Ashibetsu
Ashibetsu is a city located in Sorachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.
As of 1 October 2020, the city had an estimated population of 12,555 and a density of 15 persons per km2. The total area is 865.02 km2.
History
Ashibetsu was once a prosperous coal mining city, its population exceeding 70,000 at its peak, but its population has fallen since the closing of the coal mines.- 1893 – Satō Denjirō founds Ashibetsu.
- 1897 – Nae Village and part of Takikawa Village split off to form Utashinai Village.
- 1900 – Ashibetsu Village split off of Utashinai Village.
- 1906 – Ashibetsu becomes a Second Class Municipality.
- 1917 – Kuhara Mining Industry Yuya Ashibetu Coal Mine opened.
- 1923 – First Class Municipality.
- 1924 – Mitsubishi Mining Industry Ashibetsu Coal Mine opened.
- 1935 – Meiji Mining Industry Meiji-Kamiashibetsu Coal Mine opened.
- 1938 – Ashibetsu-Takane Colliery Takane Mining Station opened.
- 1941 – Ashibetsu Village becomes Ashibetsu Town.
- 1943 – Mitsui-Ashibetsu Mining Industry Mitsui-Ashibetsu Coal Mine opened.
- 1953 – Ashibetsu Town becomes Ashibetsu City.
- 1963 – Meiji Mining Industry Meiji-Kamiashibetsu Coal Mine closed.
- 1964 – Mitsubishi Mining Industry Ashibetsu Coal Mine closed.
- 1967 – Ashibetsu-Takane Colliery Takane Mining Station closed.
- 1969 – Yuya Mining Industry Yuya Ashibetu Coal Mine closed.
- 1992 – Mitsui-Ashibetsu Mining Industry Mitsui-Ashibetsu Coal Mine closed.
- 1991 – Canadian World opened.
- 1997 – Canadian World closed and became a municipal park.
Geography
Ashibetsu is in the northern part of Yūbari Mountains. Mount Ashibetsu is south of the city.Name
There are two theories about the origin of "Ashibetsu". In both theories the name means Ashibetsu River, which flows through the city.- "as pet", the river that flows in a shrub
- "hasi pet", the standing river
Locations of interest
- The Hokkaido Kannon is the third-tallest statue in Japan and is the tenth-tallest in the world. It was considered the tallest statue in the world when it opened in 1989 at, holding the world record until 1991.
- Canadian World is a scale model of the Canadian seaside village of Avonlea, the setting of Anne of Green Gables. It was built in 1990, which is said to be the origin of the sister city relationship between Ashibetsu and Charlottetown, the real city in Canada that Avonlea was based on. The park went bankrupt in 1997 and closed 1998, reopening in 1998 as a city-run park. It closed in October 2019 and reopened in April 2020, and is now run by the Canadian World Promotion Association which operates the park independently after receiving the buildings and other facilities free of charge from the city.
Neighbourhoods
- Asahimachi
- Asahimachi Yuya
- Ashibetsu
- Fukuzumichō
- Higashiraijōchō
- Honchō
- Horonai
- Izumi
- Kamiashibetsuchō
- Kawagishi
- Kita 1 Jōhigashi
- * 1 chōme
- * 2 chōme
- Kita 2 Jōhigashi
- * 1 chōme
- * 2 chōme
- Kita 3 Jōhigashi
- * 1 chōme
- * 2 chōme
- Kita 4 Jōhigashi
- Kita 5 Jōhigashi
- * 1 chōme
- * 2 chōme
- Kita 6 Jōhigashi
- Kita 1 Jōnishi
- * 1 chōme
- * 2 chōme
- Kita 2 Jōnishi
- * 1 chōme
- * 2 chōme
- * 3 chōme
- Kita 3 Jōnishi
- * 1 chōme
- * 2 chōme
- * 3 chōme
- Kita 4 Jōnishi
- * 1 chōme
- * 2 chōme
- * 3 chōme
- * 4 chōme
- Kita 5 Jōnishi
- * 1 chōme
- * 2 chōme
- * 3 chōme
- * 4 chōme
- * 5 chōme
- Kita 6 Jōnishi
- * 1 chōme
- * 2 chōme
- * 3 chōme
- * 4 chōme
- * 5 chōme
- Kita 7 Jōnishi
- * 1 chōme
- * 2 chōme
- * 3 chōme
- * 4 chōme
- * 5 chōme
- * 6 chōme
- Koganechō
- Minami 1 Jōhigashi
- * 1 chōme
- * 2 chōme
- Minami 2 Jōhigashi
- * 1 chōme
- * 2 chōme
- * 3 chōme
- Minami 3 Jōhigashi
- * 1 chōme
- * 2 chōme
- * 3 chōme
- Minami 1 Jōnishi
- Nakanookachō
- Nishiashibetsuchō
- Nokananchō
- Raijōchō
- Rokusenchō
- Shinjōchō
- Takanechō
- Takisatochō
- Tokiwa
- Tokiwachō
- Toyooka
- Toyookachō
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Ashibetsu has declined precipitously over the past half-century. Of the residents who remain, nearly half are age 65 or older.Education
University
College
- Kitanippon Automobile Technical College
High schools
Public
- Hokkaido Ashibetsu High School
Private
- Seisa Kokusai High School