is a town located in Tagawa District, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 8725 in 4496 households, and a population density of 66 persons per km2. The total area of the town is .
Geography Soeda is located in the southeastern part of the Chikuhō region, in the southern part of Tagawa District, and borders Oita Prefecture in the Chikushi Mountains, which is home to a series of mountains such as Mt. Hiko. The Aburagi Dam is located in the upper reaches of the Imagawa River, and much of the town is in the mountains.
Neighboring municipalities Fukuoka Prefecture Aka Kawasaki Kama Miyako Ōtō Tōhō Ōita Prefecture Hiji Nakatsu
Climate Soeda has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa). The average annual temperature in Soeda 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, at around . The highest temperature ever recorded in Soeda was on 27 July 2026 and 3 August 2026; the coldest temperature ever recorded was on 9 January 2021.
Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Soeda in 2020 is 8,801 people. Soeda has been conducting censuses since 1920.
History The area of Soeda was part of ancient Buzen Province, and artifacts from as early as the late Jōmon period have been found within town limits, including large jade stones which had been imported from distance Itoigawa, Niigata. During the Edo Period, the area was part of the holdings of Kokura Domain. The village of Soeda was established on May 1, 1889, with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to town status on April 1, 1912. On February 11, 1942, Soeds annexed the neighboring village Hikoyama, and on January 1, 1955, the village of Tsuno. The town was severely damaged by torrential rains on July 5, 2017.
Government Soeda has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 11 members. Soeda, collectively with the other municipalities of Tagawa District contributes two members to the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Fukuoka 11th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy During the Meiji period, Soeda, along with the other municipalities of the Chikuho area, developed with the Kitakyushu industrial zone through coal mining, and is still considered part of to the Greater Kitakyushu Metropolitan Area. However, as the demand for coal decreased due to the energy revolution, the coal mines that had sponsored prosperity have all closed, leading to depopulation. The main economic activity is now agriculture.
Education Soeda has four public elementary high schools and one public junior high school operated by the town government and one public high school operated by the Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education.
Transportation Railways JR Kyushu - Hitahikosan Line - - < - - >
Highways Kyushu Expressway Higashikyushu Expressway Ōita Expressway
Sister cities Incheon, Republic of Korea
Local attractions Hikosan Jingū Mount Hiko
References
External links
Soeda official website