Hokkaido Places

Town Hiyama Subprefecture

Kaminokuni 上ノ国町

かみのくにちょう

Kaminokuni is one of the places where mainland Japanese (Wajin, 和人) settlement in Hokkaido began. Its hilltop fortress, Katsuyama-date (勝山館), was the base of the Takeda and Kakizaki family in the late 15th and 16th centuries. That family later became the lords of the Matsumae domain.12 Today it is a quiet Sea of Japan town of fewer than 4,000 people.3 Visitors come for the medieval ruins, the oldest temple building still standing in Hokkaido, and flounder rice bowls at the roadside station by the sea.45

Population (2020 Census)
4,306
Area
547.72 km²
District
Hiyama District (檜山郡)
Official website
www.town.kaminokuni.lg.jp

Known for

  • Katsuyama-date (勝山館跡). This 15th–16th-century mountain fortress was the Takeda/Kakizaki family's main base on the Sea of Japan coast.1 It became a National Historic Site in 1977. In 2017 it was chosen as No. 102 of the "Continued Top 100 Japanese Castles" (続日本100名城).113
  • Hokkaido's oldest buildings. The main hall of Jōkoku-ji Temple (上國寺), built in 1758, is said to be the oldest temple building still standing in Hokkaido.4 The main hall of Kaminokuni Hachimangū Shrine (上ノ國八幡宮), built in 1699, is among the oldest shrine buildings in Hokkaido.14 The Old Sasanami Residence (旧笹浪家住宅) is a fishing family's house from the early 1800s.15
  • "Tekkui" flounder. Tekkui (てっくい) is the local name for a big flounder (hirame). The tempura rice bowl made with it is the signature dish at Michi-no-Eki Kaminokuni Monju.165
  • The Amanogawa River (天の川). The river's name means "Milky Way". The town calls itself "the town where the Milky Way flows" (天の川が流れるまち). In July and August the river is a well-known spot for ayu (sweetfish) fishing.17
  • First European landing in Hokkaido. In 1618 the Jesuit missionary Girolamo de Angelis was blown ashore near the Amanogawa. The town describes this as the first time a European landed in Hokkaido.17
  • Black silica (ブラックシリカ). This rock is mined in Japan only in Kaminokuni. It is sold as bath and drinking-water stones and as jewelry.1819
  • Local brands. These include Ryūjin-ebi prawns (龍神海老, caught by a single remaining boat), Kaminokuni Pork (上ノ国ポーク) and Kentarō strawberries (けんたろう).16
  • Two very different hot springs. Yunotai Onsen (湯ノ岱温泉) is a rare carbonated spring. Hanazawa Onsen (花沢温泉) is a free-flowing spring at 59.2°C.2021

Sights & activities

Museums & heritage

  • Katsuyama-date ruins and Guidance Facility (勝山館跡・ガイダンス施設). Katsuyama 427 (字勝山427).63
    • The site covers about 350,000 m². More than 20 years of digging turned up over 100,000 finds, about 50,000 of them ceramics: Chinese celadon, white porcelain and blue-and-white, and Japanese Mino and Echizen wares.1 Japanese Wikipedia gives about 70,000 finds, of which 921 are designated Important Cultural Properties.13
    • The facility has a 1/200 model of the fort to compare with the real site through the glass, a CG film of the fort and seven reconstructed graves in the basement.
    • Open 11 April – 8 November (2026), 10:00–16:00. Closed Mondays and the day after public holidays. Adults ¥200, school students ¥100.63
  • Iōzan and the Iōzan tomb group (夷王山・夷王山墳墓群). More than 600 white grave markers on the hillside behind the fort. Iōzan Shrine is at the top.2
    • The Hokkaido Dawn Tower (北海道夜明けの塔) stands on the "medieval hill" nearby. It was completed in 1988 for the town's 800th anniversary and is 24.24 m tall (800 sun). Paths around its "Sun Plaza" point to the sunrise at the solstices and equinoxes.22
  • Old Sasanami Residence (旧笹浪家住宅). Kaminokuni 236. One of Hokkaido's oldest houses, a fishing family's home from the early 1800s. Its rice storehouse and document storehouse were added to the designation in 2018.15
    • Open from the first Saturday of April to the second Sunday of November, 10:00–16:00, closed Mondays.
    • ¥300 (students ¥100). A combined ticket with Katsuyama-date is ¥400.
  • Hanazawa-date and Suzaki-date ruins.
    • Hanazawa-date runs 200 m north to south beside the national road.25
    • Suzaki-date covers about 67,000 m² near the mouth of the Amanogawa, around the approach to Sunadate Shrine.26
  • Ishizaki area.
    • Hiishi-date ruins sit on the cape directly above the Ishizaki Fishing Port Tunnel. The road is very narrow, so park near the entrance and walk.23
    • The tunnel is 45 m long and 9 m wide, a semicircular concrete-block structure. It is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property and has been closed as a harbor since 1983.28

Onsen

  • Yunotai Onsen (湯ノ岱温泉, 上ノ国町国民温泉保養センター). Yunotai 517-5, beside the Amanogawa.20
    • A carbonated sodium-calcium chloride and bicarbonate spring at 38.5°C, with baths at 35, 38 and 42°C and a hot-water shower bath.
    • Open 10:00–20:00. Closed on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Adults ¥350.
  • Hanazawa Onsen (花沢温泉). Katsuyama 141-1, next to Hanazawa Park near the Amanogawa Bridge.21
    • A free-flowing weakly alkaline spring at 59.2°C, popular with locals.
    • Open 10:00–21:00. Closed Tuesdays. Adults ¥200.

Nature & outdoor

  • Ayu fishing on the Amanogawa (July–August), and trout fishing in its tributaries.17
  • Iōzan in the azalea season.34
  • Nanatsu-dake and Ōnuma for hiking and gathering wild vegetables. Note that cars cannot use the forest road (see Practical tips).33

Food & drink

  • The roadside station restaurant has a 19 m wall of glass facing the Sea of Japan. On clear days you can see Okushiri Island.16
  • Kaminokuni Winery at Yunodai has a shop where you can taste and buy wine and local products.46

Roadside stations (Michi-no-Eki)

Kaminokuni Monju (道の駅上ノ国もんじゅ)

  • Location. Harauta 3, Kaminokuni (檜山郡上ノ国町字原歌3), on National Route 228, overlooking the Sea of Japan. Phone: 0139-55-3955.564
    • The official Michi-no-Eki site lists Katsuyama-date, the Sasanami Residence, Iōzan, Jōkoku-ji, Hachimangū and both onsen as nearby sights.5
  • Hours (as of September 2026; check before visiting).64655
    • Main building: 9:00–17:00; hours may be shorter in some seasons.
    • Product shop (1F): April–October 9:00–17:00, open every day. November–March 10:00–17:00, closed Mondays (the next business day when Monday is a holiday).
    • Restaurant (2F): 11:00–15:00 (last order 14:30) all year. Open every day April–October; closed Mondays November–March. Dinner banquets by reservation only.
    • Whole station closed 31 December – 5 January.
  • Shops & products. The 1F product center sells local seasonal vegetables and fruit and processed seafood.64 It also has:
    • A live tank of abalone, scallops and prawns.50
    • Fruit Pork croquettes, strawberry juice and strawberry soft-serve.50
    • Black silica goods, including ceramic water balls and the "BS Fine" wearable bedrock-bath garment.5064
    • Asparagus from local growers.40
    • The Ryūjin-ebi retort curry, sold only here (¥1,296).48
    • The ¥800 Ryūjin-mamori black silica charm.55
  • Food. The 2F restaurant is Gourmet Boutique Monju (グルメブティックもんじゅ).65 Its sea-facing wall is glass, 19 m wide and 2.7 m high.16 The 2026 summer menu includes:16
    • Tekkui tempura bowl ¥1,700.
    • Tekkui marinated bowl or sashimi bowl ¥1,600.
    • "Tekkui Bimi Densetsu" three-bowl set ¥1,900.
    • Ryūjin-ebi Premium Curry ¥1,500, made under the supervision of the All Japan Cooks Association's Hokkaido branch.
    • Kaminokuni Pork katsu set ¥1,600.
    • Prawn-broth ramen with local shima-ebi ¥1,200.
    • Strawberry juice made with Kentarō strawberries ¥500, and rock-laver miso soup ¥100.
  • Facilities.
    • Parking: 163 cars, 4 accessible spaces, 3 buses and 10 motorcycles.5
    • 24-hour toilets, including multipurpose toilets, an ostomate toilet and a diaper-changing table.566
    • Wi-Fi, tourist information, an observation deck and a park. Credit cards and cashless payment accepted.5
    • A free dog run of about 600 m², rebuilt facing the sea in October 2018.566
    • A rentable "tourism experience room" for meetings and small events.66
    • Kaminokuni manhole cards are handed out here.66
    • No EV charger, campground or RV park is listed.
    • Open fires are not allowed on the grounds.64
  • Notes.
    • Registered on 5 August 1996, No. 34 on the Hokkaido list.305 Renovated and reopened in 2018.11
    • Won a gold award for scenery (絶景感動部門) from Hokkaido Walker magazine.64
    • Ranked 10th for overall satisfaction in the Hokkaido Jalan roadside station ranking 2025.16

Getting there & around

  • Rail. There is no railway in the town since the JR Esashi Line closed in May 2014.29
    • The nearest station is Kikonai (木古内), on the Hokkaido Shinkansen and the South Hokkaido Railway (道南いさりび鉄道).6 From Kikonai, take a bus bound for Esashi Byōin-mae (江差病院前).67
  • From Sapporo by public transport. Take JR to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto (新函館北斗), then a bus to Esashi Terminal (江差ターミナル), then another bus toward Kaminokuni.67
  • From Hakodate by public transport. Go via Kikonai (by train or bus) or via Esashi Terminal (by bus).67 Buses are run by Hakodate Bus (函館バス).6
  • By car from Hakodate.
    • About 80 km (about 1 hr 45 min) on National Route 227.
    • About 79 km (about 1 hr 30 min) using the Hakodate-Esashi Expressway (函館・江差自動車道).67
  • By car from Sapporo.
    • About 300 km (about 4 hr 35 min) on the Dō-Ō Expressway from Sapporo-Minami IC to Yakumo IC.
    • About 250 km (about 5 hr 10 min) on ordinary roads via Route 230.67
  • Roads in town. National Route 228 follows the coast. Hokkaido prefectural roads 5, 607 and 812 also serve the town.6
  • Nearest airport. Hakodate Airport. The bus from the airport to Hakodate Station takes about 20 minutes (¥450).67

Practical tips

  • When to go. Late spring to autumn is best.
    • The heritage museums open only from April to early or mid November.6315
    • Iōzan's azaleas bloom in late spring.34
    • The Amanogawa ayu season is July–August.17
  • Festivals to plan around. Mid-June (Iōzan Festival), 14 August (Amanogawa Festival with fireworks) and mid-September (Hachimangū procession).565758
  • Closed days.
    • The Guidance Facility and the Sasanami Residence close on Mondays.6315
    • Yunotai Onsen closes on the 1st and 3rd Mondays, and Hanazawa Onsen on Tuesdays.2021
    • In winter the roadside station shop and restaurant close on Mondays.64
  • Mountain access.
    • The forest road up Nanatsu-dake has been closed to vehicles since a washout in June 2017, 3.5 km from the summit. Ask the Hiyama Forest Office (檜山森林管理署) for current conditions.33
    • Daisengen-dake cannot be reached from the Ishizaki side because the prefectural road is closed. Check with the Oshima Western Forest Office (渡島総合振興局西部森林室, tel. 0139-42-2013).32
  • Weather. Winters are mild and snowfall is light by Hokkaido standards, but wind and rain are frequent.6 Esashi, next door, gets about 219 cm of snow a year and its winter winds come mainly from the west-northwest.37 Drive carefully on the coastal Route 228 in winter storms.
  • Wildlife. This is brown bear (higuma) country, as is all of rural Hokkaido. On trails and in the mountains, carry a bell, avoid dawn and dusk, and follow local warnings. No town-specific sighting data was found.
  • Where to stay. The town lists eight places to stay: the winery's lodging (Yunodai), Sawaya Ryokan (澤谷旅館), Yoshie Ryokan (よ志栄旅館), Miya-zushi (料理宿 宮寿司) and minshuku such as Benten (弁天), Iōtei (夷王亭), Raifuku (来福) and Kōmurasō (幸村荘).68 Rooms are few, so book ahead. Only about 2,200 of the town's 442,600 visitors in fiscal 2025 stayed overnight.45
  • Visitor information. The Kaminokuni Tourism Association (上ノ国町観光協会) is housed in the Kaminokuni Chamber of Commerce (上ノ国町商工会). The Togyo-sai page gives its phone as 0139-55-2121.58 The 2025 Iōzan Festival notice gives 0139-55-3949.56

More about Kaminokuni

At a glance
Field Details
Type Town (町)
Subprefecture Hiyama (檜山振興局)
District Hiyama District (檜山郡)6
Population 4,306 (2020 National Census: 1,965 men, 2,341 women). That was down 11.7% from 4,876 in 2015.7 Resident register: 3,921 people in 2,298 households as of 31 August 2026.3 Hokkaido's own register count for 1 January 2026 was 3,993.8
Area 547.72 km² (GSI, 1 April 2026).9 The 2020 census tables give 547.71 km².7 The town gives 547.7 km², of which 309.5 km² is forest.10
Density About 7.2 people/km² (August 2026 register ÷ GSI area). The 2020 census figure was 7.9/km².7
Municipal history 1879: three village-chief offices (戸長役場) are set up in the Kaminokuni area. 1902: Kaminokuni and six other villages merge into Kaminokuni Village under the second-class town and village system (二級町村制). 1 March 1967: becomes a town.1110
Neighboring municipalities Hiyama: Esashi, Assabu. Oshima: Kikonai, Shiriuchi, Matsumae, Fukushima.6
Symbols Town tree: hinoki-asunaro, or hiba (ヒノキアスナロ). Town flower: Ezo-yama-tsutsuji azalea (エゾヤマツツジ), chosen 25 September 1978.10 No town bird was found.
Mascot Kamigon (カミゴン), the town's yuru-chara. It went to the University of Tokyo's Komaba Research Campus open day in June 2023 to promote the town.12
Official website https://www.town.kaminokuni.lg.jp/ (Japanese)

Name origin
  • The name is Japanese, not Ainu. In the 15th century, Japanese forts called tate (館) were built along the coast of southern Hokkaido. At that time the area around Hakodate was called Shimo-no-kuni (下之国, "the lower land"). The Sea of Japan coast around Kaminokuni and Esashi was called Kami-no-kuni (上之国, "the upper land").610
    • The town says the name stuck to this area because of Katsuyama-date, a busy center of Sea of Japan and northern trade.10
  • An older local name. In 1618 the missionary De Angelis landed near the river, and three years later he drew a map of Ezo. On that map, the landing place is marked "Tsuga" (ツガ). The town says the river's name comes from the old place name Tsuga or Tega (ツガ／テガ), which was written with the kanji 天河 ("heavenly river").17
    • Whether Tsuga/Tega comes from an Ainu word is not explained in the sources consulted (unverified).

History
  • Before the forts. Japanese Wikipedia says that when Minamoto no Yoritomo attacked the Ōshū Fujiwara in 1189, people from Nukanobu (糠部) and Tsugaru fled as far as the Kaminokuni area.6 The town's landmark tower was built in 1988 to mark the 800th anniversary of its founding (開基800年).22
  • 1441–1457: the forts.
    • 1441: Atsuya Shigemasa (厚谷重政) builds Hiishi-date (比石館) at Ishizaki.23
    • 1443: Koyama Takamasa (小山隆政) is said to have settled at Hanamidai (花見岱). The Shingon temple that became Jōkoku-ji is said to have been founded at the same time.11
    • 1454: Takeda Nobuhiro (武田信広, 1431–1494)24 crosses from Ōhata in Nanbu (南部大畑) with Andō Masasue (安東政季). He stays at Hanazawa-date (花沢館), the fort of Kakizaki Sueshige (蠣崎季繁).11
  • 1456–1457: Koshamain's War (コシャマインの戦い). Ainu forces led by the chief Koshamain overran the forts one after another, including Hiishi-date.1123
    • Only Hanazawa-date at Kaminokuni and Mobetsu-date (茂別館) in Shimo-no-kuni held out.1125
    • Nobuhiro's troops killed Koshamain. Nobuhiro then took over the Kakizaki family (August 1457) and built Suzaki-date (洲崎館) north of the Amanogawa.61126
  • 1462–1473.
    • 1462: Nobuhiro founds a Bishamonten shrine, which is today's Sunadate Shrine (砂館神社).11
    • Katsuyama-date is built in the second half of the 15th century.1
    • 1473: Nobuhiro founds a guardian Hachiman shrine inside the fort. It is the forerunner of today's Kaminokuni Hachimangū.1114
  • 1514: the move to Matsumae. The second lord, Mitsuhiro (光広), sails from Kaminokuni to Ōdate (大館) in Matsumae with 180 ships.11 A castle warden stayed behind at Katsuyama-date.6
  • 1529. A western Ainu chief, Tanakeshi (タナケシ), takes the fort at Setanai and attacks Kaminokuni. He is shot dead at Katsuyama-date by the third lord, Yoshihiro (義広).11
  • 1562. Suehiro (季広) builds the Iō shrine (夷王社) to enshrine Nobuhiro.11
  • 1618. Girolamo de Angelis lands near the Amanogawa after a storm, then goes overland to Matsumae.17
  • 1665 or 1666. The wandering monk-sculptor Enkū (円空) leaves carved Buddhist statues at Ishizaki, Kinoko, Kaminokuni and Kitamura. The town's chronology gives 1665, and its Enkū page gives 1666.1127
  • Edo period.
    • In 1678 a Hiyama checkpoint (檜山番所) opens in Esashi, and Kaminokuni gradually becomes less important.6
    • 1699: the present Hachimangū main hall is built.14
    • 1758: the present Jōkoku-ji main hall is built.4
    • Early 1800s: the Sasanami family, who ran fisheries here for about 200 years, build their main house.15
  • Meiji to Shōwa.
    • 1876: the Hachimangū main hall moves to its present site.14
    • 1879: village-chief offices are set up. 1902: Kaminokuni Village is formed.11
    • The sources consulted record no tondenhei soldier-settlers and no organized group migration. Wajin settlement here goes back to medieval times.
    • 20 June 1934: the Ishizaki Fishing Port Tunnel (石崎漁港トンネル) is finished, cut under the cape at Hiishi-date. The town says it was the only one of its kind in Asia at the time, and rare worldwide.28
    • The national Esashi Line opens from Kikonai to Yunotai on 10 December 1935 and on to Esashi on 10 November 1936.29 Japanese Wikipedia lists six stations in the town: Shinmei (神明), Yunotai (湯ノ岱), Miyakoshi (宮越), Katsuraoka (桂岡), Nakasuda (中須田) and Kaminokuni (上ノ国).6
    • 1 March 1967: Kaminokuni becomes a town.10
  • Heritage designations.
    • 12 April 1977: Katsuyama-date and Hanazawa-date become National Historic Sites. More land was added in 1987. In 2006 they were joined with Suzaki-date under the single name "Kaminokuni Tate Sites" (上之国館跡).1
    • 1992: the Old Sasanami Residence becomes a National Important Cultural Property.15
    • 20 April 1993: the Jōkoku-ji main hall becomes a National Important Cultural Property.4
    • 2003: the Katsuyama-date Guidance Facility is completed.11
  • Recent decades.
    • 1995: a hot spring gushes out at Hanazawa, and a simple bathhouse opens in 1997.11
    • 1996: the roadside station is registered.30
    • 11 May 2014: last trains run on the JR Esashi Line between Kikonai and Esashi. The town has had no railway since.2911
    • 2018: Michi-no-Eki Kaminokuni Monju reopens after renovation.11
    • 2024: the town declares itself a nuclear-free peace town.11
    • September 2025: a supporters' club, the Kaminokuni Kingdom Club (上ノ国王国倶楽部), is launched in Sapporo.31

Geography & climate
  • Location and land. The town is on the southwest side of the Oshima Peninsula, facing the Sea of Japan.24 Forest covers 309.5 of its 547.7 km².10
  • Mountains.
    • Daisengen-dake (大千軒岳, 1,072 m), just south of the town, is the highest peak in the southwestern Oshima Peninsula. From the top you can see Mt. Komagatake, Mt. Hakodate, Okushiri, Oshima-Ōshima, the Tsugaru Strait and, across it, Mt. Hakkōda and Mt. Iwaki in Aomori.32
    • Nanatsu-dake (七ツ岳, 957 m) has a 399.88 ha scenic forest, mostly natural beech above 500 m, and a pond called Ōnuma (大沼). The forest was designated on 1 December 1984.33
    • Other peaks include Togari-dake (尖岳), Uriya-yama (瓜谷山), Hachiman-dake (八幡岳) and Iōzan (夷王山, 159 m).6
    • Iōzan is in Hiyama Prefectural Natural Park (檜山道立自然公園). About 500 kinds of wildflowers grow around it, and it is famous for Ezo-yama-tsutsuji azaleas. From the top you can see the town, Okushiri and Ōshima.34
  • Rivers and lakes.
    • The Amanogawa is officially registered as the Amano River (天野川). It is a Class 2 river 28.6 km long that runs through the middle of town.1735
    • Its tributaries hold yamame and iwana trout, and a colony of herons lives on islands in its middle reaches.17
    • The Ishizaki River (石崎川) is also a Class 2 river. Asunaro Lake (あすなろ湖) is a reservoir reached by a narrow mountain road in the Toyota (豊田) district.6
    • The Hokkaido University Hiyama Research Forest (北海道大学檜山研究林) is in the town.6
  • Climate. The warm Tsushima Current makes winters mild and snowfall light for Hokkaido. Rain is frequent and strong winds blow all year.6
    • The town's weather station at Ishizaki (石崎) measures only precipitation: 1,143.3 mm a year (1991–2020).36
    • Temperature figures come from the station in neighboring Esashi (1991–2020 normals): annual mean 10.3°C, January −0.6°C, August 22.6°C, precipitation 1,230.7 mm, snowfall 219 cm a year, average deepest snow 26 cm, prevailing wind west-northwest.37
    • Esashi's records are 34.6°C (31 August 2023) and −12.7°C (20 January 1966).38

Economy & industry
  • Population decline and aging. The town had 14,674 people in 1960.10 By the 2020 census it had 4,306, and 43.4% of them (1,868 people) were 65 or older.7 The resident register fell below 4,000 in 2026.83
  • Jobs (2020 census). Of 1,982 working residents:7
    • Primary industries: 335 (16.9%). Farming and forestry 258, fishing 77.
    • Secondary industries: 554 (28.0%). Construction, with 395 workers, is the largest single industry in town. Manufacturing 157.
    • Tertiary industries: 1,081 (54.5%). Health and welfare 274, wholesale and retail 200, public service 143.
  • Farming.
    • The main products are vegetables, rice and pigs.6
    • Rice varieties include Yumepirika (ゆめぴりか), Fukkurinko (ふっくりんこ) and Nanatsuboshi (ななつぼし).3916
    • Asparagus is grown in greenhouses, with harvests from late March to early May and from late June to September.40
    • Log-grown shiitake mushrooms are also produced.41
    • Two pork brands are raised in town. Mori Farm (森農場) feeds its pigs spent brewers' grain.42 Sasanami (ささなみ) raises "Fruit Pork" (フルーツポーク) on fruit, milk and yogurt.43
  • Fishing.
    • The catch has included Alaska pollock, Atka mackerel (hokke) and squid. The town is also promoting abalone and sea urchin farming at sea, which it calls a "marine ranch" (海洋牧場).6
    • The Ryūjin-ebi prawn (a spiny shrimp, ibara-moebi) is caught with traditional prawn baskets. Only one boat in town still does this, so almost none reaches the market.16
    • The local fishing office is the Kaminokuni branch of the Hiyama Fisheries Cooperative (ひやま漁協上ノ国支所).44
  • Mining. A manganese mine operated in the past.6 Black silica is quarried today and sold as health and wellness goods.1819
  • Tourism. Hokkaido counted 442,600 visitors in fiscal 2025, up 28.7% from 344,000 in fiscal 2024. Almost all of them were day-trippers: 440,400 day visitors against 2,200 overnight guests.45
  • Revitalization.
    • Kaminokuni Winery (上ノ国ワイナリー) at Yunodai is run by Kaminokuni Development Co. (上ノ国開発株式会社) and has a satellite office on site. It makes Chardonnay, Niagara, Merlot and Marselan wines and a Seibel sparkling rosé.4647
    • The roadside station creates premium local brands, such as the Ryūjin-ebi curry.48
    • The town takes furusato nōzei (hometown tax) donations through six portals.49
    • The Kaminokuni Kingdom Club (上ノ国王国倶楽部) supporters' network was launched in Sapporo in 2025.31

Local specialties
Specialty Category Details & where to get it
Tekkui don (てっくい天丼・漬丼・丼) Signature dish Tekkui is the local name for a big flounder, from a word for "hand-biter", because of its large mouth and sharp teeth. The tempura bowl (¥1,700) came 3rd in the 2023 Hokkaido Jalan roadside-station gourmet ranking. There is also a marinated bowl and a sashimi bowl on vinegared rice (¥1,600 each). The "Tekkui Bimi Densetsu" set has all three as mini bowls (¥1,900; since November 2024). Served at Gourmet Boutique Monju in the roadside station.16
Ryūjin-ebi (龍神海老) Seafood brand A spiny shrimp (イバラモエビ, also called gasa-ebi) caught mainly from January to April by the town's last prawn-basket boat. Try the Ryūjin-ebi Premium Curry at the roadside station restaurant (¥1,500).16 A boxed retort version (180 g, ¥1,296) has been sold only at the station since 6 May 2026.48
Kaminokuni Pork (上ノ国ポーク) Pork A three-breed pork from Mori Farm, fed spent brewers' grain. Served as a loin katsu set (¥1,600) at the roadside station.1642
Fruit Pork (フルーツポーク) Pork Raised by Sasanami Ltd. on fruit, milk and yogurt, and sold by the cut (from ¥193 per 100 g for belly).43 Used in croquettes at the roadside station.50
Kentarō strawberries (苺「けんたろう」) Fruit Kaminokuni-grown strawberries used in the station's original strawberry juice (¥500) and strawberry soft-serve.1650
Iwa-nori soup (岩海苔汁) Seafood Wild winter rock laver picked in Kaminokuni, served in miso soup. It comes with chōji-fu wheat gluten from Ōmihachiman, the town's sister city.16
Rice (ゆめぴりか, ふっくりんこ, ななつぼし) Grain Grower Miyatsu Kiyohiro sells Yumepirika.39 The station restaurant cooks Kaminokuni Fukkurinko or Nanatsuboshi.16
Asparagus (アスパラガス) Vegetable Greenhouse asparagus from grower Tone Kanata (刀祢哉). The stems that were once thrown away are now sold as well, and are popular at the roadside station.40
Kaminokuni shiitake (神ノ国しいたけ) Mushroom Log-grown shiitake from Marufuku Kōsan (丸福興産), fresh or dried.41 Hisasue Farm (久末農園) sells fresh shiitake all year.51
Nanohana rapeseed oil (菜の花油) Oil Made by the Amanogawa Nanohana-yu Kōbō (天の川・菜の花油工房). The rapeseed is grown without pesticides, sun-dried and cold-pressed without roasting. It includes an unfiltered "shake before use" oil.52
Dried hokke and semi-dried squid (ほっけの開き・生干しイカ) Seafood Sun-dried local Atka mackerel (April–December) and squid from Kimura Fish Shop (木村鮮魚店).53
Awabi takikomi-meshi (あわびたきこみめし) Local dish Abalone rice from the ryokan-restaurant Miya-zushi (料理宿 宮寿司). Its other dishes include cherry-salmon "parent and child" sushi and squid-ink rice.54
Black silica goods (ブラックシリカ) Mineral / wellness Raw stones from Black Silica Kaminokuni Co.18 Ceramic bath and drinking-water balls, bracelets and necklaces from the town tourism corporation.19 The station also sells a ¥800 "Ryūjin-mamori" charm that contains a piece of black silica.55
Kaminokuni wine (上ノ国ワイン) Wine Chardonnay, Niagara, Merlot, Marselan and Seibel sparkling rosé from Kaminokuni Winery, Yunodai 243-4.46
Furusato nōzei gifts Hometown tax Donations are taken through Furusato Choice, Rakuten, Saison, au PAY, Furunavi and ANA. Donors of ¥10,000 or more receive local products.49

Culture & festivals
Event When Highlights
Iōzan Festival (夷王山まつり) Mid-June (2025: 14–15 June) On the eve there is a torch procession from Kaminokuni Hachimangū past the Katsuyama-date Guidance Facility to Iōzan Shrine. The main day has a southern-Hokkaido song contest, a concert, food stalls and a "Sengoku Olympics" for children.56
Tekkui Seafood Festival (てっくい海鮮まつり) Early July (2026: 4 July, morning) Held at Shiofuki fishing port (汐吹漁港). Flounder, abalone, scallops and sea urchin are sold, along with dishes cooked by local fishing families. There is also a seafood bingo game.44
Kaminokuni Amanogawa Festival (上ノ国天の川まつり) 14 August At the Kaminokuni Elementary School ground. The Ōdome deer dance (大留鹿子舞), old Kaminokuni dances, Hokkaido University YOSAKOI dancers and bon-odori. The evening ends with the Amanogawa fireworks and a drone show.57
Kaminokuni Hachimangū Togyo-sai (上ノ国八幡宮渡御祭) Mid-September A tradition since the mid-Edo period, with a float and an okachi procession (御徒士行列). Tradition says the Matsumae lords, honoring their ancestor Takeda Nobuhiro's old domain, let commoners dress as samurai here once a year. The marchers kick their legs high and shout "Yā, kitari!"58
Industry Festival (産業まつり) Early October (2025: 5 October) In front of the town hall. New-crop rice at a discount, trial abalone dishes, salted herring, bingo, a mochi toss and flounder catching for children.59
Chanko & Wine Festival (上ノ国ちゃんこ鍋＆ワイン祭り) Late October (2025: 25–26 October) Former sumo wrestler Daishi (大至) cooked chanko hot pot and performed local sumo songs (相撲甚句). The next day at the winery there was a live kitchen, food and wine pairings and tastings of new wines.60
Wine Festival (ワインまつり) November (2024: 10 November) At Kaminokuni Winery: tours, barrel tastings, wine at 15% off, an indoor BBQ and a wine talk show.61
Kaminokuni Gastronomy (上ノ国ガストロノミー) 2026 (date announced by the station) A one-night dinner by chefs from the All Japan Cooks Association's Hokkaido branch. It uses local flounder, abalone, sea urchin, prawns and Amanogawa ayu.62
  • Shrines and temples.
    • Kaminokuni Hachimangū was founded in 1473 as the guardian shrine of Katsuyama-date. Its 1699 main hall is a Hokkaido-designated Tangible Cultural Property. It stands inside a protective outer building and cannot be seen from outside.14
    • Jōkoku-ji is recorded as founded around 1560. It began as a Shingon temple and changed to the Jōdo sect in the mid-Edo period.4
    • Iōzan Shrine (夷王山神社), on the 159 m summit, enshrines Takeda Nobuhiro.2
  • Enkū statues. The town has six of Enkū's Buddhist statues.27
    • A standing eleven-faced Kannon, 146.6 cm tall, is kept at the Old Sasanami Residence. The town says it is the largest Enkū statue in Hokkaido, and it is a Hokkaido-designated cultural property.
    • Others are at Kōmyō-ji in Kinoko (木ノ子光明寺), Jizō-an in Kitamura (北村地蔵庵) and Ishizaki Hachiman Shrine (石崎八幡神社).
  • Museums. The Katsuyama-date Guidance Facility and the Old Sasanami Residence are the two heritage museums (see Sights).6315

Ainu heritage
  • Sites of conflict and contact. Kaminokuni was at the center of the medieval conflicts between Ainu and Wajin.
    • Koshamain's forces took most of the Wajin forts in 1457.1125
    • In 1529 the chief Tanakeshi was killed attacking Katsuyama-date.11
  • Evidence of living together. Excavations at Katsuyama-date found more than 500 bone and antler tools of Ainu type.1
    • Among the more than 600 graves on Iōzan, some Ainu-style burials were found mixed in with Buddhist-style graves.2
    • The historian Amino Yoshihiko (網野善彦) wrote that it is "almost certain that Ainu and people from Honshu lived together" at the fort.1
    • The Guidance Facility shows reconstructed graves and finds from the excavations.63
  • Today. No Ainu cultural facility or living Ainu tradition in the town was found in the sources consulted. Ainu origins for local place names were not confirmed.

Sister & friendship cities
  • Shiura Village (市浦村), Aomori Prefecture. Now part of Goshogawara City (五所川原市). Friendship agreement signed in 1988; Japanese Wikipedia gives 6 November 1988.116
  • Azuchi Town (安土町), Shiga Prefecture. Now part of Ōmihachiman City (近江八幡市). Friendship agreement signed in 1997; Japanese Wikipedia gives 1 November 1997.116 The roadside station still calls Ōmihachiman a sister city and uses its chōji-fu in the rock-laver soup.16
  • No international sister city was found.

Notable people
  • Takeda Nobuhiro (武田信広, 1431–1494). Warrior who defeated Koshamain and built Katsuyama-date. He was the ancestor of the Matsumae clan.242
  • Tatsuhiko Takimoto (滝本竜彦, born 1978). Novelist, author of Welcome to the N.H.K. (NHKにようこそ!). Born in Kaminokuni.69

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