Engaru, Hokkaido

Engaru
遠軽町
Town

The town view from Gambōiwa

Symbol

Location of Engaru in Hokkaido (Okhotsk Subprefecture)
Engaru

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 44°4′N 143°32′E / 44.067°N 143.533°E / 44.067; 143.533Coordinates: 44°4′N 143°32′E / 44.067°N 143.533°E / 44.067; 143.533
Country Japan
Region Hokkaido
Prefecture Hokkaido (Okhotsk Subprefecture)
District Mombetsu
Area
  Total 1,332.32 km2 (514.41 sq mi)
Population (July 2013)
  Total 21,827
  Density 16.4/km2 (42/sq mi)
Symbols
  Tree Sargent's cherry
  Flower Sunflower
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City hall address 1-1 1 Jō-Kita 3chōme, Engaru-chō, Hokkaido
099-0403
Website engaru.jp

Engaru (遠軽町 Engaru-chō) is a town in the Monbetsu district of Okhotsk subprefecture in Hokkaido, Japan. The name comes from the Ainu place name inkar-us-i (lit. "overlook-always doing-place"), meaning a lookout point.[1][2]

On October 1, 2005, the towns of Ikutahara and Maruseppu, and the village of Shirataki, all from Monbetsu District merged into the expanded town of Engaru.[3] As of July 2013, the town has an estimated population of 21,827.[4] The total area is 1,332.32 square kilometres (514.41 sq mi),[5] making it the fifth largest municipality in Hokkaido.[6]

Engaru is known as the place where Aikido originated, in the Shirataki area.[7] It is also where the largest cosmos flower park in Japan is located. An Upper Paleolithic site at Shirataki Site Group is the source of some Yubetsu technique stone blades dating from approximately 13,000 years ago.

History

Notable geography

Industry

The major industries are commercial forestry, wood processing, and agriculture.

In the past, Engaru Station was the intersection of the Nayoro Main Line (closed in 1989) and the Sekihoku Main Line. It had an important position in business and overall development.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, Engaru has a humid continental climate (Dfb) with warm summers and very cold winters.

Climate data for Engaru, Hokkaido (19812010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 9.2
(48.6)
12.0
(53.6)
17.1
(62.8)
30.9
(87.6)
32.7
(90.9)
35.3
(95.5)
36.4
(97.5)
36.6
(97.9)
33.3
(91.9)
27.8
(82)
22.8
(73)
16.6
(61.9)
36.6
(97.9)
Average high °C (°F) −2.7
(27.1)
−2.1
(28.2)
2.4
(36.3)
10.6
(51.1)
17.0
(62.6)
20.3
(68.5)
23.7
(74.7)
25.5
(77.9)
21.3
(70.3)
15.3
(59.5)
7.3
(45.1)
0.3
(32.5)
11.6
(52.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) −8.3
(17.1)
−8.1
(17.4)
−2.9
(26.8)
4.6
(40.3)
10.4
(50.7)
14.3
(57.7)
18.2
(64.8)
19.9
(67.8)
15.3
(59.5)
8.9
(48)
2.1
(35.8)
−4.7
(23.5)
5.81
(42.45)
Average low °C (°F) −15.1
(4.8)
−15.4
(4.3)
−9.1
(15.6)
−1.4
(29.5)
4.0
(39.2)
9.0
(48.2)
13.6
(56.5)
15.3
(59.5)
9.9
(49.8)
3.0
(37.4)
−3
(27)
−10.5
(13.1)
0.0
(32.0)
Record low °C (°F) −29.2
(−20.6)
−29.5
(−21.1)
−26.2
(−15.2)
−18.1
(−0.6)
−5
(23)
−0.6
(30.9)
3.7
(38.7)
5.6
(42.1)
0.7
(33.3)
−5.2
(22.6)
−16.6
(2.1)
−23.9
(−11)
−29.5
(−21.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 49.5
(1.949)
32.1
(1.264)
34.4
(1.354)
40.9
(1.61)
54.8
(2.157)
58.2
(2.291)
97.7
(3.846)
114.5
(4.508)
113.7
(4.476)
80.5
(3.169)
51.1
(2.012)
52.9
(2.083)
794.5
(31.28)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 162
(63.8)
135
(53.1)
120
(47.2)
30
(11.8)
2
(0.8)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
24
(9.4)
117
(46.1)
596
(234.6)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 92.4 110.2 155.2 166.2 182.9 167.0 144.9 151.1 152.2 143.6 109.8 91.2 1,671
Source #1: Japan Meteorological Agency[10]
Source #2: Japan Meteorological Agency[11]

Sister cities

Notable people

See also

References

  1. "瞰望岩(がんぼういわ)" Engaru Town Hall
  2. 1 2 3 4 "遠軽町百年史" Engaru Town Hall, August 1998
  3. 1 2 "遠軽町の沿革" Engaru Town Hall
  4. "人口・世帯・動態(平成25年度)" Engaru Town Hall
  5. "位置・面積" Engaru Town Hall
  6. "全国都道府県市区町村別面積調" Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, 2011
  7. 1 2 "合気道開祖・植芝盛平翁(Aikido Founder・Morihei Ueshiba)" Tanabe City Hall
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "旧遠軽町の沿革" Engaru Town Hall
  9. 1 2 "日本キリスト教会北海道中会遠軽教会" The Church of Christ in Japan
  10. "平年値(年・月ごとの値)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  11. "観測史上1〜10位の値(年間を通じての値)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  12. "安彦良和-Writerprofile" 安彦良和-WORLD
  13. "ガンダム遠軽(だいち)に立て!!~町職員から広がるまちづくり~ - 第34回兵庫自治研集会 第8分科会 都市(まち)と地方の再生とまちづくり" All-Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers Union, October 2012
  14. "北海道の遠軽町が「ガンダム」で街おこし" Hokkaido Shimbun, 23 June 2011
  15. "田中 雅美プロフィール" Sankei, co.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Engaru.
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