Hamanaka
浜中町 Hamanaka-chō | |
|---|---|
 former Hamanaka town hall | |
 Flag  Emblem | |
 Location of Hamanaka in Hokkaido (Kushiro Subprefecture) | |
 Interactive map of Hamanaka | |
  Hamanaka | |
| Coordinates: 43°04′34″N 145°07′53″E / 43.07611°N 145.13139°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Hokkaido |
| Prefecture | Hokkaido (Kushiro Subprefecture) |
| District | Akkeshi |
| Area | |
• Total | 423.12 km2 (163.37 sq mi) |
| Population (November 31, 2025) | |
• Total | 5,169 |
| • Density | 12.22/km2 (31.64/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 445 Yufutsu, Hamanaka-cho, Akkeshi-gun, Hokkaido 088-1592 |
| Climate | Dfb |
| Website | www |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Tufted puffin |
| Flower | Ezo Lily |
| Tree | Japanese white birch |
Hamanaka (浜中町, Hamanaka-chō) is a town located in Kushiro Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan. As of 30 November 2025[update], the town had an estimated population of 5,169 in 2580 households, and a population density of 12.2 people per km2.[1] The total area of the town is 739.12 km2 (285.38 sq mi).
Geography
Hamanaka is located in southeastern Hokkaido. Hamanaka is located in the southeastern part of the Kushiro Regional Subprefectural Bureau, facing the Pacific Ocean. The town hall was previously located in the Kiritappu district, on a tombolo formed between Bokibetsu on the mainland of Hokkaido and the tombolo island of Yufutsu. However, due to concerns about tsunami flooding, it was relocated to the higher ground in this area, and the new building was completed in January 2021.
Hamanaka is located approximately 80 kilometers east of Kushiro City and 50 kilometers west of Nemuro City. It faces the Pacific Ocean with Hamanaka Bay and Biwase Bay. The northern part of the town is hilly, with Japan National Route 44 running east-west. It is home to Akkeshi-Kiritappu-Konbumori Quasi-National Park, and the southern part is a plain containing the approximately 3,168-hectare Kiritappu Wetland. Dense fog is common in summer, and temperatures rarely rise.
Neighboring municipalities
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification, Hamanaka has a humid continental climate. It has a pronounced continental climate with large temperature differences, including large annual and daily temperature ranges. It receives a lot of snow, and is designated as a heavy snow area. In winter, temperatures of around -20°C are not uncommon, making it extremely cold.
| Climate data for 榊町（1991年 - 2020年） | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 8.7 (47.7) |
12.6 (54.7) |
15.1 (59.2) |
23.5 (74.3) |
35.2 (95.4) |
30.7 (87.3) |
34.1 (93.4) |
35.5 (95.9) |
30.2 (86.4) |
24.7 (76.5) |
20.7 (69.3) |
13.0 (55.4) |
35.5 (95.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −0.8 (30.6) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
2.8 (37.0) |
8.1 (46.6) |
12.5 (54.5) |
15.1 (59.2) |
18.6 (65.5) |
21.1 (70.0) |
19.9 (67.8) |
15.3 (59.5) |
9.0 (48.2) |
2.2 (36.0) |
10.3 (50.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −5.3 (22.5) |
−5.3 (22.5) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
3.3 (37.9) |
7.6 (45.7) |
11.0 (51.8) |
14.9 (58.8) |
17.3 (63.1) |
15.7 (60.3) |
10.4 (50.7) |
3.9 (39.0) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
5.8 (42.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −11.2 (11.8) |
−11.7 (10.9) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
3.2 (37.8) |
7.8 (46.0) |
12.0 (53.6) |
14.3 (57.7) |
11.5 (52.7) |
4.8 (40.6) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
−8.1 (17.4) |
1.1 (34.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −25.3 (−13.5) |
−26.0 (−14.8) |
−21.4 (−6.5) |
−14.2 (6.4) |
−4.7 (23.5) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
2.5 (36.5) |
5.1 (41.2) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
−13.0 (8.6) |
−18.0 (−0.4) |
−26.0 (−14.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 26.2 (1.03) |
18.5 (0.73) |
50.1 (1.97) |
73.1 (2.88) |
103.2 (4.06) |
111.7 (4.40) |
117.3 (4.62) |
124.2 (4.89) |
157.0 (6.18) |
123.3 (4.85) |
74.5 (2.93) |
56.2 (2.21) |
1,033.3 (40.68) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 6.0 | 4.5 | 7.5 | 9.3 | 10.7 | 8.9 | 10.3 | 10.9 | 10.7 | 9.1 | 9.2 | 7.7 | 104.3 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 185.6 | 179.3 | 197.8 | 180.1 | 168.6 | 125.0 | 106.2 | 117.1 | 146.8 | 170.2 | 164.8 | 165.9 | 1,913.8 |
| Source 1: Japan Meteorological Agency | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: JMA[2] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Hamanaka has declined in recent decades.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 10,192 | — |
| 1980 | 9,243 | −9.3% |
| 1990 | 8,395 | −9.2% |
| 2000 | 7,335 | −12.6% |
| 2010 | 6,511 | −11.2% |
| 2020 | 5,507 | −15.4% |
History
The area of Yamanaka was part of Akkeshi, until 1701 when Matsumae Domain divided the territory and opened the Kiitappu Basho (later known as Kiritappu Basho) trading post. The name originates from the area north of Kiritappu, where the town hall is currently located. It is a free translation of the Ainu word "ota-noske" (meaning "center of the beach”). On February 20, 1831, a foreign ship of unknown nationality anchored at Uraya Kotan and opened fire. The foreign troops burned the guardhouse. In 1869, a fishing settlement was established at Ashirikotan (present-day Sakaki-cho). With the implementation of the second class town and village system in 1906, the village of Hamanaka was established. It became a first-class village in 1919 and a town in 1963 The town suffered severe tsunami damage in the 1952 Hokkaido earthquake and again during the 1960 Valdivia earthquake. This led to the construction of a 17-kilometer-long seawall along the coast and eventually to the relocation of the town hall inland in 2021.
Government
Hamanaka has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 10 members. Hamanaka, as part of Kushiro Subprefecture, contributes one member to the Hokkaidō Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Hokkaidō 7th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.[4]
Economy
The economy of Hamanaka is based on dairy farming in the northern inland areas. The raw milk produced there is used as an ingredient in the luxury ice cream "Häagen-Dazs" and the lactic acid bacteria drink "Calpis." The town is also one of Japan's leading producers of wild kelp.
Education
Hamanaka has one public elementary school, one public middle school, one public combined elementary/middle school and one public high school. [5]
Transportation
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JR Hokkaido - Nemuro Main Line
Highways
Local attractions
Noted residents of Hamanaka
- Monkey Punch, manga artist, born Kazuhiko Katō (加藤一彦 Katō Kazuhiko); creator of Lupin the Third
- Katsumi Ōno, diplomat
Hamanaka railway station
Kiritappu Bridg2
Cape Kiritappu
Kiritappu onsen
Urayakotan beach
Kenbokki Island (in the background) from Cape Azechi.
References
- ↑ "Hamanaka Town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
- ↑ "榊町 過去の気象データ検索". JMA. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ↑ "Population and number of households based on the Basic Resident Register" (in Japanese). Hokkaido Prefecture home page.
- ↑ "Hamanaka Town Assembly home page".
- ↑ "Hamanaka Town Board of Education" (in Japanese). Japan.
External links
Media related to Hamanaka, Hokkaido at Wikimedia Commons- Official Website (in Japanese)
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