Mamurogawa is located in the northern portion of the Shinjō Basin in north-central Yamagata Prefecture.

Akita Prefecture Yamagata Prefecture Mamurogawa 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.

The area of present-day Mamurogawa was part of ancient Dewa Province and the location of Sakenobe Castle in the Sengoku period.

After the start of the Meiji period, the area became part of Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture.

During World War II, an airbase for training pilots was established by the Imperial Japanese Army.