The 58th Oketo Summer Festival and the 48th Human Banba Competition will take place on Sunday, June 29th! The “Human Banba” competition, now synonymous with Oketo Town, draws many teams from across Hokkaido, with about 50 teams taking part in this popular event. Last year it was a huge success, with teams filling the entry slots! As you may know, the “Human Banba” reflects Oketo’s history of prosperity built on the timber industry, and for many years it has been held as a town-run festival that brings the community together. The festival also features food stalls, festival games, the Oketo Kouta dance, guest stage shows, and a fireworks display—there’s plenty to enjoy! For more details, please see the poster or Oketo Town’s website! https://www.town.oketo.hokkaido.jp/shokai/kanko/natsumatsuri/...

On Sunday, January 26, 2025, the ice-fishing tournament on Lake Oketo took place! Thank you to everyone who participated. The fishing area in Oketo Town is scheduled to remain open through Sunday, March 2, 2025. (Depending on ice conditions, it may close earlier.) For fees and other details, please see Oketo Town’s website! https://www.town.oketo.hokkaido.jp/topics/2079/...

About the 40th Lake Oketo Ice Fishing Tournament Event on Monday, January 6, 2025: The 40th “Lake Oketo Ice Fishing Tournament” will be held on the schedule below. Why not fully enjoy the charms of Lake Oketo in winter. We look forward to many applications. ⇒ Applications are now closed because the participant limit has been reached. Date and Time: Sunday, January 26, 2025 Registration: 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM; Competition: 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM Expected finish: 12:00 PM Participation fee: Adults ¥2,000; junior high school students and younger ¥1,500 (includes fishing site cooperation fee, insurance, and bathing ticket) Application period: Wednesday, January 8, 2025 to Monday, January 20, 2025 * Reception hours: 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM (excluding weekends and public holidays) * Applications will close once the capacity (60 people) is reached. ⇒ Applications are now closed because the participant limit has been reached. Where to apply: Oketo Town Tourism Association Office (Oketo Town Hall, Industry Promotion Division, Commerce and Tourism Section) Please apply by phone or fax. TEL: 0157-52-3313 / FAX: 0157-52-3353

Introducing the post of "Hokkaido Oketo Town" COOL JAPAN VIDEOS official social media account! Hokkaido Oketo Town is a town located in the eastern part of Hokkaido. More than 80% of the town is forested, and natural sightseeing spots such as "Oketo Lake" and "Rainbow Falls" are scattered throughout the town. In addition, Oketo Town's regional craft brand "Okecraft" is also attracting attention as a thank-you gift for Furusato Nozei.

Hello everyone! This is the Industry Promotion Division of Oketo Town Hall. We will share the charms of Oketo Town, Hokkaido, with viewers of the Cool Japan video series, so thank you for joining us! For this first post, we’d like to introduce what kind of town Oketo is and highlight its attractions. Oketo Town in Tokoro District, Hokkaido, is a peaceful town surrounded by beautiful nature in eastern Hokkaido, with a population of 2,669 as of January 31, 2023. You’ll find plenty of opportunities to meet warm-hearted locals and feel the town’s community spirit. Oketo’s climate features large temperature differences between day and night and relatively little snowfall and rainfall. Access to Oketo is easiest by combining plane and car. From Memanbetsu Airport (Oozora-cho), it takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes by car, making for a pleasant drive through nature. By bus, take Hokkaido Kitami Bus (Memanbetsu Airport line) from Memanbetsu Airport (Oozora-cho) to Kitami Bus Terminal (Kitami City), then transfer to the Rikubetsu line at Kitami Bus Terminal to reach Oketo; the total trip takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Next, here are some of Oketo’s sights and things to enjoy that show different faces through the seasons. ● Lake Oketo and Kanoko Dam Lake Oketo is an artificial lake created by the Kanoko Dam. The lake’s shoreline stretches 13.4 km and is home to many wild birds and native plants, making it a notable scenic spot. You can also enjoy fishing at Lake Oketo. In summer you can catch yamabe (landlocked salmon) and amemasu (rainbow trout), and from late December to mid-February you can try wakasagi (pond smelt) fishing. Since no rental fishing gear is available, please bring your own rods and tents. ● Rainbow Falls Downstream from Kanoko Dam, the Kanokozawa area unfolds with magnificent natural beauty. One highlight is Rainbow Falls, which plunges 13 meters and looks like a painting. Trees and flowers surround the falls, making it a popular spot for photographers. In winter, Rainbow Falls is lit up and icefall tours are held. ● Okecraft Center "Shinrin Kogeikan" Okecraft is Oketo’s local craft brand. The craft movement began in 1983 by combining the local bent-wood bucket tradition called oke with Oketo’s name and the idea of craft. Twenty-four individual workshops in Oketo produce everyday tableware and other items. Okecraft products are also available for purchase on the website. At the Shinrin Kogeikan, you can see and buy Okecraft pieces and other locally made products such as plant-dyed textiles, and you can observe the production process and tour the facility. Okecraft is also a popular gift choice for Oketo’s hometown tax donation program. Wooden items made from Ezo spruce, like paired bowls and smoothly finished cutlery, showcase a warm wooden texture. Please check the various hometown tax websites for details. ● Oketo Katsuyama Onsen Yuuyu Oketo Katsuyama Onsen Yuuyu is a facility offering lodging, hot springs, dining, and sightseeing all in one. There are four cottages available, and a free BBQ area adds a camping feel. Inside the facility you’ll find a restaurant and a café corner; weekday lunch specials are recommended. For day-trip visitors, the facility offers hot spring water flowing directly from the Katsuyama Onsen source. Enjoy the large communal bath, reclining baths, an open-air bath, a pottery bath, and a dry-style sauna. The area around the facility is also rich in attractions, including Lake Oketo. ● Minamigaoka Ski Area In winter, the ski area is another enjoyable option. Minamigaoka Ski Area offers affordable lift tickets: 1,040 yen for adults and 520 yen for children (junior high school age and under) for a day pass. With runs ranging from beginner to advanced, skiers of all levels can have a great time. Come experience Oketo Town’s natural charms and local hospitality for yourself. We will continue to share information about Oketo Town on this account. Thank you and we look forward to your interest!

Nice to meet everyone who watched the COOL JAPAN VIDEOS! Okhotsk Tourism Association. We will introduce many sightseeing spots and recommended gourmet foods in the Okhotsk area, so thank you! The Okhotsk region of Hokkaido that we introduce consists of 18 municipalities: Kitami City, Abashiri City, Monbetsu City, Ozora Town, Bihoro Town, Tsubetsu Town, Shari Town, Kiyosato Town, Koshimizu Town, Kunishifu Town, Okito Town, Saroma Town, Engaru Town, Yubetsu Town, Takikami Town, Okobe Town, Nishiokube Village, and Omu Town. Okhotsk is a wonderful area where nature and history, hot springs and gastronomy are in harmony. Here are a selection of sightseeing spots that you definitely want to visit on your trip to the Okhotsk region. First, I would like to introduce the Okhotsk Chipmunks Park in Abashiri City. This park is a unique spot where you can interact with chipmunks. Cute chipmunks live in an environment rich in nature, and tourists who visit are soothed by their appearance. You can also experience feeding chipmunks in the park, which is very popular with families. Don't miss the "Ice Sea Observatory Okhotsk Tower" in Monbetsu City, which can be said to be a symbol of Okhotsk. Here there is an observation deck where you can enjoy a magnificent panorama of the Sea of Okhotsk from 24 meters above sea level. On the seabed floor with a depth of 7.5 meters, there are 11 underwater windows of various sizes and a mini aquarium where you can feed fish. During the winter months, you can also see a superb view of drift ice, and you can truly enjoy the art of nature. When sightseeing in the Okhotsk region, please enjoy Hokkaido's fresh seafood gourmet. At the Okhotsk Yusenkan in Yubetsu Town, locally caught seafood is lined up at the store on the same day, so the freshness is origami! Especially the specialties of Okhotsk - scallops, sea urchins and hairy crabs attract tourists. "Okhotsk salt ramen", which was introduced as an exquisite dish on TV programs, is also recommended as a souvenir. When visiting the Okhotsk region, you will never get bored no matter how many times you visit, because each municipality can enjoy its own tourism resources and gourmet food. Experiencing the history, culture and nature of Okhotsk is sure to make your trip memorable. We, Okhotsk Tourism Association, will disseminate information about the Okhotsk region, which consists of the aforementioned 18 municipalities. In order to make your trip to Hokkaido more fulfilling, we will propose a wide range of sightseeing information and sightseeing plans across several municipalities that only we can do. The charming scenery and excellent gourmet food of the Okhotsk region await you. Enjoy a wonderful trip in the Okhotsk region! We will continue to introduce plenty of attractive sightseeing spots in the Okhotsk area, so thank you.