# Nayoro

Nayoro (名寄市, Nayoro-shi, Ainu: Nay Oro meaning "in the middle of the valley") is a city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. As of 31 January 2025, the city had an estimated population of 24,702, and a population density of 46 people per km$^2$. The total area of the city is 534.861 km$^2$ (206.511 sq mi).

## Geography

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 cold 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.
Climate data for Nayoro (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 5.3 (41.5) | 10.1 (50.2) | 14.8 (58.6) | 26.4 (79.5) | 32.2 (90.0) | 35.4 (95.7) | 36.4 (97.5) | 35.6 (96.1) | 31.3 (88.3) | 26.0 (78.8) | 20.2 (68.4) | 10.3 (50.5) | 36.4 (97.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −4.2 (24.4) | −2.7 (27.1) | 2.0 (35.6) | 9.3 (48.7) | 17.5 (63.5) | 22.3 (72.1) | 25.6 (78.1) | 25.7 (78.3) | 21.4 (70.5) | 14.2 (57.6) | 5.3 (41.5) | −1.8 (28.8) | 11.2 (52.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −8.6 (16.5) | −8.0 (17.6) | −3.0 (26.6) | 3.8 (38.8) | 10.8 (51.4) | 15.6 (60.1) | 19.5 (67.1) | 19.9 (67.8) | 15.2 (59.4) | 8.3 (46.9) | 1.5 (34.7) | −5.4 (22.3) | 5.8 (42.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −14.7 (5.5) | −14.9 (5.2) | −9.1 (15.6) | −1.7 (28.9) | 4.1 (39.4) | 9.6 (49.3) | 14.4 (57.9) | 15.1 (59.2) | 9.9 (49.8) | 3.1 (37.6) | −2.3 (27.9) | −10.1 (13.8) | 0.3 (32.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −34.5 (−30.1) | −35.7 (−32.3) | −30.2 (−22.4) | −16.5 (2.3) | −5.9 (21.4) | −1.0 (30.2) | 3.4 (38.1) | 4.3 (39.7) | 0.3 (32.5) | −6.0 (21.2) | −18.1 (−0.6) | −29.4 (−20.9) | −35.7 (−32.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 49.4 (1.94) | 38.7 (1.52) | 44.2 (1.74) | 45.5 (1.79) | 60.6 (2.39) | 65.2 (2.57) | 129.4 (5.09) | 136.1 (5.36) | 138.1 (5.44) | 115.6 (4.55) | 108.5 (4.27) | 83.1 (3.27) | 1,006.8 (39.64) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 186 (73) | 147 (58) | 128 (50) | 33 (13) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 3 (1.2) | 104 (41) | 225 (89) | 829 (326) |
| Average rainy days | 16.6 | 14.1 | 14.0 | 10.9 | 10.4 | 9.2 | 10.6 | 11.4 | 13.6 | 16.1 | 19.3 | 21.3 | 167.5 |
| Average snowy days | 20.5 | 18.2 | 16.0 | 4.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 10.2 | 22.2 | 92.1 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 58.6 | 79.1 | 116.2 | 147.9 | 178.1 | 159.7 | 148.7 | 142.0 | 139.4 | 109.9 | 50.7 | 37.6 | 1,367.8 |
| Source 1: JMA ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: JMA ||||||||||||||

### 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
    ■ Fūren - Nayorokōkō - Nisshin - Chiebun - Chihoku

### 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 Bypass (Route 40) serving two interchanges.
* National Route 40
* National Route 239

## Sister cities
### International

* Lindsay, Ontario, Canada
* Dolinsk, Russia.

### Domestic

* Fujishima, Yamagata
* Suginami-ku, Tokyo

## Culture
### Mascot

Nayoro's mascot is Nayoro-kun (なよろう). 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