Shariki, Aomori

Shariki (車力村, Shariki-mura) was a village located in Nishitsugaru District in western Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The village was situated on the west coast of Tsugaru Peninsula, facing the Sea of Japan.

Shariki 車力村
Former municipality
Flag Seal
Location of Shariki in Aomori Prefecture
Shariki Location in Japan
Coordinates: 40°56′50.9″N 140°21′33.4″E
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Aomori Prefecture
District	Nishitsugaru
Merged	11 February 2005 (now part of Tsugaru)
Area
• Total	62.17 km2 (24.00 sq mi)
Population  (1 February 2005)
• Total	5,730
• Density	92.16/km2 (238.7/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC 09:00 (JST)
Symbols
Bird	Japanese bush-warbler
Flower	Lilium
Tree	Japanese black pine

History

The area was part of Hirosaki Domain during the Edo period. After the Meiji Restoration, Shariki Village was created in 1889. On 30 October 1889, the Cheseborough, an American merchant ship from Bath, Maine, wrecked a mile from the coast of the village. The villagers made a great effort to save the sailors, unfortunately nineteen of them did not survive the incident. After the remainder of the sailors recovered, they returned to the United States but maintained their relationship with the people of Shariki. This relationship eventually resulted in the village establishing a sister-city agreement with Bath, Maine.

On 11 February 2005, Shariki, along with the town of Kizukuri, and the villages of Inagaki, Kashiwa and Morita (all from Nishitsugaru District), was merged to create the city of Tsugaru, and thus no longer exists as an independent municipality, however, the city inherited Shariki's relationship with Bath.

At the time of its merger, Shariki had an estimated population of 5,730 and a population density of 92.16 persons per km². The total area was 62.17 km². The village economy was dominated by agriculture and commercial fishing.

External links

• Official website of Tsugaru (in Japanese)
• Local business and sightseeing guide