Directory_and_Chronicle_1940 — Page 309

HAKODATE

This, the most northerly of the old treaty ports of Japan, is situated in the south of Hokkaido, in the Straits of Tsugaru, which divide that island from Honshiu. The port lies in latitude 41 deg. 47 min. 8 sec. N., and longi- tude 140 deg. 45 min. 34 sec. E., and the harbour is nearly land-locked. The town clusters at the foot and on the slope of a bold rock kuown to foreigners as Hakodate Head, about 1,000 feet in height, which is within a fortified area to which the public are not admitted. The surrounding country is hilly. volcanic, and striking, but the town itself possesses few attractions. There are some Public Gardens at the eastern end of the town which contain a small but interesting Museum. Waterworks for supplying the town with pure water were completed in 1889. The climate of Hakodate is healthy and bracing. The hottest month is August, but the thermometer there rarely rises above 90 degrees Fahr.; in the winter it sometimes sinks to 10 degrees Fahr. or even less, the minimum in an average winter being about 12 degrees Fahr. The mean temperature throughout the year is about 48 degrees. The popula- lation of Hakodate according to the last official census in October 1930 was 197,252.

The foreign trade of the port is small, but has been steadily growing during the last few years, mainly owing to the development of the Kamtschatka salmon fisheries, for which Hakodate is the principal entrepôt. In the valuable and extensive fisheries on the coast and in the surrounding seas, however, the chief exports of the future from Hakodate are to be looked for. Increasing quantities of dried fish and seaweed are exported annually, mostly to China. The mineral resources of Hokkaido are large. Washing for gold dust has been carried on in Kitami, and the belief is entertained that with proper machinery the gold mines of Hokkaido may be worked

worked with fair profit. Magnetic iron is also obtained. Oil resource is not considered to be so rich. The kerosene wealth of this district is said to be considerable, but none of the borings has so far given a high yield. At Nukimi-Mura on Soya Strait-in the extreme north- oil wells were discovered long ago, and have been worked by hand for some years. The oil, in fact, overflows into the sea, and in stormy weather boats take refuge at Nuki- mi-Mura, as the sea is rendered smooth by the oil. Oil also exists at Nigori- Kawa, near Hakodate; at Kayabegori, near Shiribeshi; at Itaibetsu, on a tributary of the Urin River (output 800 gallons per day); at Kotamimura and Tsukisama Mura (Imperial property), near Sapporo; and near Abashiri,

where the wells are considered rich.

Hakodate is reached in 17 hours from Tokyo, via Aomori, between which place and Hakodate there is a very good steamship service, maintained by the Government Railways. From Hakodate all the principal points in Hokkaido can now be reached by rail, and there is also a Government Steamship service. to Odomari, in Karafuto (Japanese Saghalien). The Hakodate Harbour Im- provement Works were completed in 1900, and a patent slip capable of taking vessels up to 1,500 tons was also finished. There is a dry dock to accommo- date ships up to 10,000 tons at ordinary spring tides, and at highest spring tides the dock is capable of receiving the largest battleships in the Japanese Navy.

In August, 1907, half the city of Hakodate was destroyed by a fire. The number of houses destroyed in the conflagration was ascertained to be 8,977, rendering about 60,000 persons homeless. All the foreign residents with the exception of the American Consular Agent were burnt out, saving nothing, and the total loss was estimated at not less than 50,000,000 yen.