Azumino

Azumino is a city in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, set on the Azumino Plateau at the northwestern end of the Matsumoto Basin between mountain ranges to the west and east. The range on its western border is the Northern Alps, popular with hikers, and Mount Jōnen at 2,857 metres is the highest point in the city. Its English Wikipedia article gives an estimated population of 97,761 as of 1 March 2019 and a total area of 331.78 square kilometres. The name combines Azumi, after the Azumi people who are said to have moved to the plain in ancient times, and no, meaning plain. The area belonged to Matsumoto Domain in the Edo period, and the modern city was established on 1 October 2005 by merger. Mountain parts of the city are snow country with heavy winter snowfall.