Article

01647 ／あしょろちょう

Hokkaido 足寄郡

Ashoro Town

Black mud forms here, over a ton a year.

Yunotaki Falls, manganese mud

Photo by アラツク (CC BY-SA 4.0)

01 ／ Fossils

A fossil found in a riverbed in 1976was later identified as a desmostylian.

On July 31, 1976, a Hokkaido University graduate student found a fossil in a riverbed in the town. It was later identified as a desmostylian, and the first specimen was named Ashoroa laticosta in 2000. The Ashoro fauna desmostylian fossils are a Hokkaido natural monument.

Found on July 31, 1976
First specimen named in 2000
Hokkaido-designated natural monument

02 ／ Aikappu Station

Aikappu Station's building was replacedin 1977 by a crown-shaped one.

Aikappu was a station on the rail line linking Ikeda and Kitami. In 1977 the old station building was replaced by a crown-shaped one, and the station ended its role on April 21, 2006, when the Furusato Ginga Line was closed.

Crown-shaped building from 1977
Line closed on April 21, 2006
Rail line linking Ikeda and Kitami

03 ／ Rawan butterbur

A butterbur growing wild along the Rawan Riverreaches 2 to 3 meters.

Rawan butterbur is a giant butterbur that grows wild along the Rawan River. It once reached 4 meters, and a rider on horseback was said to be able to pass beneath it. The Hokkaido Heritage listing notes that why it grows so large is still largely a mystery.

Hokkaido Heritage
2 to 3 meters tall
Once reached 4 meters

Ashoro Town 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 July 2015)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

70 minutes by bus from Ikeda Station.

about 7,000 people
Rural district town

There is no railway station in the town. In the Tokachi Bus Route 17 timetable (revised October 13, 2026), the trip from the Ikeda Station stop to Ashoro takes 70 minutes by daily service. The gateway is the town office.

People living here: 6,563people
Area: 1,408.04km²
Households: 3,097households
Rent (average for rentals): —
Healthcare: 1 hospital ／ 3 clinics

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

Children waiting for childcare: —4 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.

ACCESS

Where you can go from here.

Ashoro Town in Japan43.245°N 143.554°E

to IkedaLocal bus70min

Travel times follow 十勝バス『【17】帯広・陸別線』の時刻表（令和8年10月13日改定。『北見～陸別～帯広』の PDF の十勝バス陸別線・帯広→陸別。https://www.tokachibus.jp/pdf/rosen/jikoku_kitami-20261013.pdf 、2026-10-29 に読んだ）。池田駅前→足寄：6:58→8:08・10:58→12:08・12:11→13:21・14:56→16:06・15:56→17:06・20:49→21:59＝全て70分。印のある便は採らない（8:42発は『●土日祝のみ運行』、18:19発は『■土日祝運休』）。 (checked 2026-10-29). They vary by time of day.

Shape

Borders 7 municipalities.

Territory of Ashoro Town

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

41.2km

Rikubetsu Town, Kamishihoro Town, Honbetsu Town, Shiranuka Town, Oketo Town, Kushiro City, Tsubetsu Town

Ashoro Town isthis kind of town.

01Onneto Yunotaki Falls is a national natural monument; on its slope microbes form manganese dioxide, producing over a ton of sediment a year
02A fossil found in a riverbed in 1976 was later identified as a desmostylian, and the Ashoro fauna desmostylian fossils are a Hokkaido natural monument
03Aikappu Station's building was replaced by a crown-shaped one in 1977, and the Rawan butterbur growing wild along the Rawan River reaches 2 to 3 meters

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Ashoro Town official site ↗Wikipedia ↗

From this town's themes