Yakumo, Hokkaido

Yakumo (八雲町, Yakumo-chō) is a town in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.

Yakumo 八雲町
Town
View over Yakumo-chō
Flag Seal
Location of Yakumo in Hokkaido
Yakumo Location in Japan
Coordinates: 42°15′N 140°16′E
Country	Japan
Region	Hokkaido
Prefecture	Hokkaido
District	Futami
Government
• Mayor	Katsunori Iwamura
Area
• Total	955.98 km2 (369.11 sq mi)
Population  (2016-09-30)
• Total	17,299
• Density	18/km2 (47/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address	138-1, Sumizome-chō, Yakumo-cho, Futami-gun, Hokkaidō 049-3192
Climate	Dfb
Website	www.town.yakumo.lg.jp
Symbols
Bird	Steller's sea eagle
Flower	Sunflower
Tree	Japanese yew

As of September 2016, the town's population was estimated as 17,299, with a density of 18 persons per km². The total area is 955.98 km².

On October 1, 2005, the town of Kumaishi was merged into Yakumo; now in the newly created Futami District. The former town of Kumaishi joined Oshima Subprefecture at the same time.

Geography

Yakumo is the only municipality which faces both the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean. The Yakumo area and the Kumaishi area are separated by mountains.

The name comes from the word "Yakumo" in the Waka composed by Susanoo-no-Mikoto.^[1]

Neighboring municipalities

• Hiyama Subprefecture
  • Assabu
  • Imakane
  • Otobe
  • Setana
• Oshima Subprefecture
  • Mori
  • Oshamanbe

Climate

Climate data for Yakumo, Hokkaido (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	9.1 (48.4)	9.4 (48.9)	16.0 (60.8)	24.2 (75.6)	27.5 (81.5)	30.4 (86.7)	33.5 (92.3)	33.4 (92.1)	31.6 (88.9)	25.9 (78.6)	20.3 (68.5)	15.5 (59.9)	33.5 (92.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	−0.1 (31.8)	0.7 (33.3)	4.5 (40.1)	10.1 (50.2)	15.0 (59.0)	18.5 (65.3)	22.4 (72.3)	24.7 (76.5)	22.4 (72.3)	16.3 (61.3)	9.0 (48.2)	2.1 (35.8)	12.1 (53.8)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−3.3 (26.1)	−2.8 (27.0)	0.7 (33.3)	5.9 (42.6)	10.7 (51.3)	14.7 (58.5)	19.0 (66.2)	20.9 (69.6)	17.6 (63.7)	11.1 (52.0)	4.7 (40.5)	−1.2 (29.8)	8.2 (46.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−7.1 (19.2)	−6.9 (19.6)	−3.4 (25.9)	1.5 (34.7)	6.6 (43.9)	11.4 (52.5)	16.2 (61.2)	17.6 (63.7)	12.9 (55.2)	6.0 (42.8)	0.4 (32.7)	−4.7 (23.5)	4.2 (39.6)
Record low °C (°F)	−18.3 (−0.9)	−19.0 (−2.2)	−14.1 (6.6)	−8.9 (16.0)	−1.4 (29.5)	1.8 (35.2)	6.7 (44.1)	8.8 (47.8)	3.4 (38.1)	−1.9 (28.6)	−8.3 (17.1)	−14.4 (6.1)	−19.0 (−2.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	74.2 (2.92)	69.9 (2.75)	69.4 (2.73)	84.0 (3.31)	100.1 (3.94)	77.9 (3.07)	132.5 (5.22)	195.2 (7.69)	157.9 (6.22)	103.9 (4.09)	116.6 (4.59)	99.1 (3.90)	1,294.1 (50.95)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	185 (73)	153 (60)	99 (39)	9 (3.5)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	35 (14)	150 (59)	628 (247)
Average rainy days	17.2	15.3	12.9	10.4	10.5	8.4	9.8	10.3	11.0	12.2	15.2	17.8	151
Average snowy days	20.2	17.8	13.4	1.6	0	0	0	0	0	0	4.0	16.9	73.9
Mean monthly sunshine hours	64.8	83.4	134.4	177.0	181.1	138.2	116.5	139.7	159.0	148.0	91.4	64.6	1,500.9
Source 1: JMA[2]
Source 2: JMA[3]

History

• 1881: The village of Yakumo was founded in Yamakosi District.
• 1902:
  • Yakumo village and Yamakoshinai village were merged to form the new village of Yakumo.
  • Kumaishi village was founded in Nishi District, Hiyama Subprefecture.
• 1919: Yakumo village became Yakumo town.
• 1957: Otoshibe village in Kayabe District was merged into Yakumo town.
• 1962: Kumaishi village became Kumaishi town.
• 2005: Yakumo town and Kumaishi town was merged to form new town of Yakumo in Futami District. (Because of it, Hiyama Subprefecture was divided between north and south.)

Education

• High schools
  • Hokkaido Yakumo High School^[4]
  • Hokkaido Kumaishi High School^[5]

Transportation

Railway

• Hakodate Main Line: Otoshibe - Nodaoi - Yamakoshi - Yakumo - Washinosu - Yamasaki - Kuroiwa

Highway

• Hokkaido Expressway: Yakumo IC - Yakumo PA - Otoshibe IC
• National Route 5
• National Route 229
• National Route 277

Sister city

• Komaki, Aichi^[6]

Notable people from Yakumo

• Goro Ibuki, actor
• Masahiro Kobayashi, actor
• Yukari Konishi, sport shooter