Mikasa, Hokkaidō

Mikasa 三笠
—  City  —
Location of Mikasa in Hokkaidō (Sorachi)
Mikasa
Coordinates: 43°15′N 141°53′E / 43.25°N 141.883°E / 43.25; 141.883Coordinates: 43°15′N 141°53′E / 43.25°N 141.883°E / 43.25; 141.883
Country	Japan
Region	Hokkaidō
Prefecture	Hokkaidō (Sorachi)
Government
– Mayor	Kazuo Kobayashi
Area
– Total	302.64 km2 (116.8 sq mi)
Population (June 30, 2008)
– Total	11,228
– Density	37.1/km2 (96.1/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City Symbols
- Tree	Japanese Rowan
- Flower	Chrysanthemum
- Bird	White Wagtail
Phone number	01267-2-3182
Address	2 Saiwaichō, Mikasa-shi, Hokkaidō 068-2192
Website	Mikasa City

Mikasa (三笠市, Mikasa-shi^?) is a city located in Sorachi, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is one of the birthplaces of the mining and railroad industries in Hokkaidō, and the Hokkai Bon song was invented there. Though in the past it flourished due to its natural abundance of coal, the mines have largely closed down and this has caused the population of the city to fall rapidly.

Notable local products include watermelon, musk melon, cucumber, northern plum, and wine.

Quite a few fossil specimens have also been collected there, particularly ammonites and the prehistoric marine reptile Yezosaurus mikasaensis, both of which can be viewed at the city's natural history museum.

As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 11,228 and the density of 37.1 persons per km². The total area is 302.64 km². It is bordered on three sides by mountains, and on its east side is the man-made Lake Katsurazawa.

The city was founded on April 1, 1957.

External links

Media related to Mikasa, Hokkaidō at Wikimedia Commons

• (Japanese) Official website