Tōkamachi, Niigata

nihongo|Tōkamachi|十日町市|Tōkamachi-shi is a city located in Niigata, Japan.

As of March 31, 2006, the new city has an estimated population of 63,135. The total area of the new city is 589.92 km², including the post-Creation undefined boundary areas.

Tokamachi is home to the Tokamachi Snow Festival, which takes place every February. It is the snow festival with the oldest history in Japan.

Geography

Adjoining communities

*Niigata Prefecture
**Nagaoka
**Oshima-ku, Joetsu
**Kashiwazaki
**Ojiya
**Uonuma
**Minamiuonuma
**Kitauonuma District: Kawaguchi
**Nakauonuma District: Tsunan
**Minamiuonuma District: Yuzawa
*Nagano Prefecture
**Shimominochi District: Sakae

Municipal timeline

*1954
**March 31 — The city was founded when the towns of Tokamachi, and the villages of Nakajo, Kawaji, and Rokuko merged.
**December 1 — The city absorbed the village of Yoshida from Nakauonuma District.
*February 1, 1955 — The city absorbed the village of Shimojo from Nakauonuma District.
*April 1, 1962 — The city absorbed the village of Mizusawa from Nakauonuma District.
*October 23, 2004 — The city was struck by the Chūetsu earthquake. The city suffered some damages from the earthquake.
*April 1, 2005 — The city merged with 4 municipalities (2 from Nakauonuma District, 2 from now-defunct Higashikubiki District) to create the new city of Tokamachi.

ister cities

Outside Japan

*flagicon|Italy Como (Lombardy Region, Italy) signed in 1975

Inside Japan

*Sapporo, Hokkaidō
*Yokohama, Kanagawa
*Shibushi, Kagoshima
*Wako, Saitama
**All signed on August 27, 2004 under「災害時における相互応援協定」

External links

* [http://www.city.tokamachi.niigata.jp/ Tokamachi official website] in Japanese