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{{Infobox settlement
{{Refimprove|date=August 2008}}
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
 
| name = Shirakawa
{{Infobox City Japan
| native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|ja|白河市}}}}
|Name= Shirakawa
| official_name =
|JapaneseName= 白河市
| native_name_lang = ja
|settlement_type = [[Cities of Japan|City]]
| settlement_type = [[Cities of Japan|City]]
|MapImage=Shirakawa in Fukushima Prefecture Ja.svg
<!-- images, nickname, motto -->
|Region= [[Tōhoku Region|Tōhoku]]
| image_skyline = Shirakawa city hall.JPG
|Prefecture= [[Fukushima Prefecture]]
| imagesize =
|District=
| image_alt =
|ImageSkyline= Shirakawa Komine Castle 20100625-01.jpg
|ImageCaption= Viewimage_caption of Komine Castle in = Shirakawa City Hall
| image_flag = Flag of Shirakawa, Fukushima.svg
|Area_km2= 305.30
| flag_alt =
|Population= 64,194
| image_seal = Emblem of Shirakawa, Fukushima.svg
|PopDate= October 1, 2011
| seal_alt =
|Density_km2= auto
| image_shield =
|Coords=
| shield_alt =
|LatitudeDegrees= 37
| image_blank_emblem =
|LatitudeMinutes= 7
| nickname =
|LatitudeSeconds=
| motto =
|LongtitudeDegrees= 140
<!-- maps and coordinates -->
|LongtitudeMinutes= 12
| image_map = Shirakawa in Fukushima Prefecture Ja.svg
|LongtitudeSeconds=
| map_alt =
|Tree= [[Japanese Red Pine]]
| map_caption = Location of Shirakawa in Fukushima Prefecture
|Flower= [[Ume]]
| pushpin_map = Japan
|Bird= ''[[Meadow Bunting|Emberiza cioides]]''
| pushpin_label_position = <!-- position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|SymbolImage= Flag of Shirakwa Fukushima.JPG
| pushpin_map_alt =
|SymbolDescription=
| pushpin_map_caption = &nbsp;
|Mayor=Hideo Narui
| coordinates = {{coord|37|07|34.7|N|140|12|39.3|E|region:JP|display=inline,title}}
|CityHallPostalCode=961-0941
| coor_pinpoint = <!-- to specify exact location of coordinates (was coor_type) -->
|CityHallAddress= 7-1 Hachimankōji, Shirakawa, Fukushima
| coordinates_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
|CityHallPhone=0248-22-1111
<!-- location -->
|CityHallLink= {{URL|www.city.shirakawa.fukushima.jp}}
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = [[Japan]]
| subdivision_type1 = [[List of regions of Japan|Region]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Tōhoku region|Tōhoku]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Prefectures of Japan|Prefecture]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Fukushima Prefecture|Fukushima]]
| subdivision_type3 =
| subdivision_name3 =
<!-- established -->
| established_title = First official recorded
| established_date = 315 AD
| established_title2 = Town settled
| established_date2 = April 1. 1889
| established_title3 = City settled
| established_date3 = April 1, 1949
| founder =
| named_for =
<!-- seat, smaller parts -->
| seat_type = <!-- defaults to: Seat -->
| seat =
<!-- government type, leaders -->
| government_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| leader_party =
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = [[:ja:鈴木和夫　(白河市長)|Kazuo Suzuki]] (from July 2007)
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 = <!-- etc., up to leader_title4 / leader_name4 -->
<!-- display settings -->
| total_type = <!-- to set a non-standard label for total area and population rows -->
| unit_pref = <!-- enter: Imperial, to display imperial before metric -->
<!-- area -->
| area_magnitude = <!-- use only to set a special wikilink -->
| area_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_total_km2 = 305.32
| area_land_km2 =
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_percent =
| area_note =
<!-- elevation -->
| elevation_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| elevation_m =
<!-- population -->
| population_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| population_total = 59393
| population_as_of = April 2020
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_est =
| pop_est_as_of =
| population_demonym = <!-- demonym, ie. Liverpudlian for someone from Liverpool -->
| population_note =
<!-- time zone(s) -->
| timezone1 = [[Japan Standard Time]]
| utc_offset1 = +9
| timezone1_DST =
| utc_offset1_DST =
<!-- postal codes, area code -->
| postal_code_type =
| postal_code =
| area_code_type = <!-- defaults to: Area code(s) -->
| area_code =
<!-- blank fields (section 1) -->
| blank_name_sec1 = Phone&nbsp;number
| blank_info_sec1 = 0248-22-1111
| blank1_name_sec1 = Address
| blank1_info_sec1 = 7-1 Hachimankōji, Shirakawa, Fukushima 961-0941
<!-- blank fields (section 2) -->
| blank_name_sec2 = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
| blank_info_sec2 = [[Humid subtropical climate|Cfa]]
<!-- website, footnotes -->
| website = {{Official|1=http://www.city.shirakawa.fukushima.jp/}}
| footnotes =
| module = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=yes
| tree = ''[[Pinus densiflora]]''
| flower = [[Ume]]
| bird = [[meadow bunting|''Emberiza cioides'']]
| flowering_tree =
| butterfly =
| fish =
| other_symbols =
}}
 
{{nihongo|'''Shirakawa'''|白河市|Shirakawa-shi}} is a [[Cities of Japan|city]] located in the southern portion of [[Fukushima Prefecture]], [[Japan]].
 
As of 2003, Shirakawa had an estimated [[population]] was 48,297 and a [[population density]] of 410.44 persons per km². The total area was {{convert|117.67|km²|2|abbr=on}}.
 
However, on November 7, 2005, after merging neighboring villages into its territory, the population increased to approximately 66,000, with a population density of 210 persons per km², and its area increasing to {{convert|305.30|km²|2|abbr=on}}.
 
==History==
Shirakawa was formerly known as the gateway to the old [[Mutsu Province]] of Japan. Up to the [[Edo period]] it had prospered under the control of the Shirakawa clan as a [[castle town]]. In the [[Heian period]], [[monk]] and [[waka (poetry)|waka poet]] [[Nōin]] composed the following short poem about the region:
 
{{cquote|都をば霞とともに立ちしかど秋風ぞ吹く白河の関
''Miyako wo ba kasumi to tomo ni tachishikado akikaze zo fuku Shirakawa no seki.''
 
({{lang-en|I left the capital with the spring haze, but at the barrier of Shirakawa the autumn wind blows.}}
}}
[[File:Shirakawa nanko.jpg|thumb|Nanko Park in Shirakawa]]
 
{{Nihongo| '''Shirakawa'''|白河市|Shirakawa-shi}} is a [[Cities of Japan|city]] located in [[Fukushima Prefecture]], [[Japan]]. {{As of|2020|04|01}}, the city had an estimated [[population]] of 59,393 in 23,546 households <ref>[http://www.city.shirakawa.fukushima.jp Shirakawa city official statistics]{{in lang|ja}}</ref> and a [[population density]] of 190 persons per km<sup>2</sup>. The total area of the city was {{convert|305.3|km2|1}}.
During the [[Meiji Period]] in 1889, the area was classified as the [[town]] of Shirakawa. On April 1, 1949, Shirakawa was made a city after merging with the neighboring village of Ōnuma.
 
==Geography==
Subsequent mergers occurred in 1954 and 1955 with the inclusion of the villages of Shirasaka, Odagawa, Goka and a portion of [[Omotegō, Fukushima|Omotegō]] into the territory of Shirakawa.
Shirakawa is located in south-central Fukushima prefecture facing the Nasu plateau, and extending to the lowland Shirakawa Basin.
*Rivers: [[Abukuma River]]
 
===Neighboring municipalities===
On November 7, 2005, the villages of [[Taishin, Fukushima|Taishin]], [[Higashi, Fukushima|Higashi]], and the remainder of Omotegō (all from [[Nishishirakawa District, Fukushima|Nishishirakawa District]]) were merged into Shirakawa.
* Fukushima Prefecture
** [[Nishigō, Fukushima|Nishigō]]
** [[Izumizaki, Fukushima|Izumizaki]]
** [[Nakajima, Fukushima|Nakajima]]
** [[Yabuki, Fukushima|Yabuki]]
** [[Tanagura, Fukushima|Tanagura]]
** [[Ishikawa, Fukushima|Ishikawa]]
** [[Asakawa, Fukushima|Asakawa]]
** [[Ten'ei, Fukushima|Ten'ei]]
*Tochigi Prefecture
** [[Nasu, Tochigi|Nasu]]
 
===Climate===
Shirakawa has a [[humidHumid subtropical climate]]|humid ([[Köppencontinental climate classification]] (Köppen ''Cfa'') withcharacterized warmby mild summers and cold winters. Precipitation The average annual temperature in Shirakawa is significant11.4&nbsp;°C. throughoutThe average annual rainfall is 1377&nbsp;mm with September as the yearwettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, butat isaround heaviest25.0&nbsp;°C, fromand Maylowest toin OctoberJanuary, at around 0.3&nbsp;°C.<ref>[https://en.climate-data.org/location/5392/ Shirakawa climate data]</ref>
 
<div style="width:70%;">
{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Shirakawa, Fukushima
|collapsed = Y
|single line = Y
|metric first = Y
|location = Shirakawa (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1940−present)
|Jan high C = 4.4
|FebJan record high C = 417.61
|MarFeb record high C = 819.29
|AprMar record high C = 1523.45
|MayApr record high C = 2028.59
|JunMay record high C = 2232.9
|JulJun record high C = 2634.31
|AugJul record high C = 2836.20
|SepAug record high C = 2336.39
|OctSep record high C = 1733.85
|NovOct record high C = 1228.7
|DecNov record high C = 722.47
|JanDec meanrecord high C = -020.27
|FebJan meanrecord low C = 0-13.24
|MarFeb meanrecord low C = 3-13.36
|AprMar meanrecord low C = 9-12.73
|MayApr meanrecord low C = 14-6.90
|JunMay meanrecord low C = 18-2.3
|JulJun meanrecord low C = 215.91
|AugJul meanrecord low C = 237.32
|SepAug meanrecord low C = 1811.91
|OctSep meanrecord low C = 123.79
|NovOct meanrecord low C = 7-2.45
|DecNov meanrecord low C = 2-6.48
|JanDec record low C = -412.4
|FebJan lowhigh C = -35.90
|MarFeb lowhigh C = -16.40
|AprMar lowhigh C = 49.28
|MayApr lowhigh C = 915.49
|JunMay lowhigh C = 1421.41
|JulJun lowhigh C = 1824.50
|AugJul lowhigh C = 1927.84
|SepAug lowhigh C = 1528.37
|OctSep lowhigh C = 824.25
|NovOct lowhigh C = 218.59
|DecNov lowhigh C = -213.13
|Dec high C = 7.8
|Jan mean C = 0.6
|Feb mean C = 1.2
|Mar mean C = 4.5
|Apr mean C = 10.2
|May mean C = 15.5
|Jun mean C = 19.1
|Jul mean C = 22.8
|Aug mean C = 23.7
|Sep mean C = 19.8
|Oct mean C = 14.0
|Nov mean C = 8.1
|Dec mean C = 3.1
|Jan low C = -3.3
|Feb low C = -3.0
|Mar low C = -0.3
|Apr low C = 4.7
|May low C = 10.3
|Jun low C = 15.0
|Jul low C = 19.3
|Aug low C = 20.2
|Sep low C = 16.2
|Oct low C = 9.9
|Nov low C = 3.4
|Dec low C = -1.0
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 2944.01
|Feb precipitation mm = 4334.38
|Mar precipitation mm = 6778.79
|Apr precipitation mm = 99101.27
|May precipitation mm = 112122.6
|Jun precipitation mm = 177149.78
|Jul precipitation mm = 162233.92
|Aug precipitation mm = 200206.90
|Sep precipitation mm = 191211.14
|Oct precipitation mm = 116166.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 6366.53
|Dec precipitation mm = 3341.47
|year precipitation mm = 1456.7
|Jan snow cm = 24
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Feb snow cm = 30
|MarJan snowprecipitation cmdays = 185.3
|AprFeb snowprecipitation cmdays = 34.9
|Mar precipitation days = 8.5
|Apr precipitation days = 8.8
|May precipitation days = 10.6
|Jun precipitation days = 13.0
|Jul precipitation days = 15.5
|Aug precipitation days = 12.9
|Sep precipitation days = 12.4
|Oct precipitation days = 9.4
|Nov precipitation days = 6.3
|Dec precipitation days = 5.6
|Jan snow cm = 36
|Feb snow cm = 25
|Mar snow cm = 14
|Apr snow cm = 2
|May snow cm = 0
|Jun snow cm = 0
Line 122 ⟶ 240:
|Sep snow cm = 0
|Oct snow cm = 0
|Nov snow cm = 21
|Dec snow cm = 1512
|Janyear humiditysnow cm = 6890
|Febunit humiditysnow days = 671 cm
|MarJan humiditysnow days = 658.2
|AprFeb humiditysnow days = 666.0
|MayMar humiditysnow days = 703.6
|JunApr humiditysnow days = 800.5
|JulMay humiditysnow days = 840
|Jun snow days = 0
|Jul snow days = 0
|Aug snow days = 0
|Sep snow days = 0
|Oct snow days = 0
|Nov snow days = 0.2
|Dec snow days = 3.2
|humidity colour= green
|Jan humidity = 67
|Feb humidity = 64
|Mar humidity = 63
|Apr humidity = 64
|May humidity = 69
|Jun humidity = 78
|Jul humidity = 83
|Aug humidity = 82
|Sep humidity = 82
|Oct humidity = 7778
|Nov humidity = 7374
|Dec humidity = 70
|Jan sun = 164151.64
|Feb sun = 154156.21
|Mar sun = 187179.49
|Apr sun = 182.98
|May sun = 196182.80
|Jun sun = 131130.75
|Jul sun = 129120.29
|Aug sun = 156142.21
|Sep sun = 111119.3
|Oct sun = 144134.0
|Nov sun = 144145.87
|Dec sun = 156146.48
|year sun = 1790.7
|source 1 = NOAA (1961-1990) <ref name= NOAA>{{cite web
|source 1 = [[Japan Meteorological Agency]]<ref>{{cite web
|url = ftp://dossier.ogp.noaa.gov/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-II/JP/47597.TXT
| url = http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_s.php?prec_no=36&block_no=47597&year=&month=&day=&view=p1
|title = Shirakawa Climate Normals 1961-1990
|script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）
|publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| publisher = [[Japan Meteorological Agency|JMA]]
|accessdate = December 30, 2012}}</ref>
| access-date = March 3, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=36&block_no=47597&year=&month=&day=&view=p1
|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）
| publisher = [[Japan Meteorological Agency|JMA]]
| access-date = March 3, 2022}}</ref>}}
 
==Demographics==
Per Japanese census data,<ref>[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/fukushima/ Shirakawa population statistics]</ref> the population of Shirakawa peaked around the year 2000 and has declined since.
{{Historical populations
| 1950 | 65,543
| 1960 | 62,480
| 1970 | 58,896
| 1980 | 60,253
| 1990 | 63,839
| 2000 | 66,048
| 2010 | 64,704
| 2020 | 59,491
| align = none
}}
{{Population/Japan/Prefectures
|code=07205
|name=Shirakawa
}}
</div>
 
==City servicesHistory==
[[File:Shirakawa Komine Castle 20100625-01.jpg|right|270px|thumb| View of Komine Castle in Shirakawa]]
Shirakawa has four [[high school]]s, eight [[junior high school]]s, and fifteen [[elementary school]]s.
The area of present-day Shirakawa was part of ancient [[Mutsu Province]] and was the location of a [[Shirakawa Barrier|barrier gate]] on the [[Ōshū Kaidō]] connecting the capital at [[Kyoto]] with the northern provinces. In the [[Heian period]], the Buddhist monk and [[waka (poetry)|''waka'' poet]] [[Nōin]] composed the following poem about the region:
 
{{cquote|都をば霞とともに立ちしかど秋風ぞ吹く白河の関
There are also nineteen [[Japan Post|post offices]] (including minor ones) within the boundaries of the city.<ref>[http://www2.wagamachi-guide.com/japanpost/search/list.asp?fkncode=07&ctycode=07205&pn=&cd1=&cd2=&hn=&sv=&mode=4 List of Post Offices in Shirakawa] {{ja icon}}</ref>
''Miyako wo ba kasumi to tomo ni tachishikado akikaze zo fuku Shirakawa no seki.''
 
({{lang-en|I left the capital with the spring haze, but at the barrier of Shirakawa the autumn wind blows.}})
==Transportation==
}}
 
In the [[Edo period]] the area prospered as a [[jōkamachi|castle town]] [[Shirakawa Domain]], and was the site of a major battle in the [[Boshin War]] during the [[Meiji restoration]]. In the [[Meiji period]], it was organized as part of [[Nakadōri]] region of [[Iwaki Province (1868)|Iwaki Province]].
===Rail===
The city can be easily reached via {{ja-stalink|Shirasaka}}, {{ja-stalink|Shirakawa}}, and {{ja-stalink|Kutano}} stations on the [[Tōhoku Main Line]]. [[Shin-Shirakawa Station]], located in the neighbouring village of [[Nishigō, Fukushima|Nishigō]], is also on the [[Tōhoku Shinkansen]] and provides fast access to [[Tokyo]].
 
The town of Shirakawa was formed on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. On April 1, 1949, Shirakawa was elevated to city status after merging with the neighboring village of Ōnuma. Subsequent mergers occurred in 1954 and 1955 with the inclusion of the villages of Shirasaka, Odagawa, Goka and a portion of [[Omotegō, Fukushima|Omotegō]] into the territory of Shirakawa. On November 7, 2005, the villages of [[Taishin, Fukushima|Taishin]], [[Higashi, Fukushima|Higashi]], and the remainder of Omotegō (all from [[Nishishirakawa District, Fukushima|Nishishirakawa District]]) were merged into Shirakawa, increasing its population from 48,297 to approximately 66,000 and territory from {{convert|117.67|km2|2|abbr=on}} to {{convert|305.30|km2|2|abbr=on}}.
===Road===
Shirakawa can be accessed by the nearby [[Tohoku Expressway]] and National Routes [[Route 289 (Japan)|289]] and [[Route 294 (Japan)|294]].
 
==Claims to fameGovernment==
Shirakawa has a [[mayor-council]] form of government with a directly elected mayor and a [[unicameral]] city legislature of 26 members. Shirakawa, together with [[Nishishirakawa District, Fukushima|Nishishirakawa District]] contributes three members to the Fukushima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of [[Fukushima 3rd district]] of the [[House of Representatives of Japan|lower house]] of the [[Diet of Japan]].
Residents point to the local variety of [[ramen]] as the town's main claim to fame. The main attractions of the town, aside from the restaurants, include {{nihongo|[[Komine Castle]]|小峰城|Kominejō, literally "Small Peak Castle"}} and Nankō ("South Lake") Park.
 
==Economy==
Festivals held in Shirakawa include "Daruma Ichi", celebrating the traditional [[Daruma doll]], wherein the city streets are packed with stalls selling Daruma, a variety of festival foods and charms, and "[[Chōchin]] Matsuri" (Lantern Festival), which is held each summer, with a special three-day celebration held once every three years.
Shirakawa has a mixed economy, and is a major commercial center for the surrounding region. Principal industries include electrical appliances, construction materials and clothing.<ref name=Japan>{{cite book |last1=Campbell |first1=Allen |last2=Nobel |first2=David S |title=Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia |publisher=Kodansha |date=1993 |pages=1396 |isbn=406205938X}}</ref> The [[D+M Group]] has a plant where [[Marantz]] and [[Denon]] [[high fidelity]] components are produced.
 
==Education==
Shirakawa has fifteen public elementary schools and eight junior high schools operated by the city government and four public high schools operated by the Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education.
 
==Post offices==
Shirakawa has nineteen [[Japan Post|post offices]] within the boundaries of the city.<ref>[http://www2.wagamachi-guide.com/japanpost/search/list.asp?fkncode=07&ctycode=07205&pn=&cd1=&cd2=&hn=&sv=&mode=4 List of Post Offices in Shirakawa] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130205184633/http://www2.wagamachi-guide.com/japanpost/search/list.asp?fkncode=07&ctycode=07205&pn=&cd1=&cd2=&hn=&sv=&mode=4 |date=2013-02-05 }} {{in lang|ja}}</ref>
 
==Transportation==
===Railway===
*[[File:JR logo (east).svg|22px]][[East Japan Railway Company|JR East]] - [[Tōhoku Main Line]]
** {{STN|Shirasaka}} – ([[Shin-Shirakawa Station|Shin-Shirakawa]]) – {{STN|Shirakawa}} - {{STN|Kutano}}
 
===Highway===
Shirakawa is passed through in [[Oku no Hosomichi]] by [[Matsuo Bashō|Basho]].
* {{jct|country=JPN|Exp|E4}} – Shirakawa-chūō Interchange – Abukuma Parking Area
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|4}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|289}}
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|294}}
 
==Local attractions==
Shirakawa is the location of the village to which silk egg merchant Herve Joncour travels in the novel ''Silk'' by [[Alessandro Baricco]], first published in 1997.
*Site of [[Shirakawa Barrier]] - National Historic Site <ref name="Bunka1">{{cite web |url= https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/162191 |title=白河関跡 |trans-title= Aizu-Shirakawa no seki ato|language=ja |publisher=[[Agency for Cultural Affairs]] }}</ref>
*[[Komine Castle]] – One of the 100 Castles of Japan<ref name= "Bunka2">{{cite web|url=https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/171511|title=小峰城跡 |work=Cultural Heritage Online|publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs|language=ja|access-date=25 December 2016}}</ref>
*[[Nanko Park]] – National Historic Site and National Scenic Site <ref name="Bunka3">{{cite web |url= https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/137764 |title=南湖公園 |trans-title= Nanko Koen|language=ja |publisher=[[Agency for Cultural Affairs]] }}</ref>
*[[Shirakawa Funada-Motonuma Sites]] – [[kofun period]] [[kofun|burial tumulus]], National Historic Site<ref name="Bunka4">{{cite web |url= https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/140437 |title= 白河舟田・本沼遺跡群 ん|trans-title=Shirakawa Funada-Motonuma iseki gun|language=ja |publisher=[[Agency for Cultural Affairs]] }}</ref>
*[[Shirakawa Castle|Yūki-Shirakawa Castle]], National Historic Site <ref name="Bunka5">{{cite web |url= https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/273872 |title= 白川城跡 |trans-title=Shirakawa-jō ato|language=ja |publisher=[[Agency for Cultural Affairs]] }}</ref>
*Festivals held in Shirakawa include "Daruma Ichi", celebrating the traditional [[Daruma doll]], wherein the city streets are packed with stalls selling Daruma, a variety of festival foods and charms, and "[[Chōchin]] Matsuri" (Lantern Festival), which is held each summer, with a special three-day celebration held once every three years.
 
==International relations==
* {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Compiègne]], France, since October 20, 1988
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan}}
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Anoka, Minnesota]], United States, since October 13, 2002
 
==Noted people from Shirakawa==
===Twin towns – Sister cities===
*[[Nakayama Gishu|Gishu Nakayama]], writer
Shirakawa is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:
*[[Atsushi Fujita]], Olympic marathon runner
* {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Compiègne]], France, since 1988
*[[Hideo Madarame]], Olympic cyclist
* {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Pistoia]], Italy, since 1994
*[[Toshiaki Fushimi]], Olympic cyclist
*[[Koji Igarashi]], longtime ''[[Castlevania]]'' series producer and creator of ''[[Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night]]''
 
==References==
{{Reflistreflist}}
 
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage|Shirakawa}}
*{{Commons category-inline}}
*{{url|http://www.city.shirakawa.fukushima.jp|Shirakawa City official website}} {{ja icon}}
* [{{Official|1=http://www.city.shirakawa.nefukushima.jp Shirakawa website]/}} {{jain iconlang|ja}}
 
{{Fukushima}}
{{Authority control}}
 
[[Category:Shirakawa, Fukushima| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Fukushima Prefecture]]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirakawa,_Fukushima"