Map of Hokkaido
Hokkaido is a first-level division of Japan. Its largest mapped city is Sapporo, with about 2.54 million people in the metropolitan area. The interactive map below is centred on Hokkaido, and the tables list its 9 mapped cities along with the mountains, ports, World Heritage Sites nearest to them.
- Cities Mapped
- 9
- Largest City
- Sapporo
- Country
- Japan
- Highest Point Mapped
- 2,290 m
Interactive Map of Hokkaido
About Hokkaido
Hokkaido is the second-largest and northernmost of Japan's four main islands. Together with its surrounding islands, it comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu. The two islands are connected by railway via the Seikan Tunnel.
The largest city on Hokkaido is its capital, Sapporo, which is also its only ordinance-designated city. Sakhalin, Russia, lies about 43 kilometres (27 mi) to the north of Hokkaido. To the east and northeast are the Kuril Islands, which are administered by Russia, although the four southernmost are claimed by Japan. Hokkaido's position on the northern end of the Japanese archipelago results in a colder climate, with the island seeing significant snowfall each winter. Despite the harsher climate, it serves as an agricultural breadbasket for many crops.
Hokkaido was formerly known as Ezo, Ezochi, and Ezogashima. Although Japanese settlers ruled the southern tip of the island since the 16th century, Hokkaido was primarily inhabited by the Ainu people. In 1869, following the Meiji Restoration, the entire island was annexed, colonized, and renamed Hokkaido by Japan. Japanese settlers dispossessed the Ainu of their land and forced them to assimilate. In the 21st century, the Ainu are almost totally assimilated into Japanese society, leading to the near-erasure of their cultural practices, traditions and language.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Hokkaido (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Hokkaido in Depth
History
During the Jōmon period, the local culture and the associated hunter-gatherer lifestyle flourished in Hokkaido, beginning over 15,000 years ago. In contrast to the island of Honshu, Hokkaido experienced no conflict during this period. Jomon beliefs in natural spirits are theorized to have given rise to Ainu spirituality. About 2,000 years ago, the island was colonized by Yayoi people, and much of the island's population shifted away from hunting and gathering towards agriculture.
The Ebetsu Kofun Cluster is a group of mounds dating from the latter half of the 8th century to the middle of the 9th century, and was surveyed by Juichi Goto in 1931. Along with the kofun, warabitetō (蕨手刀) or 'Emishi sword', magatama, and Sue pottery were discovered.
Geography
The island of Hokkaido is located in the north of Japan, near Russia (Sakhalin Oblast). It has coastlines on the Sea of Japan (to the west of the island), the Sea of Okhotsk (to the north), and the Pacific Ocean (to the east). The center of the island is mountainous, with volcanic plateaux. Hokkaido has multiple plains such as the Ishikari Plain 3,800 km2 (1,500 mi2), Tokachi Plain 3,600 km2 (1,400 mi2), the Kushiro Plain 2,510 km2 (970 mi2) (the largest wetland in Japan) and Sarobetsu Plain 200 km2 (77 mi2). Hokkaido is 83,423.84 km2 (32,210.12 mi2) which make it the second-largest island of Japan.
Economy
Although there is some light industry (most notably paper milling and beer brewing) most of the population is employed by the service sector. In 2001, the service sector and other tertiary industries generated more than three-quarters of the gross domestic product.
Agriculture and other primary industries play a large role in Hokkaido's economy. Hokkaido has nearly one fourth of Japan's total arable land. It ranks first in the nation in the production of a host of agricultural products, including wheat, soybeans, potatoes, sugar beets, onions, pumpkins, corn, raw milk, and beef. Hokkaido also accounts for 22% of Japan's forests with a sizable timber industry. The prefecture is first in the nation in production of marine products and aquaculture.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Hokkaido (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Hokkaido: Key Facts
| Population | 5,383,579 (2015) |
|---|---|
| Area | 77,984 km² |
| Highest point | Asahi-dake |
Facts from Wikidata Q35581 (CC0).
History of Hokkaido: Empires and States
The atlas records 4 polities whose mapped territory included part of Hokkaido, from Tokugawa Shogunate in 1799 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here |
|---|---|
| Tokugawa Shogunate | 1799–1869 CE |
| Empire of Japan | 1870–1945 CE |
| United States of America | 1946–1966 CE |
| Japan | 1953–2024 CE |
Historical Maps of Hokkaido
Hokkaido on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Hokkaido
Hokkaido (北海道 Hokkaidō) is the northernmost of Japan's four main islands and at the same time a prefecture. With both size and population (5.3 million in 2019) similar to Scotland, it is the most sparsely populated part of Japan. Home to Japan's native Ainu people, Hokkaido continues to represent the untamed wilderness with many great national parks.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Hokkaido (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Hokkaido
9 cities mapped. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sapporo | 2.54 million | Hokkaido | Admin-1 region capital |
| 2 | Asahikawa | 356,612 | Hokkaido | Populated place |
| 3 | Hakodate | 302,984 | Hokkaido | Populated place |
| 4 | Kushiro | 198,566 | Hokkaido | Populated place |
| 5 | Tomakomai | 174,806 | Hokkaido | Admin-1 capital |
| 6 | Obihiro | 173,890 | Hokkaido | Populated place |
| 7 | Muroran | 155,676 | Hokkaido | Populated place |
| 8 | Otaru | 143,792 | Hokkaido | Populated place |
| 9 | Kitami | 113,137 | Hokkaido | Populated place |
Highest Mountains in Hokkaido
1 mountain mapped. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asahi-dake | 2,290 m | 7,513 ft | Asia |
Ports in Hokkaido
16 ports mapped. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abashiri Ko | 45.7 m | Small | Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk | medium vessels |
| 2 | Nemuro Ko | 45.7 m | Small | Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk | medium vessels |
| 3 | Rumoi Ko | 42.1 m | Very Small | Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk | large vessels |
| 4 | Isikari Wan | 42.1 m | Very Small | Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk | point_of_interest |
| 5 | Ishikari Bay New Port | 38.4 m | Minor | Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk | large vessels |
| 6 | Wakkanai | 38.4 m | Small | Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk | large vessels |
| 7 | Hakodate Ko | 38.4 m | Minor | Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk | large vessels |
| 8 | Kushiro Ko | 38.4 m | Minor | Pacific Coast of Japan | large vessels |
| 9 | Mombetsu Ko | 34.7 m | Very Small | Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk | point_of_interest |
| 10 | Mori | 34.7 m | Very Small | Pacific Coast of Japan | medium vessels |
The other 6 (channel depth, class, sea, max vessel)
- Esasi Ko · 34.7 m · Very Small · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · point_of_interest
- Otaru Ko · 34.7 m · Minor · Sea of Japan & Sea of Okhotsk · large vessels
- Hanasaki Ko · 31.1 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
- Tokachi · 31.1 m · Very Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · point_of_interest
- Tomakomai Ko · 27.4 m · Small · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
- Muroran Ko · 23.8 m · Minor · Pacific Coast of Japan · large vessels
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Hokkaido
2 World Heritage Sites mapped. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shiretoko | 2005 | Natural | (ix) (x) |
| 2 | Jōmon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan | 2021 | Cultural | (iii) (v) |
Hokkaido: Quick Answers
- Where is Hokkaido?
- Hokkaido is a first-level division of Japan, in Asia. Its mapped cities centre on 42.9524° N, 142.1567° E.
- What is the largest city in Hokkaido?
- Sapporo is the largest city mapped in Hokkaido, with a metropolitan population of about 2.54 million.
- How many cities are in Hokkaido?
- YearMaps maps 9 cities and towns in Hokkaido, with a combined metropolitan population of about 4.16 million. This counts mapped settlements, not every municipality.
- What is the highest mountain in Hokkaido?
- The highest summit mapped in Hokkaido is Asahi-dake at 2,290 m.