is a town located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 7,562, and a population density of 230 persons per km². The total area of the town is . Mikawa is the seat of the prefectural government's "general branch office" Shōnai that is responsible for the Shōnai Region. It is also the seat of the central government's MLIT transportation branch office that licenses the Shōnai vehicle registration plate for the Shōnai Region. Geography Mikawa is located in the coastal plains of northeast Yamagata Prefecture in the Shōnai Region (which also contains neighbouring Shōnai Town). It is a very flat region divided by large rivers and vast fields of rice. Neighboring municipalities Yamagata Prefecture Tsuruoka Sakata Shōnai Climate Mikawa has a Humid continental 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 Mikawa is . The average annual rainfall is with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January and February, at around . Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Mikawa has declined gradually over the past 70 years. History The area of present-day Mikawa was part of ancient Dewa Province. After the start of the Meiji period, the area became part of Higashitagawa District, Yamagata Prefecture. The villages of Yokoyama and Oshikiri and the village of Togō Village in Nishitagawa District were established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. The three villages merged to form the village of Mikawa on January 1, 1955. Mikawa was elevated to town status on June 1, 1968. Economy The economy of Mikawa is based on agriculture. Education Mikawa has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government. The town does not have a high school. Transportation Railway Mikawa does not have any passenger railway service. Highway International relations Twin towns — Sister cities - Aga, Niigata, Japan - McMinnville, Tennessee, USA Noted people from Mikawa Hikaru Okuizumi – author Kōsō Abe – Imperial Japanese Navy admiral References External links Official Website} Towns in Yamagata Prefecture