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| Capital | Sapporo |
| Region | Hokkaidō |
| Island | Hokkaidō |
| Governor | Harumi Takahashi |
| Area (rank) | 83,453. is the fifth-largest city in Japan by population It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an The Regions of Japan are not official administrative units but have been traditionally used as the regional division of Japan in a number of contexts WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan 's The four main Islands of Japan are Hokkaidō Honshū Kyūshū Shikoku A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government Harumi Takahashi (高橋 はるみ is the present governor of the Japanese prefecture of Hokkaidō. Rank 57 km² (2nd in Japan) |
| - % water | 6. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 4% |
| Population (2005-10-01) | |
| - Population | 5,627,424 (7th) |
| - Density | 67. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. National population 127708050 Rank Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 4 /km² |
| Districts | 68 |
| Municipalities | 180 |
| ISO 3166-2 | JP-01 |
| Website | Hokkaidō Official Website |
| Prefectural Symbols | |
| - Flower | Hamanasu (Rugosa Rose, Rosa rugosa) |
| - Tree | Ezomatsu (Jezo Spruce, Picea jezoensis) |
| - Bird | Tanchō (Red-crowned Crane, Grus japonensis) |
 Symbol of Hokkaidō |
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| Hokkaidō | |
|---|---|
 Hokkaidō island, Japan |
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| Geography | |
| Location | East Asia |
| Archipelago | Japanese Archipelago |
| Area | 77,981. There are three basic types of municipalities in Japan: cities, towns and villages. ISO 3166-2JP is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to Japan. Rosa rugosa ( Rugosa Rose, Japanese Rose, or Ramanas Rose) is a species of Rose native to eastern Asia, in northeastern The Jezo Spruce ( Picea jezoensis) is a large Evergreen Tree growing to 30-50 m tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 2 m The Red-crowned Crane ( Grus japonensis) also called the Japanese Crane or Manchurian Crane, is a large crane and is the second rarest crane The, which forms the Country of Japan, extends roughly from northeast to southwest along the northeastern coast of the Eurasia mainland washing upon the northwestern 87 km² |
| Rank | 21st |
| Highest point | Asahidake 2,290 m |
| Administration | |
 Japan |
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| Prefectures | Hokkaidō |
| Largest city | Sapporo (1,890,561) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | approx. This is a list of Islands in the world ordered by area. It includes all islands with an area greater than 2500 km² (970 square miles is the tallest mountain in Hokkaidō, Japan. Part of the Daisetsuzan Volcanic Group of the Ishikari Mountains, it is located in the northern part of the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 sub-national Jurisdictions one "metropolis" (都 to) Tokyo; one " circuit is the fifth-largest city in Japan by population It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an 5,600,000 |
| Indigenous people | Ainu, Japanese |
Hokkaidō (北海道? literally "North Sea Circuit", Ainu: Ainu Mosir), formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island and the largest, northernmost of its 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. ʔáinu (also called Ezo in historical texts are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaidō, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin. The are the dominant Ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent of these approximately 127 million are residents of Japan In Law, a circuit is an appellate judicial district used in the Court systems of several nations The Ainu language (Ainu ain アイヌ イタク aynu itak; Japanese: ja アイヌ語 ainu-go) is spoken by the Ainu For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 sub-national Jurisdictions one "metropolis" (都 to) Tokyo; one " circuit The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshū, although the two islands are connected by the underwater Seikan Tunnel. is a channel between Honshū and Hokkaidō in northern Japan connecting the Sea of Japan with the Pacific Ocean. or Honshu is the largest Island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of The Seikan Tunnel (青函トンネル Seikan Tonneru or 青函隧道 Seikan Zuidō) is a 53 The largest city on Hokkaidō is its capital, Sapporo, which is also its only ordinance-designated city. is the fifth-largest city in Japan by population It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an A, also known as a or, is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500000 and has been designated as such by an order of the Cabinet of Japan under Article
Contents |
History
Archeologists theorize that Hokkaidō was settled by Ainu, Gilyak, and Oroke 20000 years ago. ʔáinu (also called Ezo in historical texts are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaidō, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin. The Nivkhs (also Nivkh, Nivkhi, or Gilyak; ethnonym Nivxi language нивхгу - Nivxgu are an indigenous ethnic group inhabiting the Not to be confused with the Oroch of Khabarovsk Krai and Oroqen of China Oroks ( Ороки in Russian; self [1] The Nihonshoki is often said to be the first mention of Hokkaidō in recorded history. The, sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. According to the text, Abe no Hirafu[2] led a large navy and army to northern areas from 658 to 660 and came into contact with the Mishihase and Emishi. Abe no Hirafu ( 阿部比羅夫) was a governor of Koshi Province. The Mishihase (粛填 were a people of ancient Japan, believed to have lived along the northern portion of the coast of the Sea of Japan. For the statesman at the Yamato imperial court see Soga no Emishi. One of the places Hirafu went to was called Watarishima (渡島), which is often believed to be present-day Hokkaidō. However, many theories exist in relation to the details of this event, including the location of Watarishima and the common belief that the Emishi in Watarishima were the ancestors of the present-day Ainu people. ʔáinu (also called Ezo in historical texts are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaidō, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin.
During the Nara and Heian periods, people in Hokkaidō conducted trade with Dewa Province, an outpost of the Japanese central government. The of the History of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. is an old province of Japan comprising modern-day Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture, except for the city of Kazuno and the town of Kosaka From the medieval ages, the people in Hokkaidō began to be called Ezo. EZO is the American self-titled debut album from the Japanese Metal band Ezo. Around the same time Hokkaidō came to be called Ezochi (蝦夷地) or Ezogashima. The Ezo mainly relied upon hunting and fishing and obtained rice and iron through trade with the Japanese.
During the Muromachi period, the Japanese created a settlement at the south of the Oshima peninsula. The Muromachi period ( Japanese: 室町時代 Muromachi-jidai, also known as the Muromachi era, the Muromachi bakufu, the Ashikaga era The Oshima Peninsula (渡島 半島 Oshima-hantō) is the southernmost part of Hokkaidō, the northernmost of the Japanese islands As more people moved to the settlement to avoid battles, disputes arose between the Japanese and the Ainu. The disputes eventually developed into a rebellion. Takeda Nobuhiro killed the Ainu leader, Koshamain[3], and defeated the rebellion. Takeda Nobuhiro (武田信広 also known as Kakizaki Nobuhiro (蠣崎信廣 (1431 &ndash 1494 was the ancestor of the Matsumae clan, and is celebrated for his Nobuhiro's descendants became the rulers of the Matsumae-han, which ruled the south of Ezochi until the end of the Edo period. The was a Japanese clan which was granted the area around Matsumae Hokkaidō as a march fief in 1590 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and charged with defending it and by The, also referred to as the Tokugawa period (徳川時代 Tokugawa-jidai) is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868
Matsumae-han's economy relied upon trade with the Ainu. The Matsumae family was granted exclusive trading rights with the Ainu in the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods. The was a Japanese clan which was granted the area around Matsumae Hokkaidō as a march fief in 1590 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and charged with defending it and by The came at the end of the Warring States Period in Japan, when the political unification that preceded the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate took place During the Meiji Restoration, the Tokugawa Shogunate realized there was a need to prepare northern defenses against possible Russian invasion and took over most control of Ezochi. The, also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japan 's political and social structure The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the, and the, was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the Shoguns of The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The Shogunate made the Ainu burden slightly easier, but did not change the overall form of rule.
Hokkaidō was known as Ezochi until the Meiji Restoration. Shortly after the Boshin War in 1868, a group of Tokugawa loyalists led by Enomoto Takeaki proclaimed the island's independence as the Republic of Ezo, but the rebellion was crushed in May 1869. The was a Civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the Viscount was a Japanese Navy admiral faithful to the Tokugawa Shogunate, who fought against the new Meiji government until the end of the Boshin Background After the defeat of the forces of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the Boshin War (1868&ndash1869 of the Meiji Restoration, a part of the Ezochi was subsequently put under control of Hakodate-fu (箱館府, Hakodate Prefectural Government). When establishing the Development Commission (開拓使), the Meiji Government changed the name of Ezochi to Hokkaidō (北海道).
The primary purpose of the development commission was to secure Hokkaidō before the Russians extended their control of the Far East beyond Vladivostok. Vladivostok ( is Russia 's largest port city on the Pacific Ocean and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai. Kuroda Kiyotaka was put in charge of the venture. ( 16 October 1840 - 23 August 1900) also known as Kuroda Ryōsuke (黑田 了介 was a Japanese Politician His first step was to journey to the United States and recruit Horace Capron, President Grant's Commissioner of Agriculture. Horace Capron ( August 31, 1804 – February 22, 1885) was an American businessman and agriculturalist a founder of Laurel Maryland Ulysses S Grant, born Hiram Ulysses Grant (April 27 1822 &ndash July 23 1885 was an American general and the eighteenth President of the United States From 1871 to 1873 Capron bent his efforts to expounding Western agriculture and mining with mixed results. Capron, frustrated with obstacles to his efforts returned home in 1875. In 1876 William S. Clark arrived to found an agricultural college in Sapporo. William Smith Clark ( July 31, 1826 – March 9, 1886) was a Professor, Massachusetts State Senator, third president Although he only remained a year, Clark left lasting impression on Hokkaidō, inspiring the Japanese with his teachings on agriculture as well as Christianity. [4] His parting words, "Boys, be ambitious!" can be found on public buildings in Hokkaidō to this day. Whatever the impact these Americans had, the population of Hokkaidō boomed from 58,000 to 240,000 during that decade. [5]
In 1882, the Development Commission was abolished, and Hokkaidō was separated into three prefectures, Hakodate (函館県), Sapporo (札幌県), and Nemuro (根室県). In 1886, the three prefectures were abolished, and Hokkaidō was put under the Hokkaidō Agency (北海道庁). Hokkaidō became equal with other prefectures in 1947, when the revised Local Autonomy Law became effective. The Japanese central government established the Hokkaidō Development Agency (北海道開発庁) as an agency of the Prime Minister's Office in 1949 to maintain its executive power in Hokkaidō. The Agency was absorbed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2001. The Hokkaidō Bureau (北海道局) and the Hokkaidō Regional Development Bureau (北海道開発局) of the Ministry still have a strong influence on public construction projects in Hokkaidō.
Naming of Hokkaidō
When establishing the Development Commission (開拓使), the Meiji Government decided to change the name of Ezochi. Matsuura Takeshirō submitted six ideas, including names such as Kaihokudo (海北道) and Hokkaidō (北加伊道) to the government. The government eventually decided to use the name Hokkaidō, but decided to write it as 北海道, as a compromise between 海北道 and because of the similarity with names such as Tōkaidō (東海道). The was originally an old Japanese geographical region that made up the Gokishichidō system and was situated along the southeastern edge of Honshū, its name literally According to Matsuura, the name was thought up because the Ainu called the region Kai. Historically, many peoples who had interactions with the ancestors of the Ainu called them and their islands Kuyi, Kuye, Qoy, or some similar name, which may have some connection to the early modern form Kai. The Kai element also strongly resembles the Sino-Japanese reading of the characters 蝦夷 (Sino-Japanese /ka. i/, Japanese kun /emisi/), which have been used for over a thousand years in China and Japan as the standard orthographic form to be used when referring to Ainu and related peoples; it is possible that Matsuura's Kai was actually an alteration, influenced by the Sino-Japanese reading of 蝦夷 Ka-i, of the Nivkh exonym for the Ainu, namely Qoy. Nivkh or Gilyak (ethnonym нивхгу Japanese: ja ニヴフ語/ギリヤーク語 nivufu-go/giriyāku-go is a language spoken in Outer Manchuria An exonym (from Greek el ἔξω exo = out el ὄνομα onoma = name is a name for a place that is not used within that place by the local
Geography
The island of Hokkaidō is located at the north end of Japan, near Russia, and has coastlines on the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Pacific Ocean. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Sea of Japan is a Marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, bordered by Japan, Korea, North Korea and Russia The Sea of Okhotsk ( Russian: Охо́тское мо́ре English Transliteration: Okhotskoye More) is a part of the western Pacific Ocean, The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The center of the island has a number of mountains and volcanic plateaus, and there are coastal plains in all directions. A volcanic plateau is a Plateau produced by Volcanic activity. Major cities include Sapporo and Asahikawa in the central region and the port of Hakodate facing Honshū. is the fifth-largest city in Japan by population It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an is a city located in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan. is a city and port located in Oshima, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture or Honshu is the largest Island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of
The governmental jurisdiction of Hokkaidō incorporates several smaller islands, including Rishiri, Okushiri Island, and Rebun. The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 sub-national Jurisdictions one "metropolis" (都 to) Tokyo; one " circuit Rishiri Island (利尻島 rishiritō) rises out of the Sea of Japan off the coast of Hokkaidō, Japan. Okushiri Island (ja奥尻島 Okushiri-to ）is an island in Hokkaidō, Japan Rebun Island (礼文島 Rebun-tō) lies in the Sea of Japan off the northwestern tip of Hokkaidō, Japan. (By Japanese reckoning, Hokkaidō also incorporates several of the Kuril Islands. The Kuril Islands (ˈkʊrɪl or /ˈkjuˈriˈl/ Кури́льские острова́ əstrʌˈva ru-Latn ''Kuril'skie ostrova'' or Kurile Islands in Russia ) Because the prefectural status of Hokkaidō is denoted by the dō in its name, it is rarely referred to as "Hokkaidō Prefecture", except when necessary to distinguish the governmental entity from the island.
The island ranks 21st in the world by area. This is a list of Islands in the world ordered by area. It includes all islands with an area greater than 2500 km² (970 square miles It is 3. 6% smaller than the island of Ireland while Hispaniola is 6. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Hispaniola (from Spanish, La Española) is the second-largest and most populous Island of the Antilles, lying between the islands of 1% smaller than Hokkaidō. By population it ranks 20th, between Ireland and Sicily. Land masses Afro-Eurasia &mdash 5500 million people Americas &mdash 900 million people Australia &mdash 21 million people Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Hokkaidō's population is 4. 7% less than that of the island of Ireland, and Sicily's is 12% lower than Hokkaidō's.
Seismic activity
Like the rest of Japan, Hokkaidō is seismically active. Seismology (from Greek grc σεισμός seismos, "earthquake" and grc -λογία -logia) is the scientific study of Earthquakes Aside from numerous earthquakes, the following volcanoes are still considered active (at least one eruption since 1850):
- Mount Koma
- Mount Usu and Showashinzan
- Mount Tarumae
- Mount Tokachi
- Mount Meakan
- See also: Category:Volcanoes of Hokkaidō
An earthquake of magnitude 8.0 struck near the island on 2003-09-25 at 19:50:07 (UTC). An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer is an active Stratovolcano in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Hokkaidō, Japan. is a Volcanic Lava dome in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Hokkaidō, Japan, next to Mount Usu. is located in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park in Hokkaidō, Japan. is an active volcano located in Daisetsuzan National Park, Hokkaidō, Japan. An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer The Richter magnitude scale, or more correctly local magnitude M L scale assigns a single number to quantify the amount of seismic energy released Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France In 1993, an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 generated a tsunami which devastated Okushiri, killing 202. The Richter magnitude scale, or more correctly local magnitude M L scale assigns a single number to quantify the amount of seismic energy released A tsunami ((tsuːˈnɑːmi is a series of waves created when is a town encompassing all of Okushiri Island, located in Okushiri District, Hiyama, Hokkaidō, Japan.
National Parks and quasi-national parks
There are still many undisturbed forests in Hokkaidō, including:
| National parks | |
|---|---|
| Shiretoko National Park* | 知床 |
| Akan National Park | 阿寒 |
| Kushiro Shitsugen National Park | 釧路湿原 |
| Daisetsuzan National Park | 大雪山 |
| Shikotsu-Toya National Park | 支笏洞爺 |
| Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park | 利尻礼文サロベツ |
* designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on 2005-07-14. covers most of the Shiretoko Peninsula at the northeastern tip of the island of Hokkaidō, Japan. is a National park located on the island of Hokkaidō, Japan. is a National park located in the east of the island of Hokkaidō, Japan. or Taisetsuzan is located in the mountainous center of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaidō. is a national park in the central part of the island of Hokkaidō, Japan. is a National park on the Rishiri Island, Rebun Island, coasts of Wakkanai and Wakkasakanai and Sarobetsu Plain and the north-western A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France.
| Quasi-national parks (準国立公園) | |
|---|---|
| Ōnuma Quasi-National Park | 大沼 |
| Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Kaigan Quasi-National Park | ニセコ積丹小樽海岸 |
| Abashiri Quasi-National Park | 網走 |
| Hidaka Sanmyaku-Erimo Quasi-National Park | 日高山脈襟裳 |
| Shokambetsu-Teuri-Yagishiri Quasi-National Park | 暑寒別天売焼尻 |
- Twelve prefectural natural parks (道立自然公園). is a quasi-national park on the Oshima Peninsula in southwest Hokkaidō, Japan. is the largest quasi-national park in Japan. The park includes the Hidaka Mountains and Cape Erimo and is located in southeast Hokkaidō.
| Ramsar sites | ||
|---|---|---|
| since | ||
| Kushiro Wetland | ja:釧路湿原 | 1980-06-17 |
| ja:クッチャロ湖 | 1989-07-06 | |
| ja:ウトナイ湖 | 1991-12-12 | |
| Kiritappu Wetland | ja:霧多布湿原 | 1993-06-10 |
| ja:厚岸湖・別寒辺牛湿原 | 1993-06-10, enlarged 2005-11-08 |
|
| ja:宮島沼 | 2002-11-18 | |
| ja:雨竜沼湿原 | 2005-11-08 | |
| Sarobetsu Mire | ja:サロベツ原野 | |
| ja:濤沸湖 | ||
| ja:阿寒湖 | ||
| ja:野付半島・ja:野付湾 | ||
| ja:風蓮湖・ja:春国岱 | ||
Subprefectures
- See also: Subprefectures of Japan
Hokkaidō is one of 8 prefectures in Japan that are divided into subprefectures (the others being Tokyo, Yamagata Prefecture, Nagasaki Prefecture, Okinawa Prefecture, Kagoshima Prefecture, Miyazaki Prefecture and Shimane Prefecture). Certain Prefectures of Japan are now or once were divided into subprefectures. officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines--> is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tohoku region on Honshū island WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. is one of Japan 's southern prefectures, and consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1000 km long which extends southwest from Kyūshū WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū This is mostly due to its great size: many parts of the prefecture are simply too far away to be effectively administered by Sapporo. is the fifth-largest city in Japan by population It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an Subprefectural offices in Hokkaidō carry out many of the duties that prefectural offices would fulfill elsewhere in Japan.
Before the current political divisions and after 1869, Hokkaidō was divided into provinces. is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. The west side of the Hidaka mountains occupies most of the area is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan located on the Oshima Peninsula on the Sea of Japan side is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. Geography Located in south-central Hokkaido Iburi stretches East-West and North-South is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō prefecture, Japan, located in the western part of the island is a Subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. The name is derived from Kamikawa no hitobito no Shūraku (Village of the Upstream People a translation of the is a Subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. Geography Cities Kushiro (capital Towns is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. The Japanese claim the disputed Southern Kurile Islands (known as the Northern is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. As of 2004 it had a population of 456621 and an area of 3715 is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. As of 2004 it had a population of 63406 and an area of 4019 is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. The subprefecture's capital is Kutchan. is a Subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. As of 2004, its estimated population is 373736 and its area is 6558 is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. Its population is estimated to be 77500 as of July 31, 2004 and its area is 4050 is a Subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan corresponding to the old province of Tokachi. See Former Provinces of Hokkaidō. In 1869 the island of Hokkaidō, Japan was divided into 11 provinces and 86 districts.
Climate
Hokkaidō is known for its cooler summers and icy winters. Most of the island falls in the humid continental climate zone (Köppen Dfa (humid continental) in some inland lowlands, Dfb (hemiboreal) in most other areas). The humid continental climate is a Climate found over large areas of land masses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems It was developed by Wladimir Köppen, a German climatologist Hemiboreal means halfway between the temperate and subarctic (or Boreal) zones The average August temperature is around 22 °C (72 °F), while the average January temperature ranges from −12 °C to −4 °C (10 °F to 25 °F) depending on elevation and latitude. The island tends to see isolated snowstorms that develop long-lasting snowbanks, in contrast to the constant flurries seen in the Hokuriku region. is the (subregion along the Sea of Japan within the Chūbu region, the central region of Honshū, the main island
Unlike the other major islands of Japan, Hokkaidō is normally not affected by the June-July rainy season and the relative lack of humidity and typically warm, rather than hot, summer weather makes its climate an attraction for tourists from other parts of Japan. A wet season or rainy season is a Season in which the average Rainfall in a region is significantly increased
In winter, the generally high quality of powder snow and numerous mountains in Hokkaidō make it one of Japan's most popular regions for snow sports. The snowfall usually commences in earnest in November and ski resorts (such as those at Niseko, Furano and Rusutsu) usually operate between December and April.
During the winter, passage through the Sea of Okhotsk is often complicated by large ice floes broken loose from the Kamchatka Peninsula. The Sea of Okhotsk ( Russian: Охо́тское мо́ре English Transliteration: Okhotskoye More) is a part of the western Pacific Ocean, Combined with high winds that occur during winter, this brings air travel and maritime activity almost to a halt on the northern coast of Hokkaidō.
Major cities and towns
- See also: List of cities in Hokkaidō
Hokkaidō's largest city is the capital, Sapporo. This is the list of all the cities located in Hokkaidō Prefecture of Japan. is one of the ten wards in Sapporo city Japan. Chūō-ku means "central ward" in Japanese is the fifth-largest city in Japan by population It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an Other major cities include Hakodate in the south and Asahikawa in the central region. is a city and port located in Oshima, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture is a city located in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan. Other important population centers include Kushiro, Obihiro, Abashiri, Nemuro. is a city located in Kushiro, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is the capital city of Kushiro Subprefecture as well as the most populous city in eastern is a city located in Tokachi, Hokkaidō, Japan. Obihiro is the only city in the Tokachi area is a city located in Abashiri Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan. is a city and port located in Nemuro, Hokkaidō. It is the capital city of Nemuro Subprefecture
Hokkaidō has the highest rate of depopulation in Japan. In 2000, 152 (71. 7%) of Hokkaidō's 212 municipalities were shrinking. Total shrinking municipalities in Japan in the same year number 1,171.
Economy
Hokkaidō is Japan's predominant agricultural area. It leads the country in the production of rice and fish, and shares the lead in vegetable farming.
Although there is some light industry (most notably paper milling, brewing (Sapporo beer), and food production), most of the population is employed by the service sector. Light industry is usually less Capital intensive than Heavy industry, and is more Consumer -oriented than Business -oriented (i is a Japanese Beer brewer. Their world headquarters is located in Ebisu, Shibuya Tokyo. Tourism is an important industry, especially during the cool summertime that attracts campers and hot spring-goers from across Japan. During the winter, skiing and other winter sports continue to bring tourists to Hokkaidō (the Winter Olympics were held in Sapporo in 1972). The Winter Olympic Games are a winter Multi-sport event held every four years
Transportation
Hokkaidō's only land link to the rest of Japan is the Seikan Tunnel. The Seikan Tunnel (青函トンネル Seikan Tonneru or 青函隧道 Seikan Zuidō) is a 53 Most travelers to the island arrive by air: the main airport is New Chitose Airport in Chitose, just south of Sapporo. is an Airport located in Chitose and Tomakomai, Hokkaidō, Japan, serving the Sapporo metropolitan area Tokyo-Chitose is the world's busiest air route, handling 45 widebody round trips on four airlines each day. One of the airlines, Air Do was named after Hokkaidō. also known as is a Japanese Low-cost airline. Based in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, it operates between Tokyo and cities in Hokkaidō Hokkaidō can also be reached by ferry from Sendai, Niigata and some other cities. is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku (northeast region is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan.
Within Hokkaidō, there is a fairly well-developed railway network (see Hokkaidō Railway Company), but many cities can only be accessed by road. The is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group and thus often known as.
Education
The Hokkaidō Prefectural Board of Education oversees public schools in Hokkaidō. Hokkaido Prefectural Board of Education (北海道教育委員会 is a governmental agency that oversees public schools in Hokkaidō in Japan. The board directly operates public high schools. [1] has a list of public high schools in Japanese.
Sports
The sports teams listed below are based in Hokkaidō.
Football
Baseball
Ice Hockey
Friendship partners
Hokkaidō has relationships with several provinces, states, and other entities worldwide. is a Japanese professional football (soccer club currently playing in the J-league Division 1 is the fifth-largest city in Japan by population It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an The are a professional Baseball team in Japan's Pacific League. is the fifth-largest city in Japan by population It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an Import players Joel Dyck 2003-present D Darcy Mitani 2003-present C Chris Lindberg 2004-05 LW (Former is a city located in Kushiro, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is the capital city of Kushiro Subprefecture as well as the most populous city in eastern is a city and port located in Iburi, Hokkaidō, Japan. Though its name implies a small idyllic town it is considered the largest [2]
Alberta, Canada, since 1980
Heilongjiang, China, since 1980
Massachusetts, United States of America, since 1988
Sakhalin Oblast, Russia, since 1998
Busan, South Korea, since 2005- Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, since 2006
See also
- Kuril islands dispute
- 2006 Kuril Islands earthquake
- 2006 Kuril Islands tsunami
- Asia League Ice Hockey
- Former Hokkaidō government office building
- Sankebetsu brown bear incident
References
- ^ Japan Handbook', p. Alberta (ælˈbɝtə is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1 1905 Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page ( Postal map spelling: Heilungkiang Manchu: Sahaliyan ula is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Sakhalin Oblast (Сахали́нская о́бласть Sakhalinskaya oblast) is a federal subject of Russia (an Oblast) comprising Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː Gyeongsangnam-do (South Gyeongsang is a province in the southeast of South Korea. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː The Kuril Island dispute ( Russian: Проблема принадлежности Курильских островов Japanese: 北方領土問題 Hoppō The Kuril Islands earthquake happened at late evening in local time (829pm in JST) on November 15, 2006 with epicentre at 46 degrees 42 The 2006 Kuril Islands tsunami was a small Tsunami which served as a test of disaster-preparedness The Asia League Ice Hockey is a professional Ice hockey league based in East Asia, with teams from Japan, China, South Korea, is an American- Neo-baroque structure constructed in 1888 as a base of the Hokkaidō administration Sankebetsu brown bear incident ( Sankebetsu Higuma jiken) or Rokusensawa bear attack ( Rokusensawa yūgai jiken) was the worst Bear attack 760
- ^ ibid.
- ^ ibid.
- ^ Let the Sea Make a Noise: A History of the North Pacific from Magellan to MacArthur,pp. 355–356
- ^ Let the Sea Make a Noise: A History of the North Pacific from Magellan to MacArthur,p. 357
- Much of the content of the history section in this article comes from the 2005-05-10 version of the Hokkaidō article, ja:北海道, at the Japanese-language Wikipedia. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan 's
- Walter A. McDougall, Let the Sea Make a Noise: A History of the North Pacific from Magellan to MacArthur, Basic Books, New York, 1993
- J. D. Bisignani, Japan Handbook, Moon Publications Inc. , Chico, 1993
External links
- Hokkaido Official Website
- TransGlobal Highway – Proposed Hokkaidō-Sakhalin Friendship Tunnel.
- Sea-Girt Yezo: Glimpses at Missionary Work in North Japan, by John Batchelor 1902 account of life and Anglican missionary work on Hokkaidō
- Unbeaten Tracks in Japan, Isabella L. Bird, 1878 travelogue of Victorian-era woman traveller, Hokkaido letters
- Hokkaipedia
- Hokkaidō travel guide from Wikitravel
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| Subprefectures | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Abashiri | Hidaka | Hiyama | Iburi | Ishikari | Kamikawa | Kushiro | Nemuro | Oshima | Rumoi | Shiribeshi | Sorachi | Sōya | Tokachi | |||
| Cities | |||
| Abashiri | Akabira | Asahikawa | Ashibetsu | Bibai | Chitose | Date | Ebetsu | Eniwa | Fukagawa | Furano | Hakodate | Hokuto | Ishikari | Iwamizawa | Kitahiroshima | Kitami | Kushiro | Mikasa | Monbetsu | Muroran | Nayoro | Nemuro | Noboribetsu | Obihiro | Otaru | Rumoi | Sapporo (capital) | Shibetsu | Sunagawa | Takikawa | Tomakomai | Utashinai | Wakkanai | Yūbari | |||
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