Area 689.6 km² | Population 61,286 (Mar 2011) | |
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Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) Website www.city.hamada.shimane.jp Weather 8°C, Wind N at 26 km/h, 81% Humidity | ||
Hamada (浜田市, Hamada-shi) is a city located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. It is the third largest city in the prefecture and is located at the southwestern end of the prefecture. It is a coastal city on the Sea of Japan and possesses beautiful white sand beaches, which make the city a popular destination for local tourists in the summer. Although Hamada is a relatively small city, it is conveniently located on the expressway across Chugoku to Hiroshima City with a journey time of about 1 hour 40 minutes. The city was founded on November 3, 1940.
Contents
- Map of Hamada Shimane Prefecture Japan
- Education in Hamada
- Climate
- Sights
- Twin towns Sister cities
- References
Map of Hamada, Shimane Prefecture, Japan
On October 1, 2005, the towns of Asahi, Kanagi and Misumi, and the village of Yasaka (all from Naka District) were merged into Hamada. Therefore, Naka District was dissolved as a result of this merger.
As of March 2011, Hamada City has an estimated population of 61,286, with roughly 43,000 people living in the coastal urban 'city' area.
The prefectural university (The University of Shimane) is located in Hamada, as is the Institute for Northeast Asian Research.
Hamada is one of the few cities in the region to possess a heavy tonnage shipping port. The Hamada Commercial Port can accept vessles up to a maximum of 50,000 tonnes deadweight (DWT).1
Education in Hamada
Hamada has 26 elementary schools, 9 junior high schools and 3 senior high schools throughout the city area. Currently there are 9 ALTs (under the JET Programme and Interac) involved in English education in Hamada; 1 at solely elementary level, 6 at JHS and elementary level and 2 at high school level.
Climate
Hamada has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa). It experiences a wide range in temperature between summer and winter but due to its location it is saved from the extreme winter cold in the north and prolonged summer heat in the south. In summer the temperature gets as high as 38 °C (100 °F) with high humidity and in winter it can drop to −5 °C (23 °F). The coastal main city of Hamada occasionally gets snowfall in the winter. The mountainous areas of Hamada inland to the east receive high levels of snowfall and are home to some of the best ski resorts in the area. Late spring/early summer is the rainy season with frequent light showers throughout the day. Spring and Autumn in Hamada provide warm, sunny weather with a very comfortable temperature.
Due to its location on the eastern seaboard of Japan, Hamada is relatively free from weather extremes such as typhoons or flooding. Hamada is also not located near a fault line and the occurrence of strong earthquakes in Shimane is rare.
Sights
Twin towns — Sister cities
Hamada is twinned with: