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| AAkabira-shi was reclaimed from Meiji 24, the road was opened for traffic
in Meiji 30, and the railroad was opened for traffic in Taisho 2. It was
begun to dig 茂尻炭礦, "coal waited and the history of " started
in Taisho 7. after that -- population -- increasing -- from April 1, Taisho
11 and Utashinai-mura -- being divided -- the 2nd class towns-and-villages
Akabira-mura -- birth -- it became the 18th city in enforcement and the
July 1, Showa 29 way about town organization further on February 11, Showa
18 Although population also counted 59,430 persons of a peak in Showa 35,
it was obliged to a decline of coal industry, the last one mountain carried
out the closed mountain in Heisei 6, and the curtain was taken down from
the second half of the Showa 30s to "the history of coal" of
Akabira. however, sure [ aiming at conversion of industrial structure from
a mining city to an industrial city, and overcoming the severe situation
in the meantime ] -- it waited and structure has been advanced civic wisdom
and civic passion are concentrated and as rich green as "water, while
handing down the history which predecessors have built -- it touches, and
it suits and follows from now on aiming at industrial city" |
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| AAkabira-shi -- Hokkaido -- it is in the central part mostly, and as for the easternmost end, there has the southernmost end north latitude 43 degrees for 58 minutes and 40 seconds east longitude 141 degrees, and the northernmost end has east longitude 142-degree 9 minutes and 10 seconds, and the westernmost end in the position for 38 minutes and 44 seconds 43 degrees for 28 minutes and 44 seconds Takikawa-shi and south are in contact of Utashinai-shi, Ashibetsu-shi and west is [ north ] in contact with Fukagawa-shi, an east is about 18.5km from east and west at about 14.1km and north and south, and city region area is 129.88 square kilometers. |
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| AI am the citizens of Akabira which was cherished on the Sorachi river and developed by coal. It has pride and responsibility in this hometown, and this charter is defined, in order [ being richer ] to depend and to build a beautiful town. |
1. I will spread sympathy and a smiling face
in a town.
1. I will raise the bud which often studies and is made.
1. It is as green as a beautiful flower and I will wrap a town.
1. I will develop the brawny power to commit.
1. I will tell all together and will make everybody's town. |
（July 31, Showa 49 establishment）
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City flower: Chrysanthemum
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City tree: Maple tree
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City bird: Varied tit
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| Akabira’s location / Where is Akabira? |
Akabira is located in central Hokkaido, in Northern Japan.
The Eastern boundary is 142 9 11 , the Western boundary is 141 58 40 , the Southern
boundary is43 28 44 , and the Northern boundary is 42 38 44 .
To the east of Akabira city is Ashibestu city, to the west is Takikawa city, to
the south is Utashinai city, and to the north is Fukagawa city. From the eastern
boundary to the western boundary is approximately 14.1 kilometers, and from the
northern boundary to the southern boundary it is approximately 18.5 kilometers.
Akabira city is 129.88 square kilometers in area.
In the winter a large amount of snow falls and winter sports are very popular.
In the summer the humidity is low, and the weather is very comfortable. |
| The outline of Akabira city |
Akabira is located in central Hokkaido, in Northern Japan.
The Eastern boundary is 142 9 11 , the Western boundary is 141 58 40 , the Southern
boundary is43 28 44 , and the Northern boundary is 42 38 44 .
To the east of Akabira city is Ashibestu city, to the west is Takikawa city, to
the south is Utashinai city, and to the north is Fukagawa city. From the eastern
boundary to the western boundary is approximately 14.1 kilometers, and from the
northern boundary to the southern boundary it is approximately 18.5 kilometers.
Akabira city is 129.88 square kilometers in area.
In the winter a large amount of snow falls and winter sports are very popular.
In the summer the humidity is low, and the weather is very comfortable. |
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Jan
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Feb
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Mar
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Apr
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May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
| Average temperature |
-6.0
|
-4.4
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-1.9
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5.4
|
11.4
|
16.2
|
21.9
|
19.4
|
15.3
|
8.7
|
5.0
|
-1.7
|
| Maximum temperature |
6
|
8
|
15
|
23
|
27
|
30
|
33
|
31
|
28
|
22
|
17
|
10
|
| Lowest temperature |
-20
|
-13
|
-15
|
-5
|
0
|
7
|
11
|
12
|
4
|
0
|
-2
|
-11
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| Rainfall |
43.5
|
40.0
|
67.0
|
12.0
|
107.5
|
41.5
|
92.5
|
206.5
|
63.5
|
207.5
|
126.0
|
44.5
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| Snow fall |
184
|
158
|
164
|
10
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
131
|
| Average Humidity |
88
|
86
|
81
|
74
|
75
|
83
|
82
|
87
|
82
|
83
|
83
|
90
|
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Akabira is located in central Hokkaido.
In 1891 the pioneers came from Honshu and started the major cultivation of Hokkaido.
Roads were opened in 1897, and the railway in 1913. In 1918 the Mojiri coal mine
opened and the Akabira’s history of being a coal-mining town began.
However, from the latter half of the 1960’s the change in Japan’s energy policy
brought about the decline in the coal industry. In 1994 the last mountain was
closed, pulling the curtain on Akabira’s coaling history.
During this time Akabira has made the conversion from being a coal-mining city
to being an industrial city. While getting through the difficult stages Akabira
has developed into a well-founded city. |
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Akabira is also promoted as being
a town of flowers, when spring comes flowers bloom all across town. The areas
abundant nature is also used as a sight seeing resource. The city’s natural hot
spring “Yuttari” is located on the hillside of the elm highlands (エルム高原), along
with a camping ground which had numerous facilities including rental cabins. The
camping ground is active throughout the year.
Akabira has a rich natural environment, and today it continues to develop into
a city which embraces it’s coal-mining history which made the town flourish as
well as welcoming the new. |
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| The outline
of Akabira city |
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There are a number of large, characteristic
events held in Akabira throughout the year.
The biggest of these events is the Akabira Fire festival (あかびら火まつり) which is held
in July.
The original idea for this festival came from a young man who said, “Don’t put
out the fire of the coal mine”. The climax of the festival is when the big fire
character (火) on the ‘zuri yama’ (coal casting mountain) is lit on fire.
The Hokkaido Classic Car Festival is also held in July. Cars lovers from across
the nation come and get together to proudly display their cars, which are of both
domestic and International origin.
This is the biggest event of this type in Japan. Every year many people come to
watch the classic cars drive through Hokkaido’s beautiful scenery.
Akabira the town of flowers is Hokkaido’s biggest production area of orchids.
So using orchids as the theme, there is also the Orchid Festival.
The Orchid Festival is held at the end of the long winter in April, when you can
hear the breath of spring. The flowers come from all over Hokkaido and put on
exhibition and spot sale.
Winter brings a lot of snow to Akabira, so using snow as the theme the Akabira
Winter Festival is also held every year. In the center of the festival grounds
there is a giant snow sculpture. Surrounding that there are also numerous large
and small snow sculptures, which are made by Akabira’s townsfolk. |
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top left: Hokkaido’s biggest Classic Car Festival
which is held every year in July.
top right and center: The Akabira Fire Festival - brings colour to Akabira’s summer.
The light from the fire on the mountain dyes the summer night sky red.
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