Article

01334 ／きこないちょう

Hokkaido 上磯郡

Kikonai Town

Since 1831, a god is purified in waves.

Kanchu Misogi, Misogi Beach

Photo by Abasaa (Public domain)

01 ／ Kikonai Station

Students of a closing high schoolchose the station design.

Kikonai Station on the Hokkaido Shinkansen opened on 26 March 2016. In January 2012 the Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency presented three designs for the station building, and all 15 students of Kikonai High School chose Plan B, which became the town's choice. The town's concept for the station is "a promenade of waves and forest, a gateway to the north."

Opened 26 March 2016
All 15 students chose
Concept: waves and forest

02 ／ Yakushiyama

From a 72.9 m summit,the town and the strait can be seen.

Yakushiyama in Kikonai Town — Photo by Prosperosity (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Yakushiyama, in Furusato no Mori, is 72.9 m high, and from the summit you can see the town and the Tsugaru Strait. On a clear day the Tsugaru and Shimokita peninsulas across the water are visible too. Kannon statues stand along the paths, and one of the thirty-three is enshrined at a nearby temple. Three trees (yew) at the top have roots joined as one.

72.9 m high
Thirty-three Kannon statues
Roots of three trees joined

03 ／ Kanrin Maru

At a cape where the Kanrin Maru is said to rest offshore,a monument marks its end.

The Kanrin Maru, carrying 401 retainers of the Katakura Kojuro clan of Sendai, ran aground off Saraki Cape on 20 September 1871 on its way from Hakodate to Otaru. Local people from Izumisawa rescued everyone aboard, and the town records that the ship broke up and sank a few days later. A monument to the ship's end stands at the tip of the cape.

Ran aground 20 September 1871
401 retainers aboard
Monument at the cape's tip

Kikonai 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 April 2018)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

Tokyo in 3 h 57 min on the Hokkaido Shinkansen.

about 4,000 people
Shinkansen stops here
Rural district town

From Tokyo Station to Kikonai Station, the fastest daily Hokkaido Shinkansen train takes 3 hours 57 minutes on the JR East timetable (checked October 2026).

People living here: 3,832people
Area: 221.86km²
Households: 1,871households
Rent (average for rentals): —
Healthcare: 1 hospital ／ 3 clinics

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

Children waiting for childcare: —2 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.

Kikonai Town in Japan41.678°N 140.438°E

to TokyoHokkaido Shinkansen237min

Travel times follow JR東日本の駅の時刻表（timetables.jreast.co.jp/2611・東京駅下り tt1039 平日1039020・土曜休日1039021）の列車ページを hokkaido-prep/jr/trains-1039.json（512件）から数え直し、はやぶさ23号（3023B）の列車ページ（train/010/010071.html）を直接読んで確かめた。東京の発→木古内の着で、運転日の欄が空（臨時でない）の毎日運転の最速は237分：はやぶさ23号〈3023B。東京12:20発→木古内16:17着〉 (checked 2026-10-29). They vary by time of day.

Shape

Borders 4 municipalities.

Territory of Kikonai 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

18.0km

Kaminokuni Town, Shiriuchi Town, Hokuto City, Assabu Town

Kikonai Town isthis kind of town.

01The Kanchu Misogi rite at the shrine in Kikonai Town is a Hokkaido-designated intangible folk cultural property; since 1831 four young men have purified the deity in the Tsugaru Strait on 15 January
02Kikonai Station on the Hokkaido Shinkansen opened on 26 March 2016 with a design chosen by all 15 students of Kikonai High School, and Yakushiyama, 72.9 m high, overlooks the Tsugaru Strait
03The Kanrin Maru ran aground off Saraki Cape on 20 September 1871, and Kikonai Station is 3 h 57 min from Tokyo on the Hokkaido Shinkansen

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Kikonai Town official site ↗Wikipedia ↗

From this town's themes