Shimokita District, Aomori

It is also home to the Japanese macaque, making it the northernmost natural habitat for monkeys anywhere in the world.

Shimokita District was part of ancient Kita County (北郡, Kita-gun), established by the Northern Fujiwara.

The Nanbu clan sided with the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei during the Boshin War of the Meiji Restoration and were punished by the new Meiji government by loss of their northern territories.

In November 1869, Kita-gun and neighboring Sannohe District became part of the newly created Tonami Domain (斗南藩, Tonami-han), a 30,000 koku holding created to resettle the dispossessed Matsudaira clan from Aizu-Wakamatsu.

In the cadastral reform of April 1, 1889, the number of villages was reduced through consolidations and mergers to nine.

Location of Shimokita District in Aomori Prefecture.
Japanese monkeys
Location of Shimokita-gun, Aomori Prefecture , highlighted in green; with former areas in yellow.

Current status of the district.
  1. Ōma-machi
  2. Higashidōri-mura
  3. Kazamaura-mura
  4. Sai-mura
Colored areas are in the district.
  1. Tanabu-machi (now part of Mutsu-shi)
  2. Higashidōri-mura
  3. Kazamaura-mura
  4. Ōminato-machi (now part of Mutsu-shi)
  5. Ōhata-machi (now part of Mutsu-shi)
  6. Ōma-machi
  7. Sai-mura
  8. Wakinosawa-mura (now part of Mutsu-shi)
  9. Kawauchi-machi (now part of Mutsu-shi)