Taiki, Hokkaido

Coordinates: 42°30′N 143°17′E / 42.500°N 143.283°E / 42.500; 143.283
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Taiki
大樹たいきまち
Town
Taiki Town hall
Taiki Town hall
Flag of Taiki
Official seal of Taiki
Location of Taiki in Hokkaido (Tokachi Subprefecture)
Location of Taiki in Hokkaido (Tokachi Subprefecture)
Taiki is located in Japan
Taiki
Taiki
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 42°30′N 143°17′E / 42.500°N 143.283°E / 42.500; 143.283
CountryJapan
RegionHokkaido
PrefectureHokkaido (Tokachi Subprefecture)
DistrictHiroo
Area
 • Total816.38 km2 (315.21 sq mi)
Population
 (September 30, 2016)
 • Total5,742
 • Density7.0/km2 (18/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
ClimateDfb
Websitewww.town.taiki.hokkaido.jp

Taiki (大樹たいきまち, Taiki-chō) is a town located in Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.

Downtown Taiki with the Rekifune River flowing through it, 2020

Etymology[edit]

The name of the town comes from the Ainu word for "place where many trees grow."[1]

History[edit]

Japanese prospectors began searching for gold in Taiki in the 1630s. Tadataka Ino surveyed the surrounding area in 1800, and Takeshiro Matsuura led an exploratory expedition in 1858.[2]

Taiki was initially organized as a county within the newly-created prefecture of Hokkaido in August 1869.[2] Taiki Village was created in October 1928 and elevated to town status in April 1951.[2]

Railway service to Taiki began in 1930 and continued until 1987.[2]

Geography[edit]

Taiki has a total area of 815.67 km²; its highest point is 1,794m above sea level.[1] The town is located between the Hidaka Mountains to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east, with the Rekifune River passing through the town center.

Climate[edit]

Climate data for Taiki (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 9.0
(48.2)
12.5
(54.5)
17.0
(62.6)
29.1
(84.4)
32.7
(90.9)
35.2
(95.4)
34.9
(94.8)
35.8
(96.4)
33.4
(92.1)
26.3
(79.3)
21.4
(70.5)
16.3
(61.3)
35.8
(96.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −1.8
(28.8)
−1.0
(30.2)
3.3
(37.9)
10.1
(50.2)
15.8
(60.4)
18.3
(64.9)
21.7
(71.1)
23.3
(73.9)
20.8
(69.4)
15.4
(59.7)
8.5
(47.3)
1.0
(33.8)
11.3
(52.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) −8.8
(16.2)
−7.8
(18.0)
−2.2
(28.0)
4.5
(40.1)
9.9
(49.8)
13.4
(56.1)
17.3
(63.1)
18.8
(65.8)
15.7
(60.3)
9.4
(48.9)
2.7
(36.9)
−5.3
(22.5)
5.6
(42.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −16.8
(1.8)
−16.8
(1.8)
−9.4
(15.1)
−1.8
(28.8)
3.8
(38.8)
8.8
(47.8)
13.6
(56.5)
15.0
(59.0)
10.9
(51.6)
3.4
(38.1)
−3.4
(25.9)
−12.3
(9.9)
−0.4
(31.3)
Record low °C (°F) −29.1
(−20.4)
−29.8
(−21.6)
−26.2
(−15.2)
−16.0
(3.2)
−5.2
(22.6)
−1.0
(30.2)
4.5
(40.1)
6.2
(43.2)
−1.1
(30.0)
−6.6
(20.1)
−17.5
(0.5)
−28.1
(−18.6)
−29.8
(−21.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 33.7
(1.33)
26.9
(1.06)
49.2
(1.94)
71.2
(2.80)
107.1
(4.22)
109.0
(4.29)
132.9
(5.23)
166.2
(6.54)
202.2
(7.96)
128.5
(5.06)
72.9
(2.87)
46.3
(1.82)
1,146
(45.12)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 162
(64)
139
(55)
130
(51)
44
(17)
3
(1.2)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
25
(9.8)
123
(48)
627
(247)
Average rainy days 5.7 5.0 7.2 8.6 9.4 8.6 10.6 11.5 11.1 9.6 8.6 6.5 102.4
Average snowy days 16.7 15.2 14.6 4.9 0.3 0 0 0 0 0 3.3 12.4 67.4
Mean monthly sunshine hours 162.6 157.9 187.2 177.6 174.8 137.9 116.1 122.7 136.2 163.0 154.8 154.0 1,844.8
Source 1: JMA[3]
Source 2: JMA[4]

Governance[edit]

Mascot[edit]

Cospy, the town's mascot

Taiki's mascot is Cospy (コスピー, Kosupī). She is a bright and gentle cosmos flower fairy. She usually ends her sentences with "pi" (ぴ). Her dream is to join JAXA. Her birthday is October 1.[5][6]

Demographics[edit]

As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 5,420, a decline of 318 from the previous census in 2015. The total number of households grew from 2,534 to 2,593 over the same time period.[1]

Economy[edit]

The Taiki economy has historically been driven by agriculture, forestry, and fishing.

Taiki is a dairy hub for the Tokachi region, and Megmilk Snow Brand operates a large dairy plant in Taiki.

The town hosts the rocket launch site for Interstellar Technologies, the Taiki Aerospace Research Field (Hokkaido Spaceport), which is a JAXA facility.[7][8]

Bansei Onsen, a natural hot spring bath facility, operates on the Pacific coast of Taiki.

Infrastructure[edit]

Taiki's main transport connections are the Obihiro-Hiroo Expressway, which as of 2023 terminates in Taiki, Japan National Route 336 to Kushiro and Hiroo, and Japan National Route 236 to Obihiro and Urakawa. The closest airport is Tokachi-Obihiro Airport.

Taiki Station was a stop on the JNR Hiroo Line between Obihiro and Hiroo until the closure of the line in 1987. The town currently has no rail service. Tokachi Bus provides bus service to Obihiro and Hiroo.

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force operates a training facility in Taiki.

Education[edit]

Taiki is home to the prefectural Taiki Senior High School, and the town-run Taiki Junior High School and Taiki Elementary School.

Notable people[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "まちの概要がいよう". 北海道ほっかいどう大樹たいきまち公式こうしきホームページ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  2. ^ a b c d "北海道ほっかいどう大樹たいきまち公式こうしきホームページ". 北海道ほっかいどう大樹たいきまち公式こうしきホームページ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  3. ^ 観測かんそく史上しじょう1~10年間ねんかんつうじての. JMA. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  4. ^ 気象庁きしょうちょう / 平年へいねんとしがつごとの. JMA. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  5. ^ "コスピーのプロフィール(大樹たいきまち)". Kawaii Hokkaido.
  6. ^ "北海道ほっかいどう大樹たいきまちキャラクター「コスピー」". Trade Navi.
  7. ^ Global News (30 June 2018). "Rocket fails, explodes seconds after launch for Japanese startup". Global TV (Canada). The Canadian Press (CP).
  8. ^ Warwick, Graham (July 3, 2018). "Second Setback For Japanese Rocket Startup". Aviation Week. Japanese startup Interstellar Technologies is investigating the failure of its Momo suborbital sounding rocket, which blew up immediately after liftoff on its second flight on June 30 at Taiki-cho on Hokkaido.

External links[edit]