Ishikari Subprefecture 石狩振興局 | |
|---|---|
| Ishikari-shinkō-kyoku | |
 | |
| Prefecture | Hokkaido |
| Capital | Sapporo |
| Area | |
• Total | 3,539.86 km2 (1,366.75 sq mi) |
| Population (July 31, 2023) | |
• Total | 2,379,802 |
| • Density | 672.287/km2 (1,741.22/sq mi) |
| Website | ishikari.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp |
Ishikari Subprefecture (石狩振興局,Ishikari-shinkō-kyoku) is asubprefecture ofHokkaido Prefecture,Japan, located in the western part of the island. The subprefecture covers 3,539.86 square kilometres (1,366.75 mi2) and on July 31, 2023 had a population of 2,379,802.[1] The subprefecture takes its name from theIshikari River, the third longest in Japan, which flows through western Hokkaido and empties into theSea of Japan in the city ofIshikari. There are 6 cities, three towns, and one village under its jurisdiction.Sapporo is both the capital of Hokkaido Prefecture and Ishikari Subprefecture.Shikotsu-Toya National Park is located in the southern part of the subprefecture, andShokanbetsu-Teuri-Yagishiri Quasi-National Park in the north.[2]
The word Ishikari comes from theAinu language, and several theories exist as to the meaning of the name.[2][3]
"Ishikari" is written in theJapanese language usingateji, orkanji characters used to phonetically represent native or borrowed words. The first,石, means to "stone", and the second,狩, means "to hunt". The meaning of the written form of Ishikari has no relationship to the meaning of word in the Ainu language.
| Name | Area (km2) | Population | District | Type | Map | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rōmaji | Kanji | |||||
 Chitose | 千歳市 | 594.5 | 98,047 | no district | City |  |
 Ebetsu | 江別市 | 187.38 | 118,764 |  | ||
 Eniwa | 恵庭市 | 294.65 | 70,278 |  | ||
 Ishikari | 石狩市 | 722.42 | 57,764 |  | ||
 Kitahiroshima | 北広島市 | 119.05 | 57,019 |  | ||
 Sapporo (prefectural and subprefectural capital) | 札幌市 | 1,121.26 | 1,959,750 |  | ||
 Shinshinotsu | 新篠津村 | 78.04 | 2,833 | Ishikari District | Village |  |
 Tōbetsu | 当別町 | 422.86 | 15,347 | Town |  | |
Ishikari Prefecture has two airports, both serving the greater Sapporo area.
43°03′52″N141°20′45″E / 43.064543°N 141.345792°E /43.064543; 141.345792
