Hokkaido mountains. Japanese islands

13.07.2020

The second largest island in Japan, Hokkaido, on the one hand, is a typically Japanese land, in which people live in peace with the surrounding nature, while developing traditional crafts and high technologies. At the same time, Hokkaido is exotic in its own way - its territories are located in the very north of Japan, and therefore the winters are snowy here, and the sun peeps through on average seventeen days a year. In addition, the first democratic state within Japan, although not long lived, was formed on the island.

LAND OF THE AINS

For thousands of years, the Ainu people lived in Hokkaido, who later had to fight the Japanese for the right to live in their native lands.

The locals were engaged in hunting and fishing, and trade links with other islands allowed them to provide themselves with rice. The Ainu also bought iron from their neighbors.

However, their peaceful life was destined to end in the XIV-XV centuries, when the Japanese began to expand their spheres of influence. Gradually, they began to populate the Oshima Peninsula, located in the southwest of Hokkaido, which was aggressively taken by the Ainu. Tension in the relations between peoples grew into a war, which ended in 1475 with the death of the Ainu leader. The Japanese warriors did not seize the conquered possessions, but received privileged rights to trade with the indigenous inhabitants of the island.

During the heyday of the Matsumae principality, the main territories of which were located on the island of Oshima, Hokkaido became part of the possessions of local rulers. From that moment on, a long-term struggle broke out on the island with renewed vigor between the Japanese, who claimed their rights in the territory, and the indigenous inhabitants of the land. The uprisings of the Ainu took place until the second half of the 18th century, but they did not bring any results: in the face of a possible Russian attack from the west, the Japanese confidently held important island.

During the year (1868/1869), when Japan was engulfed in the Boshin War (a conflict between supporters of the feudal government under the leadership of the Tokugawa dynasty and representatives of the movement in support of the imperial power), the independent Republic of Ezo existed on the island of Hokkaido. It was proclaimed after the military defeat of the Tokugawa forces: thousands of soldiers moved to Hokkaido, who, as a result of the first elections in the history of Japan, elected the head of a new republic - Admiral Enomoto Takeaki.

However, the emperor did not tolerate arbitrariness in his territories for long, and on March 20, 1869, a navy was sent to the shores of the island.

In 1882, Hokkaido was divided into three prefectures: Hakodate, Sapporo and Nemuro. Four years later, the island was merged into one prefecture, which by 1947 was equal to other Japanese prefectures.

The last years of World War II became an ordeal for Hokkaido. In 1945, its territories were bombed, as a result of which more than seventy towns and villages were badly damaged.

Hokkaido Island is located much to the north of the rest of Japan, which causes sharp differences in climatic conditions. This is especially noticeable during a cold and snowy winter: work stops in the north of the island. water transport due to strong winds and danger floating ice in the Sea of Okhotsk.

GOLDEN MEAN

The inhabitants of Hokkaido manage to harmoniously combine the development of industry and agriculture with the work to preserve the nature of the island.

Hokkaido is located in the north of Japan, and its shores overlook the Japanese and Sea of Okhotsk and also to The Pacific Ocean... On the Nemuro Peninsula - Hokkaido region - the extreme east point Japan, Cape Nosappu-Saki. In terms of area, the island ranks 21st in the world, and in terms of population - 20th (however, in recent years, Hokkaido has faced serious problems of population decline).

About half of the island's territory is occupied by mountain ranges, which stretch along the central axis of Hokkaido from north to south, while coastal lands are mainly represented by plains.

Huge areas (over 70%) on the island of Hokkaido are occupied by forests. Many forest areas are under state protection: there are six national parks, five quasi-national parks, as well as twelve prefectural nature parks. Their total area is approximately 10% of the area of Hokkaido.

Hokkaido has a humid continental climate with slightly colder temperatures throughout the year than other areas of Japan. Winters are long, cold and snowy here, but in summer there is no heat on the island, which is usual for Japanese lands, and therefore summer time the popularity of Hokkaido cities among Japanese tourists from other prefectures is increasing. True, according to rough estimates, there are only about seventeen sunny days a year in Hokkaido, while there are about 272 snowy and rainy days a year.

However, special weather do not prevent the inhabitants of Hokkaido from engaging in agriculture, moreover, quite successfully. Soybeans, potatoes, carrots, onions and cereals are grown on the island's lands. Rice, traditional for Japanese plantations, is practically not cultivated here.

In general, the island of Hokkaido plays an important role in the Japanese economy. Along with agriculture, a developed industry has been built on the island. Here iron ore, coal are mined, equipment is produced (including for nuclear power plants). Traditionally, the coastal cities of the prefecture also serve as a source of fresh fish (especially salmon) and seafood for neighboring lands. Despite the large number of job openings in industrial companies, most local residents work in the service sector (this sector accounts for about three quarters of Hokkaido's GDP). The volume of imports here significantly exceeds the volume of exports.

From a legal point of view, the island of Hokkaido is part of the territories of the prefecture of the same name. It also includes the small islands of Rishiri, Okusuri and Rebun. In addition, according to the Japanese authorities, the prefecture also includes some of the islands of the Kuril Islands group.

The largest city islands - Sapporo, located in the west of Hokkaido and being administrative center prefecture of the same name. It is also the fifth largest city in all of Japan. Numerous industrial enterprises are concentrated here, including those specializing in high technologies, food industry, and paper production. Sapporo is also a popular resort; the island has many hot springs, which contributes to the development of tourism.

FUN FACTS

■ The mission of the Russian Orthodox Church has been operating in Sapporo since 1859, with the help of which one of the oldest in Japan was erected Orthodox churches- Church of the Resurrection of the Lord. Since 1983, it has been classified as a cultural heritage of Japan.

■ In addition to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions threaten the inhabitants of Hokkaido, with five active volcanoes on the island.

■ The area of Hokkaido is approximately equal to the territory of Austria.

■ Sapporo is famous for its annual Snow Festival. It was first held in 1950 when it was a small exhibition of snow figures created by amateurs. However, the scale grew over time, and now the holiday is held simultaneously at three venues, professional sculptors and beginners take part in it on equal terms.

■ There are many hot springs in Hokkaido. The most interesting of them is Dzigokudani, or the Valley of Hell. The region received such an ominous name because of the numerous geysers that periodically soar above the ground. Big fans of swimming in the geothermal waters of local springs are Japanese macaques. Here they can often be found in winter.

■ Ainu, who once made up the main population of the island of Hokkaido, previously lived in the territories of Russia, in particular in the south of Kamchatka, Sakhalin and Kuril Islands... A distinctive feature of the Ainu is their European appearance. Today, about thirty thousand descendants of the Ainu live in Japan, but over many centuries they managed to assimilate with the Japanese.

ATTRACTION

■ Sapporo: Sapporo Clock Tower is one of the few surviving buildings in Hokkaido from the late 19th century. in the American colonial style; Odori Boulevard is one of the central streets of the city; Botanical Garden - it has preserved part of the forest that grew on the site of Sapporo; TV tower (147 m) Sapporo; Nakajima Park; Mount Moiwa - 8 km from Sapporo; Beer Museum (former sugar factory);
■ Hakodate: Five-bastion fortress (1864); Church of the Resurrection of the Lord; Koryuji monastery; Higashi-Honganji Monastery; Momomachi Catholic Church;
■ National parks: Akan, Siretoko, Kushiro-Sitsugen, Taiseiuzan, Sikotsu-Toya, Rishiri-Rebun;
■ Quasi-national parks: Onuma, Abashiri, Hidaka;
■ Prefectural nature Park Akkeshi.

Atlas. The whole world is in your hands No. 92

For a long time I had such a dream to visit all four main islands of Japan. And the last one was north island, Hokkaido. For various reasons, I still couldn't get there. But now it finally happened, and now I am going to Hokkaido, to its capital, the city of Sapporo. It's eight hours from Tokyo by train!

Once in Hokkaido, I realized that everything here is not quite the same as in the more familiar to me central Japan. Huge open spaces unoccupied by people, mountain landscapes and cold weather - that's what you can expect on this northern island.

1. New Hokkaido shinkansen go to Hokkaido - they,. And these are also green!

2. In these trains, in addition to the usual "green" cars (this is something like a business class), there is also the so-called Grand Class, according to the hierarchy it is more like the first one on airplanes. True, in terms of comfort, it is rather similar to an ordinary one. I can't even imagine how much such a ticket costs. The usual "economy" from Tokyo to Sapporo costs $ 240 each way! It's good that the JR-Pass covers these trips.

3. The Japanese are constantly developing their super-express network, extending it throughout the country. Here is the Hokkaido Shinkansen - a new thing. It was launched only in March 2016.

4. His first anniversary was celebrated just recently.

5. Also, the Hokkaido Shinkansen doesn't walk so much. on Hokkaido, how many on the him. The first station on the island is the terminus for these express trains. To get from one island to another, the shinkansen passes through a 54-kilometer tunnel under the Tsugaru Strait. The rails are 100 meters below the seabed!

6. On this shinkansen we drove to a town named Hokadate, and decided to look around a bit before moving on to Sapporo.

7. Shinkansen is very welcome here, these green express trains are found everywhere. It seems they will even replace the previous symbol of the city - squid. Throughout Japan, building barriers are held up by funny animals, and here they use shinkansen for these purposes!

8. Station square is just a huge parking lot.

9. Hakodate is a coastal city, a port, and there is a seafood market here in the morning.

10. Crabs, squids, sea urchins, and other incomprehensible seafood. All this was still running yesterday.

11. Max bought an octopus on a stick. He says it was delicious.

12. Bay view. Once the Americans forced the Japanese government to open trade with them. The Japanese thought, thought, and chose Hakodate as the place where American ships would be allowed to enter. At that time, the Dutch had already knocked out the right to trade in the south, in Nagasaki. The authorities did not want foreigners to appear in the more central parts of Japan, and specifically chose ports remote from Tokyo and Kyoto for such trade in order to reduce outside influence.

13. Signposts to the sights are built into the sidewalk. Here you Train Station and old brick warehouses.

14. These warehouses were built for trade with foreigners, they are somewhat reminiscent of the port buildings in New York's Red Hook.

15. Today there are shops and cafes here, this is one of the places that tourists are offered to see in Hakodate.

16. View from these warehouses to the bay. Mountains flaunt in the distance. Hakodate has a very strong wind, and almost zero temperature now, in mid-April. So it is unpleasant to be on the street for a long time.

17. Let's go inside to the warehouses. In one of the shops I came across matryoshka dolls! There is a Russian trace. Look, there is even a Cheburashka with Gena!

18. Behind the next counter there are a lot of eared ears from my childhood. Nice to see that! True, he comes across somehow further from the center.

19. And here, next to the warehouses, there is a real log hut. What's this? How did she get here? It is unclear, it was closed inside.

20. Old wooden houses have been preserved in Hakodate. There are probably temples in the city, but we did not come across it, this is not Kyoto for you.

21. In general, this is a fairly standard Japanese town. There is a hatch design here (I'll show you later), and on the streets,.

22. And there are a lot of people in Hokadat who receive various benefits in exchange for small dimensions.

23. But most importantly, there is a tram in the city! I even felt hurt. , and here, even in such a hole - here you are. It became a shame again for NY, where all trams were cut in the 20th century.

24. A strange inscription in English in the cockpit: "The driver has a pen and a notebook for communication." Is this what he has to write on the go? ..

25. Okay, we walked around Hakodate, and it's time to move on to Sapporo. We still have about three hours to go by such a train. It is diesel, which is rarely seen in central Japan, but here in Hokkaido the tracks have not yet been fully electrified. According to Hokkaido's plans, Shinkansen will reach Sapporo only by 2031!

26. Our neighbours. They turned the two chairs to face each other, making themselves a small compartment.

27. Landscape outside the window. In Tokyo and, and here in the north of the country there is still snow.

28. In some places, huge snowdrifts come across!

29. And in the distance are beautiful snow-capped mountains. There are many mountains in Hokkaido, as in the rest of Japan.

30. Closer to the coast, the snow had time to melt. We pass endless fields with greenhouses. I wonder what is grown here.

31. Solar storage panels. Compared to other parts of Japan, Hokkaido is spacious, and you can collect electricity.

32. Birches outside the window! Matryoshka, Cheburashka, hut, and now birches! Hokkaido clearly loves everything Russian!

33. Most of the road, the train runs along the sea coast. When a shinkansen is built here, it will cut the distance with the help of tunnels - up to 75% of the path will be underground. In the meantime, it's beautiful.

34. True, we chose the wrong side of the carriage, our neighbors were more fortunate. For the future, we will know that from Hokadate to Sapporo we must sit on the right. Back - left.

35. Clouds and mountains. Sunset is coming.

36. Well, beauty!

37. Sometimes we pass small towns. In Hokkaido, houses in such settlements are simpler than

The area, which is 83 400 sq. km, it is the second in the state. Its population is about 5.5 million inhabitants. The Japanese island of Hokkaido is the northernmost of the four largest islands the state. It is separated from Honshu by the Sangar Strait.

The entire territory is divided into 14 districts. Hokkaido controls several adjacent islands, such as Rishiri, Rebun and others. There are nine main cities on the island: Sapporo, Hakodate, Kushiro, Asahikawa, Ebetsu, Otaru, Tomakomai, Obihiro and Kitami. Sapporo is the administrative center, home to about 30% of the population of Hokkaido. There are 39 colleges and 37 universities on the island.

Hokkaido is a popular tourist destination. Most often it is reached by ferry or plane; it is connected with other islands of the state only by a railway tunnel, which leads directly to the island of Honshu. The Seikan tunnel is located at a depth of 240 meters.

Hokkaido history

The first settlements arose 20 thousand years ago in Hokkaido. The islands of the central part of Japan differ significantly from the northern part, where it is located. For a long time, the way of life and traditions of one culture found continuation in others. This continuity was observed in the Satsumon culture, which was a transformed post-Jomon culture. It is Jomon that is considered the first culture to emerge in Hokkaido. On the basis of Satsumon in the 13th century, the Ainu culture arose, which still exists today.

In the Middle Ages, the Japanese arrived on the island. Feuding with the Ainu, they occupy the southern part of the territory. In the 17th century, the Japanese create a feudal principality, which establishes control over the entire island, without conquering the Ainu until the end.

In the 19th century, the Hokkaido Office was created, which performs the functions of a state body. Significant infrastructure improvements are underway on the island. Under construction railways and ports are getting better transport system between Hokkaido and Honshu. Steel, sawmills, and paper mills arose, and agriculture developed. Since then, industry has been one of the important industries on the island.

Hokkaido geography

The islands of Japan are mainly of volcanic origin, Hokkaido is no exception. The island's territory is formed by ophiolites and volcanic sedimentary rocks. On the side of the North coast is the Sea of Okhotsk. The island is also washed By the sea of Japan and the waters of the Pacific Ocean. In the south, Hokkaido is represented by the Oshima Peninsula. On this island there are two extreme points of the country at once: in the north it is Cape Soya, and in the east - Nosappu-Saki.

The terrain is mountainous and at the same time flat. Volcanoes and mountains stretch across the entire central part. The island is affected by seismic activity, and some volcanoes are considered active (Koma, Usu, Tokachi, Tarume, Mazakan). Asahi is the most high peak... This mountain on the island of Hokkaido reaches 2290 meters in height. Plains are located closer to the coast.

Climate

Due to its length from north to south, climatic conditions of Japan differ in different parts of the country. Hokkaido is characterized by colder temperatures. The islands in the southwestern part, on the contrary, have warm conditions, since a subtropical climate has formed here.

In Hokkaido, winters are colder than in other regions of Japan, with snow on the island for up to 120 days per season. On mountain ranges, closer to the northern part of the island, snowdrifts can reach 11 meters, and almost two meters off the Pacific coast. In January average temperature ranges from -12 to -4 degrees. Throughout the winter, many drifting ice floes are observed from the Sea of Okhotsk.

Summers are usually cool too. The average temperature in August is from 17 to 22 degrees. In summer, the number of rainy days on average reaches 150, although this figure is much higher on other islands.

Fauna and flora

The nature of the island of Hokkaido is the main reason for tourists visiting it. Despite the large number of industrial enterprises, the government managed to preserve natural resources. Forests occupy about 70%. Coniferous trees grow in the northern part; they are represented by spruce, cedar, and fir. Broad-leaved trees grow in the southern part. Bamboo is also widespread in Hokkaido.

The fauna is quite diverse. It is home to the largest population of brown bears in Asia. The island is inhabited by ermines, sables, foxes. Local lakes are full of fish, and in spring many birds come here. One of the local residents is a flying squirrel called "ezo momonga", which can only be found in Hokkaido.

sights

The main attractions of the island are of course natural objects... There are about 20 national, quasi-national parks and reserves in Hokkaido. The island has a huge number of lakes, hot springs and picturesque mountains.

In the city of Kushiro there is a natural park of Japanese cranes, which are under the special protection of the state. National park Akan, which is located on the shores of the lake of the same name, is famous for its hot springs.

The Tomita farm in Furano offers stunning beauty. The hectares of the territory are planted with various varieties of lavender. From June to July, the fields are decorated with lilac, white and other flowers. Sunflowers, poppies and daffodils grow here.

One of the most popular places on the island is Blue Lake... Gray trunks of dead trees peep out of the bright blue water, creating a truly enchanting sight.

Resorts and festivals

Thanks to snowy winters and mountains, in November Hokkaido open ski resorts... They operate in the city of Furano, Niseki, Biya. In addition, interesting festivals are organized on the island. In the main city of Hokkaido, the Snow Festival opens every year. At this time, huge snowdrifts become a real material for creativity. About two million people from all over the world come to compete in the ability to create sculptures out of ice and snow. Another winter festival is organized in the city of Monbetsu, it is called the "Festival of drifting ice floes."

At the Furano farm we already know, the Lavender Festival opens every summer. This action is, of course, dedicated to the flowering of this plant. In total, the island hosts more than a thousand different festivals and celebrations. One of them, by the way, is very reminiscent of the European harvest holidays, only everything happens at seashores, and instead of gratitude for the harvest of fruits, the locals thank the nature for the generous catch.

Conclusion

Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku are the largest Japanese islands. Hokkaido Island is the second largest. It is located in the northern part of the country, which makes its climate colder and harsher than the rest of Japan. Despite this, the island has unique nature, to see which millions of people come from different parts of our planet.

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Hokkaido

jap. 北海道



Specifications

Square	83 400 km²

Highest point	2290 m

Population	5,500,000 people (2010)

Population density	65.95 people / km²

Location

43 ° 30 ′ N sh. 143 ° 00 ′ east etc.


Washing water areas	Sea of Okhotsk,

The country

Region	Hokkaido



Hokkaido


Media files at Wikimedia Commons

Hokkaido(Jap. 北海道 Hokkaido, "Governorship north sea») formerly known as Ezo, in old Russian transcription: Yeso (Yeso), Yeesso, Ieddo, Iyozo- the second largest island. Until 1859, it was also called Matsumae by the name of the ruling feudal clan to which the castle city belonged. Matsumae- in old Russian transcription: Matsmai, Matsmay.

Geography

Physical map of Hokkaido

Satellite image of Hokkaido (Terra satellite, NASA MODIS; May 2001)

Hokkaido is located in the northern part of the Japanese Islands, being the second largest in the archipelago. The island has an extreme north point Japan - Cape Soya (45 ° 31 '). Also located on it is the easternmost point of Japan - Cape Nosappu-Saki (Nosyappu; 145 ° 49'E). The southern edge of Hokkaido is Cape Shirakami (41 ° 24 '), the western edge is Cape Ota (139 ° 46' E).

The northern coast of the island is washed by the cold Sea of Okhotsk and faces Pacific coast The Far East, separated from Sakhalin by the La Perouse (Soy) Strait, and from the Kuril Islands - by the Kunashir Strait, or the Nemuro Strait. Moreover, the shortest distance to the Kuril Islands is only 7 km. The southern part of Hokkaido is formed by the Oshima Peninsula, separated by the Sangar Strait from Honshu, the distance to which is 17 km. The Seikan Railway Tunnel is located between these islands under the seabed. The coastline is weakly indented in comparison with other islands of the archipelago; its length is 2447.3 km, including nearby small islands - 2759.7 km, or 10.4% of the total length coastline Japan.

The relief of the island is predominantly mountainous with the prevalence folded-block mountains... The main mountain ranges stretch diagonally, at the point of intersection of which is the Central mountain range with the highest point - Asahi volcano (2290 m). In addition to him, there are still others active volcanoes: Tokachi and Iosan. Plains occupy only one third of the island. In the western part, along the Ishikari River (265 km long), there is a low-lying area with the same name, it is adjoined by the Yufutsu Plain, in the eastern part, along the Tokachi River (156 km) - another flat territory.

Due to the high share of minerals, Hokkaido is called the "northern pearl of the country." The largest reserves (over 25% of the country's reserves) of coal and brown coal, gold, silver, ferruginous sand, iron, manganese and mercury ores.

The river network is ramified, but the length of the rivers is small, only in six rivers it exceeds 100 km. Among them is the second largest river in Japan - Ishikari. River arteries are used for shipping, irrigation and electricity generation. The lakes are mostly freshwater, but there are also salty, lagoon-type lakes. The most large lake islands - Saroma; its area is 149.1 km² (4th place in the country), the greatest depth is 19.5 m.

The soil cover is uniform; podzols prevail, but brown soils are found on the Oshima Peninsula. There is a significant proportion of peat bogs; with an area of 295 thousand hectares, they are found in the lower reaches of the Kushiro, Tesio and Ishikari rivers.

The largest city in Hokkaido and the administrative center of the prefecture of the same name is. The area of the city is 1121.26 km² (October 1, 2016), the population is 1,962,064 people (June 1, 2017), the population density is 1749.87 people / km². It is the island's only million-plus city, with 36.6% of the total population of Hokkaido and 1.5% of the population of Japan.

Climate

Hokkaido has a temperate monsoon climate; it differs in different areas of the island - the warmer west and colder east and northeast. The range of temperature fluctuations is 60 ° C (from 30 ° C to -30 ° C). Comparatively less precipitation falls than in the rest of Japan; the maximum fluctuates around 1100 mm per year. In summer, the lack of rain leads to shallowing of rivers, but at the same time, winter is characterized by an abundance of snow. East End the island is characterized by a large number of days with sunshine. The monsoon nature of the climate determines the frequent typhoons in August-September.

Flora and fauna

Most of Hokkaido's territory is occupied by mixed and deciduous forests (5.54 million hectares, or 22% of all Japanese forests). Conifers from the Hokkaida spruce and Sakhalin fir with dense thickets of bamboo in the undergrowth make up 41.7% of the total forest fund, while deciduous species (oak, poplar, ash, chestnut, beech) - 58.3%. V mountainous areas cedar and birch forests grow, wastelands with bushes are located. Coniferous forests are common in the northern part of the island; their upper limit in the spectrum altitude zones reaches a height of 500 meters, while in the south and in the central part of the island the forests consist of broad-leaved trees. In the animal kingdom you can find brown bear, sika deer, fish owl, Japanese crane, red fox, wild boar, serau and others. There are six national parks: Daisetsuzan, Shikopu-Toya, Akan, Shiretoko, Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu, Kushiro-Shitsugen.

Historical background

Reconstruction of the Jomon dwelling at the Sannai-Maruyama parking lot

Settlement of the Ainu at the end of the 19th century: the island of Hokkaido by this time was still completely inhabited exclusively by representatives of this people

Reconstruction of Ainu dwellings in the settlement of Nibutani

The oldest artifacts found on the territory of Hokkaido belong to the late Paleolithic era. These are stone flakes made by primitive man 25-20 thousand years ago. They were found at the Shukyubai-Sankakuyama mountain site (祝梅三角山遺跡) in Chitose city and the Shimaki site (嶋木遺跡) in Kamishihoro village. 15-12 thousand years ago, in the Mesolithic era, the technique of making stone blades spread to Hokkaido, which is associated with the emergence of a culture of microlithic tools. At the same time, the inhabitants of the island learned to use the bow and arrow.

The appearance of pottery in Hokkaido dates back to the 8th millennium BC. e. She is represented by the Jomon Ainu culture. On the island, this culture found its expression in two styles of tableware design - southwestern and northeastern. The first arose under the influence of the style of the Tohoku region of the neighboring island of Honshu, and the second took shape on its own. The dishes in the southwestern part of Hokkaido were flat-bottomed, while those in the northeastern part were sharp-bottomed. About 6 millennium BC e. sharp-bottomed dishes gave way to flat-bottomed dishes, and old styles evolved into new ones - cylindrical (円筒式土器) in the southwest and north-cylindrical (北筒式土器) in the northeast. In the 3-2 millennium BC. e. the inhabitants of Hokkaido adopted from neighboring Honshu the lush Kamegaoka style (亀ヶ岡式土器), which supplanted regional styles.

At the turn of our era, the Yayoi agricultural culture spread to Japan. Hokkaido remained outside the influence of this culture. Its inhabitants continued to live by hunting and gathering, were semi-sedentary and adhered to the traditions of the previous Jomon era. Their culture is called post-Jomon. During the III-IV centuries under the influence southern islands the inhabitants of Hokkaido began to use metal tools and make jewelry from precious stones.

Since the 7th century, the northeastern regions of Hokkaido (the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk) were influenced by the Okhotsk culture. Its carriers used stone, iron and bone tools. A large settlement and burial ground for these northern hunters was found at the Moyoro (最寄遺跡) site in the city of Abashiri. The most recent monuments of the Okhotsk culture date back to the 9th century.

In the 8th century, the new Satsumon culture emerged from the post-Jomon culture. Its carriers were proto-Ainu. Like the Jomon, the Proto-Ainu were primarily hunter-gatherers, although they practiced primitive agriculture. They made their weapons and implements from iron, less often from stone or bone. The Proto-Ainu traded with the neighboring Nivkhs in the north and the Japanese in the south.

It is believed that the first written mention of Hokkaido was made in the chronicle Nihon shoki, completed in 720. According to the chronicle, Abe no Hirafu, who sailed north at the head of a large fleet from 658 to 680, came into contact with the Misihase and Emishi tribes. Watarishima Island (Jap. 渡島 ) visited by Hirafu is considered modern Hokkaido. Arai Hakuseki, who lived during the Edo period, believed that Watarishima was the same as Ezo (i.e. Hokkaido)

During the Nara and Heian periods (710-1185), the inhabitants of Hokkaido (Ainu) traded actively with the Japanese province of Dewa. In the Middle Ages, the inhabitants of Hokkaido began to be called Ezo, and the island itself - Ezochi (Jap. 蝦夷地, "Ezo's land") or Ezogashima (Jap. 蝦夷ヶ島, "Ezo Island")... The main occupation of the Ezo people was hunting and fishing, and they obtained rice and iron through trade with Japan.

During the Muromachi period (1336-1573), a Japanese settlement appeared in the south of the Oshima Peninsula. With the increase in the number of settlers, disagreements began to arise with the local population, which over time escalated into a military conflict. The leader of the Japanese, Takeda Nobuhiro, killed the Ainu leader Koshamain in 1457. Nobuhiro became the founder of the Matsumae clan, which had the exclusive right to trade with the Ainu during the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods (1568-1868). The Matsumae clan ruled over the Matsumae principality (Jap. 松前藩 matsumae han) from its founding in 1604 until the end of the Edo period in 1868.

The Ainu rebelled against feudal rule. The last major uprising was the Syagusyan Uprising in 1669-1672. In 1789, the Menasi-Kunashir uprising was also suppressed. In 1799-1821 and 1855-1858, in response to the threat from Russia, the shogunate introduced direct rule on the island. Shortly before the Meiji Restoration, the Tokugawa Shogunate, worried about a possible Russian invasion, began preparing the northern borders for defense and took Ezochi under its full control. During this period, the policy towards the Ainu softened slightly, but the general management style remained the same.

The island was known as Ezochi until the Meiji restoration. Immediately after the end of the Boshin War in 1868, a group of shogunate supporters led by Enomoto Takeaki temporarily occupied the island, proclaiming the creation of the Ezo Republic (Jap. 蝦夷共和國 Ezo Kyo: Wakoku) , but the uprising was suppressed in May 1869. Ezochi came under the control of the government of Hakodate Prefecture, Hakodate Prefecture (Jap. 箱館府 hakodate fu) ... In 1869, the Development Authority (Jap. 開拓使 kaitakushi) ; The island became known as Hokkaido and was divided into the following provinces: Oshima, Siribeshi, Iburi, Ishikari, Teshio, Kitami, Hidaka, Tokachi, Kushiro, Namuro and Chishima.

Ainu, indigenous people of Hokkaido

The main goal of the Japanese administration was to secure the Hokkaido region from the possible advance of Russia in the Far East. Kuroda Kiyotaka stood at its head. His first step in office was a visit to, during which he hired Horace Capron, Minister of Agriculture under President Grant. From 1871 to 1873, Karpon tried to introduce Western farming and mining practices, but with little success, he was forced to return home in 1875. In 1876, another American specialist, William Clarke, founded the Sapporo Agricultural College (Jap. 札幌農學校 sapporo no gakko) ... Although Clark stayed in Hokkaido for only one year, he left a positive impression of himself and contributed to the development of local agriculture and the spread of Christianity. Known in Japan for his appeal to students: "Guys, be ambitious!" (eng. Boys, be ambitious!), these words can be found as inscriptions on buildings in Hokkaido to this day. During this decade, the population of Hokkaido has grown from 58 thousand to 240 thousand people.

In 1882, the administration was abolished and Hokkaido was divided into three prefectures: Hakodate Prefecture (Jap. 函館県 hakodate ken) , Sapporo Prefecture (Jap. 札幌県 sapporo ken) and Nemuro Prefecture (Jap. 根室県 nemuro ken) ... In 1886, after the abolition of the prefectures, the region came under the jurisdiction of the specially created Hokkaido Agency (Jap. 北海道庁 hokkaido: cho:) ... In 1947, after the entry into force of the new law on local autonomy, Hokkaido received a status corresponding to that of a prefecture. The Hokkaido Development Agency was established under the Japanese Cabinet in 1949 (Japanese 北海道開発庁 hokkaido: kaihatsu cho:) Prime Minister of Japan for direct control of the territory. The agency was taken over by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in 2001. Hokaido Division (Jap. 北海道局 hokkaido: kyoku) and Hokkaido Regional Development Division (Japanese 北海道開発局 hokkaido: kaihatsu kyoku) under the ministry continue to play a large role in the development of infrastructure projects on the island.

In the extreme south-west of the Oshima Peninsula, in 1604, the feudal principality of Matsumae was established, a vassal of the Tokugawa shoguns, in whose possession the entire island was given. It was called at that time Ezo, and its indigenous population was made up of the Ainu, the conquest of which by the Japanese stretched for more than two centuries. In 1712-1713, according to the inquiries of the Ainu and the stories of the Japanese brought by the storm to Kamchatka in 1710, the Cossack Ivan Petrovich Kozyrevsky made his description of the island. In the spring of 1779, Russian sailors and hunters, headed by Antipin and Shabalin, set off on seven canoes to the shores of Hokkaido. On June 24 of the same year, they entered Notkomo harbor in the northeast of the island, where they collected yasak from the Ainu living there and actually accepted 1,500 people into Russian citizenship. This fact caused the outrage of the Japanese. In the fall of 1792, a Russian expedition led by Adam Laxman visited the north of Hokkaido, although the Japanese forbade the Russians to trade with the Hokkaido Ainu.

Demography

Historical colonization

The history of the Japaneseization of Hokkaido began long before the landing of the Japanese on the island, where, according to rough estimates, up to 50,000 Ainu aborigines lived. In the X-XV centuries, the Japanese managed to conquer and largely assimilate the Ainu of the northern half of Fr. Honshu from the city, which for a long time was the ancient center of the Ainu resistance, to the city of Tsugaru, which, being located directly opposite Hokkaido, became a springboard for the development of the latter. According to the inventory of 1788, about 26.5 thousand Japanese already lived in the Matsumae principality, but their number did not grow so quickly in the 19th century: a rather cold (for the Japanese) local climate, to which only fishermen could adapt, but by no means not rice growers. But the rapid progressive development of the Japanese economy from the last third of the 19th century led to a rapid population growth and a constant shortage of raw materials in the form of wood, seafood, and minerals. The agrarian overpopulation of the southern islands also made itself felt.

Subsequently, the number of Japanese colonists grew rapidly, and the Ainu decreased in the course of conflicts and assimilation. From 1871 to 1876, the Americans, together with the Japanese, who feared the strengthening of Russia in the Far East, provided significant assistance to the Japanese in the development of the island. This assistance yielded certain results: in the 1870s, the Japanese population grew from 58,000 to 240,000. This allowed Japan to secure Hokkaido for itself, but the country did not have enough demographic resources to develop Sakhalin, and in 1875 Japan completely abandoned its claims to Sakhalin in exchange for the cession of the Kuril Islands by the Russian Empire. Japanese colonization became especially widespread in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For example, in 1897 64 350 Japanese settlers arrived on the island, in the next 1898 63 630 were registered, in 1901 - 50 100, etc. As a result, in 1903, according to current statistics, the Japanese population of Hokkaido reached 845 thousand. man, and the Ainu aborigines were counted only 18 thousand. In 1905, after the conquest of southern Sakhalin and the formation of the Karafuto prefecture, Japanese colonists and natives from Hokkaido poured into Sakhalin, where by 1945 a 350,000-strong Japanese diaspora of predominantly Hokkaido origin had formed. By 1925, the population of the island of Hokkaido reached 2.5 million people, and by 1960 it exceeded 5 million. By this time, most of the Sakhalin Japanese returned to Hokkaido, since southern Sakhalin was conquered by the USSR and came under its jurisdiction.

Notes (edit)

Mekler G.K., 1986, p. thirteen.
Hokkaido // Great Russian Encyclopedia
Japan // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
Iesso // Small Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron
Abbreviated notes of the fleet of Lieutenant-Commander (now captain of the first rank) Golovnin, about his sailing on the sloop Diana, for the inventory of the Kuril Islands, in 1811. - SPb. : State Admiralty Department, 1819 .-- 172 p.
Mekler G.K., 1986, p. sixteen.
Mekler G.K., 1986, p. 16-17.
Mekler G.K., 1986, p. 39.
Mekler G.K., 1986, p. 17-18.
Mekler G.K., 1986, p. eighteen.
Sapporo 2017. Facts and Figures(English). City of Sapporo. Date of treatment February 23, 2018.
Mekler G.K., 1986, p. 17.
National Forests in Hokkaido (English). Hokkaido Regional Forest Office... Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (March 2014). Date of treatment February 23, 2018.
The Wildlife in Japan (eng.). Wildlife Division, Nature Conservation Bureau... Ministry of the Environment (2015). Date of treatment February 23, 2018.
Kushiro Shitsugen National Park 26,861 ha.:(July 31, 1987 (unspecified) (unavailable link). JIBIS... Ministry of the Environment. Archived February 4, 2012.
McClain, James L. Japan, A Modern History. - First. - New York, N.Y. : W.W. Norton & Company, 2002. - P. 285. - ISBN 0-393-04156-5.
Nakamura, Akemi, "Japan's last frontier took time to tame, cultivate image", The japan times, 8 July 2008, p. 3.
Nussbaum, Louis Frederic. (2005). Hokkaido in Japan Encyclopedia , p. 343 in Google Books
Ernest Satov. (1882). "The Geography of Japan" in Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, Vol. 1-2, p. 88. in Google Books
Let the Sea Make a Noise, pp. 355-356.
Walter Allen McDougall (1993). Let the Sea Make a Noise, p. 357
A. The conquest of the furry (unspecified) ... // Around the World. - No. 1 (January 2002). Date of treatment September 21, 2015.
Kuril Islands in the history of Russian-Japanese relations. Russian history. Russian empire (unspecified) ... Date of treatment February 3, 2013. Archived February 7, 2013.
Kurile Islands. Their discovery and accession to Russia (1711-1778) (unspecified) ... // Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. - 12.01.2012. Date of treatment February 3, 2013. Archived February 11, 2013.
Shirokorad. A. B. Japan. Unfinished rivalry
Sources on the history of the struggle of the Ainu people in Japan
The history of the Ainu language: the first approximation

Literature

Vasilievsky, R.S. In the footsteps of the ancient cultures of Hokkaido. - M.: Nauka, 1981 .-- 176 p. - (Countries and peoples). - 67,000 copies
Mekler, G.K. Hokkaido / prev. K. M. Popova, V. V. Kovyzhenko; Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Institute of Oriental Studies. - 2nd ed., Rev. and add. - M.: Nauka, 1986 .-- 163, p.

Links

HOKKAIDO // Japan from A to Z. Popular illustrated encyclopedia. (CD-ROM). - M.: Directmedia Publishing, "Japan Today", 2008. - ISBN 978-5-94865-190-3.
HOCKKAIDO // Khvoika - Shervinsky. - M.: Big Russian Encyclopedia, 2017. - P. 118. - (Big Russian Encyclopedia: [in 35 volumes] / Ch. Ed. Yu. S. Osipov; 2004-2017, vol. 34). - ISBN 978-5-85270-372-9.

The initial settlement of the Japanese island of Hokkaido took place about twenty thousand years ago. Then the Ainu lived here - one of the most ancient peoples of the Japanese islands. However, the history of the development of Hokkaido still contains many mysteries: after all, the first mention of the island, known to scientists today, appeared on the pages of the Japanese written monument "Hon Seki", dated to the eighth century. There is a widespread theory that according to it the island of Watarishima, which is referred to in the annals, is Hokkaido, named so only in 1869.
The locals were engaged in hunting and fishing, and trade links with other islands allowed them to provide themselves with rice. The Ainu also bought iron from their neighbors.
However, their peaceful life was destined to end in the XIV-XV centuries, when the Japanese began to expand their spheres of influence. Gradually, they began to populate the Oshima Peninsula, located in the southwest of Hokkaido, which was aggressively taken by the Ainu. Tension in the relations between peoples grew into a war, which ended in 1475 with the death of the Ainu leader. The Japanese warriors did not seize the conquered possessions, but received privileged rights to trade with the indigenous inhabitants of the island.
During the heyday of the Matsumae principality, the main territories of which were located on the island of Oshima, Hokkaido became part of the possessions of local rulers. From that moment on, a long-term struggle broke out on the island with renewed vigor between the Japanese, who claimed their rights in the territory, and the indigenous inhabitants of the land. The uprisings of the Ainu took place until the second half of the 18th century, but they did not bring any results: in the face of a possible Russian attack from the west, the Japanese confidently held the strategically important island.
During the year (1868/1869), when Japan was engulfed in the Boshin War (a conflict between supporters of the feudal government under the leadership of the Tokugawa dynasty and representatives of the movement in support of the imperial power), the independent Republic of Ezo existed on the island of Hokkaido. It was proclaimed after the military defeat of the Tokugawa forces: thousands of soldiers moved to Hokkaido, who, as a result of the first elections in the history of Japan, elected the head of a new republic - Admiral Enomoto Takeaki.
However, the emperor did not tolerate arbitrariness in his territories for long, and on March 20, 1869, a navy was sent to the shores of the island.
In 1882, Hokkaido was divided into three prefectures: Hakodate, Sapporo and Nemuro. Four years later, the island was merged into one prefecture, which by 1947 was equal to other Japanese prefectures.
The last years of World War II became an ordeal for Hokkaido. In 1945, its territories were bombed, as a result of which more than seventy towns and villages were badly damaged.
Hokkaido is located in the north of Japan, and its shores overlook the Sea of Japan and Okhotsk, as well as the Pacific Ocean. On the Nemuro Peninsula - Hokkaido region - is the easternmost point of Japan, Cape Nosappu-Saki. In terms of area, the island ranks 21st in the world, and in terms of population - 20th (however, in recent years, Hokkaido has faced serious problems of population decline).
Roughly half of the island's territory is occupied by mountain ranges that stretch along the central axis of Hokkaido from north to south, while coastal lands are mainly represented by plains.
Huge areas (over 70%) on the island of Hokkaido are occupied by forests. Many forest areas are under state protection: there are six national parks, five quasi-national parks, and twelve prefectural nature parks. Their total area is approximately 10% of the area of Hokkaido.
Hokkaido has a humid continental climate with slightly colder temperatures throughout the year than other areas of Japan. Winters here are long, cold and snowy, but in summer there is no heat on the island, which is usual for Japanese lands, and therefore the popularity of Hokkaido cities among Japanese tourists from other prefectures increases in summer. True, according to rough estimates, there are only about seventeen sunny days a year in Hokkaido, while there are about 272 snowy and rainy days a year.
However, the special weather conditions do not prevent the inhabitants of Hokkaido from engaging in agriculture, moreover, quite successfully. Soybeans, potatoes, carrots, onions and cereals are grown on the island's lands. Rice, traditional for Japanese plantations, is practically not cultivated here.
In general, the island of Hokkaido plays an important role in the Japanese economy. Along with agriculture, a developed industry has been built on the island. Here iron ore, coal are mined, equipment is produced (including for nuclear power plants). Traditionally, the coastal cities of the prefecture also serve as a source of fresh fish (especially salmon) and seafood for neighboring lands. Despite the large number of job opportunities offered by industrial companies, the majority of local residents work in the service sector (this sector accounts for about three quarters of Hokkaido's GDP). The volume of imports here significantly exceeds the volume of exports.
From a legal point of view, the island of Hokkaido is part of the territories of the prefecture of the same name. It also includes the small islands of Rishiri, Okusuri and Rebun. In addition to this, according to the Japanese authorities, the prefecture also includes some of the islands of the Kuril Islands group.
The largest city on the island is located in the west of Hokkaido and is the administrative center of the prefecture of the same name. It is also the fifth largest city in all of Japan. Numerous industrial enterprises are concentrated here, including those specializing in high technologies, food industry, and paper production. Sapporo is also a popular resort; the island has many hot springs, which contributes to the development of tourism.

general information

Administrative division: 14 sub-prefectures within Hokkaido Prefecture as a whole).
Capital: Sapporo (1,915,542 people -2010).
Language: Japanese.
Ethnic composition: Japanese (98.5%). Koreans (0.5%). Chinese (0.4%), 0.6% - others (Ainu).
Religions: Shinto, Buddhism.
Currency unit: yen.
Largest cities: Sapporo, Tomakomai, Muroran, Otaru.
Largest rivers: Ishikari, Tokachi.
The most important airport: international Airport Chitose.

Numbers

Area: 83,453.57 km 2.
Population: 5,507,456 (2010).
Population density: 65.9 people / km 2.
The most high point: Mount Asahi (2290 m).

Economy

Industry: food, paper, woodworking, coal and iron ore mining, equipment manufacturing (including for nuclear power plants).
Agriculture: growing soybeans, potatoes, carrots, onions, cereals, rice. Fishing.
Service sector: tourism, financial services, trade, transport.

Climate and weather

Continental wet... It is characterized by cold snowy winters and cool summers.
Average temperature in July:+ 19.5 ° C.
Average January temperature:-8 ° C.
Average rainfall: 800-1500 mm.

sights

■ Sapporo: Sapporo Clock Tower is one of the few surviving buildings of the late 19th century in Hokkaido. in the American colonial style; Odori Boulevard is one of the central streets of the city: the Botanical Garden - it has preserved a part of the forest that grew on the site of Sapporo; TV tower (147 m) Sapporo; Nakajima Park; Mount Moiwa - 8 km from Sapporo; Beer Museum (former sugar factory);
■ Hakodate: Five-bastion fortress (1864); Church of the Resurrection of the Lord; Koryuji monastery; Higashi-Honganji Monastery; Momomachi Catholic Church;
■ National parks: Akan, Siretoko, Kushiro-Sitsugen, Taiseiuzan, Sikotsu-Toya, Rishiri-Rebun;
■ Quasi-national parks: Onuma, Abashiri, Hidaka;
■ Akkeshi Prefectural Natural Park.

Curious facts

The area of the island of Hokkaido is approximately equal to the territory of Austria.

Sapporo is famous for its annual Snow Festival. It was first held in 1950 when it was a small exhibition of snow figures created by amateurs. However, the scale grew over time, and now the holiday is held simultaneously at three venues, professional sculptors and beginners take part in it on equal terms.

There are many hot springs in Hokkaido. The most interesting of them is Dzigokudani, or the Valley of Hell. The region received such an ominous name because of the numerous geysers that periodically soar above the ground. Big fans of swimming in the geothermal waters of local springs are Japanese macaques. Here they can often be found in winter.

The Ainu, who once made up the main population of the island of Hokkaido, previously lived in the territories of Russia, in particular in the south of Kamchatka, on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. A distinctive feature of the Ainu - European appearance Today, about thirty thousand descendants of the Ainu live in Japan, but over many centuries they managed to assimilate with the Japanese.

The mission of the Russian Orthodox Church has been operating in Sapporo since 1859, with the help of which one of the oldest Orthodox churches in Japan, the Church of the Resurrection of the Lord, was erected. Since 1983, it has been classified as a cultural heritage of Japan.

In addition to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions threaten the inhabitants of Hokkaido: there are five active volcanoes on the island.