Hachijō 八丈町 |
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Town | |||
Hachijōjima as viewed from Noboryu peak
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Location of Hachijō in Tokyo Metropolis |
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Coordinates: 33°06′34.2″N 139°47′27.2″E / 33.109500°N 139.790889°ECoordinates: 33°06′34.2″N 139°47′27.2″E / 33.109500°N 139.790889°E | |||
Country | Japan | ||
Region | Kantō | ||
Prefecture | Tokyo Metropolis | ||
District | Hachijō Subprefecture | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 72.23 km2 (27.89 sq mi) | ||
Population (June 2016) | |||
• Total | 7,516 | ||
• Density | 104/km2 (270/sq mi) | ||
Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | ||
Symbols | |||
• Tree | Pygmy date palm | ||
• Flower | Strelitzia | ||
• Bird | Izu thrush | ||
• Fish | Flying fish | ||
Phone number | 04996-2-1121 | ||
Address | 2345-1, Ōkagō, Hachijō-machi, Tōkyō-to 100-1498 | ||
Website | Official website |
Hachijō (八丈町 Hachijō-machi?) is a town located in Hachijō Subprefecture, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan.As of 1 June 2016[update], the town had an estimated population of 7,516 and a population density of 104 persons per km². Its total area was 72.23 square kilometres (27.89 sq mi) Electric power for the town is provided by a geothermal power station and by a wind farm.
Hachijō covers the islands of Hachijō-jima and Hachijō-kojima, two of the islands in the Izu archipelago in the Philippine Sea, 228 kilometres (142 mi) south of central Tokyo. Warmed by the Kuroshio Current, the town has a warmer and wetter climate than central Tokyo. All of the town's residents live on the island of Hachijō-jima.
During the Edo period, Hachijōjima was known as a place of exile for convicts. This practice ended in the Meiji period, and the island residents developed an economy based on fishing, sericulture, and agriculture. Hachijō Subprefecture was organized on April 1, 1908, and included the villages of Mitsune, Nakanogo, Kashitate, Sueyoshi and Ōkago. The villages of Toruchi and Utsuki on Hachijōkojima were organized on May 3, 1947. The five villages of Hachijōjima merged on October 1, 1954 to form the village of Hachijō. On April 1, 1955, the two villages of Hachijōkojima also merged with the village of Hachijō, which was promoted to town status. However, in March 1966, the residents of Hachijōkojima voted to abandon their island, citing the inaccessibility of basic public services and economic difficulties, and Hachijōkojima became a deserted island from June 1969.