Teshikaga, Hokkaido

Geography

Teshika is located in southeastern Hokkaido, at the foot of the Kussharo Caldera and the Mashū Caldera to its east, and to the east is the Nemuro Plateau. To the south it borders Shibecha Town and is connected to the Kushiro Wetlands. Approximately 70% of the town is covered by mountains and forests. Mount Mokoto, at 1000 meters, is the highest elevation in the town. Much of Teshika is within the borders of the Akan Mashu National Park. Lake Mashū (Ainu: Kamuy-to), Lake Kussharo (Ainu: Kutcar or Kutcaro), volcanic caldera lakes are located in the town.

Neighboring municipalities

• Shibecha
• Tsubetsu
• Bihoro
• Koshimizu
• Kiyosato
• Nakashibetsu

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, Teshikaga has a humid continental climate. The climate of Teshikaga is cool, with an average annual temperature of 5 °C. The first snowfall occurs in early November, with snowfall of around 50–100 cm. However, from December to March, the average temperature drops below freezing, making it extremely cold. The Kawayu area of Teshikaga has recorded temperatures below -30 °C.

Climate

|Jan record high C = 6.2 |Feb record high C = 7.6 |Mar record high C = 16.4 |Apr record high C = 27.5 |May record high C = 35.7 |Jun record high C = 33.7 |Jul record high C = 34.4 |Aug record high C = 34.4 |Sep record high C = 31.3 |Oct record high C = 24.7 |Nov record high C = 19.1 |Dec record high C = 12.9 |Jan record low C = -23.1 |Feb record low C = -26.7 |Mar record low C = -21.1 |Apr record low C = -14.7 |May record low C = -5.3 |Jun record low C = -0.9 |Jul record low C = 2.0 |Aug record low C = 5.6 |Sep record low C = -1.0 |Oct record low C = -8.0 |Nov record low C = -16.3 |Dec record low C = -21.4 |script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値） | access-date = March 3, 2022}}{{cite web |script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値） | access-date = March 3, 2022}}}}

Demographics

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

| 1970 | 18,114 | 1980 | 15,940 | 1990 | 14,093 | 2000 | 12,307 | 2010 | 10,630 | 2020 | 8,892

History

Remains of dwellings from the Jōmon period have been found within the town, including the Kussharo Kotan Ruins, indicating that people have lived there since ancient times. Records by Matsuura Takeshiro and others indicate that during the Edo period, Ainu people lived in settlements in Tesukaka (present-day Teshikaga) and Kutcharo (Kussharo). A sulfur mine was established in 1876, and was eventually transferred to the Yasuda zaibatsu. In 1888, the Kushiro Railway, Hokkaido's second railway line, was laid between Ioyama and Shibecha for transportation purposes. However, overexploitation led to resource depletion, and operations ceased nine years later in 1896. Japanese farming settlement had started from 1880 In 1890, the Teshikaga Imperial Estate was established under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Ministry's Imperial Estates Bureau as a forestry estate. In 1923, Teshikaga was incorporated as a second-class village. It became a first-class village in 1943 and was raised to town status in 1947.

Government

Teshikaga has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 11 members. Teshikaga, 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.

Economy

The main industries in Teshikaga are tourism and dairy farming. Lake Mashū, Lake Kussharo, ski resorts, and hot spring resorts such as Mashū Onsen, and Kawayu Onsen are major tourist destinations, attracting many tourists from all over the country.

Education

Teshikaga has four public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government and one public high school operated by the Hokkaido Board of Education. The Kitami Institute of Technology Kussharo Training Center, the Teshikaga Crustal Movement Observatory of Hokkaido University and the Cold Region Biological Production Research Facility of Tamagawa University's College of Agriculture are located in the town.

Transportation

: - -

Highways

Local attractions

• Akan Mashu National Park
• Lake Mashū
• Lake Kussharo
• Kotan Onsen
• Teshikaga Town Kussharo Kotan Ainu Museum
• Wakoto Onsen
• Kawayu Onsen
• Mount Iō

Mashu Sta.jpg| Mashū railway station Mount Io Teshikaga Hokkaido Japan01s3.jpg|Mount Io Hot spring River in the Kawayu spa.jpg|Kawayu Onsen Lake Kussharo from Tsubetsu pass deck 2009.jpg|Lake Kussharo from Tsubetsu pass Straw bales on a stubble field in Teshikaga - Jul 29, 2022.jpg|Straw bales on a stubble field in Teshikaga Birao Ski aria.JPG|RBirao Ski Resort File:1974 Japan Lake Masshu.jpg|Lake Mashū File:130713 Lake Kussharo Teshikaga Hokkaido Japan01s5.jpg|Lake Kussharo

Notable people from Teshikaga

• Kotogatake Koichi - sumo wrestler
• Taiho Koki - sumo wrestler (born on Sakhalin but moved to Teshikaga aged 5)

References

References

1. "Teshikaga Town official statistics".
2. "Population and number of households based on the Basic Resident Register".
3. "Teshikaga Town Assembly home page".
4. "Teshikaga Town Board of Education".
5. "玉川大学農学部農産研究センター".