Nakatonbetsu, Hokkaido

Geography

Nakatonbetsu is located in northeast Hokkaido in an inland area of the Soya region. It is located in a mountainous area and is surrounded by mountains on all sides. 80% of the town's area is forested.

• Mountains: Mount Polonupuri (841m), Mt. Chikoma (529m), Mt. Panke (632m), Mt. Pinneshiri (704m)
• Rivers: Tonbetsu River, Hiragauchi River, Hyochana River, Ama River, Icchannai River, Sasano River

Neighbouring municipalities

• Hokkaido
  • Esashi
  • Hamatonbetsu
  • Horonobe
  • Nakagawa
  • Nakatonbetsu
  • Otoineppu

Climate

Nakatonbetsu has cold and temperate climate considered to be Dfb according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification. There is a considerable amount of rainfall even during months that typically experience dry weather. The average annual temperature in Nakatonbetsu is 5.3 °C. Each year, there is an approximate 1112 mm of precipitation. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 19.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around -7.9 °C.

|Jan record high C = 7.6 |Feb record high C = 8.7 |Mar record high C = 15.8 |Apr record high C = 24.6 |May record high C = 30.9 |Jun record high C = 33.1 |Jul record high C = 35.8 |Aug record high C = 35.8 |Sep record high C = 32.4 |Oct record high C = 25.4 |Nov record high C = 19.7 |Dec record high C = 10.4 |Jan record low C = -35.9 |Feb record low C = -35.6 |Mar record low C = -30.0 |Apr record low C = -16.7 |May record low C = -6.3 |Jun record low C = -2.6 |Jul record low C = 1.9 |Aug record low C = 3.5 |Sep record low C = -0.6 |Oct record low C = -7.2 |Nov record low C = -18.7 |Dec record low C = -26.9 | Jan snow depth cm = 116 | Feb snow depth cm = 136 | Mar snow depth cm = 136 | Apr snow depth cm = 80 | May snow depth cm = 2 | Jun snow depth cm = 0 | Jul snow depth cm = 0 | Aug snow depth cm = 0 | Sep snow depth cm = 0 | Oct snow depth cm = 1 | Nov snow depth cm = 29 | Dec snow depth cm = 82 | year snow depth cm = 145 |script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値） | access-date = February 21, 2022}} |script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値） | access-date = February 21, 2022}}}}

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Nakatonbetsu is as shown below. The town is in a long period of sustained population loss.

| 1940 |6724 | 1950 |7592 | 1960 |7375 | 1970 | 5,395 | 1980 | 4,203 | 1990 | 3,056 | 2000 | 2,518 | 2010 | 1,975 | 2020 | 1,637

History

The name of "Tonbetsu" derives from the Ainu language word to-un-pet, which translates "river entering lake", and which referred to the Tonbetsu River which enters Lake Kutcharo. In 1878, the villages of Esashi, Tonbetsu, Utanobetsu, and Rebun were established in Esashi District, Kitami Province. Around 1897, gold dust was discovered in the Tonbetsu River in Nakatonbetsu, leading to a minor gold rush. In 1909 the four villages merged to form the village of Esashi; however, Tonbetsu was separated out in April 1916. In April 1921, Tonbestu was divided into Tonbetsu and Nakatonbetsu villages. Nakatonbetsu was raised to town status on November 1, 1949.

Government

Nakatonbetsu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of eight members. Nakatonbetsu, as part of Soya sub-prefecture, contributes one member to the Hokkaido Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Hokkaido 12th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The local economy of Nakatonbetsu is centered on agriculture, forestry and dairy farming.

Education

Nakatonbetsu has four public elementary schools and one public junior high school operated by the town government. The town has one public high school operated by the Hokkaido Board of Education.

Transportation

Railways

Nakatonbetsu has not had any passenger railway services since the closing of the JR Hokkaido Tempoku Line in 1989. The nearest railway station is Otoineppu Station on the Sōya Main Line, a 1.5 hour bus ride away.

Highways

References

References

1. "Nakatonbetsu Town official statistics".
2. [https://en.climate-data.org/asia/japan/hokkaido/nakatonbetsu-37565/ Nakatonbetsu climate: Average Temperature, weather by month]
3. (2013). "浜頓別（町）". Shogakukan.
4. link. (2013). Town of Hamatonbetsu