Nayoro

The main rivers in the Nayoro Basin in northern Hokkaido are the Teshio River and its tributary, the Nayoro River. The urban area of Nayoro was formed islightly upstream from the confluence of the two rivers. Neighbouring municipalities • Hokkaido • Shibetsu • Shimokawa • Bifuka • Horokanai • Omu Climate Nayoro has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Nayoro is 5.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1281 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 19.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around -9.1 °C. {{Weather box Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Nayoro is as shown below. The city is in a long period of sustained population loss. ==History==

The area of Nayoro has been inhabited since the Jōmon period, and was the site of a kotan was built by the Ainu people. On June 30, 1888, the Hokkaido government proclaimed the villages of Kaminayoro Shimonayoro. The area was initially settled by a group of colonists from Toei, Yamagata. In 1907, under the second-class town and village system was implemented, and Kaminayoro Village was established. It was raised to town status in 1915, becoming Nayoro Town. In 1920, Chiebun village split off from Shimonayoro village and was annexed by Nayoro in 1954. Nayoro was raised to city status in 1956.On March 27, 2006 Nayoro annexed the town of Fūren. ==Government==

Nayoro has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 18 members. Nayoro, as part of Kawakami sub-prefecture, contributes three members to the Hokkaidō Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Hokkaidō 6th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. ==Economy==

The economy of Nayoro is centered on agriculture, notably the production of glutinous rice. Asparagus, pumpkins and sunflowers are also produced in the area. ==Education==

Nayoro has seven public elementary schools and four public junior high schools operated by the city government, and two public high school operated by the Hokkaidō Board of Education. Universities • Nayoro City University Junior colleges • Nayoro City University Junior College High school • Hokkaido Nayoro High School • Hokkaido Nayoro Industry High School ==Transportation==

Railways JR Hokkaido - Sōya Main Line : - - - - - Highways Nayoro is linked with National Route 40 linking Wakkanai and southern Hokkaido as well as the Hokkaidō Expressway linking with the island capital of Sapporo. Nayoro is bypassed to the west with the Nayoro-Bifuka Road (Route 40) serving two interchanges. • • ==Sister cities==

International • Lindsay, Ontario, Canada • Dolinsk, Russia. Domestic • Fujishima, Yamagata • Suginami-ku, Tokyo ==Culture==

Mascot Nayoro's mascot is . He is a mochi alien who loves star watching and collecting toys. He carries a telescope all the time to study the stars. He is designed by Sakiko Yatani from Ebetsu and was named by Ayumi Hagiwara from Sapporo. ==Noted people from Nayoro==

• Myra Arai, fashion model • Ryo Ikuemi, manga artist • Naohiro Ishida, professional shogi player • Nayoroiwa Shizuo, sumo wrestler • Yuki Matsushita, actress == References ==