Haboro, Hokkaido

Haboro
羽幌町
Town

Location of Haboro in Hokkaido (Rumoi)
Haboro

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 44°21′N 141°42′E / 44.350°N 141.700°ECoordinates: 44°21′N 141°42′E / 44.350°N 141.700°E
Country Japan
Region Hokkaido
Prefecture Hokkaido (Rumoi)
District Tomamae
Area
  Total 472.49 km2 (182.43 sq mi)
Population (2008)
  Total 8,513
  Density 18/km2 (47/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Website Town of Haboro

Haboro (羽幌町 Haboro-chō) is a town located in Tomamae District, Rumoi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.[1]

As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 8,513. The total area is 472.49 km². The town administers the two islands of Yagishiri and Teuri.

Haboro was officially designated a town in 1921. The villages of Teuri and Yagishiri were merged into Haboro in 1955 and 1959, respectively.[1]

Etymology

The name of the town is from the Ainu language, but of uncertain origin. Haboro may have originated with the Ainu language word hapuru, meaning "a soft sound", or haporopetsu, meaning "the basin of a large river".[1]

In the Japanese language the name of the town is written with ateji, or kanji characters used to phonetically represent native or borrowed words. The first, , means "feather" or "wings", and the second, , means "curtain" or "cloth".

Geography

Haboro faces the Sea of Japan. Much of the area of the town is within the Teshio Mountains, and much of the town is protected as a national forest.[1] Mount Pisshiri is the highest point in the city at 1,032 metres (3,386 ft). Two rivers cross the town: the Haboro and the Chikubetsu.

Islands

The municipality of Haboro includes two sparsely populated islands in the Sea of Japan.

Neighboring Municipalities

Climate

Haboro has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) with warm summers and cold winters. Precipitation is high throughout the year; the months from August to December are wetter than the rest of the year.

Climate data for Haboro (1961-1990)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) −2.1
(28.2)
−1.7
(28.9)
2.2
(36)
8.9
(48)
14.5
(58.1)
18.3
(64.9)
22.3
(72.1)
24.1
(75.4)
20.5
(68.9)
14.2
(57.6)
6.9
(44.4)
1.0
(33.8)
9.4
(48.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) −5.4
(22.3)
−5.4
(22.3)
−1.2
(29.8)
5.1
(41.2)
10.3
(50.5)
14.6
(58.3)
18.9
(66)
20.4
(68.7)
16.3
(61.3)
10.3
(50.5)
3.8
(38.8)
−1.8
(28.8)
7.16
(44.88)
Average low °C (°F) −9.7
(14.5)
−10.1
(13.8)
−5.4
(22.3)
1.1
(34)
6.0
(42.8)
11.0
(51.8)
15.7
(60.3)
16.9
(62.4)
11.9
(53.4)
5.9
(42.6)
0.5
(32.9)
−5.0
(23)
3.23
(37.82)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 111.7
(4.398)
76.6
(3.016)
65.9
(2.594)
63.5
(2.5)
71.4
(2.811)
72.6
(2.858)
96.6
(3.803)
143.6
(5.654)
151.3
(5.957)
155.5
(6.122)
157.0
(6.181)
141.4
(5.567)
1,307.1
(51.461)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 154
(60.6)
103
(40.6)
55
(21.7)
5
(2)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
1
(0.4)
39
(15.4)
128
(50.4)
485
(191.1)
Average relative humidity (%) 77 76 73 71 75 81 84 83 77 72 72 76 75.3
Mean monthly sunshine hours 58.4 88.4 148.6 174.7 191.4 186.1 171.0 170.4 178.9 128.6 55.0 35.1 1,586.6
Source: NOAA (1961-1990) [6]

Transportation

Abandoned rail tunnel of the JR Haboro Line

Rail

Haboro was originally connected to other areas of Hokkaido by rail. The Japanese National Railways Haboro Line extended 141.1 km between Rumoi and Horonobe. Construction on the line dated to 1927, but it was discontinued in 1987 with establishment of JR Hokkaido during the privatization of Japanese National Railways.[1][7]

Highway

Haboro is crossed by National Route 232, a national highway of Japan that ranges across western Hokkaido between Wakkanai and Rumoi.[1] Teuri and Yagishiri have a single road surrounding the island.

Ferry

The islands of Yagishiri and Teuri are served by ferry from the Port of Haboro.

Port of Haboro

The Port of Haboro was established in March 1953. It is administered by the town.[8]

Schools

Teuri High School, Teuri Island, Haboro

High schools

Junior high schools

Elementary school

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "羽幌町" [Haboro]. Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 153301537. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  2. "焼尻島" [Yagishiri Island]. Nihon Rekishi Chimei Taikei (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 173191044. dlc 2009238904. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  3. "焼尻島" [Yagishiri Island]. Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 153301537. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  4. "天売島" [Teuri Island]. Dijitaru Daijisen (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 56431036. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
  5. 町勢要覧資料編(2012年版): 人口 [Survey of the Town of Haboro: Population] (in Japanese). Haboro, Hokkaido: Town of Haboro. 2012. Retrieved Aug 4, 2012.
  6. "Haboro Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
  7. "羽幌線" [Haboro Line]. Nihon Rekishi Chimei Taikei (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 173191044. dlc 2009238904. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  8. "羽幌港" [Port of Haboro]. Dijitaru Daijisen (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 56431036. Retrieved 2012-08-04.

External links

Media related to Haboro, Hokkaidō at Wikimedia Commons