Esashi, Hokkaidō (Sōya)

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This article is about the town in Sōya Subprefecture, Hokkaidō Prefecture, Japan. There is another town in Hokkaidō and a city in Iwate Prefecture with the same name, see Esashi.

The location of Esashi in Sōya Subprefecture.

Esashi (枝幸町, Esashi-chō^?) is a town in Esashi District, Sōya Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan. As of 2007, its estimated population is 9,641 and its area is 1115.67 km². The name comes from the Ainu word Esaushi, meaning "cape" (in the geographic sense)

[edit] History

1878 Esashi District set up with four villages, Esashi, Tonbetsu, Utanobori and Rebun Village (礼文村, apparently unrelated to the town of Rebun on Rebun Island)
September, 1891 Town hall for 3 villages set up
April, 1909 Esashi Village becomes a second-class municipality
April, 1916 Tonbetsu Village (now Hamatonbetsu Town) split off
April, 1923 Esashi becomes a first-class municipality
September, 1939 Utanobori Village (now town) split off
October, 1947 Esashi becomes a town
On March 20, 2006, the neighbouring town of Utanobori merged into the town of Esashi.