Article

01486 ／えんべつちょう

Hokkaido 天塩郡

Embetsu Town

A mountain-valley bath in two colors.

Asahi Onsen, red and black baths

Photo by CEFICEFI (CC BY-SA 4.0)

01 ／ Monument to Rice Growing

The Monument to Rice Growingmarks a rice-growing success in 1901.

The town's official site describes Embetsu Town as Japan's northernmost rice-growing area. The AIST's Chishitsu News says a monument marks the first successful rice growing in 1901, and shows the northern limit of rice cultivation in Japan.

Town: "northernmost rice area in Japan"
1901: first successful rice growing, per AIST
Monument to the origin of rice growing

02 ／ Kanaura Wildflower Garden

From the back of the garden,day lilies come into full bloom.

Kanaura Wildflower Garden is in the Kanaura district and opens from about April until snow falls. The town's site posted the June 2026 bloom reports: Ezo day lilies dot the garden, and deeper in, many are in bloom at their best.

Kanaura 246-1 and other lots
Open from about April until snow falls
June 2026 bloom reports on the town site

03 ／ Asahi Onsen Water

Natural gas separated from the spring waterheats the bath.

Asahi Onsen opened after a 1972 survey by the Hokkaido Underground Resources Institute, when natural gas and hot spring water gushed from about 301 m underground. The Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau says it is a rare intermittent spring in northern Hokkaido, and the gas separated from the water heats the baths.

1972: gushed from about 301 m down
Spring water 25 to 34 degrees
Gas heats the baths

Embetsu 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 2025)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

No railway station; the gateway is the town office.

about 3,000 people
Rural district town

There is no active railway station in the town, and the town's access guide points to the Engan Bus timetable. By car, the town site gives about 1 hour 30 minutes from Wakkanai and about 1 hour 40 minutes from Rumoi (updated June 2026).

People living here: 2,520people
Area: 590.8km²
Households: 1,200households
Rent (average for rentals): —
Healthcare: 1 hospital ／ 1 clinic

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 5 municipalities.

Embetsu Town in Japan44.722°N 141.792°E

Territory of Embetsu 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

54.5km

Nakagawa Town, Shosanbetsu Village, Teshio Town, Horokanai Town, Haboro Town

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

Embetsu Town isthis kind of town.

01Asahi Onsen is a lone inn in the hills with two baths, the red-brown Asahi bath and the black Fujimi bath. Natural gas and hot water gushed out in a 1972 survey
02The town calls itself Japan's northernmost rice area, and AIST says a monument marks the northern limit. Ezo day lilies bloom in Kanaura Wildflower Garden
03The town has no railway station; the gateway is the town office

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Embetsu Town official site ↗Wikipedia ↗

From this town's themes