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Shin-Kamigotō

新上五島町
Shin-Kamigotō 新上五島町
Town
	Shin-Kamigotō Town Office
	Flag Seal
	Location of Shin-Kamigotō in Nagasaki Prefecture
	Shin-Kamigotō Location in Japan
	Coordinates: 32°59′4″N 129°4′24″E / 32.98444°N 129.07333°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kyushu
Prefecture	Nagasaki Prefecture
District	Minami-Matsuura
Area
• Total	213.98 km2 (82.62 sq mi)
Population (March 31, 2017)
• Total	19,866
• Density	93/km2 (240/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
Climate	Cfa
Website	official.shinkamigoto.net
Symbols
Bird	Japanese white-eye
Flower	Camellia
Tree	Camellia

Shin-Kamigotō (新上五島町, Shin-Kamigotō-chō) is a town located in Minami-Matsuura District, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

The town was established on August 1, 2004 after the merger of the towns of Arikawa, Kamigotō, Narao, Shin-Uonome and Wakamatsu, all from Minami-Matsuura District. Following this merger, it became the only municipality in the Minami-Matsuura District. It occupies the two main islands of Nakadōri and Wakamatsu, which are connected by Wakamatsu Oohashi ("Wakamatsu Great Bridge", built 1991) via the small, unpopulated islet of Kaminakajima (上中島), as well as several smaller islands, including the populated islands of Arifuku, Hinoshima, Ryōzegaura, Kashiragashima, and Kirinoko. Wakamatsu Island is connected at its northwestern extremity to Ryōzegaura Island by the Ryōzegaura Bridge, and Ryōzegaura Island is further linked with the islands of Arifuku and Hinoshima by breakwaters that allow traffic of automobiles. Kashiragashima Oohashi (built 1981) connects the eastern end of the main island of Nakadōri with Kashiragashima, on which the famous Kashiragashima Church and the defunct Kamigotō Airport are located.

The islands that comprise the territory of Shin-Kamigotō Town also form the northeastern half of the Gotō Islands archipelago, which is the origin of the name Kamigotō (literally, "Upper Five Islands"), in which Gotō ("Five Islands") is the name of the entire archipelago, and Kami- ("Upper") refers to the fact that this half of the archipelago is located closer to the Japanese capital relative to the southwestern half. The prefix Shin- (新) at the beginning of the town's name means "new," so its full name may be translated literally to English as "New Upper Five Islands Town," though the name may be interpreted to refer to the town as a new and expanded version of the former Kamigotō Town, which was centered on the port of Aokata on the western side of the middle of Nakadōri Island.

As of March 31, 2017, the town has an estimated population of 19,866^[1] and a density of 93 persons per km². The total area is 213.98 km².

Climate

Shin-Kamigotō has the typical humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) of Kyūshū, characterized by mild winters and long, hot, and humid summers. The average annual temperature in Shin-Kamigotō is 17.1 °C (62.8 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,192.3 mm (86.31 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.4 °C (81.3 °F), and lowest in January, at around 7.7 °C (45.9 °F).^[2] Its record high is 36.4 °C (97.5 °F), reached on 21 August 2013, and its record low is −4.7 °C (23.5 °F), reached on 23 January 1981.^[3]

Climate data for Arikawa, Shin-Kamigotō (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	20.4 (68.7)	23.3 (73.9)	23.1 (73.6)	28.5 (83.3)	29.0 (84.2)	32.1 (89.8)	34.6 (94.3)	36.4 (97.5)	33.7 (92.7)	31.6 (88.9)	27.0 (80.6)	24.2 (75.6)	36.4 (97.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	10.5 (50.9)	11.5 (52.7)	14.5 (58.1)	18.8 (65.8)	22.7 (72.9)	25.5 (77.9)	29.7 (85.5)	31.0 (87.8)	27.5 (81.5)	23.2 (73.8)	18.3 (64.9)	13.1 (55.6)	20.5 (68.9)
Daily mean °C (°F)	7.7 (45.9)	8.3 (46.9)	11.0 (51.8)	14.9 (58.8)	18.8 (65.8)	22.1 (71.8)	26.4 (79.5)	27.4 (81.3)	24.3 (75.7)	19.8 (67.6)	14.8 (58.6)	9.9 (49.8)	17.1 (62.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	4.6 (40.3)	4.8 (40.6)	7.2 (45.0)	10.9 (51.6)	15.0 (59.0)	19.2 (66.6)	23.9 (75.0)	24.6 (76.3)	21.5 (70.7)	16.5 (61.7)	11.1 (52.0)	6.5 (43.7)	13.8 (56.9)
Record low °C (°F)	−4.7 (23.5)	−4.5 (23.9)	−2.4 (27.7)	−0.1 (31.8)	5.8 (42.4)	9.6 (49.3)	15.5 (59.9)	17.2 (63.0)	13.1 (55.6)	4.2 (39.6)	2.3 (36.1)	−2.9 (26.8)	−4.7 (23.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	83.2 (3.28)	100.1 (3.94)	147.6 (5.81)	196.9 (7.75)	199.0 (7.83)	306.0 (12.05)	316.3 (12.45)	251.3 (9.89)	242.1 (9.53)	121.8 (4.80)	118.6 (4.67)	85.1 (3.35)	2,192.3 (86.31)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	9.4	9.0	10.7	9.6	9.4	12.2	11.4	10.3	9.5	6.8	8.3	9.0	115.6
Mean monthly sunshine hours	77.8	108.0	152.8	179.5	190.9	126.9	162.5	195.4	160.9	170.8	121.5	85.8	1,734.5
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency^[3]^[2]

Population

Population distribution by age (2005)	Population distribution by gender (2005)
Shinkamigotō	Female
Japan	Male

Changes in population

Approximately 25% of the island's population identifies as Christian.^[4]

Year	Population
1970	46,762
1975	40,867
1980	38,140
1985	36,005
1990	32,123
1995	29,845
2000	27,559
2005	25,039
2010	22,076
2012	21,183

History

In the middle ages, this area was ruled by the Aokata Clan, which was part of an alliance of samurai bands known as the Matsumuratō. This clan wrote the Aokata Bunsho, a record of the area's history from the Kamakura to Muromachi period. ^[5] ^[6]

The town flourished during the Heian period as a trading hub with continental Asia during the Japanese missions to Tang China, during which it served as a port of call.

During the period of the oppression of Christians in Japan, the island served as a shelter for hidden Christians to continue practicing their faith in secret.^[7]^[8]

Gallery

Aosagaura Church
Oil Storage Company
Whale Bone Shrine
Hifumi Waterfall
Yagatame Park
View of Koenoura Bay
Great Tree of Akou
Wakamatsu Great Bridge
Wakamatsu Strait & Great Bridge from Ryūkanzan

Transportation

Highway

National Route 384

References

^ "Official website of Shin-Kamigotō Town" (in Japanese). Japan: Shin-Kamigotō Town. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
^ ^a ^b 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
^ ^a ^b 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
^ "Industry / Social / Culture". Japan: Shin-Kamigotō Town. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
^ "青方文書 | khirin". khirin-ld.rekihaku.ac.jp. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
^ “青方文書”.長崎県の文化財
^ "History". Japan: Shin-Kamigotō Town. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
^ "Discover Nagasaki". Nagasaki Prefecture Tourism Association. Retrieved 22 July 2024.