Hamada, Shimane

Hamada (浜田市, Hamada-shi) is a city located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. It is the third largest city in the prefecture and is located at the southwestern end of the prefecture. It is a coastal city on the Sea of Japan and possesses beautiful white sand beaches, which make the city a popular destination for local tourists in the summer. Hamada is a small city around 1 hour 40 minutes by expressway to Hiroshima. The city was founded on November 3, 1940.

Hamada

浜田市
City
Iwami Tatami-ga-ura
Flag
Emblem
Location of Hamada in Shimane Prefecture
Hamada
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°54′N 132°5′E
CountryJapan
RegionChūgoku (San'in)
PrefectureShimane Prefecture
Government
 • MayorTetsuo Uzu
Area
 • Total689.60 km2 (266.26 sq mi)
Population
 (March 1, 2017)
 • Total57,142
 • Density83/km2 (210/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address1 Tonomachi, Hamada-shi, Shimane-ken
697-8501
Websitewww.city.hamada.shimane.jp
Symbols
FishRighteye flounder
FlowerAzalea
TreeCherry

On October 1, 2005, the towns of Asahi, Kanagi and Misumi, and the village of Yasaka (all from Naka District) were merged into Hamada. Therefore, Naka District was dissolved as a result of this merger.

As of March 2017, Hamada City has an estimated population of 57,142, with roughly 43,000 people living in the coastal urban 'city' area.

The prefectural university (The University of Shimane) is located in Hamada, as is the Institute for Northeast Asian Research.

Hamada is one of the few cities in the region to possess a heavy tonnage shipping port. The Hamada commercial port can accept vessels up to a maximum of 50,000 tonnes deadweight (DWT).1

Education
Downtown of Hamada city
Hamada Station

Hamada has 26 elementary schools, 9 junior high schools and 3 senior high schools throughout the city area.

Climate
Approx. 600-year-old cherry tree in Misumi. An area of western Hamada.

Hamada has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa). It experiences a wide range in temperature between summer and winter but due to its location it is saved from the extreme winter cold in the north and prolonged summer heat in the south. In summer the temperature gets as high as 38 °C (100 °F) with high humidity and in winter it can drop to −5 °C (23 °F). The coastal main city of Hamada occasionally gets snowfall in the winter. The mountainous areas of Hamada inland to the east receive high levels of snowfall and are home to some of the best ski resorts in the area. Late spring/early summer is the rainy season with frequent light showers throughout the day. Spring and Autumn in Hamada provide warm, sunny weather with a very comfortable temperature.

Due to its location on the western seaboard of Japan, Hamada is relatively free from weather extremes such as typhoons or flooding. Hamada is also not located near a fault line and the occurrence of strong earthquakes in Shimane is rare.

Climate data for Hamada, Shimane
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 8.5
(47.3)		 8.9
(48.0)		 12.2
(54.0)		 17.5
(63.5)		 21.4
(70.5)		 24.4
(75.9)		 28.5
(83.3)		 30.2
(86.4)		 26.3
(79.3)		 21.4
(70.5)		 16.6
(61.9)		 11.5
(52.7)		 19.0
(66.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 5.5
(41.9)		 5.5
(41.9)		 8.0
(46.4)		 13.0
(55.4)		 17.0
(62.6)		 20.7
(69.3)		 25.1
(77.2)		 26.3
(79.3)		 22.2
(72.0)		 16.8
(62.2)		 12.4
(54.3)		 8.2
(46.8)		 15.1
(59.1)
Average low °C (°F) 2.3
(36.1)		 2.1
(35.8)		 3.8
(38.8)		 8.3
(46.9)		 12.7
(54.9)		 17.2
(63.0)		 22.0
(71.6)		 22.8
(73.0)		 18.6
(65.5)		 12.7
(54.9)		 8.5
(47.3)		 4.8
(40.6)		 11.3
(52.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 109.9
(4.33)		 91.0
(3.58)		 113.4
(4.46)		 130.5
(5.14)		 135.4
(5.33)		 200.3
(7.89)		 264.3
(10.41)		 131.7
(5.19)		 208.5
(8.21)		 123.0
(4.84)		 111.2
(4.38)		 111.5
(4.39)		 1,730.7
(68.15)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 12
(4.7)		 10
(3.9)		 2
(0.8)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 3
(1.2)		 27
(10.6)
Average relative humidity (%) 65 67 68 71 74 80 82 78 79 74 69 64 73
Mean monthly sunshine hours 59.5 78.7 148.2 178.4 205.2 164.2 184.7 220.4 163.6 166.8 111.4 73.2 1,754.3
Source: NOAA (1961-1990) [1]

Sights
  • Aquas is on the outskirts of the city. It is the largest aquarium in western Honshū.[2]
  • The Hamada Museum of Children's Art is located about one mile from the city center. Its exhibits include artwork by children from around the world and artwork of interest to children. Their programs include technical art classes and art history workshops for children of all ages.
  • The ruins of Hamada castle are situated on the top of a hill near the centre of town. Hamada Castle was built in 1620, and destroyed towards the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate.[3] From the top of the ruins, visitors can see extensive views of Hamada city and the coast.
  • Iwami Seaside Park is a large beach located near Aquas with cabins, barbecue areas, and rental facilities.

Yearly festivals
Month Festival description
January No events
February Izumo Taisha Iwami-bunshi Setsubun Festival
March Tadaji Hatsuuma Festival (one of the biggest festivals in the Iwami area)
April Hamakko Spring Festival.

Daimyo Parade (and many other kinds of parades).

May No events.
June No events.
July Kokubu Kinsai Festival
August Hamakko Summer Festival.

The largest event of the year, with a huge fireworks display in the evening at the port.
Nagahama Hassakuhana Festival (Fire Protection Festival).

September No events.
October Nagahama Tenjinreitai Festival (Festival of the God of the Sea).
November Hamada BB Onabe Festival.

Iwami Kagura Festival.

December No events

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan

Twin towns — Sister cities

Hamada is twinned with:

References
  1. "Hamada Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  2. Aquas
  3. History Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
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