Iwanai, Hokkaido Explained

Iwanai
Native Name Lang:ja
Settlement Type:Town
Seal Type:Emblem
Pushpin Map:Japan
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Japan
Coordinates:42.9789°N 140.5092°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Japan
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Hokkaido
Subdivision Type2:Prefecture
Subdivision Name2:Hokkaido (Shiribeshi Subprefecture)
Subdivision Type3:District
Subdivision Name3:Iwanai
Extinct Title:Now part of
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Yuji Kamioka
Leader Title1:Vice Mayor
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Total Km2:70.64
Population Total:13,210
Population As Of:September 30, 2016
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:JST
Utc Offset1:+09:00
Blank Name Sec1:City hall address
Blank Info Sec1:134-1 Takadai, Iwanai, Iwanai-gun, Hokkaido
045-8555
Module:
Embedded:yes
Tree:Sorbus commixta[1]
Mascot:Taramaru (たら丸)

is a town located in Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.

As of September 2016, the town has an estimated population of 13,210. The total area is 70.64 km2.

History

Iwanai is one of the oldest towns in the region. Unlike many Hokkaido towns, it predates the Meiji Restoration, having started as a seasonal fishing location c. 1450, and developing into a year-round village in the mid-18th century. (Its official founding date is 1751). Citizens of Iwanai whose families have been native for many generations have a peculiar "fisherman" accent to their Japanese, distinct to others living in the region. (Most Hokkaido citizens speak Kantō, or Tokyo region, dialect; their ancestors emigrated from the Kantō region in the late 19th century).

A massive fire in 1954 destroyed most of the traditional buildings, as they were mostly wooden structures. Modern Iwanai is much more Western in style, although there are still extensive Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples intact or rebuilt in the traditional fashion. The town also has a large shrine festival held every July.[2]

Geography

Iwanai is located on the western of the Shakotan Peninsula. A part of the town is in Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Kaigan Quasi-National Park.

Neighboring towns

Economics

Today Iwanai still has a heavy fishing industry, along with farming in the local region. It also has skiing in winter. Although the local slopes are rougher than those of nearby Kutchan, the bay is visible from the slopes. The town is also well known in the region for its sushi restaurants.

Education

Culture

Mascot

Iwanai's mascot is, who is an anthropomorphic Alaska pollack. His marks are "nejiri hachimaki" (a traditional Japanese headband), a "kuroi nagagutsu" (a black boot) and his mouth and always carries an asparagus as a weapon. His birthday is 9 August 1985. His siblings are who is his twin sister and who is his littler brother.[4]

Sister cities

Notable people from Iwanai

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.town.iwanai.hokkaido.jp/?page_id=15 Symbol of Iwanai
  2. http://www.town.iwanai.hokkaido.jp/?page_id=9 History of Iwanai
  3. http://www.iwanai.hokkaido-c.ed.jp/ Hokkaido Iwanai High School
  4. Web site: たら丸. Iwanai.