October. The average annual temperature in Nikaho is 13.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1877 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.4 °C, and lowest in January, at around -0.9 °C. Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Nikaho has been declining over the past 30 years. History The area of present-day Nikaho was part of ancient Ugo Province, dominated by the Satake clan during the Edo period, who ruled Kubota Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. After the start of the Meiji period, it became part of Yuri District, Akita Prefecture in 1878 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. The village of Hirasawa was established on April 1, 1889 and was raised to town status on June 4, 1902. After merging with the villages of Koide and Innai on March 31, 1955 it was renamed Nikaho town. The city of Nikaho was established on October 1, 2005, from the merger of Nikaho, with the neighboring the towns of Kisakata and Konoura. Government Nikaho has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members. The city contributes one member to the Akita Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Aichi District 3 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. Economy The economy of Nikaho is based on commercial fishing and agriculture. Industry includes a large factory by the electronics firm TDK. Education Nikaho has four public elementary schools and three public junior high schools operated by the city government, and one public