Shinhidaka, Hokkaido

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′N142°34′E / 42.250°N 142.567°E / 42.250; 142.567
Country	Japan
Region	Hokkaido
Prefecture	Hokkaido (Hidaka Subprefecture)
District	Hidaka
Government
• Mayor	Yoshihide Sakai
Area
• Total	1,147.75 km2 (443.15 sq mi)
Population  (November 30, 2021)
• Total	21,415
• Density	19/km2 (48/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address	3-2-50, Shizunai Miyukichō, Shinhidaka-chō, Hidaka-gun, Hokkaidō 056-8650
Climate	Dfb
Website	www.shinhidaka-hokkaido.jp
Symbols
Flower	Ezoyamatsutsuji (Rhododendron kaempferi) and Rugosa Rose
Mascot	Konbuman (こんぶマン) and Kobune-chan (こぶねちゃん)
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.

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″N142°45′58″E / 42.62500°N 142.76611°E / 42.62500; 142.76611 ) at 1,979.4 m (6,494 ft).

Climate

Climate data for Mitsuishi, Shinhidaka (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	10.7 (51.3)	10.5 (50.9)	17.3 (63.1)	22.6 (72.7)	25.8 (78.4)	28.4 (83.1)	32.1 (89.8)	33.4 (92.1)	31.2 (88.2)	23.5 (74.3)	19.9 (67.8)	14.3 (57.7)	33.4 (92.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	0.4 (32.7)	0.8 (33.4)	4.5 (40.1)	10.3 (50.5)	15.4 (59.7)	18.8 (65.8)	22.4 (72.3)	24.3 (75.7)	22.0 (71.6)	16.3 (61.3)	9.5 (49.1)	2.9 (37.2)	12.3 (54.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−4.6 (23.7)	−4.2 (24.4)	−0.2 (31.6)	4.7 (40.5)	10.0 (50.0)	14.2 (57.6)	18.4 (65.1)	20.0 (68.0)	16.6 (61.9)	10.1 (50.2)	4.2 (39.6)	−1.8 (28.8)	7.3 (45.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−11.3 (11.7)	−11.2 (11.8)	−6.1 (21.0)	−1.8 (28.8)	3.7 (38.7)	9.4 (48.9)	14.8 (58.6)	16.0 (60.8)	11.0 (51.8)	3.5 (38.3)	−1.7 (28.9)	−7.5 (18.5)	1.6 (34.8)
Record low °C (°F)	−24.1 (−11.4)	−25.9 (−14.6)	−23.6 (−10.5)	−11.6 (11.1)	−5.9 (21.4)	−0.4 (31.3)	5.4 (41.7)	5.0 (41.0)	−0.8 (30.6)	−5.7 (21.7)	−12.5 (9.5)	−20.8 (−5.4)	−25.9 (−14.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	38.4 (1.51)	35.7 (1.41)	62.7 (2.47)	98.7 (3.89)	146.3 (5.76)	105.5 (4.15)	158.7 (6.25)	182.4 (7.18)	152.3 (6.00)	127.2 (5.01)	94.2 (3.71)	59.6 (2.35)	1,258.4 (49.54)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm)	7.4	7.2	8.1	10.8	11.0	9.0	11.3	11.5	11.3	11.9	12.6	11.1	123.2
Mean monthly sunshine hours	145.6	155.3	185.5	188.6	193.8	161.9	126.9	143.9	165.7	171.6	126.3	120.9	1,886.7
Source 1: JMA [2]
Source 2: JMA [3]

Demographics

As of November 2021, the town has an estimated population of 21,415, and a density of 18.7 persons per km². ^[4]

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1920	12,583	—
1925	13,680	+8.7%
1930	17,174	+25.5%
1935	19,410	+13.0%
1940	19,412	+0.0%
1945	24,022	+23.7%
1950	26,570	+10.6%
1955	30,123	+13.4%
1960	32,746	+8.7%
1965	35,754	+9.2%
1970	33,241	−7.0%
1975	32,257	−3.0%
1980	33,190	+2.9%
1985	32,610	−1.7%
1990	30,262	−7.2%
1995	29,337	−3.1%
2000	28,438	−3.1%
2005	27,265	−4.1%
2010	25,420	−6.8%
2015	23,231	−8.6%
2020	21,517	−7.4%
Shinhidaka population statistics [5]

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. ^[6]

Mascots

Konbuman and Kobune-chan, the town's mascots

Shinhidaka's mascots are Konbuman (こんぶマン) and Kobune-chan (こぶねちゃん). They are superhero siblings. ^{[7] [8]}

• Kobuman is from Mitsuishi. He is usually active in events. He became mascot on 2 February 2013. ^[9]
• Kobune-chan became mascot on 10 August 2017. Like her brother, she is also usually active in events.

Sister cities

• Lexington, Kentucky (United States) ^[10]
• Minamiawaji, Hyōgo Prefecture (Japan) ^[11]
• Mima, Tokushima Prefecture (Japan) ^[11]
• Sumoto, Hyōgo Prefecture (Japan) ^[11]

References

1. (in Japanese) Official Home Page of Shinhidaka Archived 2008-04-24 at the Wayback Machine , last access 30 May 2008.
2. 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA . Retrieved February 21, 2022.
3. 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA . Retrieved February 21, 2022.
4. "北海道新ひだか町" . Retrieved 30 December 2021.
5. Shinhidaka population statistics
6. (in Japanese) Ezo-zakura Call Archived 2008-04-20 at the Wayback Machine , last access 30 May 2008
7. "みついし昆布". Shinhidaka.
8. "新ひだか町ふるさと大使・サポート大使". Shinhidaka.
9. "昆布マンのプロフィール（新ひだか町）". Kawaii Hokkaido.
10. Lexington Sister Cities Commission Archived 2014-10-20 at the Wayback Machine , last access 20 October 2014
11. Shinhidaka - Overview of the Town, last access 6 May 2016

External links

• Official Website (in Japanese)