Tōkamachi
# Tōkamachi

Tōkamachi (十日町市, Tōkamachi-shi) is a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 July 2019, the city had an estimated population of 28,728 in 19,823 households, and a population density of 86.3 persons per km². The total area of the city was 590.39 square kilometres (227.95 sq mi), although some borders of the city are not well defined. Tōkamachi derives its name from the fact that a market was held every tenth day of the month. Similarly, the nearby former town of Muikamachi had its own local market held on days ending in six each month.

## Geography

Tōkamachi is located in an inland region of southwest Niigata Prefecture. Parts of the city are within the borders of the Jōshin'etsu-kōgen National Park.

### Surrounding municipalities

* Niigata Prefecture
   * Nagaoka
   * Jōetsu
   * Kashiwazaki
   * Ojiya
   * Uonuma
   * Minamiuonuma
   * Tsunan
   * Yuzawa
* Nagano Prefecture
   * Sakae

### Climate

Tōkamachi has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Tōkamachi is 11.8 °C (53.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,537.0 mm (99.88 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.9 °C (76.8 °F), and lowest in January, at around −0.1 °C (31.8 °F). Because Tōkamachi lies in a valley, wind patterns bring in clouds from both the Sea of Japan as well as the Pacific Ocean. The mountains surrounding the city (though not terribly high in altitude) act as any other mountains that affect rain and snow patterns providing a barrier for cloud patterns. This causes a great deal of the built up precipitation to drop on the city. The Tōkamachi area receives the most snow of any area on the main island of Honshu.

Climate data for Tōkamachi (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present) :

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.1 (57.4) | 16.8 (62.2) | 22.6 (72.7) | 30.4 (86.7) | 32.2 (90.0) | 34.3 (93.7) | 36.1 (97.0) | 37.0 (98.6) | 35.3 (95.5) | 32.4 (90.3) | 24.6 (76.3) | 20.5 (68.9) | 37.0 (98.6) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 3.0 (37.4) | 3.9 (39.0) | 7.7 (45.9) | 15.3 (59.5) | 22.1 (71.8) | 25.3 (77.5) | 28.6 (83.5) | 30.2 (86.4) | 25.8 (78.4) | 19.7 (67.5) | 13.1 (55.6) | 6.2 (43.2) | 16.7 (62.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −0.1 (31.8) | 0.1 (32.2) | 2.8 (37.0) | 8.9 (48.0) | 15.9 (60.6) | 20.1 (68.2) | 23.8 (74.8) | 24.9 (76.8) | 20.7 (69.3) | 14.4 (57.9) | 8.1 (46.6) | 2.5 (36.5) | 11.8 (53.3) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −2.9 (26.8) | −3.3 (26.1) | −1.3 (29.7) | 3.5 (38.3) | 10.3 (50.5) | 15.8 (60.4) | 20.1 (68.2) | 20.9 (69.6) | 16.7 (62.1) | 10.3 (50.5) | 4.0 (39.2) | −0.4 (31.3) | 7.8 (46.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −12.1 (10.2) | −12.8 (9.0) | −9.2 (15.4) | −5.0 (23.0) | 1.3 (34.3) | 6.3 (43.3) | 13.0 (55.4) | 12.6 (54.7) | 6.2 (43.2) | 0.4 (32.7) | −4.7 (23.5) | −10.6 (12.9) | −12.8 (9.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 392.4 (15.45) | 262.2 (10.32) | 177.7 (7.00) | 111.2 (4.38) | 100.5 (3.96) | 135.6 (5.34) | 220.9 (8.70) | 183.3 (7.22) | 168.7 (6.64) | 167.4 (6.59) | 233.7 (9.20) | 397.8 (15.66) | 2,537 (99.88) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 354 (139) | 263 (104) | 139 (55) | 25 (9.8) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 7 (2.8) | 193 (76) | 967 (381) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 25.0 | 21.1 | 19.6 | 13.8 | 11.6 | 12.4 | 15.1 | 12.3 | 13.7 | 14.9 | 18.3 | 22.9 | 200.7 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) | 21.7 | 17.8 | 14.1 | 3.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 12.2 | 70.3 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 45.7 | 66.6 | 109.9 | 169.1 | 205.8 | 158.1 | 148.6 | 191.9 | 137.8 | 130.1 | 100.9 | 62.9 | 1,527.5 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Tōkamachi has declined steadily over the past 50 years.

## History

The area of present-day Tōkamachi was part of ancient Echigo Province, and was part of the tenryō territories held directly by then Tokugawa shogunate. Following the Meiji restoration, was the capital of the newly-formed Nakauonuma District of Niigata Prefecture, and was proclaimed a village on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to town status on September 24, 1897. Tōkamachi gained city status on March 31, 1954, by merging with the neighbouring villages of Nakajō, Kawaji and Rokka. The village of Yoshida (from Nakauonuma District) was annexed on December 1, 1954 followed by the village of Shimojō (from Nakauonuma District) on February 1, 1955. On April 1, 1962 - Tōkamachi absorbed the village of Mizusawa (from Nakauonuma District). The Chūetsu earthquake of October 23, 2004 caused only minor damage to the city. On April 1, 2005 Tōkamachi absorbed the towns of Matsudai and Matsunoyama (both from Higashikubiki District); the town of Kawanishi, and the village of Nakasato (both from Nakauonuma District) to create the new and expanded city of Tōkamachi.

## Government

Tōkamachi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 24 members. The city contributes two members to the Niigata Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Niigata District No.6 of the lower house of the National Diet of Japan.

## Economy

Sericulture and the production of silk is a traditional mainstay of the local economy. Agriculture, notably the production of Koshihikari rice is also very important.

## Education

Tōkamachi has 18 public elementary schools and nine public middle schools operated by the city government and one private elementary and one private middle school. There are four public high schools operated by the Niigata Prefectural Board of Education. The prefectural also operates three special education schools.

## Transportation

### Railway

JR East - – Iiyama Line

* Echigo-Tazawa - Echigo-Mizusawa - Doichi - Tōkamachi - Uonuma-Nakajō - Gejō

Hokuetsu Express Hokuhoku Line

* Misashima - Shinza - Tōkamachi - Matsudai

### Highway

* National Route 117
* National Route 252
* National Route 253
* National Route 353
* National Route 403
* National Route 405

## Sister cities

### International

* Como, Italy, signed in 1975

### Inside Japan

* Sapporo, Hokkaido
* Yokohama, Kanagawa
* Shibushi, Kagoshima
* Wako, Saitama
   * (All signed on August 27, 2004)

## Notable people from Tōkamachi

* Toshiei Mizuochi, Japanese politician
* Shuichi Shigeno, Japanese mangaka
* Kōji Takahashi, Japanese actor
* Genichi Taguchi, Japanese engineer and statistician
* Maki Miyamae, Japanese pop singer, professional chef and restaurateur

## Local attractions

* Tōkamachi is home to the Tōkamachi Snow Festival [ja], which takes place every February.
* Tōkamachi also hosts the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial
* Bijinbayashi [ja]
* Kiyotsu Gorge
* Rice Terraces (Hoshitoge, Gimyo, Gamo) [ja]
* Matsunoyama Onsen [ja]
* Tokamachi snow festival
* Bijinbayashi
* Kiyotsu Gorge
* Hoshitoge Rice Terrace
* Kinare, an Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial site, late March
* Matsunoyama Onsen
