How do you do! This is the Kimobetsu Tourism Association.
I would like to introduce the charm of Kimobetsucho, Hokkaido to everyone who watches the Cool Japan video.
This is my first post, so I will briefly introduce the history, sightseeing spots, and specialties of Kimobetsu Town!
In the future, we will introduce event information and recommended sightseeing spots in detail, so thank you.

Kimobetsu has a long history and is strongly influenced by Ainu culture.
The town's name is derived from the Ainu word "kim o betsu" (mountainous river).
As the name suggests, Kimobetsu Town is home to 41 rivers of various sizes, including the Shiribetsu River and Kimobetsu River, and is located at the foot of Mt. Yotei, which is 1,898 meters above sea level, also known as "Ezofuji" because it is one of the 100 famous mountains and resembles Mt. Fuji, and is a town rich in nature that can be reached in about 1 hour and 30 minutes by car from Sapporo City.

The average annual temperature is relatively cold at 5.9°C, and even in areas with a lot of snowfall, snowfall of nearly 150 cm can occur, but agricultural products grown in a rich natural environment created by a climate with a large temperature difference between day and night are shipped to Japan Japan as a specialty of Kimobetsu Town, and have achieved rich development as one of the leading agricultural areas in Hokkaido.

In particular, "asparagus" is known as the place where full-scale cultivation begins in Japan. The magnificent size and crunchy yet soft texture and sweetness are exquisite, so please try the taste once!
In addition, Baron potatoes, which are of the best quality in the Japan, and corn, which has a strong sweetness, are also recommended as souvenirs.

In addition, "Roadside Station Boyo Nakayama" in Nakayama Pass has a restaurant where you can enjoy dishes made with local ingredients, including the famous "ageimo", and a shop selling local products.
From the inside of Kimobetsu Townspeople's Park, you can see both Mt. Yotei and Mt. Shiribetsu and feel the great nature of Kimobetsu Town.

In addition, in Kimobetsu Town, the "vacant house bank" system is actively being implemented as a migration initiative system carried out by the government.
This is an initiative to make effective use of vacant houses in Kimobetsu Town, and is used by people who wish to move or settle in Kimobetsu Town and those who stay regularly, leading to the revitalization of the town.
If you are considering moving to the rich nature, please take a look at the website of Kimobetsu Town.

Kimobetsu Town is a blend of rich nature, sightseeing spots, and history, and you can feel the slow passage of time.
You can get a pleasant peace away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Beautiful scenery that you have never known before, experiences you have never experienced before, and new encounters are waiting for you in Kimobetsu, Hokkaido.
We will continue to disseminate the charm of Kimobetsu Town, so please come and visit Kimobetsu Town!

Hello COOL JAPAN VIDEOS viewers.
This time Shakotan we would like to introduce Cape Kamui at the tip of the peninsula.

Cape Kamui, located a little over one and a half hours by car from Otaru, is designated as a Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Kaigan Quasi-National Park and is the only marine park in Hokkaido.

Just as the Ainu words "Shaku = Summer" and "Kotan = Village" came to be called "Shakotan", the summer scenery is wonderful, and the vivid blue sea has come to be called "Shakotan Blue".

If you walk along the 770-meter-long promenade "Charenka Path" from the parking lot of the cape, you can reach the tip in about 30 minutes, and you can see the surroundings 300 degrees from near the tip.
On the promenade "Charenka's Path" there is the legend of Minamoto no Yoshitsune.

~Charenka Legend~
Charenka, the daughter of the chief who has strong feelings for Yoshitsune.
However, Yoshitsune left for the continent, and Charenka followed him to Cape Kamui, but Yoshitsune's ship went far offshore.
Charenka, who was grieving, threw herself into the sea with words of resentment, saying, "If you pass through here with a Japanese ship and a woman on board, you will capsize."
With sorrow and resentment, Charenka's body turned into Kamui Rock, and since then, whenever a ship carrying a woman approached the vicinity, it capsized, making Cape Kamui a place forbidden to women.
This rule continued until the early Meiji period.

There is still a "gate forbidden to women" on Cape Kamui, but now women can also go through that gate to the tip.
However, since Cape Kamui is originally a windy area, on days when winds of 13 meters or more blow, the gate forbidden to women is closed and it is not possible to go to the tip.

From June ~ July, the Ezo daylily flowers are in full bloom, and on foggy days, you can see a very fantastic scenery.

The cape, named Kamui, which means "god" in the Ainu language, has a very beautiful sunset and a superb view where you can feel the presence of the gods.

In 2004, the Shakotan Peninsula and Cape Kamui were selected as Hokkaido Heritage Sites.