Niki, Hokkaidō

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The location of Niki in Shiribeshi Subprefecture.

Niki (仁木町, Niki-chō^?) is a town located in Yoichi District, Shiribeshi, Hokkaidō, Japan.

As of 2007, the town has an estimated population of 3,943 and a density of 23.55 persons per km². The total area is 167.93 km².^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Geography

The area is located around the middle reach of Yoichi River. The river assumes the shape of the letter C as it traverses from southeast to north. Its upper stream runs east Akaigawa, and goes near Yoichi on lower stream. In Niki it makes river terraces, 1-2 kilometers width at southeast and 4 kilometers width at north. People utilize the river water for cultivating rice in the upper valley and fruit in the lower valley.

The town is near Niki Station and Route 5 (National Highway 5).

Mountains - Mt. Daikoku (724.8m), Futatsu Wood (679.7), Mt. Gin (640.5), Mt. Chōhaku (460.8).
Rivers - Yoichi, Tono, Shikaribetsu, Daikoku, Doboku.

[edit] History

Indigenous people of Niki (and Hokkaidō) area Ainu. About 360 Japanese entered in November 1879 from Kawashima in Shikoku. Niki Takeyoshi was their leader and they founded Niki Village in 1880. Besides the other immigrants from Yamaguchi Prefecture founded Ōe Village in 1883 on the upper reach of the Yoichi River. Ōe is named from Oe no Hiromoto, who was believed as the ancestor of the Mōri clan, the rulers of Yamaguchi.

The people of Niki have cultivated apples and the farmers of Ōe have produced rice. Apple and Rice had been the symbols of the annexed Niki for many years. Other fruits like cherry and grape were added in the latter half of the 20th century.

1880 - Niki village was founded.
1883 - Ōe village was founded.
1899 - Akaigawa village was divided from Ōe.
1902 - Niki, Ōe and Sandō consolidated to Ōe village under the second town-village system (special municipality system for Hokkaidō).
1915 - Ōe transformed a village under the first town-village system.
1964 - Ōe village changed the name and the status to Niki Town.