There are various explanations for the origin of this city's name. It may derive from the Ainu kucharo or kushuru or kusuri. The characters are only used for their phonetic value.
Total Area
Kushiro City: 222 km2
Hokkaido Pref.: 83,520 km2
Population
Kushiro City: ~ 191,750
Hokkaido Pref.: ~ 5,692,000
Major Industries
Fishing
Coal
Paper & Pulp
Tourism
Major Products
Cod
Shellfish
Paper
Geography The vast plain stretching from the central mountains of Hokkaido eastward to the Pacific coast includes expanses of wetlands, through which meanders the Kushiro River. This plain is a verdant dairy farming region and is called the granary of Hokkaido. The fertile soil is also ideal for truck farming, and it supports a growing wine industry as well. This part of Hokkaido faces the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean.
Climate Average precipitation in Kushiro City is about 226 mm in May and 13 mm in Feb.; average temperature is -4.6°C in January, 19.8°C in August.
