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Kamishihoro, Hokkaido

is a town located in Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 4,677 in 2578 households, and a population density of 5 people per km<sup>2</sup>. The total area of the town is .

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, except for 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

Climate

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

Demographics

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

History

Tokachi's development began in 1896, with settlers arriving from outside Hokkaido. However, the Kamishihoro area was initially undeveloped due to its location in the interior of Tokachi, inconvenient transportation, and poor climate and soil fertility. As development in Tokachi progressed, some people moved to the Kamishihoro area in 1907 in search of larger tracts of land. 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 activities in 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

Notable people from Kamishihoro

Mascot

Kamishihoro's mascot is . She is a shy hot-air balloon who can both walk on earth and 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 the size of a human. She was unveiled on 1 December 2008.

References

External links