Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Taiki has declined in recent decades.

History

The area of Taiki has been settled since the Jomon period. During the Edo period, gold dust was discovered, with gold panning operations starting around 1635 and settlements established by miners. Inō Tadataka surveyed the surrounding area in 1800, and Matsuura Takeshirō led an exploratory expedition in 1858. Farming settlers arrived from 1883 and the village of Taiki was established in 1923. In 1936, Emperor Hirohito toured the village and visited the Hokkaido Colonization Training Center. Taiki was raised to town status on April 1, 1951.

Government

Taiki has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 12 members. Taiki, as part of Tokachi Subprefecture, contributes four members to the Hokkaidō Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Hokkaidō 11th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force operates a training facility in Taiki.

Economy

The town's main industries are dairy farming and commercial fishing. The Taiki factory of Snow Brand Milk Products (now Snow Brand Megmilk) is located here. The 2000 Snow Brand food poisoning incident occurred at this factory.

The town hosts the rocket launch site for Interstellar Technologies, the Taiki Aerospace Research Field (Hokkaido Spaceport), which is a JAXA facility.

Education

Taiki has one public elementary school and one public middle school operated by the town. The town has one public high school operated by the Hokkaido Board of Education.

Transportation

Railways

Taiki has not had any passenger railway services since the closure of the JR Hokkaido Hiroo Line in February 1987.

Highways

  • 30px|link=|alt= Obihiro-Hiroo Expressway

Sister city relations

  • Dashu District, Kaohsiung Republic of China (Taiwan), Friendship city

Local attractions

  • Bansei Onsen, a natural hot spring bath facility, operates on the Pacific coast of Taiki.

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Taiki Aerospace Research Field.jpg|Taiki Aerospace Research Field

Rekifune Riv 1.JPG|Rekifune River

Bansei spa bath room.JPG|Bansei Onsen

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Notable people from Taiki

  • Takafumi Horie, internet entrepreneur, relocated to Taiki in 2015.
  • Momoka Horikawa, Olympic speed skater
  • Teruhiro Sugimori, Olympic speed skater

Mascot

thumb|right|150px|Cospy, the town's mascot

Taiki's mascot is . She is a bright and gentle cosmos flower fairy. She usually ends her sentences with "pi" (ぴ). Her dream is to join JAXA. Her birthday is October 1.

References