is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

located in

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

Hokkaido is the list of islands of Japan by area, second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own list of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō fr ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. As of 2013, the town had an estimated

population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

of 3,769, and a

density Density (volumetric mass density or specific mass) is the ratio of a substance's mass to its volume. The symbol most often used for density is ''ρ'' (the lower case Greek letter rho), although the Latin letter ''D'' (or ''d'') can also be u ...

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

* Akaigawa * Furubira * Kutchan * Kyōwa * Yoichi

History

Indigenous people of the Niki (and around 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 List of islands of Japan#Main islands, four main islands of Japan. It is long and between at its widest. It has a population of 3.8 million, the least populated of Japan's four main islands. It is south of Honshu ...

, 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). ...

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 was a Japanese clan, 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 in Aki Province. Durin ...

, 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

* Ginzan Elementary School * Niki Elementary School

Junior high schools

* Ginzan Junior High School * Niki Junior High School

Transport

Niki Station on the

Hakodate Main Line The is a railway line connecting the cities of Hakodate, Hokkaido, Hakodate and Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Asahikawa via Sapporo in Hokkaido, Japan. It is one of the trunk lines that is operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). The Sawa ...

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 Niki, Hokkaido