Hokkaido Places

Town Okhotsk Subprefecture

Kunneppu 訓子府町

くんねっぷちょう

Kunneppu is a farming town in a basin on the Tokoro River, just southwest of Kitami. Settlers of the Hokkosha company from Tosa (Kochi) began clearing the land in 1897. Today the town is known for onions, greenhouse melons, and "tare katsudon", a pork-cutlet bowl topped with a soy-based sauce instead of egg.

Population (2020 Census)
4,677
Area
190.95 km²
District
Tokoro District (常呂郡)
Official website
www.town.kunneppu.hokkaido.jp

Known for

  • Onions. Farmers began growing onions in 1919. The town says the Kitami district, which includes Kunneppu, produces more onions than any other area in Japan. Local growers raise very early, early and mid-to-late varieties, plus red onions8.
  • Kunneppu melon (くんねっぷメロン). Greenhouse melons have been grown here since 1973. They are grown on their own roots, not grafted, with organic fertilizer. Each melon carries a sticker with the grower's name. The season runs from mid-July to mid-August8.
  • Tare katsudon (訓子府たれカツ丼). In this local version of the pork-cutlet rice bowl, the cutlet gets a sweet soy-based sauce instead of the usual egg. Seven eateries in town serve it15.
  • Hokkosha pioneers from Tosa. The town was opened in 1897 by settlers of the Hokkosha company. Its co-founder Sakamoto Naohiro was a nephew of Sakamoto Ryōma. This history led to the sister-town tie with Tsuno, Kochi816.
  • Crop breeding. The Hokkaido Research Organization's Kitami Agricultural Experiment Station is in the town. It bred the Snow March potato and the wheat varieties Kitahonami and Harukirari81.
  • A reading town. The town library had the highest lending rate in Japan eight times, including seven years in a row810.
  • Furusato Ginga Line memories. The old Kunneppu Station building is now a community center and bus stop, next to Ginga Park817.
  • Dairy. There were 5,856 dairy cattle in the town in February 202613.

Sights & activities

  • Nature & scenery
    • Recreation Park (レクリエーション公園), Kyōsei, on the south side of town. Open late April (Golden Week) to the end of October. Weekdays 9:00–17:00; weekend and holiday hours get shorter in autumn. It has a cherry-blossom hill, flower beds, an observation tower, a 21st-century forest, wooden play equipment and a water play area29. In spring the cherries, azaleas and moss phlox bloom8.
    • Kanō Bridge (叶橋) links the town center with Suehiro-chō across the Tokoro River. The first bridge here was built in 1909 and the current one in 1996. It has a "Dawn Bell" (夜明けの鐘) that visitors ring for luck, four bronze statues, melon-shaped street lamps, and a melon-shaped public toilet at one end8.
    • Pocket Park in the town center has sculptures on the themes of birth, life and renewal8.
  • Onsen
    • Kunneppu Onsen Hoyo Center (訓子府温泉保養センター), Honami 69-66, tel. 0157-47-3380. The building is open 10:00–22:00, and the baths from noon. Closed Mondays (Tuesday if Monday is a holiday) and on 1 January. Adults ¥550, children 6–11 ¥150, under 6 free32.
    • It is 100% natural hot spring, nicknamed the "beauty bath" (美人の湯). There are hot and cooler baths, a sauna, a cold plunge, an outdoor deck and rest rooms. Towels and toiletries are sold, and there is parking for 30 cars3233. It opened in January 199113.
  • Museums & heritage
    • Kunneppu History Museum (くんねっぷ歴史館), Nakamachi 50. Open 10:00–16:00; closed Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and 30 December–4 January. Free30.
    • Former Kunneppu Station and Ginga Park (銀河公園). The station opened in 1911 and served the Furusato Ginga Line until 2006. Its building now houses the Kuru-Nep (くる・ネップ) farm exchange center and a bus waiting room178. The tracks and the second platform became a park and bus turnaround17. On the Ginga Line the station had the constellation nickname "Virgo" (おとめ座)8.
  • Outdoor & seasonal activities
    • Park golf. A certified 54-hole course (six courses) lies on the Tokoro River flood plain8.
    • KAPPA heated pool (温水プール「KAPPA」), Higashimachi 400. A 25 m pool certified by the Japan Swimming Federation, plus a children's pool, a lazy river and a water slide813.
    • Town ski area. Inside the Recreation Park, with 26,000 m² of slopes. Open mid-December to the end of February298. In winter a skating rink opens on the grounds of Oromushi Elementary School (居武士小学校)810.
    • Barbecue. The Recreation Park's barbecue house costs ¥150 per use29.
  • Food experiences
    • Try tare katsudon at one of the seven shops, or at the Tare Katsudon Festival in June1527.
    • Buy melons in summer at the Furusato Matsuri22.
    • The 2017 town profile mentions a Sunday farmers' market, "Yume Meal" (夢ミール), at the former station from June to November. Check whether it still runs8.
    • Other places to eat include Restaurant Hermitage Kinosato (レストラン・エルミタージュ紀の里, Honami 212) and several yakiniku (grilled meat) restaurants in Higashimachi34.

Roadside stations (Michi-no-Eki)

No Michi-no-Eki is located in Kunneppu. The Hokkaido Michi-no-Eki directory lists 131 entries, none in Kunneppu and none in neighboring Oketo35. These are in the other neighboring municipalities:

  • Onneyu Onsen (道の駅おんねゆ温泉), Rubeshibe-chō Matsuyama 1-4, Kitami, on National Route 39. Open 9:00–17:30; closed 8–14 April, from the second Monday of December to the following Friday, and 31 December–1 January. Its landmark is the Kamurin (果夢林) tower, which houses one of the largest cuckoo clocks in the world. It also has a local-products shop, a woodcraft workshop and Kita-no-Daichi no Suizokukan (北の大地の水族館), a freshwater aquarium that moved here and reopened in July 201236.
  • Aioi (道の駅あいおい), Aioi 83-1, Tsubetsu, on National Route 240. Open 9:00–17:00; closed Tuesdays (Wednesday if Tuesday is a holiday), 30–31 December and 3–6 January. It sells handmade soba made with Hokkaido buckwheat flour and handmade tofu from local soybeans, and has a café in the old Aioi station building37.
  • Aurora Town 93 Rikubetsu (道の駅オーロラタウン93りくべつ), Ōdōri, Rikubetsu, on National Route 242. Open 8:00–18:00 from April to October and 9:00–17:00 from November to March; closed 30 December–3 January. It offers a railway driving experience in season, serves venison jingisukan (grilled deer meat), and sells Rikubetsu milk pudding38.

Hours and services are as of September 2026. Check before visiting.

Getting there & around

  • Rail. Kunneppu has had no railway since the Furusato Ginga Line closed in 200617. For rail travel, the usual gateway is JR Kitami Station on the Sekihoku Main Line. The limited express Okhotsk takes about 1 hour 40 minutes from Sapporo to Asahikawa, then about 2 hours 40 minutes to Rubeshibe and about 20 minutes more to Kitami, roughly 3 hours from Asahikawa39.
  • Bus. Hokkaido Kitami Bus runs the route from Kitami through Kunneppu to Oketo and Rikubetsu. The summer timetable started on 1 April 202640. Kitami to Kunneppu takes about 30 minutes by bus18.
  • Roads. No national route runs through the town. The main links are Hokkaido prefectural roads (道道)18, including Route 50 (Kitami–Oketo) and Route 143 (Kitami–Shiranuka)10.
  • Expressway. Kunneppu IC is on the Tokachi-Okhotsk Expressway. The 12 km stretch to Kitami-Nishi IC opened on 8 November 20158. The section south to Rikubetsu-Shōtoshibetsu IC (陸別小利別IC) opened in October 2017, and the opened sections are toll-free41. The expressway runs for 16.8 km inside the town13.
  • Air. Memanbetsu Airport in Ozora is about 50 minutes away by car. Flights to Memanbetsu take about 40 minutes from New Chitose and 1 hour 40 minutes from Haneda18.
  • Driving times. About 20 minutes to Kitami, 1 hour 10 minutes to Abashiri, 2 hours to Obihiro, 2 hours 10 minutes to Kushiro and 2 hours 30 minutes to Asahikawa818.
  • Getting around. A car is the practical choice. Residents aged 75 and over pay ¥300 for taxi rides within the town and for bus rides on certain sections20.

Practical tips

  • When to go.
    • Spring blossoms at the Recreation Park, around May.
    • The Ginga Park Festival and Tare Katsudon Festival, early June.
    • The Furusato Matsuri, early July.
    • Melon season, mid-July to mid-August.
    • The Samusamu Matsuri, early February8272225.
  • Closing days.
    • The history museum is open on weekdays only30.
    • The onsen closes on Mondays32.
    • Many eateries close on Sundays. Some are closed on Tuesday or Thursday instead15.
  • Where to stay. The town lists one lodging, Tabi-no-Yado Kunneppu (旅の宿くんねっぷ, Ōmachi 81, tel. 0157-47-2052)42. Kitami, 20 minutes away, has more choice18.
  • Brown bears. Bears become active in spring after hibernation. The town notes that bears have been appearing in urban areas across Japan and that people have been injured in Hokkaido. The town keeps a sighting map called "Higumap" (ひぐまっぷ). It advises carrying a bell, never hiking alone and avoiding dawn and dusk. Report sightings near houses to the town's Agriculture, Forestry and Commerce Division (0157-47-2116)43.
  • Winter. Winters in the basin are cold, down to about −19°C1213. Expect icy roads, and drive carefully on rural roads at night.
  • Visitor information. The town does not list a tourist office. For questions, contact the Agriculture, Forestry and Commerce Division at the town hall (0157-47-2116)33.

More about Kunneppu

At a glance
Field Details
Type Town (町)
Subprefecture Okhotsk (オホーツク総合振興局)
District Tokoro District (常呂郡)1
Population 4,677 in the 2020 Census (2,241 male, 2,436 female; 1,873 households). That was 8.3% below the 5,100 counted in 20152. The preliminary 2025 Census counted 4,245 (down another 9.2%) and 1,837 households3. Resident register: 4,366 people and 2,080 households at the end of March 20264. Hokkaido's register count for 1 January 2026 was 4,374, including 91 foreign residents5
Area 190.95 km²62. Older English sources give 190.89 km²7. The town describes itself as the smallest municipality by area in the Okhotsk region8, and the GSI area figures bear this out6
Density 24.5 people/km² (2020 Census)2. About 22.9/km² using the March 2026 register figure (calculated)
Municipal history Oketo Village split from Notsukeushi Village (now Kitami) in April 1915, and the Kunneppu area was part of it. In June 1920 Kunneppu became its own village, with 1,140 households and 6,592 people8. It became a town on 1 November 195189. Part of its land went to Oketo in September 195210. There have been no mergers. In the Heisei-era merger talks, Kunneppu and Oketo set up a voluntary merger council, but it was dissolved after more than half of Kunneppu residents opposed the merger in a survey10. The town dates its founding (開基) to the first settlement in 189711
Neighboring municipalities Kitami to the north, east and northwest; Oketo to the west; Tsubetsu and Rikubetsu (Tokachi) across the mountains to the south12
Symbols Tree: Japanese yew (オンコ). Flower: Ezo purple azalea (エゾムラサキツツジ). Both were chosen in 1977, based on a residents' survey98. No town bird is listed. The emblem dates from 1 November 1951. Its outer shape is the character 北, for Hokkaido and Kitami, with 訓 in the center and five circles for cooperation98. The Town Charter (町民憲章) was adopted on 1 August 197013
Mascot Meroneppu (めろねっぷ) wears a melon and an onion on its head and has a melon vine for a tail14. It was chosen as the image character for the 120th anniversary8. Its companion Tamaneppu (たまねっぷ) is a lively, milk-loving character in cow-print overalls with star-shaped buttons14. The tare-katsudon campaign has its own character, Kurune-chan (たれカツ乙女くるねちゃん)8
Official website https://www.town.kunneppu.hokkaido.jp/ (tourism: https://www.town.kunneppu.hokkaido.jp/tourism/kanko.html)

Name origin
  • The name comes from the Ainu word kunne-p (クンネプ). Kunne means "black" or "dark." The town explains the name as "a black place; a marshy stream whose water is dark" (黒いところ、やち川にして水黒し)118.
  • Japanese Wikipedia glosses it as "black place (river)" (黒い・ところ（川）)10. English Wikipedia gives "black river"7. The sources differ only on whether the final -p means "place" or "river." No completely different theory was found.
  • The town's 2017 profile says the name reflects boggy ground that did not look like good farmland at first8. Meiji-era records call the area "Kunneppu Plain" (クンネップ原野)8.
  • The first settlement area was called Oromushi (オロムシ). It is now the Ōtani (大谷) district118. No explanation of that name was found in the sources used here.

History
  • Prehistory. Two sites show people lived here more than 10,000 years ago. Obsidian tools were found at the Midorigaoka B site (緑丘B遺跡), south of the closed Midorigaoka Elementary School. Horoka-type burins were found at the Masuda site (増田遺跡), at the mouth of the Oromushi valley. Digs in 1958 (64 m²) and in 1971–72 (about 400 m²) recovered about 3,400 and about 1,700 stone tools. The 1958 finds included 829 microblades8.
  • 1858. The shogunate sent Matsuura Takeshirō to survey Ezo. His record says Ainu guides led him along a route through present-day Tokoro, Tanno and Kitami to around today's Hinode and Ōtani. This is the first written mention of the Kunneppu area8.
  • 1880s. In 1882 Hara Tetsujirō of Totsukawa (Nara Prefecture) came from Kushiro by way of Ashoro and the Toshibetsu River. He burned the plain, gathered deer antlers, and went down the Tokoro River to Abashiri. In 1886 a man named Sugimura from Tokyo hired Ainu from Hidaka to hunt around Oromushi. When he went home, two Ainu households stayed. They hunted deer, bear and salmon along the Tokoro River. They are considered the area's first permanent modern settlers8.
  • 1891–1897: the Hokkosha. The Kunneppu Plain was chosen for colonization in 1891. The Hokkosha (北光社) was a partnership formed in 1895 by members of the Tosa freedom and people's rights movement, among them Kataoka Kenkichi and Sakamoto Naohiro. In April 1897, about 112 households (some 650 people) sailed from Urado port and 50 households (about 150 people) from Susaki port on the Kōyō Maru. Measles killed many on the voyage, and drift ice held the ship back. It reached Abashiri in early May. The settlers then walked for three days to the company headquarters8. On 8 May 1897, 13 households (45 people) led by Ōtani Kiyotora and Baba Shōkichi settled at Oromushi811. The town still marks 8 May as its settlement day8.
  • Early farming. Mint (hakka) seedlings arrived in 1902, and mint-oil distilling boomed. Dairy farming began in 1907 with five cows8. Kunneppu Station opened on 25 September 1911 on the national railway's Abashiri Line, which brought growth1711. Onion growing started in 1919, and rice paddies followed from 19218.
  • Village era. After World War I ended, grain prices crashed and factories pulled out. Floods and poor harvests followed. The village became independent from Oketo in 19208. A large fire hit the town center in 1930. The main bridge was rebuilt in 1934 and renamed Kanō-bashi (叶橋)8.
  • Post-war. Tanimoto Taizaburō became the first elected village head in 1947. He then served as the first town mayor from November 1951 to 1967138. A five-year program to improve acidic soils raised potato, onion and beet yields. Hokkaido's agricultural experiment station moved its Kitami branch here from Kitami in 1959. Hokuren opened a livestock breeding center in 19628.
  • 1970s–1990s. Greenhouse melons started in 1973. The library opened in November 1984813. In 1988 Kunneppu signed Japan's first "education sister town" agreement, with Sekijō in Ibaraki8. The rail line became the third-sector Furusato Ginga Line on 4 June 19898. The hot-spring center opened in 1991 and the KAPPA indoor pool in 199513. The town celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1996 and rebuilt the Kanō Bridge the same year8.
  • 2000s. The station building was rebuilt in 2000 as the Kuru-Nep farm exchange center817. A sister-town agreement with Higashi-Tsuno Village (now Tsuno Town), Kochi, was signed on 8 May 200116. A 1997–2002 project put power lines underground on the main street and upgraded the shops8. The Kunneppu History Museum opened in April 200413. The Furusato Ginga Line closed on 21 April 2006 and buses replaced it178.
  • Recent. The Tokachi-Okhotsk Expressway reached Kunneppu IC on 8 November 2015818. The town marked its 120th anniversary in 2016 and opened the Wakuwaku-en center for young children the same year8. The population has kept falling: 5,100 in 2015, 4,677 in 2020, and 4,245 in the 2025 preliminary count23.

Geography & climate
  • Location and shape. Kunneppu lies inland in the northeast of Hokkaido, southwest of Kitami128. It measures about 12 km east to west and 16 km north to south. The town compares its outline to a wide-mouthed brandy glass1213.
  • Landforms. The town sits in a basin ringed by hills. Its southern border follows the ridge of the Senpoku Mountains (釧北山脈), which separates it from Tsubetsu and Rikubetsu12.
  • Rivers. The Tokoro River (常呂川) flows west to east through the middle of the town and on to the Sea of Okhotsk. Farmland spreads along its banks8. Tributaries include the Kunneppu River (訓子府川) and the Ketonai River (ケトナイ川)108. The Tokoro River used to flood often, and embankments and flood-control work have reduced the risk8.
  • Land use. Forest covers 100.96 km² and upland fields 69.17 km². Pasture takes 6.39 km², residential land 3.46 km², and rice paddies only 1.44 km²13. Forest makes up 9,202 ha, or 48% of the town. Of that forest, 65.6% is owned by Hokkaido, 25.5% is private and 9.0% belongs to the town13. Much of the planted forest is larch8.
  • Parks. None of the sources consulted list a national or prefectural natural park in the town.
  • Climate. The inland basin has hot summers, cold winters and a wide gap between day and night. The average on the warmest days is 20–21°C and on the coldest days −8 to −9°C. Precipitation is low, around 700 mm a year, and the share of sunny hours is high128. The town's page cites a high of 30.7°C and a low of −19.4°C in its FY2009 weather summary, a spread of 50°C12. Recent readings at the Kashiwaoka weather robot averaged 7.6–8.2°C a year from 2021 to 2025. The highest reading was 38.3°C in 2025, and lows ranged from −15.4°C to −19.1°C. Annual precipitation in those years was 474–636 mm13. No snowfall figures were found.

Economy & industry
  • Workforce. The 2020 Census counted 2,534 employed residents. Of these, 996 worked in primary industry (979 in farming), 330 in secondary industry and 1,205 in services13.
  • Farming. The town is often called "Hokkaido agriculture in miniature" (北海道農業の縮図). The base is onions, the three main field crops (potatoes, wheat and sugar beet) and dairy. Rice, beans, sweet corn for processing and melons are also grown8. The 2020 farm census counted 295 farms working 6,851 ha, an average of 23.2 ha each. In 2000 the average was 13.2 ha. In 2020, 134 farms had 20 ha or more13. Farm output (JA gross production) topped ¥13.2 billion in 20158.
  • Livestock. On 1 February 2026 the town had 5,856 dairy cattle, 299 beef cattle and 9 horses13. At its peak there were 118 dairy farms; by 2017 there were about 40. The town's dairy farms have set many national records for milk yield and have ranked near the top in Hokkaido. A program helps people with no farm background train as dairy farmers8.
  • Low-input farming. The onion growers' association started a reduced-pesticide program in 1987. The Kunneppu Clean Agriculture Promotion Council followed in 1996. More than 100 local growers are certified "eco-farmers"8.
  • Food processing. Ajinomoto Food Manufacturing Hokkaido (味の素食品北海道) has its head office and plant in the town10. The company was founded in 1969 as Corn Foods (コーン食品)19 and was still called Hokkaido Knorr Foods (北海道クノール食品) in the 2017 town profile8. The plant turns contract-grown sweet corn into products on the day of harvest. It also makes consommé and hot-pot cubes, and it has run factory tours8.
  • Lime. Kunneppu Lime Industry (訓子府石灰工業), founded in 1950, mines limestone in the town. It makes slaked lime and soil conditioners for farms8.
  • Other industry. The 2021 economic census counted 4 factories with 241 workers and ¥5.99 billion in shipments. It also counted 33 shops and wholesalers, with ¥12.8 billion in annual sales13.
  • Research. The Kitami Agricultural Experiment Station (Yayoi 52) studies field crops and pasture for the Okhotsk region1. Hokuren also runs a demonstration farm in the town8.
  • Population trends. In 2020, 39.1% of residents were 65 or older and 11.4% were under 1513. In FY2025 there were 26 births and 73 deaths. Move-ins (207) slightly exceeded move-outs (195)13.
  • Revitalization. The town's English pamphlet (2020) lists these incentives20:
    • up to ¥3 million to buy or renovate a vacant house;
    • free medical care up to age 15;
    • free kindergarten for ages 3–5;
    • start-up support for new farmers and new businesses;
    • ¥300 bus and taxi fares for residents aged 75 and over.
  • Furusato nozei. Hometown-tax donations in FY2025 came to ¥46,338,000 from 3,029 gifts21.

Local specialties
Specialty Category Details & where to get it
Tare katsudon (訓子府たれカツ丼) Local dish Pork cutlet on rice with a sweet soy-based sauce and no egg. The town lists seven places that serve it. Among them are Fukuyoshi (福よし, Motomachi 37; closed Sundays), Ekichaya (駅茶屋, Ōmachi 170; closed Thursdays), Shimizuya soba shop (清水屋, Ōmachi 5; closed Tuesdays) and the take-out shop Shura (修羅, Ōmachi 41)15
Kunneppu melon (くんねっぷメロン) Fruit Greenhouse melons: red-fleshed Rupia Red and green-fleshed King Melty. Each melon has a sticker with the grower's name, and each box a quality guarantee. In season mid-July to mid-August8. JA sells melons at the summer festival22
Onions Vegetable Varieties include Kitawase No. 3 (北早生3号), Okhotsk No. 1 (オホーツク1号), Kitamomiji 2000 (北もみじ2000) and red onions8. Potato-and-onion sets from Satoh Farm and organic onions from UNO ORGANIC FARM rank among the popular hometown-tax gifts23
Snow March potato (スノーマーチ) Vegetable Bred at the Kitami station as a pest- and disease-resistant variety, and grown in the town since 2011. After storage it ships in December–January. It peels easily, does not discolor and keeps its shape in stews. Storing it under snow makes it sweeter8
Kunsui (本格焼酎 訓粋) Shochu Potato shochu made from Kunneppu-grown Snow March, with a faint potato aroma8
Kanno Apiary honey (菅野養蜂場) Honey Natural honey from a family of migratory beekeepers now in its fourth generation (Nakamachi 34; 9:00–18:00, irregular holidays). Awards include the Sapporo Mayor's Prize of the Co-op Sapporo Agriculture Awards (2011). In 2015 it was chosen as a "Northern High Grade Food+ 2015" product (北のハイグレード食品+2015)2420. The honey has Okhotsk brand certification, and a linden mead (菩提樹のミード) followed in 20148
Hinode-men udon (日の出めん) Noodles Chewy half-fresh and fresh udon made with local Kitahonami wheat8. Sold at the maker (Hinode 262; from 8:30 until the day's batch is done; closed weekends, holidays and some other days) and at local supermarkets such as CITY mart and A-COOP2420
Suzuran miso (すずらんみそ, 太田醸造) Miso & soy sauce Unpasteurized handmade miso with a high share of rice koji, made by Ota Brewery since 1921 (Higashimachi 32; closed Sundays). The brewery also makes sagohachi (三五八) pickling base, white koji (白糀) for amazake and its own Kotobuki soy sauce (コトブキ醤油)248
Red shiso juice (しそジュース, きらきら本舗) Drink Made with no water or additives from red shiso grown organically in the town. Sold at Café Tampopo (喫茶たんぽぽ) in the town hall24208
Sweets Confectionery Kashi-tsukasa Miyake (菓子司みやけ): milk yōkan (牛乳羊羹) and the pie bun "Ginga Tetsudō no Tabi" (銀河鉄道の旅). Uzenya (羽前屋菓子舗): "Ezo Murasaki Tsutsuji" and "Ginga Roman" (銀河浪漫)8. Kagami (カガミ菓子店, Ōmachi 26-1) makes cakes and baked goods24
Furusato nozei gifts Hometown tax Potatoes (Tōya and Danshaku) and onions from Satoh Farm, organic onions, plus honey, noodles, sauces, melons and rice23

Culture & festivals
Event When Highlights
Samusamu Matsuri (さむさむまつり) Early February (47th: 1 February 2026, 10:00–14:20) A winter festival run by residents in front of the public hall: snow sculptures, a big ice slide, tug-of-war and a character show on a snow stage25. The town's events page also shows a photo of mochi throwing (もちまき)26
Kunneppu Ginga Park Festival (くんねっぷ銀河公園まつり) Around early June Held in Ginga Park behind the former Kunneppu Station. Food stalls, brass band, hip-hop dance and a prize draw. The Tare Katsudon Festival runs at the same time, with bowls from seven shops27
Kunneppu Furusato Matsuri (くんねっぷふるさとまつり) Early July, Saturday–Sunday At the Suehiro multi-purpose ground. Eve: lantern parade and fireworks. Main day: a public STV Radio recording of Uta to Warai no Stage and youth-group events. JA sells grilled meat and melons22. Earlier programs included taiko and the Kunneppu Ondo dance. The festival held in 2016 was the 37th8
Autumn festival "Fureai Shirōto Ennichi" (秋まつりふれあい素人縁日) Mid-September Harvest-season fair at the Nakamachi public car park, with stalls run by amateurs (yo-yo balloon fishing, shooting games, yakitori, takoyaki), children's dance and a brass band28
Spring blossoms Spring (around Golden Week onward) The Recreation Park has about 400 Ezo mountain cherries, about 6,000 Ezo purple azaleas and a hill covered in moss phlox (shibazakura)829. Japanese Wikipedia lists a shibazakura festival in June10, but it does not appear on the town's current event list26
  • Performing arts and exchange. Tsunoyama kagura (津野山古式神楽) is a traditional dance from the sister town Tsuno and a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. It was performed in Kunneppu in November 1996, the town's centennial year, and at the 2016 Furusato Matsuri, held in the 120th-anniversary year8.
  • Reading culture. The town library (Nakamachi 42) opened in 198413. It delivers books to people who cannot come in8.
  • Museum. The Kunneppu History Museum (くんねっぷ歴史館, Nakamachi 50) covers local history, daily life and culture30. It shows a traditional mint-oil still, a distilling tank with a wooden lid8.
  • Town charter. The Town Charter of 1970 honors the "pioneer spirit" of the settlers along the Tokoro River13.
  • Shrines and temples. The sources used here give no details on local shrines or temples.

Ainu heritage
  • Ainu guides. Ainu guides led Matsuura Takeshirō into the area in 1858, and the town's name comes from Ainu811.
  • First modern settlers. In 1886 a Tokyo hunter brought Ainu from Hidaka. When he left, two Ainu households stayed at Ōtani and along the Tokoro River, hunting deer, bear and salmon. The town regards them as the first permanent modern settlers8.
  • A named resident. The 2017 town profile names Hiramura Erekōku (平村エレコーク), who lived at Oromushi from 1886 to 18968.
  • Today. No Ainu cultural facility or local Ainu association was found in the town. In the Abashiri district, the Hokkaido Ainu Association lists branches in Abashiri, Shari and Rubeshibe (Kitami)31.

Sister & friendship cities
  • Tsuno, Kōchi Prefecture (高知県高岡郡津野町). Sister town since 8 May 2001. The agreement was signed with Higashi-Tsuno Village, which merged with Hayama Village in February 2005 to form Tsuno Town. The tie began because Kunneppu's Hokkosha settlers came from Kōchi168. Exchanges include visits by children and farmers16. The floor of the Wakuwaku-en children's center uses Japanese cypress from Tsuno820.
  • Former: Sekijō, Ibaraki Prefecture (茨城県関城町). In 1988 the two towns signed Japan's first "education sister town" agreement. It ended in 2005, when Sekijō merged into Chikusei8.
  • International. None found.

Notable people
  • Sakamoto Naohiro (坂本直寛, 1853–1911). A nephew of Sakamoto Ryōma and co-founder of the Hokkosha, whose settlers opened Kunneppu. He later became a Christian minister8.
  • Ōtani Kiyotora (大谷清虎). Called the "father of settlement" (開拓の祖). He led the first 13 Hokkosha households to Oromushi in 18978.
  • Born in Kunneppu. Japanese Wikipedia lists the writer and columnist Sekishiro (せきしろ) and the drummer Yao Takuya (矢尾拓也), formerly of the band Passepied, among people from the town10.

Sources

Numbers in the text link to these sources. Figures as of 23 September 2026

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