Shinhidaka, Hokkaido
Shinhidaka
新ひだか町 | |
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Town | |
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Shinhidaka Location in Japan | |
Coordinates: 42°15′N 142°34′E / 42.250°N 142.567°ECoordinates: 42°15′N 142°34′E / 42.250°N 142.567°E | |
Country | Japan |
Region | Hokkaido |
Prefecture | Hokkaido (Hidaka Subprefecture) |
District | Hidaka |
Government | |
• Mayor | |
Area | |
• Total | 1,147.75 km2 (443.15 sq mi) |
Population (September 30, 2016) | |
• Total | 23,516 |
• Density | 20/km2 (53/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
City hall address | 3-2-50, Shizunai Miyukichō, Shinhidaka-chō, Hidaka-gun, Hokkaidō 056-8650 |
Website | www |
Symbols | |
Flower | Ezoyamatsutsuji (Rhododendron kaempferi) and Rugosa Rose |
Tree | Ezoyamazakura and Japanese Ash |
Shinhidaka (新ひだか町, Shinhidaka-chō) is a town located in Hidaka Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. Shinhidaka is the most populous town, and the economic center of Hidaka Subprefecture.
History[]
The river valleys of what is now Shinhidaka were occupied by the Ainu. From the 19th century, people from Japan began to settle in the region.
On March 31, 2006, the town of Mitsuishi merged with the town of Shizunai to create the new town of Shinhidaka.
Demographics[]
As of September 2016, the town has an estimated population of 23,516, and a density of 23.7 persons per km².[1]
Geography[]
Shinhidaka is in southeastern Hokkaido, between the Pacific Ocean to the South and the Hidaka Mountains to the North. Several rivers rise in the mountains and empty into the sea, including the Shizunai River and the Mitsuishi River.
Shinhidaka has total area of 1,147.74 km².[1] Its highest location is Mount Kamuiekuuchikaushi (42°37′30″N 142°45′58″E / 42.62500°N 142.76611°E) at 1,979.4 m (6,494 ft).
Transportation[]
Rail[]
Shinhidaka was served by the JR Hokkaido Hidaka Main Line. However, no services have operated between Mukawa and Samani since January 2015, due to storm damage. Plans to restore this section of the line have been abandoned, due to declining passenger use and very high maintenance costs and the section will be officially closed on 1 April 2021 to be replaced by a bus service.
Stations in Shinhidaka: Shizunai - Higashi-Shizunai - Harutachi - Hidaka-Tōbetsu - Hidaka-Mitsuishi - Hōei - Honkiri
Arts and culture[]
Nijikken-dōro (二十間道路), literally, road 20 ken (36 metres (118 ft)) in width, is an avenue lined with Ezo mountain cherry Prunus sargentii, (エゾヤマザクラ, Ezo-yamazakura) trees and a major tourist attraction of the town. The 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) road was created for a visit of the Imperial Family to the nearby Niikappu horse ranch in 1903. The ranch is under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Agency. It took five years to transplant trees from the local mountains to create the avenue. It was finished in 1916. Shinhidaka holds a cherry blossom festival yearly in May at the road in Shizunai ward.[2]
Sister cities[]
- Lexington, Kentucky (United States)[3]
- Minamiawaji, Hyōgo Prefecture (Japan)[4]
- Mima, Tokushima Prefecture (Japan)[4]
- Sumoto, Hyōgo Prefecture (Japan)[4]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b (in Japanese) Official Home Page of Shinhidaka Archived 2008-04-24 at the Wayback Machine, last access 30 May 2008.
- ^ (in Japanese) Ezo-zakura Call Archived 2008-04-20 at the Wayback Machine, last access 30 May 2008
- ^ Lexington Sister Cities Commission Archived 2014-10-20 at the Wayback Machine, last access 20 October 2014
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Shinhidaka - Overview of the Town, last access 6 May 2016
External links[]
- Official Website (in Japanese)
- Shinhidaka, Hokkaido
- Towns in Hokkaido
- Hokkaidō geography stubs