is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

located in

Nemuro Subprefecture is a subprefecture of Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. Japan claims the southern parts of the disputed Kuril Islands (known as the Northern Territories in Japan) as part of this subprefecture. As of March 2009, the subprefecture has an estimated ...

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The lar ...

, Japan. As of September 2016, it has an estimated population of 5,374, and an area of 624.49 km². Shibetsu is located at the northeastern end of Hokkaido, in the heart of Nemuro Subprefecture. It is a coastal town, facing the Sea of Okhotsk and backed by the mountains of the

Shiretoko Peninsula is located on the easternmost portion of the Japanese island of Hokkaidō, protruding into the Sea of Okhotsk. It is separated from Kunashir Island, which is now occupied by Russia, by the Nemuro Strait. The name Shiretoko is derived from the ...

. To the northeast of Shibestu lies the town of Rausu, to the northwest is Shari, to the south is

Betsukai is a town located in Nemuro Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the S ...

and to the west is the town of

Nakashibetsu is a town located in Nemuro Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. As of March 31, 2008, it has an estimated population of 23,958, and an area of 684.98 km2. Nakashibetsu Airport is an airport located from Nakashibetsu, Hokkaidō, Japan ...

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 The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...

(1868-1912) and it quickly became a thriving fishing and farming town. *1901: Uembetsu Village (now Rausu) splits off. *1923: Shibetsu Village becomes second-class municipality. *1946:

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, Hokkaido is normally not affected by the June–July rainy season. In comparison, Hokkaido 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 is an airport located from Nakashibetsu, Hokkaidō, Japan. It serves Nakashibetsu and the nearby city of Nemuro, and is the easternmost airport in the country. The Japanese government officially refers to the airport as 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.

Notable people from Shibetsu

* Sayuri Osuga, speed skater and cyclist * Toshiko Takeya, Japanese Senator *Shizuo Shinoda, pioneer of

musical road A musical road is a road, or section of a road, which when driven over causes a tactile vibration and audible rumbling that can be felt through the wheels and body of the vehicle. This rumbling is heard within the car as well as the surroundi ...

s in Japan

References

External links

*
Official Website
Towns in Hokkaido {{Hokkaido-geo-stub