Article

01469 ／びふかちょう

Hokkaido 中川郡

Bifuka Town

Dwarf spruce mirrored in a summit pond.

Matsuyama Wetland, a raised bog

Photo by Soica2001 (Public domain)

01 ／ Summit road

A mountain you can drive to the top of,along a gravel road that runs on for 32 km.

The town website introduces the mountain as a rare one in Japan where you can drive to the top, with a 360-degree panorama. It stands 1,129 m high, a gravel road runs on for 32 km, and a rest hut stands at the summit.

1,129 m above sea level
Gravel road running on for 32 km
Rest hut at the summit

02 ／ Former rail line

The rail line that linked Bifuka and Niupuclosed in 1985 after 21 years.

Former rail line in Bifuka Town — Photo by 南無観自在 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The town chronology records that the section between Bifuka and Niupu opened in 1964 and that the line closed in 1985, ending a history of 21 years. The tourist association says trolley operations have revived the rails since July 1998, offering a 10 km round trip.

Bifuka to Niupu opened in 1964
Closed in 1985 after 21 years
Trolleys since July 1998

03 ／ Town-grown timber

Over 72% of the wood used in Niupu's schoolis certified timber from within the town.

The town website says the school building, completed in March 2021, uses certified timber from Hokkaido-owned and town forests in Bifuka and earned SGEC project chain-of-custody certification, a first in Japan for a large wooden building. The walls use todomatsu fir boards.

Completed in March 2021
Certified timber over 72% of all wood used
Todomatsu fir and larch used

Bifuka 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 June–August 2011)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 Bifuka Station to the wetland entrance, about 30 minutes by car.

about 4,000 people
Rural district town

The town website's walking-course guide (updated July 2026) gives 15 km and about 20 minutes by car from Bifuka Station to Gekiryu Falls, then 8 km and about 10 minutes to the parking lot at the wetland entrance. From there the mountain path is 900 m, about 25 minutes, and the summit walkway is 1.2 km, about 30 minutes.

People living here: 4,145people
Area: 672.09km²
Households: 1,912households
Rent (average for rentals): —
Healthcare: 1 hospital ／ 2 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 6 municipalities.

Bifuka Town in Japan44.481°N 142.343°E

Territory of Bifuka 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

30.8km

Nayoro City, Esashi Town, Otoineppu Village, Oumu Town, Nakagawa Town, Horokanai Town

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

Bifuka Town isthis kind of town.

01Matsuyama Wetland is a raised bog at 797 m above sea level, about 25 ha, with three ponds; the town website says Ezomatsu Pond mirrors dwarf Akaezomatsu spruce in its water
02The town website introduces a 1,129 m mountain that can be driven to the top along a gravel road of 32 km; the rail line between Bifuka and Niupu opened in 1964 and closed in 1985
03The school building in Niupu, completed in March 2021, used certified timber from Hokkaido-owned and town forests in the town for over 72% of its wood

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Bifuka Town official site ↗Wikipedia ↗

From this town's themes