Hokkaido Facts & Figures
| Location and area / History / Symbols of Hokkaido / Climate / Population |
Location and area
Sapporo is located at almost the same latitude as Toronto in Canada, Milan in Italy, and Marseille in France. Even Japan's northernmost tip, Cape Soya, is located further south than Paris. In terms of latitude, Hokkaido is located in the zone in which the world's major cities are concentrated. ♦ Comparisons with Hokkaido's area Hokkaido is made up of an area of 83,456 km2 (including the Northern Territories), which accounts for approximately 22% of the whole of Japan. Hokkaido is the country's largest prefecture, and is equivalent to 1.3 times the combined size of the four prefectures of Shikoku, the seven prefectures of Kyushu plus Okinawa Prefecture, and 39.7 times that of Tokyo. Hokkaido comprises a total of 509 islands including the main island of Hokkaido itself, and has a total of 860,000 hectares of national and quasi-national natural parks, which account for over 10% of Hokkaido's total area. This vast, natural land is blessed with an abundance of ever-changing scenery, from natural forests full of wild animals to mysterious marshlands, rock-ribbed mountains and the like.  |
History
| Once known as Ezo, Hokkaido appeared in Japanese history from as early as the 7th century. It is recorded in the Chronicles of Japan that after receiving orders from the Imperial Court, Abe no Hirafu established a regional station in Shiribeshi. In 1869, the Meiji administration established a Development Commission in Ezo and renamed it Hokkaido. The new name of "Hokkai" was proposed to the government by Matsuura Takeshiro, an Ezo explorer at the end of the Edo period, and the "do" suffix derived from the Go-ki shichi-do administrative areas at the time of the Ritsuryo system of governmental structure. The Development Commission was abolished when the three prefectures of Sapporo, Hakodate and Nemuro were established in 1882, but during this time the promotion of the relocation of farmers and traders, the formation of the Tonden-hei system of farmer legionnaires, and the introduction of advanced American pioneering techniques all contributed to the rapid development of Hokkaido. Doctor Clark was brought in from America, and great effort was put into nurturing capable human resources. Hokkaido has since passed from the Development Commission era through the first-term 15-year development plan and the second-term 20-year development plan to the Hokkaido regional government era of today. |
Symbols of Hokkaido
As the image of the flag of Hokkaido from the Development Commission era, the seven-pointed star, expressed contemporarily, symbolizes the pioneer spirit of our ancestors who overcame severe wind and snow, and the future of a boldly growing Hokkaido. (Established on May 1, 1967). |
Designated on September 1, 1964 as a result of a ballot by Hokkaido citizens, the crane, with its beautiful stark white form, is widely known as the bird that represents Hokkaido, and is currently protected as a special national treasure of Japan. In addition, one of the bird's main habitats, the Kushiro Wetland, is registered as a protected area under the Ramsar Convention. |
Designated on September 30, 1966 as a result of a ballot by Hokkaido citizens, the tall-growing conifer symbolizes the advances made by Hokkaido. |
Designated on July 26, 1978 after a recruitment campaign as part of Hokkaido's 110th anniversary celebrations. Public opinion deemed the flower to be "rustic, wild and powerful," "freshly colored with beautiful leaves," "tough and easily cultivated," and the like, befitting of the flower of Hokkaido. * from Hokkaido's official website http://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ |
Climate
| Hokkaido is located both on the northern limit of a temperate climate and on the southern limit of a subarctic climate. In terms of temperatures and precipitation, the climate is similar to that of Chicago or Boston in the United States or Montreal in Canada, with four distinct seasons, short summers and long winters. Although the climate varies according to each region, on the whole, Hokkaido is cool with low humidity, has a year-round average temperature of between 6 and 10 degrees Celsius, and annual precipitation of between 800 and 1,500 mm. There is no rainy season in Hokkaido, and although the Pacific Ocean side of the island is sometimes hit by the tail end of typhoons, the effects in Hokkaido are minimal compared with those in Kyushu and Shikoku. Hokkaido is the coldest place in Japan, with some regions experiencing a difference of over 60 degrees between the year's hottest and coldest temperatures. However, the long cold winters help make life in the four distinct seasons more enjoyable. |
Population
| Hokkaido is made up of 180 cities, towns and villages (as of January 2007), and according to a national census carried out in 2005, has a population of 5,627,424 (2,674,752 males and, 2,952,672 females). This figure accounts for 4.4% of the total population of Japan, making Hokkaido the seventh most populated prefecture, and approximately the same size, in terms of population, as that of Denmark or Slovakia. The population density in Hokkaido is 72 people per square kilometer, approximately five times less than the national average of 343. The total number of households is currently 2,379,871 as the figure rose by 3.2% between 2000 and 2005. Each household has an average of 2.36 residents, placing Hokkaido second only to Tokyo (2.14) in terms of the number of family members per domicile. |
- Weather
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21 (Mon) 22 (Tue) Toyako 
High -/- 53.6°F/12°C Low -/- 44.6°F/7°C Sapporo High -/- 66.2°F/19°C Low -/- 50°F/10°C Provided by JWA
