is a small

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 at the base of the Hidaka Mountain Range in

Tokachi Subprefecture is a subprefecture of Hokkaido Prefecture, 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 t ...

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 ...

. The name Shimizu is taken from the Ainu word "Pekerebetsu", which means bright clean river. As of 2011, the population of the town is 10,243, and its primary source of income is through

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

. Shimizu, like many other towns in Hokkaido, is undergoing population decline.

Population

As of September 2016, the town has 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 9,784 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 24 persons per km². The total area is 402.18 km².

Geography

The town of Shimizu lies within the

, Japan. The town lies at the base of the Hidaka Mountain Range and has several towns nearby, including Shikaoi to the North, Shintoku to the West, Hidaka to the South, and Memuro to the East. The geography of the town of Shimizu is mostly flat, with a few low-lying hills to the North and West.

History

The town of Shimizu began to settle in 1898, with a population of 99 people, working as cultivating

farmer A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer ...

s. It was not until 1936 that Shimizu gained status as a town. In 1907 a railway connecting

Kushiro is a city in Kushiro Subprefecture on the island of Hokkaido, Japan. Located along the coast of the North Pacific Ocean, it serves as the subprefecture's capital and it is the most populated city in the eastern part of the island. History An ...

and

Asahikawa is a Cities of Japan, city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture, and the second-largest city in Hokkaido, after Sapporo. It has been a Core cities of Japan, core city since April 1, 2000. The city i ...

was built, thereby connecting Shimizu. At the time, two lines ran through the town: the Tokachi line, and the Tooru Hiraku line. Another improvement that helped put the town on the map was the opening of Nissho Toge, a mountain pass running through the

Hidaka Mountains The are a mountain range in southeastern Hokkaido, Japan. It runs from Mount Sahoro or Karikachi Pass in central Hokkaidō south, running into the sea at Cape Erimo. It consists of folded mountains that range from in height. Mount Poroshiri ...

, which opened in 1965. This National Highway, route 274, runs all the way to Hokkaidos capital city,

Sapporo is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in Hokkaido, Japan. Located in the southwest of Hokkaido, it lies within the alluvial fan of the Toyohira River, a tributary of the Ishikari River. Sapporo is the capital ...

. In 1980, the town's cultural center opened, and is famous for the playing of

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

’s 9th Symphony. Every year, students from Shimizu High School practice singing the symphony, for an end of the year concert. The town's first swimming pool opened in 1983, and in 1990, both the town's library and local history museum were established. Holstein cow

Economy

Shimizu has roughly 440 farmers, and 14,500 ha of farmland. Dairy farming, cattle farming, and sugar beet cultivation are some of the main types of agriculture that take place in Shimizu and the surrounding area.

Transportation

The town has several means of transportation for getting in and out of town. A train line runs through town connecting neighboring towns Shintoku, Memuro, and capital city of Tokachi,

Obihiro is a Cities of Japan, city in Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. Obihiro is the only designated city in the Tokachi Subprefecture, Tokachi area. As of July 31, 2023, the city had an estimated population of 163,084. The next most populou ...

. Shimizu's station name is called Tokachi Shimizu. There is also a bus which runs from Obihiro, and makes a stop in Shimizu, bringing passengers to the

New Chitose Airport is an international airport located south-southeast of Chitose, Hokkaidō, Chitose and Tomakomai, Hokkaidō, Japan, serving the Sapporo metropolitan area. By both traffic and land area, it is the largest airport in Hokkaidō. It is adjacent ...

. If driving, route 274 National Highway runs through town from Kita-ku Sapporo, going as far as

Shibecha is a town located in Kushiro Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. Population As of September 2016, the town has an estimated population of 7,230 and a density of 6.6 persons per km2. The total area is 1,099.41 km2. History *1923: Kumaush ...

in the

Subprefecture A subprefecture is an administrative division of a country that is below prefecture or province. Albania There are twelve Counties of Albania, Albanian counties or prefectures, each of which is divided into several Districts of Albania, district ...

. The road runs a full-length of 371.8 km (231.03 mi). Another option for driving is taking the relatively new

Dōtō Expressway The is a 2-laned national expressway in Hokkaidō, Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company. It forms the middle section of the . Overview The expressway is connects the east of Hokkaidō with central regions includi ...

, which starts in the town of Shimukappu, runs through Shimizu and ends in the town of

Ashoro is a town located in Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. As of September 2016, the town has an estimated population of 7,150 and a density of 5.1 persons per km2. The total area is 1,408.09 km2. It was the largest municipality in Japan ...

. The Expressway is also a good option if wanting to take a trip to the popular ski town of Tomamu, only a half-hour drive from Shimizu.

Recreation

The town is in a prime location for skiers & snowboard enthusiasts alike in the winter, and becomes a haven for cyclists and motorcyclists in the warmer months. * Skiing/Snowboarding :Several ski hills are within a half-hour drive, including Tomamu Ski Hill and Memuro's Arashiyama Ski Hill.

Education

Shimizu has several educational institutions in town including public schools grades 1–12, and a High School of Arts: *High School: :Shimizu High School, Hokkaido (prefectural) :High school of arts, Hokkaido

* Junior high: :Two schools (Shimizu, Mikage) * Elementary school :Two schools (Shimizu, Mikage)

International Exchange

In 1993, Shimizu and the town of

Chelsea, Michigan Chelsea is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,467 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History The area was first settled as early as 1820 within the Michigan Terri ...

began a sister city exchange program, where groups of 7th and 8th graders from Chelsea visit Japan and stay with a host family for just under two weeks. The exchange program started in 1993 by Brian Oakley (CHS Class of 1986), and continues to this day. Shimizu is also in connection with the

JET Programme The , shortly as , is a teaching program sponsored by the Japanese government that brings university graduates to Japan as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs), Sports Education Advisors (SEAs) or as Coordinators for International Relations (CI ...

, which contracts out two ALT's to Shimizu. ALT's working for the town's

board of education A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution. The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional area, ...

are hired from

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

, and work at the town's elementary and junior high schools. JET's working for the town's high school, are hired through the

Hokkaidō Prefectural Board of Education The is a board of education that mainly oversees public schools in Hokkaido, Japan. The board directly oversees high schools and provides educational services in Hokkaido. High schools Okhotsk Subprefecture Abashiri, Hokkaido, Abashiri * Aba ...

, and are not in connection with the town's sister town.

Mascots

Shimizu's mascots are and . *Ut-chan is a tomboyish

Japanese bush warbler The Japanese bush warbler (''Horornis diphone''), known in Japanese as (), is an Asian passerine bird more often heard than seen. Its distinctive breeding song can be heard throughout much of Japan from the start of spring. Description The J ...

who loves to play ice hockey and do skiing. She also attends matsuri festivals. She is unveiled in 1990. *Hataraku-kun is a water alien who is Ut-chan's assistant. His name comes from the Ainu word "pekerebetsu" meaning a bright and pure river. He is unveiled in 2010.

Population

Geography

History

Economy

Transportation

Recreation

Education

International Exchange

Mascots

Notable people from Shimizu

See also

References

External links