Ube

① Climate

Source: JMA climate normals 1991–2020 / Ube station

• Annual mean temperature: 16.0 °C
• Warmest month (avg): Aug 27.9 °C / Coldest month (avg): Jan 5.4 °C
• Humidity: highest ~ Jul ≈ 81% / lowest ~ Feb ≈ 66%
• Annual snowfall: negligible (≈ 0–1 cm/year)
• Sunshine duration: peaks around October
• Annual precipitation: ~1,680 mm (wettest: Jul ≈ 260 mm / driest: Jan ≈ 60 mm)

② Landform

 Facing the Seto Inland Sea, Ube forms a coastal plain with shallow seas and reclaimed shores.
 The Koto River flows through the east; its environs mix lowlands with gentle hills.
 Elevation rises westward toward Mine and Onoda, marking the foreland of the Chugoku Mountains.
 Tokiwa Lake is the city’s emblematic lake, lending rich waterscapes to the urban area.

③ Industry

 Coastal industries such as chemicals and cement anchor the economy. As an industrial city mindful of environmental protection and urban scenery, Ube also attracts visitors via art events and park tourism.
Local specialties

• Ube Ramen: rich tonkotsu-style broth.
• Tokiwayaki: local ceramics.
• Cut flowers (chrysanthemum, carnation): cultivation favored by the mild climate.

④ Culture & Traditions

 Ube prospered as a coal town, preserving modern industrial heritage known as the “Coal Capital.”
 The internationally known “UBE Biennale (Contemporary Japanese Sculpture Exhibition)” centers on flowers, greenery, and sculpture.
 Branding as an environmental city, Ube fuses art and industry into a distinctive urban culture.

• Nishikiwa Shishimai (lion dance): autumn rite praying for a good harvest and health.
• Fujiyama Odori: a dance rooted in miners’ work songs.
• Ube Matsuri Ondo: a classic summer mass dance for citizens.