Tomakomai
City in Hokkaido, Japan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tomakomai (苫小牧市, Tomakomai-shi) is a city and port in Iburi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the largest city in the Iburi Subprefecture, and the fourth largest city in Hokkaido. As of 31 July 2023, it had an estimated population of 167,372, with 83,836 households, and a population density of 298 persons per km2 (770 persons per mi2). The total area is 561.57 km2 (216.82 sq mi).
CountryJapan
First official recorded1799 AD
City hall address4-5-6 Asahimachi, Tomakomai-shi, Hokkaido
053-8722
053-8722
Tomakomai
苫小牧市 | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Tomakomai in Hokkaido (Iburi Subprefecture) | |
  Tomakomai Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates: 42°38′N 141°36′E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Hokkaido |
| Prefecture | Hokkaido (Iburi Subprefecture) |
| First official recorded | 1799 AD |
| City settled | 1 April 1948 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Suguru Kanazawa |
| Area | |
• Total | 561.57 km2 (216.82 sq mi) |
| Population (July 31, 2023) | |
• Total | 167,372 |
| • Density | 298.04/km2 (771.93/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 4-5-6 Asahimachi, Tomakomai-shi, Hokkaido 053-8722 |
| Climate | Dfb |
| Website | www |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Swan |
| Flower | Tree flower: Hasukappu (Lonicera caerulea var. emphyllocalyx) Grass flower: Hanashōbu (Iris ensata var. ensata) |
| Mascot | Toma Chop |
| Tree | Japanese Rowan |
The city is known for its high catch of Arctic surf clams.
History
The name of Tomakomai is derived from Ainu words "to" and "makomai", meaning "Marsh" and "River which goes into the depths of the mountain", respectively.[1][2]
- 1879: Yūfutsu branch of Hokkaidō Development Commission was transferred into Tomakomai (Foundation anniversary).
- 1902: Tomakomai became second class village.
- 1918: Tomakomai village became Tomakomai town.
- 1948: Tomakomai town became Tomakomai city.
- 1963: Tomakomai Port (West) was opened.
- 1980: Tomakomai Port (East) was opened.
- 6 September 2018: Tomakomai City is the nearest city from the epicenter of the 2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi earthquake.
Geography
Mount Tarumae is located in the northwest of Tomakomai and belongs to Shikotsu-Tōya National Park.
Climate
Tomakomai has a humid continental climate typical of Hokkaido.
| Climate data for Tomakomai (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1942−present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 10.0 (50.0) |
12.6 (54.7) |
15.5 (59.9) |
21.8 (71.2) |
27.3 (81.1) |
30.6 (87.1) |
33.3 (91.9) |
35.5 (95.9) |
29.5 (85.1) |
24.4 (75.9) |
19.1 (66.4) |
14.8 (58.6) |
35.5 (95.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 0.5 (32.9) |
0.9 (33.6) |
4.4 (39.9) |
9.6 (49.3) |
14.1 (57.4) |
17.3 (63.1) |
21.0 (69.8) |
23.4 (74.1) |
21.7 (71.1) |
16.2 (61.2) |
9.2 (48.6) |
2.8 (37.0) |
11.8 (53.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −3.6 (25.5) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
0.5 (32.9) |
5.3 (41.5) |
10.0 (50.0) |
14.0 (57.2) |
18.2 (64.8) |
20.4 (68.7) |
17.8 (64.0) |
11.5 (52.7) |
4.9 (40.8) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
7.9 (46.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −8.1 (17.4) |
−7.9 (17.8) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
1.3 (34.3) |
6.6 (43.9) |
11.5 (52.7) |
16.1 (61.0) |
18.0 (64.4) |
13.8 (56.8) |
6.4 (43.5) |
0.2 (32.4) |
−5.4 (22.3) |
4.1 (39.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −21.3 (−6.3) |
−20.9 (−5.6) |
−19.8 (−3.6) |
−9.8 (14.4) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
1.8 (35.2) |
6.5 (43.7) |
9.2 (48.6) |
2.4 (36.3) |
−5.1 (22.8) |
−12.6 (9.3) |
−20.4 (−4.7) |
−21.3 (−6.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 38.7 (1.52) |
37.5 (1.48) |
53.5 (2.11) |
75.7 (2.98) |
130.8 (5.15) |
111.6 (4.39) |
163.5 (6.44) |
197.5 (7.78) |
174.9 (6.89) |
113.2 (4.46) |
85.7 (3.37) |
56.6 (2.23) |
1,239.2 (48.79) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 42 (17) |
42 (17) |
26 (10) |
2 (0.8) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
4 (1.6) |
29 (11) |
145 (57) |
| Average rainy days | 7.3 | 7.6 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 9.9 | 8.7 | 11.1 | 11.8 | 10.4 | 9.7 | 9.3 | 8.1 | 111.7 |
| Average snowy days | 10.6 | 10.9 | 7.4 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.9 | 6.6 | 37.1 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 70 | 70 | 71 | 74 | 79 | 86 | 88 | 86 | 80 | 74 | 71 | 70 | 77 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 142.0 | 144.7 | 165.6 | 173.5 | 171.9 | 119.7 | 108.1 | 122.2 | 153.1 | 156.0 | 127.1 | 127.6 | 1,711.5 |
| Source 1: JMA[3] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: JMA[4] | |||||||||||||
Transportation
Airport
Rail
- Chitose Line: Numanohata - Uenae
- Hidaka Main Line: Numanohata - Yūfutsu
- Muroran Main Line: Nishikioka - Itoi - Aoba - Tomakomai - Numanohata
Road
Seaport
- Tomakomai West Port Ferry Terminal: connected with regular ferry services by MOL Ferry, Taiheiyō Ferry, K Line Kinkai.
Education
University
College
- National Institute of Technology, Tomakomai College
High schools
Public
- Hokkaido Tomakomai Higashi High School
- Hokkaido Tomakomai Minami High School
- Hokkaido Tomakomai Nishi High School
- Hokkaido Tomakomai Sogokeizai High School
- Hokkaido Tomakomai Technical High School
Private
- Komazawa University Tomakomai High School
- Tomakomai Chuo High School
Sports
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In 2014, Tomakomai hosted the World Broomball Championships.[5]
Tomakomai is home to the Asia League Ice Hockey team Red Eagles Hokkaido.[6]
Sister cities and friendship cities
Sister cities
Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan (since 1973)[7]
Napier, Hawke's Bay Region, New Zealand (since 1980)- Nikko, Tochigi, Japan (since 1982)
Friendship city
Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China (since 1998)
Notable people from Tomakomai
- Yushiroh Hirano, ice hockey player, Adirondack Thunder[8]
- Tsutomu Kawabuchi, ice hockey player and coach, member of the IIHF Hall of Fame[9]
- Asami Kimura, singer in Hello! Project and former Country Musume member and leader
- Eiichi Kudo, film director
- Junko Misaki, enka singer
- Ippei Mizuhara, Interpreter for Major League Baseball
- Takuya Onodera, professional wrestler best known as T-Hawk
- Kei Sanbe, manga artist[citation needed]
- Naoki Sano, professional wrestler
- Hisayoshi Sato, swimmer[10]
- Shokichi, member of Exile and Exile The Second
