is a town

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 Shibetsu District

Shibetsu District, Hokkaido

is a district located in Nemuro Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan. As of 2004, its estimated population is 30,285 with a total area of 1309.44 km²Nakashibetsu Airport, the easternmost airport in Japan, is located in Nakashibetsu.-History:...

, Nemuro Subprefecture

Nemuro Subprefecture

is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. The Japanese claim the disputed Southern Kurile Islands as part of this subprefecture....

, 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...

. As of April 1, 2009 it has an estimated population of 5,825 and an area of 624.49 km².
Shibetsu town is located at the northeastern end of Hokkaidoō, in the heart of Nemuro subprefecture. It is a coastal town, facing the Sea of Okhotsk

Sea of Okhotsk

The Sea of Okhotsk is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, lying between the Kamchatka Peninsula on the east, the Kuril Islands on the southeast, the island of Hokkaidō to the far south, the island of Sakhalin along the west, and a long stretch of eastern Siberian coast along the west and...

 and backed by the mountains of the Shiretoko Peninsula

Shiretoko Peninsula

is located on the easternmost portion of the Japanese island of Hokkaidō, protruding into the Sea of Okhotsk. It is separated from the Kunashir Island of Russia by the Nemuro Strait. The name Shiretoko is derived from the Ainu language word sir etok, meaning the end of the Earth or the place where...

. To the northeast of Shibestu lies the town of Rausu

Rausu, Hokkaido

is a town located in Menashi District, Nemuro Subprefecture, Hokkaidō. As of March 31, 2008 it has an estimated population of 6,202 and an area of 397.88 km²....

, to the northwest is Shari

Shari, Hokkaido

is a town located in Shari District, Okhotsk Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 13,036 and a population density of 18.36 persons per km². The total area is 736.97 km².-External links:...

, to the south is Betsukai

Betsukai, Hokkaido

is a town located in Notsuke District, Nemuro Subprefecture, Hokkaidō Prefecture. As of March 31, 2008 it has an estimated population of 16,335 and an area of 1,320.15 km² . The town is primarily agricultural, with numerous cow farms...

 and to the west is the town of Nakashibetsu

Nakashibetsu, Hokkaido

is a town located in Shibetsu District, Nemuro Subprefecture, Hokkaidō Prefecture. As of March 31, 2008 it has an estimated population of 23,958 and an area of 684.98 km².Nakashibetsu Airport, the easternmost airport in Japan, is located in the town.- History :...

.

Population

Although the town's population was 8,051 people in 1965 (Census Data), the amount has continued to decrease to 6,298 people in the year 2000 (Census Data). The effects of depopulation and outflow of young people has left the current population to roughly 5,825 people (Census Data for April 2009).

History

Pioneer settlers established Shibetsu during the Meiji period

Meiji period

The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...

(1868-1912) and it quickly became a thriving fishing and farming town.

• 1901 Uembetsu Village (now Rausu
  Rausu, Hokkaido
  is a town located in Menashi District, Nemuro Subprefecture, Hokkaidō. As of March 31, 2008 it has an estimated population of 6,202 and an area of 397.88 km²....
  
  ) splits off
• 1923 Shibetsu Village becomes second-class municipality
• 1946 Nakashibetsu
  Nakashibetsu, Hokkaido
  is a town located in Shibetsu District, Nemuro Subprefecture, Hokkaidō Prefecture. As of March 31, 2008 it has an estimated population of 23,958 and an area of 684.98 km².Nakashibetsu Airport, the easternmost airport in Japan, is located in the town.- History :...
  
   splits off
• 1958 Shibetsu Village becomes Shibetsu Town

Economy

Salmon, scallop, trout and shellfish farming has been the cornerstone of Shibetsu's livelihood. As of 2009, Shibetsu's fishing industry is estimated to produce 51 billion yen annually (salmon farming making up most of it with 39 billion yen). Shibetsu is also supported by its successful dairy industry with total dairy production annually exceeding 82 billion yen (As of May 2009).

Climate

Shibetsu is known for its cooler summers and icy winters. Unlike the other major islands of Japan, Hokkaidō is normally not affected by the June-July rainy season. In comparison, Hokkaidō is relatively less humid and has typically warm summer weather, rather than hot.

Transportation

As there is no railway line in or near Shibetsu, residents and tourists rely on airplanes and cars to travel to and from the town. Flights to and from Tokyo to nearby Nakashibetsu Airport take roughly 1 hour 40 minutes. Flights to and from Sapporo take approximately 50-60 mins. Travel to Shibetsu by bus or car from Nakashibetsu Airport takes roughly 20-30 mins. Buses depart from the Nakashibetsu Bus Terminal.

External links

• Official Website in Japanese