Article

01216 ／あしべつし

Ashibetsu City

Six girders and two arches span a gorge.

Tanzangawa Bridge

Photo by MaedaAkihiko (CC0)

01 ／ Sorachi Otaki potholes

47 potholes on the right bank,17 on the left, around the plunge pool.

Sorachi Otaki is a river fall where three rock strata, uplifted some 100 million years ago, interlock; its potholes are a Hokkaido-designated natural monument. Stones caught in cracks spun in the torrent to form them, and the description says they were exposed after the Takisato Dam's completion reduced the flow.

Hokkaido natural monument
47 right bank, 17 left bank
3 strata uplifted ~100M years ago

02 ／ Former elementary school building

A brick north classroom wing over 100 mruns east from the west-facing staff wing.

The Seisa University school building, a former elementary school, is a nationally registered tangible cultural property. A two-story brick building with English-bond walls, it has a single-corridor north classroom wing running east from the staff wing, and the national description calls its length of over 100 m magnificent.

Registered tangible cultural property
Two-story brick
North wing over 100 m

03 ／ Sandan Falls

Over rocks stepped in three tiers,a stream falls 10 m high, 70 m wide.

Ashibetsu City describes Sandan Falls, in a Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism riverside showcase, as a clear stream pouring down oddly shaped rocks stepped in three tiers. It gives the size as 10 m high and 70 m wide, with the best views in spring snowmelt and autumn colors.

Three stepped tiers
10 m high, 70 m wide (city's description)
Best in spring and autumn

Ashibetsu City from the sky

Now and 1974–78. Tap a photo to zoom in.

Now1974–78

Wide (about 6 km across)

Close (about 1.5 km across)

Now (shot September–October 2009)Shot 1974–78

Source: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) GSI Tiles（全国最新写真（シームレス）／国土画像情報（第一期：1974〜1978年撮影））

Open in GSI Maps (now)Open in GSI Maps (1974–78)

Living here

From Sapporo Station, about 1 hr 40 min by train.

about 10,000 people

The city's website gives about 1 hour 40 minutes by train from Sapporo Station to Ashibetsu Station, and about 1 hour 50 minutes by express bus from Sapporo (checked October 2026). The city's stations on the JR Nemuro Main Line are Ashibetsu, Kami-Ashibetsu and Nokanan, and the gateway is Ashibetsu Station.

People living here: 12,555people
Area: 865.04km²
Households: 6,055households
Rent (average for rentals): 27,553yen
Healthcare: 3 hospitals ／ 4 clinics

Area and habitable land at the same scalee-Stat B1101 / B1103

Children waiting for childcare: —1 nurseries and similar
Home purchase subsidy: —
Average annual temperature: —

These 3 items are waiting on a nationwide data source. We do not fill them with estimates.

Shape

Borders 13 municipalities.

Ashibetsu City in Japan43.518°N 142.190°E

Territory of Ashibetsu City

Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (Administrative Area Data), MLIT. Processed by Machigatari.Lakes: National Land Numerical Information (Lake Data), MLIT. Processed by Machigatari. Prepared with the approval of the Director-General of the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, using its Digital Map 25000 (Spatial Data Framework) and Digital Map 25000 (Place Names and Public Facilities). (承認番号平27情使、第585号)

North to south

50.5km

Akabira City, Furano City, Mikasa City, Asahikawa City, Fukagawa City, Yubari City, Biei Town, Nakafurano Town, Utashinai City, Bibai City, Naie Town, Kamisunagawa Town, Minamifurano Town

Travel times per leg are not published by the municipality, so they are not shown.

Ashibetsu City isthis kind of town.

01The former Mitsui Ashibetsu Railway Tanzangawa Bridge is a registered tangible cultural property, 94 m long, made of a six-span steel plate girder bridge and a two-span concrete arch bridge, with diesel locomotive DD501 and a coal freight car placed on it
02The potholes at Sorachi Otaki are a Hokkaido-designated natural monument, with 47 confirmed on the right bank and 17 on the left near the plunge pool, and the brick Seisa University building, a former elementary school, has a north wing over 100 m long
03Sandan Falls is described by Ashibetsu City as 10 m high and 70 m wide, the city's JR Nemuro Main Line stations are Ashibetsu, Kami-Ashibetsu and Nokanan, and the city's website gives about 1 hr 40 min by train from Sapporo Station

See the town as it is now.

Facebooknamakoyama ↗

Source: Wikidata (P2002, P2003, P2013, P2397)

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Ashibetsu City official site ↗Wikipedia ↗