Nakatonbetsu (中頓別町, Nakatonbetsu-chō) is a town located in Sōya Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.[1] As of 1 July 2024[update], the town had an estimated population of 1,496 in 834 households, and a population density of 8.1 people per km2.[2] The total area of the town is 398.51 km2 (153.87 sq mi).
Nakatonbetsu
中頓別町 | |
|---|---|
 Nakatonbetsu town hall | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Nakatonbetsu in Hokkaido (Sōya Subprefecture) | |
 | |
  Nakatonbetsu Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates: 44°58′11″N 142°17′12″E / 44.96972°N 142.28667°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Hokkaido |
| Prefecture | Hokkaido (Sōya Subprefecture) |
| District | Esashi |
| Area | |
| • Total | 398.51 km2 (153.87 sq mi) |
| Population (June 30, 2024) | |
| • Total | 1,496 |
| • Density | 3.8/km2 (9.7/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| Climate | Dfb |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Flower | Kurile Cherry |
| Tree | Sakhalin Spruce |
Geography
editNakatonbetsu 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
editClimate
editNakatonbetsu 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.[3]
| Climate data for Nakatonbetsu (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 7.6 (45.7) |
8.7 (47.7) |
15.8 (60.4) |
24.6 (76.3) |
30.9 (87.6) |
33.1 (91.6) |
35.8 (96.4) |
35.8 (96.4) |
32.4 (90.3) |
25.4 (77.7) |
19.7 (67.5) |
10.4 (50.7) |
35.8 (96.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −3.4 (25.9) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
1.8 (35.2) |
8.5 (47.3) |
15.8 (60.4) |
19.6 (67.3) |
23.3 (73.9) |
24.4 (75.9) |
21.1 (70.0) |
14.2 (57.6) |
5.5 (41.9) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
10.6 (51.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −8.4 (16.9) |
−8.5 (16.7) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
3.5 (38.3) |
9.7 (49.5) |
13.8 (56.8) |
17.9 (64.2) |
19.1 (66.4) |
15.0 (59.0) |
8.4 (47.1) |
1.5 (34.7) |
−5.3 (22.5) |
5.3 (41.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −15.4 (4.3) |
−16.7 (1.9) |
−10.1 (13.8) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
3.6 (38.5) |
8.4 (47.1) |
13.3 (55.9) |
14.5 (58.1) |
9.3 (48.7) |
2.7 (36.9) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
−10.9 (12.4) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −35.9 (−32.6) |
−35.6 (−32.1) |
−30.0 (−22.0) |
−16.7 (1.9) |
−6.3 (20.7) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
1.9 (35.4) |
3.5 (38.3) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−7.2 (19.0) |
−18.7 (−1.7) |
−26.9 (−16.4) |
−35.9 (−32.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 92.4 (3.64) |
66.3 (2.61) |
72.2 (2.84) |
56.7 (2.23) |
68.4 (2.69) |
66.6 (2.62) |
120.2 (4.73) |
145.5 (5.73) |
141.8 (5.58) |
155.8 (6.13) |
152.8 (6.02) |
126.1 (4.96) |
1,264.7 (49.79) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 219 (86) |
172 (68) |
136 (54) |
41 (16) |
2 (0.8) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2 (0.8) |
84 (33) |
233 (92) |
886 (349) |
| Average rainy days | 20.5 | 16.6 | 15.9 | 11.3 | 10.7 | 9.4 | 10.4 | 11.5 | 13.7 | 16.6 | 20.6 | 22.4 | 179.6 |
| Average snowy days | 20.8 | 17.9 | 14.5 | 5.5 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 8.0 | 21.4 | 88.5 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 52.3 | 74.4 | 116.5 | 147.3 | 176.0 | 156.3 | 135.9 | 134.0 | 154.1 | 124.3 | 55.7 | 33.7 | 1,356.1 |
| Source 1: JMA[4] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: JMA[5] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
editPer Japanese census data, the population of Nakatonbetsu is as shown below. The town is in a long period of sustained population loss.[6]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 6,724 | — |
| 1950 | 7,592 | +12.9% |
| 1960 | 7,375 | −2.9% |
| 1970 | 5,395 | −26.8% |
| 1980 | 4,203 | −22.1% |
| 1990 | 3,056 | −27.3% |
| 2000 | 2,518 | −17.6% |
| 2010 | 1,975 | −21.6% |
| 2020 | 1,637 | −17.1% |
History
editThe 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
editNakatonbetsu 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
editThe local economy of Nakatonbetsu is centered on agriculture, forestry and dairy farming.
Education
editNakatonbetsu 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
editRailways
editNakatonbetsu 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
edit
References
edit- ^ "浜頓別（町）" [Hamatonbetsu]. Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2013. OCLC 153301537. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
- ^ "Nakatonbetsu Town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
- ^ Nakatonbetsu climate: Average Temperature, weather by month
- ^ 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
- ^ 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
- ^ 人口推移 [Population Change] (in Japanese). Hamatonbetsu, Hokkaido: Town of Hamatonbetsu. 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
External links
edit
Media related to Nakatombetsu, Hokkaidō at Wikimedia Commons- Official Website (in Japanese)
