Article

01343 ／しかべちょう

Hokkaido 茅部郡

Shikabe Town

About every 10-15 min, hot water erupts.

Shikabe Geyser

Photo by Soica2001 (Public domain)

01 ／ Morning sun

Over 170 km across the Pacific,the sun rises from the Hidaka Mountains.

The town introduces sunrises seen from spring through summer over the distant Hidaka Mountains, beyond the Pacific. Mount Poroshiri lies 173 km away in a straight line, and the sun rises over it in mid-May and late July. In early spring, fog can hide the sunrise.

Over 170 km away
Poroshiri: 173 km in a straight line
Mid-May and late July

02 ／ Shikabe Station

From the station to the town,16 minutes by bus, about 8 km.

Shikabe Station in Shikabe Town — Photo by 光朝 (CC BY-SA 3.0)

The town's overview says to take a local train on the JR Hakodate Main Line from Hakodate, about 50 minutes, get off at Shikabe Station, and ride the bus for 16 minutes (about 8 km) to reach the town. Shikabe Station is the only JR station in town, with a red-roofed station building.

Bus: 16 min (about 8 km)
About 50 min by local train from Hakodate
JR Hakodate Main Line

03 ／ View of the town

Where the Komagatake ridgeline meets the sea,the town comes into view.

The town writes that on the prefectural road from the Onuma side, the town appears beyond where the ridgeline of Mount Komagatake, on your left, meets the sea. National Route 278 runs along the coast, the built-up area lies along it, and the coastline is about 13 km long.

Seen from the road from Onuma
Built-up area along Route 278
Coastline about 13 km

Shikabe 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 September–October 2022)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

Fishing is the main industry, with 30-plus hot spring sources.

about 4,000 people
Rural district town

The town's overview calls it a town whose main industry is fishing, with three harbors large and small. Octopus, flounder and Atka mackerel are landed all year, and in winter walleye pollock fishing and scallop landings, the main industry, fill the shore with activity. The town has more than 30 hot spring sources.

People living here: 3,760people
Area: 110.63km²
Households: 1,619households
Rent (average for rentals): —
Healthcare: 0 hospitals ／ 2 clinics

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

Children waiting for childcare: —0 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 3 municipalities.

Shikabe Town in Japan42.039°N 140.816°E

Territory of Shikabe 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

19.0km

Nanae Town, Hakodate City, Mori Town

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

Shikabe Town isthis kind of town.

01Shikabe Geyser was found by chance in 1924 while a hot spring was being drilled; about every 10 to 15 minutes it shoots hot water about 15 m high, and it was chosen as a Hokkaido Heritage in 2018
02From spring through summer the sun rises over the Hidaka Mountains across the Pacific; from Shikabe Station the town is 16 minutes (about 8 km) by bus, and about 50 minutes from Hakodate by local train
03The town lies on the foothills of Mount Komagatake, fishing is its main industry, and it has more than 30 hot spring sources

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Shikabe Town official site ↗Wikipedia ↗

From this town's themes