Bibai City Local History Museum What is indispensable for knowing the current Bibai is "history" and the only originality. There are many things in the city that you can feel, see, and experience history, but if you visit the city after knowing it a little deeper, I am sure that the way you feel, the way you see, the situations that convince you, and the questions you have will change. When you visit the Bibai City Local Historical Museum, you can learn about coal mining, life, and culture from the time before it was called Bibai, and it is a facility that allows you to feel the future from the present a little. This page is not so much an introduction to the museum as it is an introduction to a part of the history left in the museum. Bibai, which was called by the Ainu place name Pipa o i (where there are many river pearl oysters), has been called Bigai since the "Bikai Soot Field Survey Report" by geologist Benjamin Smith Lyman, and by the time the Tunda soldiers were deployed, it was pioneered to Numagai Village (a translation of Ainu place names) and then to the current Bibai. When it was commonly used with Bigai, it was planned to open the Kabado Sorachima Shindo (Kabado Road and Dodo Tsukigatamine Extension Line), an important road connecting Sorachi and Kabado Shuji, and construction began the day after the completion of the Kamikawa Temporary Road (National Route 12). Both works were excavated by the prisoners of the Prison Guard, and although it was quite difficult, such as connecting the swamps in the marshland with a straight line and transporting soil and gravel by hand, it was completed in one year from the start of construction, and after that, the Tunden soldiers were deployed the year after the migration began and the Numagai Village was established, and the number of carpenters and laborers who started the construction of the Tunda Barracks increased, and the number of permanent residents increased, and commerce prospered. After the disbandment of the Tuntian soldiers, the number of migrant farmers increased and agricultural development progressed, and the development of the Bibai coalfield was promoted by exploratory excavation mainly in the survey area of the American geologist Benjamin Smith Lyman. With the opening of the Iida Bibai coal mine in Taisho 2 and the opening of the railway the following year, the town of Gaji, a coal mine urban area, was born, and at the time of the opening of the railway, all kinds of shops such as inns, restaurants, bathhouses, barbershops, etc. were lined up, and the number of houses comparable to the number of houses in the Bibai city area of the previous year was built in the upper reaches of the Bibai River. Subsequently, Mitsubishi Bibai Coal Mine acquired the company and became more than 10,000 employees. In the Showa era, the Mitsui Bibai Coal Mine was born through the acquisition of the Japan Oil Koju Coal Mine, which was located in the current Minami-Bibai Town, by Mitsui (Mitsui Mining Co., Ltd.), one of Japan's two largest conglomerates. In terms of the amount of coal produced by coal mine in Japan, Mitsubishi Bibai and Mitsui Bibai were among the top 10 coal mines, and Bibai was the only one in Japan to have two huge coal mines in the top 10 in terms of production per municipality. The Mitsui Bibai Coal Mine was closed in Showa 38 and the Mitsubishi Bibai Coal Mine was closed in Showa 48, but at its peak, the area at the foot of the eastern mountain was in a state of no night castle, which is why it was called the coal city (coal city) Bibai.

Sorachi Shrine Even on a strong midsummer sun, this place is surrounded by trees and has a lot of shade, so it always cools down a little. The tradition and atmosphere that have been passed down from ancient times are a place where you can calm your mind somewhere at the "Sorachi Shrine" in the center of Bibai. The Tunda Artillery Corps was deployed in Meiji 24, and the shrine was established at the same time as the opening of the village due to the migration of the Tunda Cavalry and the special training corps of engineers. After that, a shrine was built, renamed, relocated, etc., and has continued to the present. Even on a strong midsummer sun, this place is surrounded by trees and has a lot of shade, so it always cools down a little. The tradition and atmosphere that have been passed down from ancient times are a place where you can calm your mind somewhere at the "Sorachi Shrine" in the center of Bibai. The Tunda Artillery Corps was deployed in Meiji 24, and the shrine was established at the same time as the opening of the village due to the migration of the Tunda Cavalry and the special training corps of engineers. After that, a shrine was built, renamed, relocated, etc., and has continued to the present. At Sorachi Shrine, various events are held as well as Shinto rituals, and some of them are very unique. That is the "bracelet protection making experience". While learning explanations and how to make them from the priest, you can think and design by yourself, and make each one with your own hands. After making it, we moved to the temple and prayed before the gods. You can spend a very precious time. * The bracelet protection making experience requires a reservation. Another initiative I would like to introduce is hydrangea. Local volunteers and organizations are taking the lead in planting trees on the promenade next to Sorachi Shrine to increase the number of famous places in Bibai. It will be a few years before the whole thing is in full bloom, but when it is in full bloom, I would like to introduce it in detail again. If you are a little tired of daily life or want to experience the traditions of Japan, please come to Sorachi Shrine if you stop by Bibai.

Ramsar Convention Registered Wetland Miyajima Swamp At 4 a.m. in mid-April, on a chilly early morning when the sun had not yet risen, people from inside and outside the city gathered with telephoto cameras slung over their shoulders. The fields are spread out around, and the Kabado Mountains in the background are shining white with residual snow, and Miyajima Swamp is located in such a place. Migratory birds fill the sky. In spring and autumn, Miyajima Swamp is covered with about 60,000 migratory birds in the morning. Miyajimanuma in Bibai City is the northernmost and largest transit point in Japan, and before leaving for Siberia, they pick up the fallen ears around the swamp to store energy. Since it is a globally valuable environment, it became the 13th Ramsar wetland in Japan on November 18, 2014. In the early morning, the Magan fly out all at once to the surrounding rice fields in search of the fallen fir, which is their food. This is called "roosting", and the appearance of Magan taking off as if peeling off the surface of the water is impressive. Magan covers our heads. It is also worth seeing the "roosting" in which the roosting magan returns to the swamp in the evening in a V-shaped formation from the rice field. The 2017 movie "Living Things" also uses the roosting of the magan. The best time to see Magan is in spring and autumn, with the peak of spring in late April and the peak of autumn in late September. In addition to magans, you can observe waterfowl such as swans, long-tailed ducks, and whooper swans. There is also an observation hut and a blindfolded wooden fence, so be sure to visit once.

Coal Mine Memorial Forest Park (Former Mitsubishi Bibai Coal Mining Facility) As you head towards the mountains from the Bibai intersection, you will see something like a red steel tower flickering from the top of the trees. This place, surrounded by nature, is called "Coal Mine Memorial Forest Park" The red steel tower is a coal mining heritage pit winding tower, and there are two towers about 20 meters high. In fact, the logo of our association is also based on the B of BIBAI and this pit turret. There are many towns in Sorachi that flourished from coal mining. The Coal Mine Memorial Forest Park is a park that utilizes the heritage of the former Mitsubishi Bibai coal mining facility. Today, the pit tower, the switching station that managed the power supply, and the raw coal pocket remain. A 170-meter-deep pit was built at this site in the 12th year of the Taisho era, and at that time it had a reputation as a modern model pit in Japan. In the early Showa period, the amount of coal produced exceeded 1 million tons per year, making it the largest coal mine in the entire coal mine of Mitsubishi Mining. After that, it continued to develop after World War II, but due to a change in energy policy from the Showa 30s, the Mitsubishi Bibai Coal Mine was closed in July of Showa 47, and with the closure of the mine, the Bibai Railway, which ran from Bibai Station to Tokiwadai, also closed the curtain of its 60-year history. The pit turret and raw coal pocket were selected as a modernization industrial heritage designated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in November 2019. At the request of the Yasuda Tsuyoshi Sculpture Museum Arte Piazza Bibai and the world-renowned sculptor "Yasuda Tsukura", three new sculptures have been installed in the park since July 30. The works on display were "Myōmu" in front of the pit tower, "Ishinki" in the pit opening and closing station, and "Fubuki" in front of the raw coal pocket The collaboration between coal mining heritage and art further enhances the atmosphere. It can be a day when red shines in the blue sky, a cloudy day, a starry sky, or a snowy location with a pure white location. Why don't you visit once?

Toming Park In the northernmost Yoshino cherry colony, Bibai City Tomei Park, about 2,000 cherry trees such as Yoshino cherry blossoms, Ezoyama cherry blossoms, Chishima cherry blossoms, and Yaezakura trees welcome you. There are various cherry blossoms in the park that bloom at different times, making it a spot where you can enjoy cherry blossoms for a long time. There is also a rare cherry blossom with a single red line on the petals, making it a space where you can be enveloped in various cherry blossom colors and scents. About 2,000 cherry blossoms and 5,000 azaleas bloom in the park in spring, and the lotus in the pond has cute flowers in summer, and in autumn it is a spot for autumn leaves, showing the expressions of each of the four seasons and delighting visitors. Tomei Park was opened in September 1963 as a place of relaxation for citizens. In Showa 43, 200 cherry trees were planted to make it a famous place for cherry blossoms. Since then, various organizations have planted cherry blossoms, azaleas, maples, etc., and their flowers are still blooming beautifully. In addition, I find it even more attractive to see Yoshino Somei living hard even in the harsh environment of the northernmost limit. In the past, Tomei Park, which became famous as the place where the cherry blossoms bloom at the end of the song "Sakura" sung by singer Naotaro Moriyama in the recording of a TV program, is located in the hilly area of Tomei, Bibai City, and is crowded with many visitors from outside the city every year during the cherry blossom season.

Haskap hunting In the idyllic countryside surrounded by nature, there is a haskap field with dark purple berries that bear fruit like bells. Bibai City is the production area of "haskap", which boasts the highest harvest in Japan, and you can enjoy haskap picking experience at many farms in the city during the season of June ~ July. Haskap, which is famous as a healthy fruit, contains a lot of vitamins, calcium, iron, etc., and is said to be effective in preventing anemia, sensitivity to cold, eye strain, as well as spots and freckles, and was once prized as a "fruit of immortality and longevity" in Ainu culture. Haskap, a precious fruit grown only in a limited area of Hokkaido, is also called the "phantom fruit" or "pearl of the north." The haskap hunting experience is held for about one month from the end of June every year.

Bibai Yakitori Bibai City, which once flourished as a coal mine, has a number of soul foods that locals love. One of them is "Bibai Yakitori", which has been loved as a source of stamina for coal miners. The best feature is the "motsu skewers" that contain several types of motsu, chicken skin, and thighs on one skewer. This unique style was born at a store called "Mifune" around Showa 30 and has been inherited by several stores in the city. The biggest feature of Bibai's yakitori is that it is all sticking liver, hearts, gizzards, kumquats, etc., chicken skin, and thighs on a skewer, and if you cut a chicken, you can eat it all deliciously without waste. A variety of textures and flavors spread in the mouth, and it has a very deep taste. The order of skewering is the skin at the bottom, the next is the onion like Hokkaido, the next is the motsu, the onion is again, and the last is the thigh meat. Onions are a specialty of Bibai, and when baked, the sweetness increases and goes well with chicken. There are skewers on the menu that are only meat, but customers overwhelmingly order "motsu skewers". When ordering yakitori, Bibai usually orders large quantities in units of 10 bottles. It is normal for each person to eat 10 or 20 bottles. Seasoning is simple with salt and pepper. Let's become a Bibai citizen and enjoy the deliciousness of the whole chicken.

Arrangement Currently, you can eat torimeshi at several restaurants such as drive-ins and restaurants in Bibai City, but even if the general method of cooking chicken and rice together is the same, the seasoning and detailed recipe are different. Its roots come from the fact that farmers who settled in the reclamation of Hokkaido raised chickens to supplement their livelihood and began to use the precious chickens as hospitality dishes. Rice, stir-fried meat, and motsu are cooked with soy sauce, sugar, and sake, and the rice crumbs soaked in the extract shine a glossy candy color. Because it uses almost no other ingredients or seasonings, it has a strong chicken flavor in both aroma and taste, and has a unique personality that is different from other mixed rice. In Nakamura-cho, a rural village located along the Ishikari River in Bibai City, farmers' mothers continue to inherit this tradition and continue to cook traditional torimeshi without additives every morning in order to protect and spread the local taste. Torimeshi, which has become a staple for Bibai residents, is sold not only at homes but also at several restaurants and supermarkets in the city, and it is one of the pleasures to compare the flavors of the local area.

Tokiwadai, Bibai City: In the old days, when it was crowded with black diamonds, the quiet shaft became one with the scenery of autumn leaves.

The autumn leaves of the charcoal dwelling site of the "Gaji Family Park Campsite" in Bibai City, which was once crowded with coal mines, are turning color.

Introducing the posts of the "Bibai Tourism and Products Association" Cool Japan SNS official account! Bibaishi, Hokkaido is a town located in central Hokkaido. The Yasuda Kan Sculpture Museum, Miyajimanuma, Sorachi Shrine, etc., are full of various attractions such as nature and art. ◆Bibai Tourism and Products Association◆ 【Address】 〒072-0025 Bibai Chamber of Commerce and Industry 1F, 2-1-1 Nishi 2-jo Minami, Bibai City, Hokkaido

Bibai Tourism and Products Association. "Bibai City, Hokkaido" is visited by many tourists for its abundant nature, mild climate, and delicious food. From now on, I would like to introduce the charm of Bibai City in COOL JAPAN VIDEOS! First of all, Bibai City is read as "Bibaishi" and is located between Sapporo City and Asahikawa City, and is located within about one hour from both cities. Bibai City is served by National Route 12 connecting Sapporo and Asahikawa, and the section from Bibai City to Takikawa City is a straight road that continues all the way, and there is a road that boasts the longest straight-line distance in Japan. As for the weather and climate of Bibai City, a refreshing breeze blows through in spring, a cool climate continues in summer, and beautiful snowscapes spread out in winter. You can enjoy the atmosphere of the four seasons, and the beauty of each season brings new discoveries every time you visit. Introducing popular tourist spots in Bibai City! First of all, Miyajima Swamp is one of the world's leading spots where you can see migratory birds such as geese and swans. It is located about 30 minutes by bus from JR Bibai Station, and every year about 70,000 birds come from Russia far north of Hokkaido in spring and autumn. Especially in the early morning and evening, when you can see the herd, the sight of the sky and swamps filled in black is a masterpiece. In addition, the "Coal Mine Memorial Forest Park" is a tourist attraction not to be missed. Bibai City once flourished from coal mining. In this park, which was built on the site of the former coal mine, you can see a tower that transports coal from deep underground, and a raw coal pocket for storing coal. As a valuable tourist spot where the memories of the coal miners of the past coexist with the nature of the present, it was 2007 (Heisei 19) selected as an "Industrial Heritage of Modernization". Next is "KAN YASUDA SCULPTURE MUSEUM ARTE PIAZZA BIBAI". The works of world-renowned sculptor Kan Yasuda are exhibited here. His works blend in with the surrounding landscape, as if they were one with nature, providing peace and emotion to visitors. At Tomei Park, a vast park located in a hilly area, 2,000 cherry trees bloom during the cherry blossom season, and the "Bibai Cherry Blossom Festival" is held, and it is a popular tourist spot where you can enjoy the illuminated cherry blossoms at night. And at the "Bibai City Experience Exchange Center", even first-time visitors can easily experience pottery such as pottery and painting, and can be enjoyed by both children and adults. The last thing I would like to introduce is "Sorachi Shrine". This shrine is watched over by an old tree that is over 900 years old, and you can experience "making bangle protection" from natural stone. On your trip to Bibai City, please enjoy delicious meals. In particular, Bibai City's "Bibai Yakitori" is a local gourmet that you can't miss. It is one of the seven major yakitori in Japan, and is made by skewering chicken, chicken liver, inner eggs, gizzards, and onions. As a local soul food, it is a popular gourmet for a wide range of generations from children to adults. Please try it when you come to Bibai. And "Torimeshi" It is a local dish that has been passed down for more than 100 years, and because rice, stir-fried meat, and motsu are cooked with soy sauce, sugar, and sake, and almost no other ingredients or seasonings are used, the aroma and taste have a strong chicken flavor, and it has a taste different from other mixed rice. We look forward to welcoming you with rich natural scenery, sightseeing spots where you can feel history and culture, delicious food, and warm hospitality! Stay tuned for future posts!