{{Infobox settlement |name = Hidaka Subprefecture |native_name = {{nobold|日高振興局}} |native_name_lang = ja |official_name = Hidaka-shinkō-kyoku |image_map = Hidaka Subprefecture.png |seat = Urakawa |seat_type = Capital |subdivision_type = Prefecture |subdivision_name = Hokkaido |area_magnitude = |area_total_km2 = 4811.91 |area_footnotes = |population_total = 81403 |population_as_of = March 2009 |population_footnotes = |population_note = |population_density_km2 = auto |website = [http://www.hidaka.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ http://www.hidaka.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/] }} thumb|250px|Hidaka Subprefecture [[File:Urakawa downtown.JPG|thumb|200px|Urakawa]] [[File:二十間道路櫻並木.jpg|thumb|200px|Shinhidaka]] thumb|200px|Shizunai office of Hidaka Subprefecture thumb|200px|right|Office building of Urakawa Subprefecture (built in 1919)

{{Nihongo|'''Hidaka Subprefecture'''|日高振興局|Hidaka-shinkō-kyoku}} is a subprefecture of Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. The west side of the Hidaka mountains occupies most of the area. Hidaka is sparsely populated and has many of Hokkaido's natural resources. The governmental office is located in Urakawa.

== History == *1897: Urakawa Subprefecture established. *1932: Urakawa Subprefecture renamed Hidaka Subprefecture.

The name Hidaka ("sun high") is derived from the province of the same name established in 1869, which in turn was named after an unknown place in the ''Nihonshoki'', a history book written in 720. There is no direct connection between the Hidaka of the ''Nihonshoki'' and the modern Hidaka.

== Geography == Located on the south-east coast of Hokkaido, Hidaka Subprefecture has an area of {{convert|4811.91|km2|sqmi}} making it the 7th largest subprefecture in the prefecture and 5.8% of Hokkaido's total area. More than 80% of the area is covered with forest.

The prefecture borders Tokachi Subprefecture to the north across the Hidaka Mountains. To the west is Iburi Subprefecture. The south side of the subprefecture is its coast on the Pacific Ocean.<ref name="Hidaka Summary">{{cite web|url=http://www.hidaka.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/gaiyo/index.html |title=Summary of Hidaka (日高の概要 Hidaka no Gaiyō) |date=2006 |publisher=Hokkaido Government, Hidaka Subprefectural Office |language=ja |access-date=2008-06-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505041654/http://www.hidaka.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/gaiyo/index.html |archive-date=2008-05-05 }}</ref>

The Hidaka Mountains are known as a "Mecca of Mountaineering", with more than 20 mountains including Mount Poroshiri at {{convert|2052|m|ft}}. These mountains are part of the Hidaka Sanmyaku-Erimo Quasi-National Park, which include Mount Apoi alpine vegetation community and Cape Erimo coast landscape. These areas boast wildlife such as brown bear, sika deer, and common seal.<ref name="SumNature">{{cite web|url=http://www.hidaka.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/gaiyo/gaiyo_04.html |title=Summary of Hidaka: Nature (日高の概要: 自然 Hidaka no Gaiyō: Shizen) |date=2006 |publisher=Hokkaido Government, Hidaka Subprefectural Office |language=ja |access-date=2008-06-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060621160607/http://www.hidaka.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/gaiyo/gaiyo_04.html |archive-date=2006-06-21 }}</ref>

===Municipalities=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! colspan="2" |Name ! rowspan="2" |Area (km<sup>2</sup>) ! rowspan="2" |Population ! rowspan="2" |Pop. Density ! rowspan="2" |District ! rowspan="2" |Type ! rowspan="2" |Map |- !Rōmaji !Kanji |- |frameless|25x25px Biratori |平取町 |743.16 |5,305 |7.14 |Saru District |Town |frameless|55x55px |- |frameless|25x25px Erimo |えりも町 |283.93 |4,954 |17.45 |Horoizumi District |Town |frameless|55x55px |- |frameless|25x25px Hidaka |日高町 |992.67 |12,596 |12.69 |Saru District |Town |frameless|55x55px |- |frameless|25x25px Niikappu |新冠町 |585.88 |5,696 |9.72 |Niikappu District |Town |frameless|55x55px |- |frameless|25x25px Samani |様似町 |364.33 |4,482 |12.30 |Samani District |Town |frameless|55x55px |- |frameless|25x25px Shinhidaka |新ひだか町 |1,147.75 |23,516 |20.49 |Hidaka District |Town |frameless|55x55px |- |frameless|25x25px Urakawa (capital) |浦河町 |694.24 |12,800 |18.44 |Urakawa District |Town |frameless|55x55px |}

===Mergers=== {{see also|List of mergers in Hokkaido#Hidaka Subprefecture}}

==Demographics== The population of Hidaka Subprefecture is 81,407 in 33,996 households.<ref name="Hidaka Summary"/> In the 2005 census, this represents 1.4% of the total population of Hokkaido. The population of Hidaka peaked in 1960. The current population is down 4,613 from the last census in 2005.<ref name="Sum Pop">{{cite web|url=http://www.hidaka.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/gaiyo/gaiyo_02.html |title=Summary of Hidaka: Population (日高の概要:人口 Hidaka no Gaiyō: Jinkō) |date=2006 |publisher=Hokkaido Government, Hidaka Subprefectural Office |language=ja |access-date=2008-06-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060621160542/http://www.hidaka.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/gaiyo/gaiyo_02.html |archive-date=2006-06-21 }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Wikivoyage|Hidaka (subprefecture)|Hidaka Subprefecture}} *[http://www.hidaka.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ Official website] {{in lang|ja}} {{coord|42.172607|142.768083|format=dms|display=inline,title|type:city_region:JP_scale:100000}}

{{Hokkaido}}

Category:Hidaka Subprefecture