Kamishihoro, Hokkaido

Geography

Kamishoro is located in southeastern Hokkaido in the north-central part of the Tokachi Subprefecture. Approximately 80% of the town's area is mountainous and wilderness. The northern part of the town is mountainous, located at the eastern foot of Daisetsuzan National Park. Furthermore, with the exception of the Tokachi-Mitamata mountain basin, there is little flat land. On the other hand, the southern part of the town is generally flat and hilly with gentle slopes.

Neighboring municipalities

• Taiki
• Urahoro
• Makubetsu
• Ikeda

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, Kamishihoro has a humid continental climate to subarctic climate (Dfb). It receives a lot of snow and is designated as a heavy snow area.

|Jan record high C=6.4 |Feb record high C=12.8 |Mar record high C=16.1 |Apr record high C=28.2 |May record high C=36.4 |Jun record high C=36.6 |Jul record high C=37.2 |Aug record high C=35.2 |Sep record high C=31.5 |Oct record high C=27.8 |Nov record high C=20.0 |Dec record high C=11.9 |year record high C=37.2 |Jan record low C=-24.9 |Feb record low C=-25.9 |Mar record low C=-21.3 |Apr record low C=-13.7 |May record low C=-5.4 |Jun record low C=-0.4 |Jul record low C=4.7 |Aug record low C=5.1 |Sep record low C=-0.4 |Oct record low C=-6.5 |Nov record low C=-14.2 |Dec record low C=-20.8 |year record low C=-25.9 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/index.php?prec_no=20&block_no=0107&year=&month=&day=&view= |title=上士幌 過去の気象データ検索 |accessdate=July 25, 2024 |publisher= JMA}}}}

|Jan record high C=6.9 |Feb record high C=12.8 |Mar record high C=15.5 |Apr record high C=26.7 |May record high C=34.5 |Jun record high C=33.7 |Jul record high C=34.2 |Aug record high C=33.4 |Sep record high C=32.3 |Oct record high C=26.5 |Nov record high C=19.8 |Dec record high C=11.1 |year record high C=34.5 |Jan record low C=-30.3 |Feb record low C=-30.8 |Mar record low C=-26.7 |Apr record low C=-19.0 |May record low C=-7.6 |Jun record low C=-1.9 |Jul record low C=2.0 |Aug record low C=2.7 |Sep record low C=-2.0 |Oct record low C=-7.1 |Nov record low C=-17.4 |Dec record low C=-26.6 |year record low C=-30.8

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Kamishihoro has declined in recent decades.

| 1970 | 9,135 | 1980 | 7,571 | 1990 | 6,380 | 2000 | 5,634 | 2010 | 5,078 | 2020 | 4,778

History

The development of Tokachi began in 1896, with settlers arriving from outside Hokkaido. However, the Kamishihoro area was initially not developed due to its location in the interior of Tokachi, inconvenient transportation, and its poor climate and soil fertility. As development of Tokachi progressed, some people moved to the Kamishihoro area in search of larger tracts of land in 1907. With the opening of the Shihoro Line from Obihiro Station to Kamishihoro Station in 1926, the number of settlers in the Kamishihoro area increased. In 1929, there was growing interest in separating the village from Shihoro Village (now Shihoro Town), and Kamishihoro Village was established on April 1, 1931. It was raised to town status in 1954.

Government

Kamishihoro has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 11 members. Kamishihoro, as part of Tokachi Subprefecture, contributes four members to the Hokkaidō Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Hokkaidō 11th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The main economic activity of Kamishihoro are primary industries such as agriculture (field crops, dairy farming) and forestry, as well as the tertiary industry of tourism.

Education

Kamishihoro has one public elementary school and one public middle school operated by the town. The town has one public high school operated by the Hokkaido Board of Education.

Transportation

Railways

Kamishihoro has not had any passenger railway service since the discontinuation of the JR Hokkaido Shihoro Line in 1983. The nearest train station is Obihiro Station on the Nemuro Main Line.

Highways

Local attractions

• Kamishihoro- Railway Museum

Kami-shihoro-Railway-museum.jpg|Kamishihoro- Railway Museum Mikuni pass, Hokkaido.jpg|Mikuni Pass Nukabira Lake.JPG|LakeNukabira in January 十勝三股 夏の始まり - panoramio.jpg|Kamishihoro Panorama 放牧の乳牛 - panoramio.jpg|Kamishihoro Panorama

Notable people from Kamishihoro

• Hanako Tokachi, actress

Mascot

Kamishihoro's mascot is Horon-chan. She is a shy hot air balloon who can both walk on earth or fly in the sky. Because she is a fairy, she had to eat food (especially agricultural and livestock products from the town) that is washed by the waters from the Nukabira Gensenkyo onsen to grow into a size of a human. She was unveiled on 1 December 2008.

References

References

1. "Kamishihoro Town official statistics".
2. [https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/index.php Japan Meteorological Agency ]. JMA]]
3. "Population and number of households based on the Basic Resident Register".
4. "Kamishihoro Town Assembly home page".
5. "Kamishihoro Town Board of Education".
6. "ほろんちゃん".