Mashike 増毛町 | |
|---|---|
 Mashike town hall | |
 Flag  Emblem | |
 Location of Mashike inHokkaido (Rumoi Subprefecture) | |
 | |
  Mashike Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates:43°51′22″N141°31′30″E / 43.85611°N 141.52500°E /43.85611; 141.52500 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Hokkaido |
| Prefecture | Hokkaido (Rumoi Subprefecture) |
| District | Mashike |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Masashi Hori (from February 2015) |
| Area | |
• Total | 369.72 km2 (142.75 sq mi) |
| Population (January 31, 2025) | |
• Total | 3,495 |
| • Density | 9.5/km2 (24/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 3-61 Bentencho, Mashike-cho, Mashike-gun, Hokkaido 077-0292 |
| Climate | Dfb |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Black-tailed gull |
| Flower | Sakura |
| Tree | Japanese rowan |
Mashike (増毛町,Mashike-chō) is atown located inRumoi Subprefecture,Hokkaido,Japan. As of 31 January 2025[update], the town had an estimatedpopulation of 3,495 in 1,954 households, and apopulation density of 9.5 people per km2.[1] The total area of the town is 369.72 km2 (142.75 sq mi).
Mashike is located in the southern part of the Rumoi sub-prefecture on the coast of theSea of Japan. It has a rugged terrain sandwiched between the ocean to the west and the mountains to the east, and most settlements are concentrated on the coast. However, the coast west of Beskari is lined with steep cliffs, and until the opening ofJapan National Route 231 in 1981, it was an "island on land" with almost no means of transportation other than by boat. Parts of the town are within the borders ofShokanbetsu-Teuri-Yagishiri Quasi-National Park.
Mashike has aHumid continental climate (KöppenDfb) characterized by cold summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Mashike is 5.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1330 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 19.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around -7.4 °C.[2]
| Climate data for Mashike (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 10.5 (50.9) | 15.0 (59.0) | 17.5 (63.5) | 27.7 (81.9) | 32.4 (90.3) | 29.8 (85.6) | 33.6 (92.5) | 34.2 (93.6) | 33.5 (92.3) | 24.0 (75.2) | 22.0 (71.6) | 15.9 (60.6) | 34.2 (93.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −0.7 (30.7) | −0.2 (31.6) | 3.5 (38.3) | 9.9 (49.8) | 15.6 (60.1) | 19.0 (66.2) | 23.0 (73.4) | 24.7 (76.5) | 21.6 (70.9) | 15.5 (59.9) | 8.1 (46.6) | 1.7 (35.1) | 11.8 (53.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −3.3 (26.1) | −3.0 (26.6) | 0.5 (32.9) | 6.0 (42.8) | 11.4 (52.5) | 15.4 (59.7) | 19.5 (67.1) | 20.9 (69.6) | 17.4 (63.3) | 11.5 (52.7) | 4.9 (40.8) | −1.0 (30.2) | 8.4 (47.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −6.4 (20.5) | −6.4 (20.5) | −3.0 (26.6) | 1.9 (35.4) | 7.1 (44.8) | 11.8 (53.2) | 16.3 (61.3) | 17.3 (63.1) | 13.3 (55.9) | 7.5 (45.5) | 1.7 (35.1) | −3.7 (25.3) | 4.8 (40.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −17.4 (0.7) | −16.3 (2.7) | −15.1 (4.8) | −7.1 (19.2) | −1.7 (28.9) | 2.4 (36.3) | 7.4 (45.3) | 9.5 (49.1) | 4.5 (40.1) | −1.3 (29.7) | −7.7 (18.1) | −16.3 (2.7) | −17.4 (0.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 79.5 (3.13) | 52.2 (2.06) | 48.2 (1.90) | 42.1 (1.66) | 54.6 (2.15) | 54.4 (2.14) | 104.3 (4.11) | 121.6 (4.79) | 143.4 (5.65) | 142.3 (5.60) | 145.6 (5.73) | 98.0 (3.86) | 1,085.9 (42.75) |
| Average rainy days | 17.0 | 12.9 | 11.7 | 9.9 | 9.8 | 8.5 | 9.2 | 10.5 | 13.0 | 14.7 | 18.0 | 18.3 | 153.5 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 38.1 | 62.2 | 127.0 | 179.4 | 206.7 | 176.3 | 172.5 | 176.9 | 168.7 | 121.3 | 52.6 | 28.2 | 1,509.9 |
| Source 1:JMA[3] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2:JMA[4] | |||||||||||||
Per Japanese census data, the population of Mashike is as shown below. The town is in a long period of sustained population loss.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 9,778 | — |
| 1950 | 16,552 | +69.3% |
| 1960 | 14,657 | −11.4% |
| 1970 | 10,962 | −25.2% |
| 1980 | 8,319 | −24.1% |
| 1990 | 7,166 | −13.9% |
| 2000 | 6,167 | −13.9% |
| 2010 | 5,080 | −17.6% |
| 2020 | 3,908 | −23.1% |
Mashike began as a settlement byMatsumae Domain forherring andsalmon fishing in 1706. The area come under the control ofKubota Domain in 1856. In November 1897, Mashike sub-prefecture was established. On July 1, 1900 Mashike was established under the first-class municipal system. The sub-prefecture office relocated to Rumoi in 1914.
Mashike has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameral town council of eight members. Mashike, as part of Rumoi sub-prefecture, contributes one member to the Hokkaidō Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of theHokkaidō 10th district of thelower house of theDiet of Japan.
The main economic activities of Mashike arecommercial fishing andfood processing.
Mashike has one public elementary school and one public junior high school operated by the town government. The town does not have a high school.
Mashike was the terminus of theJR HokkaidoRumoi Main Line which ran fromFukagawa, but the section of the line betweenRumoi andMashike was closed on 4 December 2016, owing to declining passenger use, and the town no longer has any passenger rail service.
Mashike's mascot isMercy-kun (マーシーくん) who is a shy sailor seagull. He is known to protect anyone (especially children). His get his energy from eating shrimp, cherries, apples and sake. His charm point is his eyes which allows him to sense any incoming danger. He is unveiled on July 1, 1990.[5][6]
Media related toMashike, Hokkaidō at Wikimedia Commons
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