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 Hidaka Subprefecture,

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.

Geography

Hidaka Town is divided into two exclaves, which coincide with the former towns of Hidaka and Monbetsu. The town of Biratori lies between the two wards separating them. Hidaka Ward (Hidaka-ku) lies in the Hidaka Mountains at a cross road leading to

Sapporo ( ain, サッ・ポロ・ペッ, Satporopet, lit=Dry, Great River) is a city in Japan. It is the largest city north of Tokyo and the largest city on Hokkaido, the northernmost main island of the country. It ranks as the fifth most populous cit ...

, Furano,

Obihiro is a city in Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. Obihiro is the only designated city in the Tokachi area. As of February 29, 2020, the city has an estimated population of 165,851. The next most populous municipality in Tokachi is the ...

, and Biratori. These crossroads lead to Hidaka and Nisshō passes. Monbetsu Ward (Monbetsu-ku) lies on the coast of the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...

at the outlet of the

Saru River is a river in Hokkaidō, Japan. The Saru River rises in the Hidaka Mountains and empties into the Pacific. It is considered sacred in traditional Ainu beliefs. The Nibutani Dam is situated on the Saru River, at Nibutani Nibutani ( ja, � ...

. A train line used to run up to Hidaka along the

. The train carried lumber from the logging camps down to the coast. The train line is no longer used. The entire town has an area of . Hidaka ward has an area of and Monbetsu ward has an area of .

Climate

Transport

Rail

Hidaka was served by the

JR Hokkaido The is one of the constituent companies of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group), and is often referred to using its official abbreviation of . It operates intercity and local rail services in Hokkaido, Japan. The company introduced Kitaca, a sm ...

Hidaka Main Line. However, no services have operated between and since January 2015, due to storm damage. Plans to restore this section of the line have been abandoned, due to declining passenger numbers and very high maintenance costs, and the section was officially closed on 1 April 2021 and replaced by a bus service. Stations in Hidaka: - - - -

Demographics

As of September 2016, Hidaka had a population of 12,596.

History

On March 1, 2006, the town of Monbetsu was merged into Hidaka.

Sports

Hidaka also has a ski slope called the Hidaka Skijo, which has 4 chairlifts and an onsen called Kogenso.

Art and Culture

There is also a ''Shonen Shizen no Ie'' Boys' Nature House.

Mascot

Hidaka's mascot is . Her name means "walnut". She is a squirrel who loves walnuts grown in the town. Her companion is who is a horse from Monbetsu. Tonekko-kun's designer is Hiroshi Kurogane.

References

External links

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