Article

01428 ／ながぬまちょう

Hokkaido 夕張郡

Naganuma Town

A canal, not a road, became the base.

Maoi Canal

Photo by 禁樹なずな (CC BY-SA 4.0)

01 ／ Origin of the name

The name Naganuma comes from Tanneto,an Ainu name meaning a long swamp.

According to the town, a swamp called Tanneto in Ainu lay near 15 Kita, 1 Nishi-sen, meaning a long, narrow swamp in Japanese. When the village was founded in 1892, it was named Naganuma after that swamp. A monument to Tanneto still stands.

Village founded in 1892
Swamp near 15 Kita, 1 Nishi-sen
Tanneto monument remains

02 ／ Pottery

The town presents this Jomon pot, coloredwith mercury red, as having no parallel in Japan.

This pot of the late part of the late Jomon period was found in 1982 at 3 Kita, 6 Higashi-sen. Its form is complex and it is colored with mercury red, and it is thought to have been brought from the Tohoku region. It became a town cultural property in 2007, and the town's page lists where it is displayed.

Town cultural property, 2007
Late part of the late Jomon period
Found in 1982

03 ／ Shrine building

The main building of Naganuma Shrinewas built in Shinmei style to a Hokkaido government design.

According to the Hokkaido Jinja-cho, the shrine traces back to a small shrine built in town in 1900, and work on the new building began in 1935, the 40th anniversary of the village. Designed by the Hokkaido government and based on the former Karafuto Shrine, the Shinmei-style building was completed in 1937.

Work began in 1935
Shinmei-style building completed in 1937
Designed by the Hokkaido government

Naganuma 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–September 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

Twenty-two minutes by JR bus from Kitahiroshima Station.

about 10,000 people
Rural district town

There is no railway station in the town, and the town points to JR buses from Kitahiroshima Station. In the Hokkaido JR Bus timetable of April 1, 2026, buses run from Kitahiroshima Station to Chuo-Naganuma in 22 minutes with no transfer, on weekdays and on weekends and holidays.

People living here: 10,289people
Area: 168.52km²
Households: 4,091households
Rent (average for rentals): —
Healthcare: 1 hospital ／ 7 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.

Naganuma Town in Japan43.010°N 141.695°E

to Kita-HiroshimaLocal bus22min

Travel times follow ジェイ・アール北海道バス時刻表 NO.13（2026年4月1日改正）。北広島駅→中央長沼は、平日・土日祝とも広34系統ほかの便で22分（北広島駅 7:45→中央長沼 8:07 〔平日の広36〕、11:30→11:52 〔広34、平日・土日祝とも〕など）。長沼温泉まで33分・長沼東町まで26分 (checked 2026-10-29). They vary by time of day.

Shape

Borders 7 municipalities.

Territory of Naganuma 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

22.1km

Chitose City, Nanporo Town, Yuni Town, Eniwa City, Iwamizawa City, Kuriyama Town, Kitahiroshima City

Naganuma Town isthis kind of town.

01Maoi Canal is an inland canal built in the peat wetlands of the Ishikari River basin, which the Hokkaido Development Bureau describes as the basis of Naganuma's urban area. It was completed in 1896
02The name Naganuma comes from Tanneto, an Ainu name meaning a long swamp. The annular pot from the 12-ku B site is town-designated, and the town presents it as having no parallel in Japan
03The main building of Naganuma Shrine was completed in Shinmei style in 1937. Buses run from Kitahiroshima Station to Chuo-Naganuma in 22 minutes

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Naganuma Town official site ↗Wikipedia ↗

From this town's themes