Makkari's name, an Ainu word, Makkari Village
Article

01396 ／ まっかりむら

Hokkaido 虻田郡

Makkari Village

The village name is said to come from a river around Yotei.

Makkari's name, an Ainu word

Photo by Soica2001 (Public domain)

01 ／ Faithful dog Pochi

The dog that stayed by a postmaster in a blizzardis displayed at the village's community hall.

In January 1918, Murakami Seitaro, head of the local post office, set out in a fierce blizzard to deliver a telegram and died on duty; the village says his dog Pochi kept him warm beside him. Newspapers of the day called the dog loyal, and the mounted body returned to the village by way of the Tokyo Communications Museum.

  • January 1918
  • Press called the dog loyal
  • Shown at the community hall

02 ／ Cherry avenue

The Ezo mountain cherries lining the shrine approachwere planted around 1920 by local people.

Along the approach to Makkari Shrine runs an avenue of Ezo mountain cherry trees planted around 1920 by local people. The village calls the view of the avenue with Mount Yotei still holding spring snow a little-known scenic spot, and gives early to mid May as the best time.

  • Planted around 1920
  • Ezo mountain cherry
  • Best early to mid May

03 ／ Place names

Some of the 16 district names come from asettlement light-railway stop or the shrine.

A village document says Makkari has 16 districts, whose present names date from 1941, when the village was renamed. Tomisato takes its name from a settlement light-railway stop, Yashiro from the site of the village shrine, and Izumi from a spring-fed water source.

  • 16 district names
  • Present names date from 1941
  • Tomisato from a railway stop

Makkari Village from the sky

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

Wide (about 6 km across)

Close (about 1.5 km across)

Now (shot May–July 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

A purely agricultural village south of Mount Yotei.

  • about 2,000 people
  • Rural district town

The village says it lies on the southern foot of Mount Yotei and has grown as a purely agricultural village with farming as its base industry. Its village tree, the katsura, was designated in 1975 to mark the 80th anniversary of its founding. The nearest JR station is Kutchan on the Hakodate Main Line, reached from there by bus.

People living here
2,045people
19952020

−2.8% since 2015

2,649 → 2,045

Area
114.25km²

36.96km² of it habitable

2024

Households
903households

2.3 people per household

2020

Rent (average for rentals)
—
Healthcare
0 hospitals ／ 3 clinics

14.7 per 10,000 people

2023

Area114.25km²Habitable land36.96km² ／ 32%
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.

Makkari Village in Japan42.763°N 140.804°E
TokyoOsakaMakkari Village
Makkari Village Office
真狩村役場2013
  • to KutchanLocal bus39min

Travel times follow 道南バス『倶知安駅前～真狩～ルスツリゾート～洞爺湖温泉』（R8.10.1改正・https://www.donanbus.co.jp/cms/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/11_R8.10.1_rusutsu.pdf）。倶知安駅前発→真狩着：6:45▲→7:24・8:10→8:49・11:05→11:44・12:15→12:54・13:45→14:24・15:45→16:24・18:10→18:49＝すべて39分。逆向き（真狩発→倶知安駅前着）7:16→8:00・8:06→8:50・9:46→10:30・12:36→13:20・15:26→16:10・17:16→18:00・19:36→20:20（7:50発は▲）＝すべて44分 (checked 2026-10-29). They vary by time of day.

Shape

Borders 5 municipalities.

Territory of Makkari Village
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)

Makkari Village isthis kind of town.

  1. 01The village says its name comes from the Ainu name of a river around Mount Yotei, changed over time; the village lies on the mountain's southern foot
  2. 02In January 1918 the dog Pochi stayed by the head of the local post office, and the mounted dog is shown at the village community hall; a cherry avenue planted around 1920 lines the shrine approach
  3. 03The village has 16 district names, and Tomisato took its name from a settlement light-railway stop; the village office is the gateway, reached by bus from Kutchan Station

See the town as it is now.

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

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Makkari Village official site ↗Wikipedia ↗

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Next town Hokkaido Rusutsu Village →Open from May 29 to the end of October.