Wakkanai, Hokkaidō

' meaning "cold water river" is a city located in Sōya Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of Sōya Subprefecture. It contains Japan's northernmost point, Cape Sōya, from which the Russian island of Sakhalin can be seen.

As of 1 June 1975, the city has an estimated population of 55,465 and a population density of 72.8 persons per km² (189 persons per mi²). The total area is .

Wakkanai is also home to Japan's first nursing home built inside the central train station of its city, a novel approach to caring for Japan's growing elderly population that has since been imitated in several other cities.

History

Wakkanai was originally home to an Ainu population. The first Japanese settlement was established in 1685.

*1879: The village of Wakkanai was founded.
*1897: Sōya Subprefecture established.
*1901: Wakkanai village became Wakkanai town.
*1949: Wakkanai town became Wakkanai city.
*1955: Soya village was merged into Wakkanai city.
*1959: Wakkanai Airport opened.

During World War II: The Imperial Japanese Navy used the harbor and port as a submarine base. Wakkanai was far enough north to be outside the range of American heavy bombers and was safe from air attack. Until the early to mid-1960s, the northern portion of the harbor remained divided by concrete sub-mooring pens. The large breakwater structure (which still exists) was actually a sub-repair facility. At the shore end there was a huge winching mechanism capable of hauling subs up into the partially enclosed structure where they could be repaired while completely out of the water. Built into the hills above the city there were several reinforced concrete bunker-type caves where (anecdotally) they were used either to store ammunition and armament, or as air raid shelters for the civilian populace. History would suggest the former use, rather than the latter. During a re-build/renovation of the harbor sometime during the 1960s or 1970s, the harbor was cleared of the concrete pens and the machinery was removed from the breakwater structure which was reconfigured.

Geography

Japan's northernmost point, Cape Sōya, is located in Wakkanai, which is on a peninsula jutting towards Sakhalin Island in Russia, which is 43 kilometers (27 miles) away. On a clear day, the Russian island can be easily seen. There is also an island called Benten-jima located northwest of Cape Sōya.
* Rivers: Koetoi River
* Lakes: Ōnuma Lake

Surrounding municipalities

* Toyotomi
* Sarufutsu

Climate

Wakkanai has a humid continental climate ( Köppen: ''Dfb'') typical of Hokkaido but with strong influence of the ocean as island portions near the great land masses (such as the smaller islands of Nova Scotia), with cold winters, warm summers and generally heavy precipitation from the Aleutian Low, whose winds hit the city direct from the Sea of Japan but with strong oceanic influence (46 °F). The winter is cold enough not to fall in a "Cfb" climate and the summers although very mild for typical climate "b" is warm enough to fall into a "Dfc", both in the classification of Koppen. The mean annual temperature, at , is the second lowest for a significant population centre in Japan after Nemuro. Snowfall at , the third highest for a big city in Japan after Asahikawa and Aomori and one of the highest anywhere in the world. For comparison, Nain in Canada receives of snow.

The Aleutian Low also makes the sunshine hours the lowest of Japan's major population centres and in the winter the wind speeds are the highest in Japan with an average of , which adds to the cold of a typical winter day. The city's port is usually usable throughout the year, but does occasionally freeze in cold winters.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Wakkanai was on 29 July 2021. The coldest temperature ever recorded was on 30 January 1944.

Transportation

Air

Wakkanai Airport is located in Wakkanai. There is a daily flight to New Chitose Airport near Sapporo and there is also a daily flight to Tokyo Haneda Airport.

Rail

JR Hokkaido runs diesel train services on the Sōya Main Line from Wakkanai to Nayoro, Asahikawa and Sapporo. The '' Sōya'' limited express runs once a day to and from Sapporo, while the '' Sarobetsu'' runs twice a day to and from Asahikawa, with a change of trains to either a ''Lilac'' or ''Kamui'' limited express service at Asahikawa required to reach Sapporo.
* Sōya Main Line : - - -

Above are the stations located in Wakkanai.

There are plans for a massive extension of the Trans-Siberian Railway. If becoming a reality, it would go via Sakhalin and end in Wakkanai.

Sea

Heartland Ferry operates seasonal ferry service to Rebun Island and Rishiri Island. Ferry service to Korsakov on Sakhalin Island was terminated on September 18, 2015. Wakkanai governor KUDO Hiroshi pledged to restore ferry service to Sakhalin and in 2016, the route resumed operation between the months of June and September of each year and is commercially operated by the Commonwealth of Dominica flagged vessel Penguin 33, which is a High-speed craft owned b
Penguin International Limited
and operated b
Sakhalin Shipping Company

Education

University

* Wakkanai Hokusei Gakuen University

High schools

Public

* Hokkaido Wakkanai High School

Private

* Wakkanai Otani High School

Tourist attractions

* The Daisuke Matsuzaka Museum, dedicated to the baseball pitcher "Dice-K" and opened in 2008, is located in Wakkanai, which is his father's hometown.
* Wakkanai Park, home to the Centennial Tower, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the city, and the Hoppo Memorial Museum
* Cape Sōya, home to a monument to the northernmost point in Japan
* Hokumon Jinja, a Shinto shrine
* Wakkanai Onsen Dome, Japan's northernmost onsen.

Mascots

Wakkanai's mascots are and .
*Rinzou-kun is a descendant of Mamiya Rinzō who explored the Strait of Tartary in what is now Russia.
*Dashinosuke is a green harbor seal who is Rinzou-kun's assistant. His flippers and his tail resembled kelp. He loves fish and shellfish.

Sister cities and friendship cities

Sister city

* Baguio, Philippines (since 1973)

Friendship cities

Domestic

* Ishigaki, Okinawa (since 1987)Domestic Interaction of Wakkanai
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* Makurazaki, Kagoshima (since 2012)

International

* Nevelsk, Russia (since 1972)
* Korsakov, Russia (since 1992)
* Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia (since 2001)

Sister ports

* Port of Anchorage, United States (since 1982)

References

External links

*
*

Official Website

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Cities in Hokkaido
Port settlements in Japan
Populated coastal places in Japan