Shinhidaka, Hokkaido

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.

Shinhidaka

新ひだか町
Town
Shinhidaka Town Hall
Flag
Seal
Location of Shinhidaka in Hokkaido (Hidaka Subprefecture)
Shinhidaka
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 42°15′N 142°34′E
CountryJapan
RegionHokkaido
PrefectureHokkaido (Hidaka Subprefecture)
DistrictHidaka
Government
 • MayorYoshihide Sakai
Area
 • Total1,147.75 km2 (443.15 sq mi)
Population
 (September 30, 2016)
 • Total23,516
 • Density20/km2 (53/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address3-2-50, Shizunai Miyukichō, Shinhidaka-chō, Hidaka-gun, Hokkaidō
056-8650
Websitewww.shinhidaka-hokkaido.jp
Symbols
FlowerEzoyamatsutsuji (Rhododendron kaempferi) and Rugosa Rose
TreeEzoyamazakura and Japanese Ash

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.

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) 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

Demographics

As of September 2016, the town has an estimated population of 23,516, and a density of 23.7 persons per km².[1]

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

References
  1. (in Japanese) Official Home Page of Shinhidaka Archived 2008-04-24 at the Wayback Machine, last access 30 May 2008.
  2. (in Japanese) Ezo-zakura Call Archived 2008-04-20 at the Wayback Machine, last access 30 May 2008
  3. Shinhidaka - Overview of the Town, last access 6 May 2016
  4. Lexington Sister Cities Commission Archived 2014-10-20 at the Wayback Machine, last access 20 October 2014


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