is a town located in Hachijō Subprefecture, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 7,056, and a population density of 97.7 persons per km2. Its total area is . Electric power for the town is provided by a geothermal power station and a wind farm.
Geography Hachijō covers the islands of Hachijō-jima and Hachijō-kojima, two of the islands in the Izu archipelago in the Philippine Sea, south of central Tokyo. Warmed by the Kuroshio Current, the town has a warmer and wetter climate than central Tokyo. All of the town's residents live on the island of Hachijō-jima, as the last of Hachijō-kojima residents left in 1969, citing lack of basic public services on that island.
Neighboring municipalities Tokyo Metropolis Aogashima, Tokyo Mikurajima, Tokyo
Climate
Demographics The population of Hachijō was 7,042, down from 7,613 in 2015.Hachijō population statistics
History During the Edo period, Hachijōjima was known as a place of exile for convicts. This practice ended in the Meiji period, and the island residents developed an economy based on fishing, sericulture, and agriculture. Hachijō Subprefecture was organized on April 1, 1908, and included the villages of Mitsune, Nakanogo, Kashitate, Sueyoshi and Ōkago. The villages of Toruchi and Utsuki on Hachijōkojima were organized on May 3, 1947. The five villages of Hachijōjima merged on October 1, 1954, to form the village of Hachijō. On April 1, 1955, the two villages of Hachijōkojima also merged with the village of Hachijō, which was promoted to town status. However, in March 1966, the residents of Hachijōkojima voted to abandon their island, citing the inaccessibility of basic public services and economic difficulties, and Hachijōkojima became a deserted island from June 1969.
Economy Fishing and tourism are the mainstays of the economy of Hachijō.
Education The town government operates three public elementary and three public junior high schools.
Junior high schools: Fuji Junior High School (富士中学校) Mihara Junior High School (三原中学校) Okago Junior High School (大賀郷中学校)
Elementary schools: Mihara Elementary School (三原小学校) Mitsune Elementary School (三根小学校) Okago Elementary School (大賀郷小学校)
The Tōkyō Metropolitan Government Board of Education operates .
Transportation Hachijōjima is accessible both by aircraft and by ferry. A pedestrian ferry leaves Tōkyō once every day at 10 p.m., and arrives at Hachijōjima at 9:00 a.m. the following day. Air travel to Hachijojima Airport takes 45 minutes from Tōkyō International Airport (Haneda).
Sister cities Maui County, Hawaii, United States
Gallery
See also
Runin: Banished, a 2004 film about convicts exiled to Hachijōjima, and their attempts to escape. Battle Royale, a controversial 2000 film filmed on the neighbouring, uninhabited island, Hachijō-kojima, although not set there.
References
External links Hachijō Town Official Website The Anchor Pub in Hachijō Town