Hamada, Shimane

Hamada 浜田市
—  City  —
Flag
Location of Hamada in Shimane
Hamada
Coordinates: 34°54′N 132°5′E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūgoku (San'in)
Prefecture	Shimane
Government
• Mayor	Tetsuo Uzu
Area
• Total	689.60 km2 (266.26 sq mi)
Population (March 2011)
• Total	61,286
• Density	88.87/km2 (230.2/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
- Tree	Cherry
- Flower	Azalea
- Fish	Righteye flounder
Phone number	0855-22-2612
Address	1 Tonomachi, Hamada-shi, Shimane-ken 697-8501
Website	City of Hamada

Hamada Station

Approx. 600 year old cherry tree in Misumi. An area of western Hamada.

Hamada (浜田市, Hamada-shi) is a city located in Shimane, Japan. It is the third largest city in the prefecture and is located at the south-western end of the prefecture. It is a coastal city on the Sea of Japan and possesses beautiful white-sand beaches, which make the city a popular destination for local tourists in the summer. Although Hamada is a relatively small city it is conveniently located on the express-way across Chugoku to Hiroshima City with a journey time of about 1 hour 40 minutes.

The city was founded on November 3, 1940. In October 2005, it merged with the surrounding towns of Asahi, Kanagi and Misumi, and the village of Yasaka. As of March 2011 Hamada City, which would generally be referred to as Hamada County in English, has an estimated population of 61,286, with roughly 43,000 people living in the coastal urban 'city' area.

The prefectural university (The University of Shimane) is located in Hamada, as is the Institute for Northeast Asian Research.

Hamada is one of the few cities in the region to possess a heavy tonnage shipping port. The Hamada Commercial Port can accept vessles up to a maximum of 50,000 metric tons deadweight (DWT).¹

Education in Hamada

Hamada has 26 elementary schools, 9 junior high schools and 3 senior high schools throughout the city area. Currently there are 9 ALTs (under the JET Programme and Interac) involved in English education in Hamada; 1 at solely elementary level, 6 at JHS and elementary level and 2 at high school level.

Climate

Hamada experiences a wide range in temperature between summer and winter but due to its location it is saved from the extreme winter cold in the north and prolonged summer heat in the south. In summer the temperature gets as high as 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) with a high humidity and in winter it can drop to -5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit). The coastal main city of Hamada occasionally gets snowfall in the winter. The mountainous areas of Hamada inland to the east receive high levels of snowfall and are home to some of the best ski resorts in the area. Late spring/early summer is the rainy season with frequent light showers throughout the day. Spring and Autumn in Hamada provide warm, sunny weather with a very comfortable temperature.

Due to its location on the eastern seaboard of Japan, Hamada is relatively free from weather extremes such as typhoons or flooding. Hamada is also not located near a fault line and the occurrence of strong earthquakes in Shimane is rare.

Sights

• Aquas is on the outskirts of the city. It is the largest aquarium in western Honshū.²
• The Hamada Museum of Children's Art is located about one mile from the city center. It's exhibits include artwork by children from around the world and artwork of interest to children. Their programs include technical art classes and art history workshops for children of all ages.
• The ruins of Hamada castle are situated on the top of a hill near the centre of town. Hamada Castle was built in 1620, and destroyed towards the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate.³ From the top of the ruins, visitors can see extensive views of Hamada city and the coast.
• Iwami Seaside Park is a large beach located near Aquas with cabins, barbecue areas, and rental facilities.

Yearly Festivals

Month	Festival Description
January	No events.
February	Izumo Taisha Iwami-bunshi Setsubun Festival.
March	Tadaji Hatsuuma Festival (One of the biggest festivals in the Iwami area).
April	Hamakko Spring Festival. Daimyo Parade (and many other kinds of parades).
May	No events.
June	No events.
July	Kokubu Kinsai Festival.
August	Hamakko Summer Festival. The largest event of the year, with a huge fireworks display in the evening at the port. Nagahama Hassakuhana Festival (Fire Protection Festival).
September	No events.
October	Nagahama Tenjinreitai Festival (Festival of the God of the Sea).
November	Hamada BB Onabe Festival. Iwami Kagura Festival.
December	No events.

External links

• Hamada City's official website (Japanese). (There is an English page link from the Japanese page, but it has less information.)
• University of Shimane (Japanese)
• Hamada International Association homepage (English) (slightly out of date)
• Hamada Port Authority (Japanese)
• Aquas Aquarium (Japanese) English version available.
• Iwami Seaside Park (English) About the park and its facilities.