Kyōgoku, Hokkaido

Kyōgoku
京極町
Town

Location of Kyōgoku in Hokkaido (Shiribeshi Subprefecture)
Kyōgoku

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 42°51′N 140°53′E / 42.850°N 140.883°E / 42.850; 140.883Coordinates: 42°51′N 140°53′E / 42.850°N 140.883°E / 42.850; 140.883
Country Japan
Region Hokkaido
Prefecture Hokkaido (Shiribeshi Subprefecture)
District Abuta District
Area
 • Total 231.61 km2 (89.43 sq mi)
Population (June 2008)
 • Total 3,441
 • Density 15/km2 (38/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City hall address 527 Kyōgoku, Kyōgoku-chō, Abuta-gun, Hokkaidō
044-0101
Website www.town-kyogoku.jp

Kyōgoku (京極町 Kyōgoku-chō) is a town located in Abuta District, Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. Kyōgoku sits at the eastern foot of Mount Yōtei (1,898 kilometres (1,179 mi)), an active stratovolcano volcano which dominates the skyline of the town.[1][2]

The town borders the south ward (Minami-ku) of Sapporo, but car traffic from Kyōgoku must drive over an hour through the Nakayama Toge mountain pass to enter Sapporo.

Tourists visit the town to drink the spring water in Fukidashi Park, where the water from Mount Yōtei bubbles out of the ground.

The town has a sister city relationship with the city of Marugame in Kagawa Prefecture.

Geography

Kyōgoku is mountainous, with several peaks above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft). The town sits between Mount Yotei to the east, and Mount Muine (1,464 metres (4,803 ft)), Mount Nakadake 1,387.8 metres (4,553 ft), and Mount Kimobetsu (1,176.9 metres (3,861 ft)) to the west.[3][4]

The Shiribetsu River (126 kilometres (78 mi)), which emerges from Lake Shikotsu to the south, runs through Kyōgoku between Mount Yotei and the western peaks in the town. The river eventually flows into the Sea of Japan.[1][5]

Neighboring municipalities

History

Kyōgoku was first settled by the Japanese in 1897. Takanori Kyōgoku (1858-1928) was a former noble of the Kyōgoku clan and head of the Marugame Domain, Sanuki Province in present-day Kagawa Prefecture, Shikoku. Kyōgoku was given permission to set up an agricultural operation in the area, as part of Kutchan.[1][6][7][8]

Transportation

Public transport

Kyōgoku is not connected by rail to other areas of Hokkaido. The town was formally a stop on the Japanese National Railways (JR) Ibiri Line. The Ibiri Line ceased operation in 1986.[1]

Highways

Japan National Route 227, a national highway of Japan, runs through the east of Kyōgoku and connects the town to Hakodate and Esashi.[1]

Education

Elementary schools:

Junior high school:

Annual events

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "京極（町）" [Kyōgoku]. Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 153301537. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
  2. ↑ "羊蹄山" [Mount Yotei]. Dijitaru Daijisen (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 56431036. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
  3. ↑ "酒". Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 153301537. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
  4. ↑ "喜茂別岳" [Mount Kimobetsu]. Nihon Rekishi Chimei Taikei (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 173191044. dlc 2009238904. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
  5. ↑ "Shiribetsugawa". Encyclopedia of Japan. Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 56431036. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
  6. ↑ "京極高徳" [Takanori Kyōgoku]. Nihon Jinmei Daijiten (日本人名大辞典) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
  7. ↑ (Japanese) History page on Kyogoku town Web site
  8. ↑ (Japanese) History entry at Namara Hokkaido
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