Korsakov (town)
Encyclopedia
Korsakov is a town in Sakhalin Oblast
, Russia
. It is the administrative center of Korsakovsky District
. Population: 35,079 (2008 est.); The town is located some 42 kilometres (26.1 mi) south from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
, at the southern end of Sakhalin Island
, on the coast of the Salmon Cove (bukhta lososei) in the Aniva Bay
.
fishing village called Kushunkotan (in Russian sources, Tamari-Aniva), which was frequented by traders of the Matsumae clan
from as early as 1790. On September 22, 1853, a Russian expedition, commanded by Gennadii Nevel'skoi, raised the Russian flag at the settlement and renamed it "Fort Muravyovsky", after Governor-General of Eastern Siberia Nikolay Muravyov
. Nevel'skoi left detailed recollections of the landing. He encountered a predominantly ainu population (at least 600 people; another source mentions only 300 ainu inhabitants) as well as Japanese nationals who, judging by Nevel'skoi's account, exercised authority over the native inhabitants. At the time of Nevel'skoi's arrival, the village featured several standing structures - Nevel'skoi calls them "sarayi" (warehouses) - and even a Japanese religious temple. The villagers supposedly welcomed the Russians after they learned about their mission (protecting them from foreign incursion). Of course, the veracity of this account is in doubt, both because Nevel'skoi had ulterior motives for claiming that he was "welcomed" by the inhabitants, and also because it is not clear to what extent the Russians were able to make themselves understood. The Russians abandoned the settlement on May 30, 1854, allegedly because their presence there, at the time of the Crimean War
, raised the spectre of Anglo-French attack, but returned in August 1869, now renaming the town "fort Korsakovsky," in honor of then-Governor General of Eastern Siberia Mikhail Korsakov. Lingering territorial conflict between Japan and Russia has polarized scholarly opinion of Korsakov's early history, as each side tries to claim priority of early settlement to back up their respective territorial claims in the broader region. In 1875, the whole Sakhalin including the village was ceded to Russia, under the Treaty of Saint Petersburg.
While under Russian administration fort Korsakovsky was an important administrative center in Sakhalin's penal servitude system and a final destination for hundreds of prisoners from European Russia, sentenced to forced labor for particularly serious crimes. Such prisoners and their families comprised early settlers of fort Korsakovskii until its hand-over to the Japanese. Prominent Russian writers, including A.P. Chekhov and V.M. Doroshevich, visited Korsakovskii and left keen observations of its unsavory trade.
In 1905 Korsakovsky was handed over to Japan after Russia's defeat in the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905. Renamed Ōtomari it was temporarily the capital of Karafuto Prefecture
between 1905-1907. While in Japanese hands the town grew substantially. Upon the ashes of fort Korsakovskii (the Russians burned the wooden town before the hand-over) the Japanese built a stone-clad modern city, with paved streets and electricity.
A penal colony under Russia's administration, Ōtomari maintained the dreadful practice of forced labor: thousands of ethnic Koreans were brought over as slave workers. Korsakov's present-say Korean population are mainly descendants of these labour conscripts.
After the Second World War, Ōtomari was again ceded from Japan, this time to the Soviet Union. The Japanese population was mostly repatriated by 1947, though a few remained, along with a sizeable Korean population. Old Ōtomari burned down substantially with the entry of the Russian troops. The old Bank, Japanese bank building (originally, Ōtomari Branch of Hokkaido Takushoku Bank
) remains standing today, though efforts to convert it to a museum came to nothing for lack of funds. Other Japanese sites and memorials were all destroyed, including a Shinto shrine and a monument to Prince Hirohito who had visited Ōtomari on an inspection tour. An interesting sample of Japanese monuments can now be seen near Prigorodnoye (Merei before 1945)- a fallen stella to Japanese soldiers.
The town had:
- two refrigerators for fish processing
- paper factory
- a factory to extract salt from sea water (production capacity 20 thousand tons per year)
- a sulphur-alcohol plant
- 7 (!) sake production facilities
- 2 timber plants
Up until the 1990s Korsakov was a major base for the Russian Far Eastern fishing fleet. It was the home of the Base for Ocean Shipping - Baza Okeanicheskogo Rybolovstva - which, however, went bankrupt during the post-Soviet recession, perhaps for no better reason than downright looting of state property. The thousands of fishermen employed in the "Bor" continued their work for private fishing companies, which usually operated small fishing boats not far off the coast, often without licenses. The catch (primarily crab) was sold in Japan for hard currency, mainly in Wakkanai. Fishermen purchased Japanese electronics and used cars. This semi-illicit, semi-barter economy had a certain positive economic effect on Korsakov, though it inevitably contributed to organized crime.
Among other large economic units in Korsakov was a factory, which produced carton boxes - Fabrika Gofrirovannoi Tary. The factory operated on run-down equipment, probably left over from the Japanese times, and was visible to anyone in Korsakov, as it featured a tall chimney. Gennadii Zlivko, formerly a mayor of the town, was once a director of this factory. It has long since gone bankrupt, and its tall chimney, no longer emitting black smoke, is the only thing that reminds one of the earlier years of Korsakov's economy.
Korsakov is also the closest town to the huge LNG plant, constructed within the framework of the Sakhalin-2 project.
Curiously, at the early stage of settlement (late 1890s), men in Korsakovsky outnumbered women almost by a factor of ten. In 1897, for example, 1510 males and 192 females lived in the town. This disbalance is explained by the fact that the majority of Korsakov's inhabitants were prisoners and prison-keepers - in both categories males predominated. The district of Korsakovsky (in 1897 covering 66762 verst) was home to 4659 males and 2194 females - a much better proportion (fort excluding).
The town's population stood at its highest (45 thousand) in the late 1980s, whereupon it experienced significant decline as inhabitants fled economic downturn by moving to neighboring Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk or to continental Russia. Evidently, Korsakov's population remains in decline, although no longer as sharp as in the 1990s.
The demographic make-up is primarily ethnic Russian with a large ethnic Korean minority.
Winter sights include skating at the city stadium and excellent crosscountry skiing past the former sea weed plant (Na Agarike). No facilities exist for downhill skiing.
The town features a museum with an exhibit describing the local frontier history, and the Japanese possession of the city (1905–1945). Local market on the Sovetskaya Street offers great strawberries in the summer, and nicely prepared Korean delicacies (kimchi and the local hit, the paporotnik, all year around).
Foreign tourists are now able to visit the town without visa for 72 hours.
List of mayors:
. Regular bus and minibus services connect Korsakov with the capital city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, though not with the airport. There is passenger ferry service between Korsakov and Wakkanai, Hokkaidō
, Japan
, across the Aniva Gulf.
There used to be Japan National Rail passenger ferry service from Wakkanai, called "Chihaku-Renrakusen (Chihaku Ferry Service)" in 1923-1945, which was linked from Japan's whole national rail network and to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
(then called Toyohara). The old narrow-gauge Japanese railroad still runs along the scenic coastline, with sporadic rail service.
There are several bus lines servicing the urban area and a number of villages in the proximity.
with: Monbetsu
, Japan
. Wakkanai
, Japan
.
Sakhalin Oblast
Sakhalin Oblast is a federal subject of Russia comprising the island of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.The oblast has an area of 87,100 km² and a population of 546,695...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. It is the administrative center of Korsakovsky District
Korsakovsky District, Sakhalin Oblast
Korsakovsky District is an administrative district , one of the 17 in Sakhalin Oblast, Russia....
. Population: 35,079 (2008 est.); The town is located some 42 kilometres (26.1 mi) south from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
-Demographics:Most residents are ethnic Russians, but there also exists a sizable population of Koreans. Of the 43,000 Sakhalin Koreans, half are estimated to live in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, comprising roughly 12% of the city's population...
, at the southern end of Sakhalin Island
Sakhalin
Sakhalin or Saghalien, is a large island in the North Pacific, lying between 45°50' and 54°24' N.It is part of Russia, and is Russia's largest island, and is administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast...
, on the coast of the Salmon Cove (bukhta lososei) in the Aniva Bay
Aniva Bay
Aniva Bay is located at the southern end of Sakhalin Island, Russia, north of the island of Hokkaidō, Japan. The largest city on the bay is Korsakov....
.
History
Little is known of the early history of Korsakov. The site was once home to an AinuAinu people
The , also called Aynu, Aino , and in historical texts Ezo , are indigenous people or groups in Japan and Russia. Historically they spoke the Ainu language and related varieties and lived in Hokkaidō, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin...
fishing village called Kushunkotan (in Russian sources, Tamari-Aniva), which was frequented by traders of the Matsumae clan
Matsumae clan
The was a Japanese clan which was granted the area around Matsumae, Hokkaidō as a march fief in 1590 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and charged with defending it, and by extension all of Japan, from the Ainu 'barbarians' to the north. The clan was originally known as the Kakizaki clan who settled...
from as early as 1790. On September 22, 1853, a Russian expedition, commanded by Gennadii Nevel'skoi, raised the Russian flag at the settlement and renamed it "Fort Muravyovsky", after Governor-General of Eastern Siberia Nikolay Muravyov
Nikolay Muravyov-Amursky
Nikolay Nikolayevich Muravyov-Amursky was a Russian statesman and diplomat, who played a major role in the expansion of the Russian Empire into the Amur River basin and to the shores of the Sea of Japan.-Surname spelling:The surname Muravyov has also been transcribed as Muravyev or Murav'ev.-Early...
. Nevel'skoi left detailed recollections of the landing. He encountered a predominantly ainu population (at least 600 people; another source mentions only 300 ainu inhabitants) as well as Japanese nationals who, judging by Nevel'skoi's account, exercised authority over the native inhabitants. At the time of Nevel'skoi's arrival, the village featured several standing structures - Nevel'skoi calls them "sarayi" (warehouses) - and even a Japanese religious temple. The villagers supposedly welcomed the Russians after they learned about their mission (protecting them from foreign incursion). Of course, the veracity of this account is in doubt, both because Nevel'skoi had ulterior motives for claiming that he was "welcomed" by the inhabitants, and also because it is not clear to what extent the Russians were able to make themselves understood. The Russians abandoned the settlement on May 30, 1854, allegedly because their presence there, at the time of the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, raised the spectre of Anglo-French attack, but returned in August 1869, now renaming the town "fort Korsakovsky," in honor of then-Governor General of Eastern Siberia Mikhail Korsakov. Lingering territorial conflict between Japan and Russia has polarized scholarly opinion of Korsakov's early history, as each side tries to claim priority of early settlement to back up their respective territorial claims in the broader region. In 1875, the whole Sakhalin including the village was ceded to Russia, under the Treaty of Saint Petersburg.
While under Russian administration fort Korsakovsky was an important administrative center in Sakhalin's penal servitude system and a final destination for hundreds of prisoners from European Russia, sentenced to forced labor for particularly serious crimes. Such prisoners and their families comprised early settlers of fort Korsakovskii until its hand-over to the Japanese. Prominent Russian writers, including A.P. Chekhov and V.M. Doroshevich, visited Korsakovskii and left keen observations of its unsavory trade.
In 1905 Korsakovsky was handed over to Japan after Russia's defeat in the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905. Renamed Ōtomari it was temporarily the capital of Karafuto Prefecture
Karafuto Prefecture
, commonly called South Sakhalin, was the Japanese administrative division corresponding to Japanese territory on Sakhalin from 1905 to 1945. Through the Treaty of Portsmouth, the portion of Sakhalin south of 50°N became a colony of Japan in 1905...
between 1905-1907. While in Japanese hands the town grew substantially. Upon the ashes of fort Korsakovskii (the Russians burned the wooden town before the hand-over) the Japanese built a stone-clad modern city, with paved streets and electricity.
A penal colony under Russia's administration, Ōtomari maintained the dreadful practice of forced labor: thousands of ethnic Koreans were brought over as slave workers. Korsakov's present-say Korean population are mainly descendants of these labour conscripts.
After the Second World War, Ōtomari was again ceded from Japan, this time to the Soviet Union. The Japanese population was mostly repatriated by 1947, though a few remained, along with a sizeable Korean population. Old Ōtomari burned down substantially with the entry of the Russian troops. The old Bank, Japanese bank building (originally, Ōtomari Branch of Hokkaido Takushoku Bank
Hokkaido Takushoku Bank
, literally Hokkaidō Exploitation Bank, was one of major commercial banks in Japan, founded in 1899 as a "Special Bank" to promote capitalization on the island of Hokkaidō. Its nickname was ; it was also known in the media and business world as...
) remains standing today, though efforts to convert it to a museum came to nothing for lack of funds. Other Japanese sites and memorials were all destroyed, including a Shinto shrine and a monument to Prince Hirohito who had visited Ōtomari on an inspection tour. An interesting sample of Japanese monuments can now be seen near Prigorodnoye (Merei before 1945)- a fallen stella to Japanese soldiers.
Economy
A Soviet report, dated November 1, 1945, offers a useful snapshot of Korsakov's economy in 1945.The town had:
- two refrigerators for fish processing
- paper factory
- a factory to extract salt from sea water (production capacity 20 thousand tons per year)
- a sulphur-alcohol plant
- 7 (!) sake production facilities
- 2 timber plants
Up until the 1990s Korsakov was a major base for the Russian Far Eastern fishing fleet. It was the home of the Base for Ocean Shipping - Baza Okeanicheskogo Rybolovstva - which, however, went bankrupt during the post-Soviet recession, perhaps for no better reason than downright looting of state property. The thousands of fishermen employed in the "Bor" continued their work for private fishing companies, which usually operated small fishing boats not far off the coast, often without licenses. The catch (primarily crab) was sold in Japan for hard currency, mainly in Wakkanai. Fishermen purchased Japanese electronics and used cars. This semi-illicit, semi-barter economy had a certain positive economic effect on Korsakov, though it inevitably contributed to organized crime.
Among other large economic units in Korsakov was a factory, which produced carton boxes - Fabrika Gofrirovannoi Tary. The factory operated on run-down equipment, probably left over from the Japanese times, and was visible to anyone in Korsakov, as it featured a tall chimney. Gennadii Zlivko, formerly a mayor of the town, was once a director of this factory. It has long since gone bankrupt, and its tall chimney, no longer emitting black smoke, is the only thing that reminds one of the earlier years of Korsakov's economy.
Korsakov is also the closest town to the huge LNG plant, constructed within the framework of the Sakhalin-2 project.
Demography
| Korsakov's population (thousands). Historical trends. | |||||||
| 1897 | 1.7 | 1979 | 42.3 | 1998 | 38.3 | 2005 | 35.9 |
| 1959 | 32.9 | 1989 | 45.1 | 2000 | 37.0 | 2006 | 35.5 |
| 1967 | 34 | 1992 | 45.3 | 2001 | 36.5 | 2007 | 35.1 |
| 1970 | 38.2 | 1996 | 40.3 | 2003 | 36.7 | 2008 | 35.0 |
Curiously, at the early stage of settlement (late 1890s), men in Korsakovsky outnumbered women almost by a factor of ten. In 1897, for example, 1510 males and 192 females lived in the town. This disbalance is explained by the fact that the majority of Korsakov's inhabitants were prisoners and prison-keepers - in both categories males predominated. The district of Korsakovsky (in 1897 covering 66762 verst) was home to 4659 males and 2194 females - a much better proportion (fort excluding).
The town's population stood at its highest (45 thousand) in the late 1980s, whereupon it experienced significant decline as inhabitants fled economic downturn by moving to neighboring Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk or to continental Russia. Evidently, Korsakov's population remains in decline, although no longer as sharp as in the 1990s.
The demographic make-up is primarily ethnic Russian with a large ethnic Korean minority.
Sightseeing
Amenities include a fairly run-down and expensive hotel ("Alfa") next to the former park. The beach is easily accessible by car (Okhotsk, about 1 hour and Prigorodnoye, about 30 minutes). Formerly well kept beach at Vtoraya Pad has now deteriorated into a messy junkyard.Winter sights include skating at the city stadium and excellent crosscountry skiing past the former sea weed plant (Na Agarike). No facilities exist for downhill skiing.
The town features a museum with an exhibit describing the local frontier history, and the Japanese possession of the city (1905–1945). Local market on the Sovetskaya Street offers great strawberries in the summer, and nicely prepared Korean delicacies (kimchi and the local hit, the paporotnik, all year around).
Politics
Korsakov is administered in much the same fashion as other small towns all across Russia. It has its executive (the mayor's office or "municipal administration", and its legislature (city duma). In practice, the duma exercises fairly limited influence over the executive.List of mayors:
- Lada Mudrova (2008-)
- Gennady Zlivko (2004–2008): removed by court decision
- Aleksandr Svoyakov (acting): lost election to Gennady Zlivko
- Valery Osadchy (1993–2004): resigned
- Yuri Savenko (1991–1993): resigned
Transportation
Korsakov is located about 30 kilometers from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk AirportYuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport is an airport in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, on the Russian island of Sakhalin. The airport was established in 1945 as a military airfield...
. Regular bus and minibus services connect Korsakov with the capital city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, though not with the airport. There is passenger ferry service between Korsakov and Wakkanai, Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, across the Aniva Gulf.
There used to be Japan National Rail passenger ferry service from Wakkanai, called "Chihaku-Renrakusen (Chihaku Ferry Service)" in 1923-1945, which was linked from Japan's whole national rail network and to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
-Demographics:Most residents are ethnic Russians, but there also exists a sizable population of Koreans. Of the 43,000 Sakhalin Koreans, half are estimated to live in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, comprising roughly 12% of the city's population...
(then called Toyohara). The old narrow-gauge Japanese railroad still runs along the scenic coastline, with sporadic rail service.
There are several bus lines servicing the urban area and a number of villages in the proximity.
Twin towns/sister cities
Korsakov is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Monbetsu
Monbetsu
is the name of several places in Japan:* Monbetsu, Hokkaidō, a city in Abashiri Subprefecture, Hokkaidō* Monbetsu District, Hokkaidō, a district of Abashiri Subprefecture, Hokkaidō...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Wakkanai
Wakkanai, Hokkaido
is a city located in Sōya, Hokkaidō. It is the capital of Sōya Subprefecture and the northernmost city in Japan. It contains Japan's northernmost point, Cape Soya, from which the Russian island of Sakhalin can be seen....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
External links
- Russia to Japan via Korsakov itinerary from WikitravelWikitravel-External links:* *...