is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

located in

Shiribeshi Subprefecture is a subprefecture of Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. The subprefecture's capital is Kutchan. As of July 31, 2004, the estimated population was 256,184 and the area was 4,305.65 km2. Geography Municipalities Mergers History ...

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. As of 2013, the town had an estimated

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...

of 3,769, and a

density Density (volumetric mass density or specific mass) is the substance's mass per unit of volume. The symbol most often used for density is ''ρ'' (the lower case Greek letter rho), although the Latin letter ''D'' can also be used. Mathematical ...

of 22.44 people per km². The town covers a land area of 167.93 km².

Geography

The town is located around the middle reach of the Yoichi River. The river assumes the shape of the letter C as it traverses from southeast to north; its upper stream runs east to the town of Akaigawa, while its lower stream flows near the town of Yoichi. The river created terraces in Niki that are 1-2 kilometers wide on the southeastern bank and 4 kilometers wide on the northern bank. Local residents use the river's water for cultivating rice in the upper valley and fruit in the lower valley.

Mountains

Mt. Daikoku (724.8 m), Futatsumori (679.7 m), Mt. Gin (640.5 m), Mt. Chōhaku (460.8 m)

Rivers

Yoichi, Tono, Shikaribetsu, Daikoku, Doboku

Neighboring municipalities

* Yoichi * Akaigawa *

Kutchan is a town located in Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. Kutchan lies slightly north of the volcano Mount Yōtei, and is approximately 50 kilometers west of Sapporo. The subprefecture government offices are located in this town, making it ...

Kyōwa was a after '' Kansei'' and before ''Bunka.'' This period spanned the years from February 1801 through February 1804.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Kyōwa''" ; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, ''see'Deu ...

* Furubira

History

Indigenous people of the Niki (and Hokkaido) area are known as the Ainu. About 360 Japanese, led by Niki Takeyoshi, entered in November 1879 from Kawashima in

Shikoku is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu. Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), '' ...

, and they founded Niki Village in 1880. Other immigrants from

Yamaguchi Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Yamaguchi Prefecture has a population of 1,377,631 (1 February 2018) and has a geographic area of 6,112 Square kilometre, km2 (2,359 Square mile, sq mi). Y ...

founded Ōe Village in 1883 on the upper reach of the Yoichi River. Ōe is named after Oe no Hiromoto, who was believed as the ancestor of the

Mōri clan The Mōri clan (毛利氏 ''Mōri-shi'') was a Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power ...

, the rulers of Yamaguchi.History of Niki

Timeline

*1880: Niki Village was founded. *1883: Ōe Village was founded. *1899: Akaigawa Village split from Ōe. *1902: Niki, Ōe, and Sandō consolidated and became known as Ōe Village under the second town-village system, a special municipality system for Hokkaido. *1915: Ōe became a village under the first town-village system. *1964: Ōe Village changed its name and status to Niki Town.

Agriculture

The people of Niki cultivate apples while the farmers of Ōe produce rice. Apple and rice have been the symbols of the annexed Niki for many years, and other fruits like cherry and grape were added in the latter half of the 20th century.

Education

Hokkaido Niki Commercial High School closed in 2012.

Elementary schools

* Niki Elementary School * Ginzan Elementary School

Junior high schools

* Niki Junior High School * Ginzan Junior High School

Transport

Niki Station is a railway station on the Hakodate Main Line in Niki, Yoichi District, Hokkaido, Japan, operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). The station is numbered "S19". Lines Niki Station is served by the Hakodate Main Line and is 228.2&nb ...

on the

Hakodate Main Line The is a railway line connecting the cities of Hakodate and Asahikawa via Sapporo in Hokkaido, Japan. It is one of the trunk lines operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). The Sawara Line, a 35 km loop line from Ōnuma to Mo ...

is located near the town hall.

Japan National Route 5 is a major highway on the island and prefecture of Hokkaido in northern Japan. The highway begins at an intersection with National Routes 279 and 278 in Hakodate. It travels north across the southern half of the island, traveling through Ot ...

passes through the center of the town. * Hakodate Main Line: Ginzan - Shikaribetsu - Niki

References

External links

Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Niki, Hokkaido Towns in Hokkaido