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Muroran

Coordinates: 42°19′N 140°58′E / 42.317°N 140.967°E / 42.317; 140.967
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Muroran
室蘭市
City
Top:View of Muroran Refinery area at night, Cape of Chikyu and view of Pacific Ocean, (left to right) Middle:Muroran Aquarium, View of Muroran Station area and Mount Sokuryō, (left to right) Bottom:Night view of Hakuchō Bridge
Top:View of Muroran Refinery area at night, Cape of Chikyu and view of Pacific Ocean, (left to right) Middle:Muroran Aquarium, View of Muroran Station area and Mount Sokuryō, (left to right) Bottom:Night view of Hakuchō Bridge
Flag of Muroran
Flag
Official seal of Muroran
Chapter
Location of Muroran in Hokkaido (Iburi Subprefecture)
Location of Muroran in Hokkaido (Iburi Subprefecture)
Muroran is located in Japan
Muroran
Muroran
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 42°19′N 140°58′E / 42.317°N 140.967°E / 42.317; 140.967
CountryJapan
RegionHokkaido
PrefectureHokkaido (Iburi Subprefecture)
EstablishedJanuary 1593[citation needed]
City StatusAugust 1, 1922
Government
 • MayorTakeshi Aoyama (since May 2011)
Area
 • Total80.88 km2 (31.23 sq mi)
Population
 (January 31, 2024)
 • Total76,385
 • Density940/km2 (2,400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address1-2 Saiwaichō, Muroran-shi, Hokkaidō
051-8511
Websitewww.city.muroran.lg.jp
Symbols
BirdCoal tit
FishRockfish
FlowerAzalea
TreeJapanese rowan

Muroran (室蘭市, Muroran-shi) is a city and port located in Iburi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Iburi Subprefecture. As of January 31, 2024, the city had an estimated population of 76,385, with 43,494 households and a population density of 944 people per square kilometre (2,440 per square mile). The total area is 80.88 km2 (31.23 sq mi).

History

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The origin of Muroran's name is derived from the Ainu word "Mo Ruerani", which means "the bottom of a little slope". The little slope, in front of the former Senkai Temple in Sakimori-cho, is noted in connection with the name of Muroran.

In the late 16th century, the Muroran region came under the administration of the Matsumae clan. Muroran was developed as a trading post between the Ainu and the Matsumae clan people.

In 1892, the Port of Muroran was opened for the wooden bridge construction at Kaigan (former Tokikaramoi); at the same time, the main road began construction from Hakodate to Sapporo as the first step of Hokkaido Colonization Plan.

An Imperial decree in July 1899 established Muroran as an open port for trading with the United States and the United Kingdom.[1]

With the opening of a ship route from Muroran to Mori and railroad extension to Iwamizawa, Muroran's municipality was started on August 1, 1922 as the core of the major land and sea traffic in the pioneer era of Hokkaido. Since then, Muroran has been developing as an important transportation hub and a center of the steel industry. This unfortunately earned the town's industrial plants a bombardment by some of the newest American battleships in July 1945, in the closing days of World War II. Muroran was also bombed by American naval aircraft on 14 and 15 July 1945, 525 people were killed.[2]

Today, there are large cement factories, steel mills, oil refineries, and shipyards clustered around the port of Muroran.[3]

Climate

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Muroran features a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb—Cfb Oceanic Climate if the −3 °C or 27 °F isotherm is used), a climate type that is very rare in Japan. Despite it being located on Hokkaido, Muroran typically does not see the very cold winters that the majority of the island is known for, yet it does experience some snowfall in the course of the year, averaging roughly 210 cm (83 in) of snow per season. Summers in Muroran are mild by Japanese standards, not nearly as hot as summers in other Japanese cities. Average high temperatures in August, the city's warmest month, is around 24 °C (75 °F).

Climate data for Muroran (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1923−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 9.8
(49.6) 		11.4
(52.5) 		16.7
(62.1) 		23.1
(73.6) 		27.6
(81.7) 		28.7
(83.7) 		32.5
(90.5) 		32.8
(91.0) 		31.0
(87.8) 		25.8
(78.4) 		20.9
(69.6) 		14.4
(57.9) 		32.8
(91.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 0.6
(33.1) 		1.0
(33.8) 		4.6
(40.3) 		10.1
(50.2) 		14.9
(58.8) 		18.0
(64.4) 		21.6
(70.9) 		23.6
(74.5) 		21.5
(70.7) 		16.1
(61.0) 		9.3
(48.7) 		2.9
(37.2) 		12.0
(53.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.8
(28.8) 		−1.6
(29.1) 		1.4
(34.5) 		6.1
(43.0) 		10.7
(51.3) 		14.4
(57.9) 		18.5
(65.3) 		20.6
(69.1) 		18.4
(65.1) 		12.9
(55.2) 		6.4
(43.5) 		0.5
(32.9) 		8.9
(48.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −4.0
(24.8) 		−4.0
(24.8) 		−1.3
(29.7) 		3.0
(37.4) 		7.6
(45.7) 		11.9
(53.4) 		16.4
(61.5) 		18.6
(65.5) 		15.7
(60.3) 		9.8
(49.6) 		3.5
(38.3) 		−1.8
(28.8) 		6.3
(43.3)
Record low °C (°F) −13.4
(7.9) 		−13.4
(7.9) 		−9.6
(14.7) 		−5.8
(21.6) 		0.0
(32.0) 		4.6
(40.3) 		8.5
(47.3) 		11.5
(52.7) 		5.9
(42.6) 		−2.2
(28.0) 		−7.2
(19.0) 		−12.9
(8.8) 		−13.4
(7.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 53.6
(2.11) 		44.3
(1.74) 		49.9
(1.96) 		70.0
(2.76) 		108.3
(4.26) 		109.1
(4.30) 		159.2
(6.27) 		187.3
(7.37) 		156.6
(6.17) 		101.8
(4.01) 		83.2
(3.28) 		65.8
(2.59) 		1,188.9
(46.81)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 49
(19) 		45
(18) 		27
(11) 		4
(1.6) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		5
(2.0) 		27
(11) 		157
(62)
Average rainy days 12.5 9.9 9.5 8.4 9.4 9.1 11.1 11.2 10.9 11.1 12.7 13.2 129
Average snowy days 15.5 13.8 7.8 0.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.0 9.5 49.4
Average relative humidity (%) 70 72 72 75 80 88 90 89 82 74 71 70 78
Mean monthly sunshine hours 88.3 123.6 183.7 198.9 194.9 115.8 133.2 144.9 166.5 165.2 102.7 71.1 1,728.1
Source 1: JMA[4]
Source 2: JMA[5]

Scenic spots

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  • Hakucho Bridge spans the Port of Muroran and is the largest suspension bridge in eastern Japan.
  • Itanki Beach
  • Mount Washibetsu

Muroran holds eight specific scenic sights called Muroran-Hakke (室蘭八景). The most famous of them is the Earth Cape (地球岬, chikyū misaki).

  • A view of Muroran
    A view of Muroran
  • Chikyu Misaki
    Chikyu Misaki
  • Chikyu Misaki in winter
    Chikyu Misaki in winter

Transportation

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There are five JR Hokkaido stations in Muroran, starting from Higashi Muroran and ending in downtown Muroran, which can be used to access both Hakodate to the South West, and Sapporo to the North East.

Economy

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Japan Steel Works has its global headquarters in Muroran.

Education

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Muroran houses one of the most prominent Marine Biology institutes in Japan, the Institute of Algological Research of Hokkaido University.

Universities

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High schools

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Public

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  • Hokkaido Muroran Sakae High School
  • Hokkaido Muroran Shimizugaoka High School
  • Hokkaido Muroran Technical High School
  • Hokkaido Muroran Tosho High School

Private

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  • Hokkaido Ootani Muroran High School
  • Kaisei Gakuin High School

Notable people

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Sister cities

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References

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  1. ^ US Department of State. (1906). A digest of international law as embodied in diplomatic discussions, treaties and other international agreements (John Bassett Moore, ed.), Vol. 5, p. 759.
  2. ^ The Asahi Shimbun. "朝日新聞デジタル：空襲の記憶 風化させぬ - 北海道 - 地域". www.asahi.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  3. ^ Karan, Pradyumna (2010). Japan in the 21st Century. University Press of Kentucky. p. 327. ISBN 9780813127637.
  4. ^ 観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）. JMA. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  5. ^ 気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）. JMA. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  6. ^ "City Directory". Sister Cities International. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Muroran, Hokkaido.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Muroran.
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