Town in Japan
Matsumae (松前町, Matsumae-chō) is a town located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. The former home of the Matsumae Han, it has an Edo period castle, Matsumae Castle, the only one in Hokkaido, and Ryūun-in.
The total area of the town is 293.11 square kilometres (113.17 sq mi).
Geography
The town is located on the southern end of the Matsumae Peninsula. In addition the town governs the two islands in the Tsugaru Strait, Oshima and Kojima.[2]
Along with Kaminokuni, Hokkaido, and Fukushima, Hokkaido, Matsumae shares a border with Mount Daisengen, and contains the newest and shortest climbing route to the summit of the mountain.[3]
Climate
| Climate data for Matsumae, 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)
|
11.1
(52.0)
|
13.8
(56.8)
|
15.3
(59.5)
|
23.3
(73.9)
|
25.7
(78.3)
|
29.3
(84.7)
|
33.3
(91.9)
|
34.2
(93.6)
|
31.5
(88.7)
|
24.9
(76.8)
|
20.3
(68.5)
|
15.8
(60.4)
|
34.2
(93.6)
|
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
|
1.9
(35.4)
|
2.4
(36.3)
|
5.8
(42.4)
|
11.0
(51.8)
|
15.9
(60.6)
|
20.0
(68.0)
|
23.7
(74.7)
|
25.9
(78.6)
|
23.1
(73.6)
|
17.3
(63.1)
|
10.7
(51.3)
|
4.5
(40.1)
|
13.5
(56.3)
|
| Daily mean °C (°F)
|
−0.5
(31.1)
|
−0.1
(31.8)
|
3.0
(37.4)
|
7.9
(46.2)
|
12.5
(54.5)
|
16.6
(61.9)
|
20.6
(69.1)
|
22.7
(72.9)
|
19.8
(67.6)
|
14.1
(57.4)
|
7.8
(46.0)
|
1.9
(35.4)
|
10.5
(50.9)
|
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
|
−3.0
(26.6)
|
−2.7
(27.1)
|
0.1
(32.2)
|
4.7
(40.5)
|
9.4
(48.9)
|
13.5
(56.3)
|
18.1
(64.6)
|
20.0
(68.0)
|
16.7
(62.1)
|
10.9
(51.6)
|
4.8
(40.6)
|
−0.7
(30.7)
|
7.7
(45.8)
|
| Record low °C (°F)
|
−11.6
(11.1)
|
−10.4
(13.3)
|
−7.9
(17.8)
|
−3.7
(25.3)
|
2.2
(36.0)
|
6.3
(43.3)
|
10.6
(51.1)
|
12.6
(54.7)
|
7.6
(45.7)
|
2.7
(36.9)
|
−6.1
(21.0)
|
−11.4
(11.5)
|
−11.6
(11.1)
|
| Average precipitation mm (inches)
|
87.1
(3.43)
|
72.9
(2.87)
|
63.9
(2.52)
|
73.5
(2.89)
|
97.5
(3.84)
|
80.0
(3.15)
|
124.9
(4.92)
|
157.5
(6.20)
|
155.2
(6.11)
|
115.5
(4.55)
|
122.0
(4.80)
|
106.0
(4.17)
|
1,251.3
(49.26)
|
| Average rainy days
|
18.4
|
15.5
|
13.3
|
10.3
|
10.2
|
8.7
|
10.4
|
9.8
|
11.5
|
12.4
|
15.7
|
18.9
|
155.1
|
| Mean monthly sunshine hours
|
46.9
|
66.7
|
132.3
|
175.7
|
173.4
|
159.2
|
137.4
|
170.3
|
171.1
|
153.3
|
82.1
|
50.1
|
1,518.5
|
| Source 1: JMA[4]
|
| Source 2: JMA[5][6]
|
Demographics
As of September 2016, the town has an estimated population of 7,843 and a density of 26.7 persons per km2.
Culture and lifestyle
Surrounding Matsumae Castle is Matsumae Park, which features over 10,000 cherry trees of over 250 varieties, and is ranked among the top cherry blossom viewing spots in the country.[7]
