Assabu, Hokkaido
Encyclopedia
is a small town
located in Hiyama District
, Hiyama
, Hokkaidō.
Assabu is situated in the Oshima Peninsula
of southern Hokkaidō near the Japan Sea. Assabu is around an hour's drive by car from Hakodate (or longer if local speed limits are obeyed) and 15 minutes to Esashi
. Other transport links include a road from Yakumo
on the east coast and bus-rail links from the Esahi (JR Esashi-Line) and Hakodate railway stations. The drive to Sapporo
, Hokkaidō's largest city, takes around four and one-half hours.
), Goyoumatsu (Japanese White Pine
) and Todomatsu (Sakhalin Fir) species.
Other crops grown in the Assabu area include Daikon
(radish), Hikari black soybeans, Dainagon Azuki (red beans) and rice.
A shōchū
(white spirit) made from May Queen potatoes is produced in the town. Assabu also makes its own sake, while locally grown grapes are blended in a southern Hokkaidō wine. Kuromame-cha is a tea blend brewed using Assabu-grown black beans.
(Gamushi Onsen in Kamisato, Uzra Onsen and Tate Onsen). Assabu has a public swimming pool (closed in winter), a Mizu Kankyo (water park) and Park Golf
(a combination of golf, mini golf and croquet, invented in Japan). Forest walks are available on local hill Taikoyama (drum mountain) and the Reku-no-mori, Tsuchihashi Nature Observation and Education Forest, where there are also camping facilities.
The town has its own skifield, suitable for beginners, which is located on the slopes of Mt. Taiko.
Wildlife is abundant in Assabu; two-legs compete with plenty of insects, a paradise of birdlife and one of the biggest populations of Ezo Higuma (brown bears) in Hokkaidō.
There are several restaurants in Assabu-cho and in the surrounding district. The town centre has three ramen
/izakaya
restaurants, three sushi
-ya restaurants and two karaoke bars. There is also a home-restaurant serving Italian food alongside traditional Japanese cooking. In the local district, Takino has a soba restaurant where noodles are made on the premises while Uzura and Tate each have one eating place.
of 4,862 and a density
of 10.55 persons per km². The total area is 460.42 km². The population of the Assabu-region has halved over the past 30 years due to agricultural reforms and the migration of the young to cities, especially Sapporo. Public facilities in some areas have been scaled back as a result, including schools. Although the population has stabilised in recent years, the aging of Japan's population may cause further declines in the years to come.
As well as the Assabu township itself, which is made up of four areas (Hon-chō, Midori-machi, Shin-machi and ), the municipal area includes several smaller hamlets, including:
feudal clan who gained control over Hokkaidō’s Oshima Peninsula during the Sengoku Period
and first settled the town area in 1678. Offering an opening in the mountains accessible from the sea, Assabu was established as a forestry camp. As the area was cleared, agriculture followed and farmers began reclamation of land from the swampy drainage basin of local rivers.
Like much of the Oshima peninsular, armed merchants were in the vanguard of local settlers, and one of the mansion-castles typical of the period was established in the area near Tate -
In 1869, Assabu briefly fell under the control of Shogun
ate loyalists during the occupation of Hokkaidō by forces loyal to the Tokugawa
family led by general Enomoto Takeaki
. It was returned to the control of the Matsumae feudal clan in the same year after the rebellion in Hokkaidō was quashed by the new Meiji Emperor.
During this conflict, Tate castle was assaulted by Meiji forces and destroyed.
In 1871, the Matsumae clan’s control over their march
territories in Hokkaidō was dissolved and in 1872, Hokkaidō was designated for colonisation and the area administered by the colonial office. In 1906, two village districts in the area were merged receiving the official designation of Assabu-chou.
The Assabu yakuba (town council organisation) rejected a merger proposal with the neighbouring Esashi municipality in 2005. Esashi is thought to be financially less well off than Assabu.
At the end of July 2006, Assabu townsfolk cooked what was locally called the world's largest potato croquette. Measuring 2.1 meters in diameter and 320 kilograms in weight the behemoth emerged from 180 kilograms of potatoes, and vast quantities of fried minced meat and onions covered with wheat flour and eggs. A crane was used to dip the mix into a vat containing 252 litres of cooking oil. Cooking time was just eight minutes. The croquette was divided into 1,300 servings at a local festival. http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/648/smallprint.asp
During July 2007, Assabu town is planning to make the world's largest slushy-ice alcoholic drink using locally brewed Shochu.
Towns of Japan
A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in Hiyama District
Hiyama District, Hokkaido
is a district located in Hiyama Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2004, the district has an estimated population of 21,896 and a density of 19.59 persons per km². The total area is 1,117.57 km².-Towns and villages:*Assabu*Esashi*Kaminokuni...
, Hiyama
Hiyama Subprefecture
is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan located on the Oshima Peninsula on the Sea of Japan side. It includes Okushiri Island. It was established in 1897.-Towns and villages by district:* Hiyama District** Assabu** Esashi ** Kaminokuni* Kudō District...
, Hokkaidō.
Assabu is situated in the Oshima Peninsula
Oshima Peninsula
The Oshima Peninsula is the southernmost part of Hokkaidō, the northernmost of the Japanese islands. Where the peninsula starts is open to interpretation. A more generous interpretation is to draw a line southeast from Ishikari Bay across the Ishikari Plain to Yufutsu...
of southern Hokkaidō near the Japan Sea. Assabu is around an hour's drive by car from Hakodate (or longer if local speed limits are obeyed) and 15 minutes to Esashi
Esashi, Hokkaido (Hiyama)
is a town in Hiyama District, Hiyama Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture.One of the oldest towns in Hokkaidō, the name Esashi comes from the Ainu word for konbu, a type of edible kelp well known in Japan...
. Other transport links include a road from Yakumo
Yakumo, Hokkaido
is a town located in Futami District, Oshima, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 19,543 and a density of 23.08 persons per km². The total area is 955.98 km²....
on the east coast and bus-rail links from the Esahi (JR Esashi-Line) and Hakodate railway stations. The drive to Sapporo
Sapporo, Hokkaido
is the fourth-largest city in Japan by population, and the largest city on the island of Hokkaido. It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an ordinance-designated city of Japan....
, Hokkaidō's largest city, takes around four and one-half hours.
Geography
The municipality is landlocked, comprising several valley basins and is encircled by forest-clad hills, opening out towards the Japan sea to the west. More than 80% of the Assabu municipal area is forested, including Hiba (Japanese CypressThujopsis
Thujopsis is a conifer in the cypress family , the sole member of the genus being Thujopsis dolabrata. It is endemic to Japan, where it is named asunaro . It is similar to the closely related genus Thuja , differing in the broader, thicker leaves and thick cones...
), Goyoumatsu (Japanese White Pine
Japanese White Pine
The Japanese White Pine is a pine in the white pine group, Pinus subgenus Strobus, native to Japan. It is also known as the Japanese Five Needle Pine ....
) and Todomatsu (Sakhalin Fir) species.
Nearby cities and towns
- YakumoYakumo, Hokkaidois a town located in Futami District, Oshima, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 19,543 and a density of 23.08 persons per km². The total area is 955.98 km²....
to the north - HokutoHokuto, Hokkaidois a city in the center of the Oshima Subprefecture in Japan's northern island of Hokkaidō.It was formed on February 1, 2006 from merging the town of Kamiiso, from Kamiiso District, and the town of Ōno, from Kameda District....
to the north east - OtobeOtobe, Hokkaidois a town located in Nishi District, Hiyama, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 4,665 and a density of 29.96 persons per km². The total area is 162.55 km².-External links:* in Japanese...
to the north west - KikonaiKikonai, Hokkaidois a town located in Kamiiso District, Oshima, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 5,726 and a density of 27.73 persons per km². The total area is 221.88 km²....
to the south and east - EsashiEsashi, HokkaidoEsashi is the name of two towns in Hokkaidō.*Esashi, Hokkaidō in Sōya Subprefecture* Esashi, Hokkaidō in Hiyama Subprefecture...
to the west - KaminokuniKaminokuni, Hokkaidois a town located in Hiyama District, Hiyama, Hokkaidō, Japan.In 2008, the town had an estimated population of 6,379 and a density of 12.25 per km²...
to the south
Mountains
- Mt. 147 m
- Mt. 1017 m
Rivers
There are numerous rivers running through the area, the largest of which is the .Industry
Agriculture, forestry, dairy farming and the local government are Assabu's main sources of employment. The district's leading crop, the May Queen potato, is sold around Japan and is the town mascot.Other crops grown in the Assabu area include Daikon
Daikon
Daikon , Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, also called White Radish, Japanese radish, Oriental radish, Chinese radish, lo bok and Mooli , is a mild flavoured, very large, white East Asian radish...
(radish), Hikari black soybeans, Dainagon Azuki (red beans) and rice.
A shōchū
Shochu
is a Japanese distilled beverage. It is typically distilled from barley, sweet potatoes, or rice, though it is sometimes produced from other ingredients such as brown sugar, buckwheat or chestnut. Typically shōchū contains 25% alcohol by volume...
(white spirit) made from May Queen potatoes is produced in the town. Assabu also makes its own sake, while locally grown grapes are blended in a southern Hokkaidō wine. Kuromame-cha is a tea blend brewed using Assabu-grown black beans.
Local attractions
The town has a variety of in and outdoor recreational facilities. There are three local OnsenOnsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
(Gamushi Onsen in Kamisato, Uzra Onsen and Tate Onsen). Assabu has a public swimming pool (closed in winter), a Mizu Kankyo (water park) and Park Golf
Park golf
Park golf , a form of golf played in a park, was invented in Makubetsu, Hokkaidō, Japan in 1983. Esthetically, it resembles a sport somewhere between golf and croquet. The competitive object of the game is to hit the ball into a hole with a club in the fewest number of strokes...
(a combination of golf, mini golf and croquet, invented in Japan). Forest walks are available on local hill Taikoyama (drum mountain) and the Reku-no-mori, Tsuchihashi Nature Observation and Education Forest, where there are also camping facilities.
The town has its own skifield, suitable for beginners, which is located on the slopes of Mt. Taiko.
Wildlife is abundant in Assabu; two-legs compete with plenty of insects, a paradise of birdlife and one of the biggest populations of Ezo Higuma (brown bears) in Hokkaidō.
There are several restaurants in Assabu-cho and in the surrounding district. The town centre has three ramen
Ramen
is a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and uses toppings such as , , kamaboko, green onions, and occasionally corn...
/izakaya
Izakaya
An is a type of Japanese drinking establishment which also serves food to accompany the drinks. They are popular, casual places for after-work drinking.-Name:...
restaurants, three sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
-ya restaurants and two karaoke bars. There is also a home-restaurant serving Italian food alongside traditional Japanese cooking. In the local district, Takino has a soba restaurant where noodles are made on the premises while Uzura and Tate each have one eating place.
Demographics
In March 2006, the town had an estimated populationPopulation
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 4,862 and a density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 10.55 persons per km². The total area is 460.42 km². The population of the Assabu-region has halved over the past 30 years due to agricultural reforms and the migration of the young to cities, especially Sapporo. Public facilities in some areas have been scaled back as a result, including schools. Although the population has stabilised in recent years, the aging of Japan's population may cause further declines in the years to come.
As well as the Assabu township itself, which is made up of four areas (Hon-chō, Midori-machi, Shin-machi and ), the municipal area includes several smaller hamlets, including:
History
Assabu dates back to the days of the Matsumae clanMatsumae 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...
feudal clan who gained control over Hokkaidō’s Oshima Peninsula during the Sengoku Period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
and first settled the town area in 1678. Offering an opening in the mountains accessible from the sea, Assabu was established as a forestry camp. As the area was cleared, agriculture followed and farmers began reclamation of land from the swampy drainage basin of local rivers.
Like much of the Oshima peninsular, armed merchants were in the vanguard of local settlers, and one of the mansion-castles typical of the period was established in the area near Tate -
In 1869, Assabu briefly fell under the control of Shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
ate loyalists during the occupation of Hokkaidō by forces loyal to the Tokugawa
Tokugawa clan
The was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...
family led by general Enomoto Takeaki
Enomoto Takeaki
Viscount was a samurai and admiral of the Tokugawa navy of Bakumatsu period Japan, who remained faithful to the Tokugawa shogunate who fought against the new Meiji government until the end of the Boshin War...
. It was returned to the control of the Matsumae feudal clan in the same year after the rebellion in Hokkaidō was quashed by the new Meiji Emperor.
During this conflict, Tate castle was assaulted by Meiji forces and destroyed.
In 1871, the Matsumae clan’s control over their march
Marches
A march or mark refers to a border region similar to a frontier, such as the Welsh Marches, the borderland between England and Wales. During the Frankish Carolingian Dynasty, the word spread throughout Europe....
territories in Hokkaidō was dissolved and in 1872, Hokkaidō was designated for colonisation and the area administered by the colonial office. In 1906, two village districts in the area were merged receiving the official designation of Assabu-chou.
The Assabu yakuba (town council organisation) rejected a merger proposal with the neighbouring Esashi municipality in 2005. Esashi is thought to be financially less well off than Assabu.
At the end of July 2006, Assabu townsfolk cooked what was locally called the world's largest potato croquette. Measuring 2.1 meters in diameter and 320 kilograms in weight the behemoth emerged from 180 kilograms of potatoes, and vast quantities of fried minced meat and onions covered with wheat flour and eggs. A crane was used to dip the mix into a vat containing 252 litres of cooking oil. Cooking time was just eight minutes. The croquette was divided into 1,300 servings at a local festival. http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/648/smallprint.asp
During July 2007, Assabu town is planning to make the world's largest slushy-ice alcoholic drink using locally brewed Shochu.
