Hokkaido Places

Town Rumoi Subprefecture

Tomamae 苫前町

とままえちょう

Tomamae is a windy fishing and farming town in the middle of the Rumoi coast. It is known for two things. Rows of large wind turbines stand on the hills above the Oronon Line (Route 232), and the town's first large wind farm was one of Japan's pioneers.123 Inland, in 1915, a brown bear killed seven settlers in the Sankebetsu incident, which the town calls the worst animal attack in Japan's history.4 Its roadside station is also a hot-spring hotel, where you can watch the sun set over Teuri and Yagishiri islands.5

Population (2020 Census)
2,936
Area
454.6 km²
District
Tomamae District (苫前郡)
Official website
www.town.tomamae.lg.jp

Known for

  • Wind power.
    • The Tomamae Green Hill Wind Park (苫前グリーンヒルウインドパーク) started in November 1999 with 20 turbines. Wikipedia describes it as Japan's first large-scale wind farm.15 The town calls it the country's first full-scale wind farm built by private companies.2
    • After replacements finished in fiscal 2023, 13 large turbines owned by Eurus Energy and J-Power stand on the town ranch at Kamihira (上平).3
    • The town also runs its own 2,300 kW turbine, "Fūraibō" (風来望).16
  • The Sankebetsu brown bear incident (三毛別羆事件). In December 1915, a bear killed seven people and badly injured three at a settlement in today's Sankei (三渓) district.4 A reconstruction of the scene deep in the forest and a museum display keep the story alive.1718
  • Tomamae Onsen Fuwatto (とままえ温泉ふわっと). This salty hot-spring hotel is also the roadside station. From its outdoor bath and free footbath you can see Teuri and Yagishiri islands.5
  • Sunsets and the White Beach. The bathing beach was spread with white sand imported from Hainan Island, China. Around 19–24 May and 19–24 July, the sun sets between the two islands.53
  • Seafood. Giant Pacific octopus (ミズダコ), sweet shrimp (amaebi), scallops, sea urchin, flatfish and sea cucumber are caught here. The furusato nozei site uses the slogan "The great sea monster has landed!" (大海獣上陸！).1912
  • Kite flying in the winter wind. The town kite festival began in fiscal 1973. It uses the strong winter wind that locals once saw as a nuisance.32
  • Tomamae melon and farm produce. Melons are shipped at 14 degrees Brix or sweeter under Hokkaido's YES!clean reduced-chemical label. Rice is also grown with reduced pesticides and fertilizer.19

Sights & activities

Nature & scenery

  • Kamihira Green Hill Wind Farm (上平グリーンヒルウインドファーム). Thirteen large turbines rise over pastures where cattle graze. From the hill you can also see Teuri, Yagishiri and sometimes Rishiri.326 It is a working ranch and power plant, so stay out of the marked areas.3
  • Yūhigaoka (夕陽ヶ丘). This seaside hill beside Fuwatto is known for Sea of Japan sunsets. The sun drops between Teuri and Yagishiri in late May and late July.5 The town turbine "Fūraibō" stands across the national road. It is an Enercon E-82 whose blade tips reach 119 m.16
  • Tomamae Yūhigaoka White Beach (とままえ夕陽ヶ丘ホワイトビーチ, Sakaehama 55-3).
    • The white sand was brought from Hainan Island. The beach page says it covers 1,000 m², while the tourism plan says 1,000 m³ of sand was imported. At sunset the sand turns pink.443
    • It is open for swimming from mid-July to mid-August (11 July–16 August in 2026). There are hot showers (¥300), lifeguards and a food stall.443
    • Pets, generators and open fires are not allowed.44
    • Renovation of the beach building, lights and coin showers began in May 2026. The beach stays open during the work, but some areas may be closed off.44
  • Kodanbetsu Midorigaoka Park (古丹別緑ヶ丘公園). The park opened in 1968. It has about 1,000 trees, including Ezo mountain cherry, magnolia and rowan, plus daffodils, tulips and wisteria.41

Onsen

  • Tomamae Onsen Fuwatto (とままえ温泉ふわっと). The water is a very salty sodium-chloride spring (47.3 °C at the source) that flows up under its own pressure. It is known for keeping you warm after bathing.5 See the roadside station section below for times and prices.

Museums & heritage

  • Tomamae Town Local Museum (苫前町郷土資料館, Tomamae 393).
    • The museum is in the 1928 town office, a Western-style building. It opened in March 1984.3
    • It has about 700 items on show. They include the stuffed giant bear "Hokkai Tarō" (北海太郎), which is one of the largest in Japan, and "Keikoku no Jirō" (渓谷の次郎), a bear from Sankei.183
    • A diorama recreates the 1915 incident. In the old mayor's office you can watch the Toei TV film Kuma-arashi (羆嵐), starring Mikuni Rentarō.18
    • Open 1 May–31 October, 10:00–17:00. Closed Mondays, but open every day in the summer school holidays. Admission is ¥310 for adult non-residents.18
  • Tomamae Archaeology Museum (苫前町考古資料館). Next door, opened in May 1990.23
  • Kodai no Sato (古代の里). Two reconstructed ancient houses, one Jōmon and one Satsumon, next to the museums. You cannot go inside them.43
  • Sankebetsu Brown Bear Incident Reconstruction Site (三毛別羆事件復元地, Sankei).
    • Local people rebuilt the settlers' hut and set up a large bear replica in a dark forest clearing. It is about 19 km from Kodanbetsu along the Tomamae–Obira road.17325
    • It is free and has no fixed hours, but visiting after dark is discouraged. It is open from early May to the end of October (from 25 April in 2026).17
    • There are no toilets and no mobile signal, and bears may be nearby. Carry something that makes noise.17
    • Visitors who signed the guest book numbered 3,429 in fiscal 2024. The town estimates about 3,000 visitors a year in total.3
  • Bear monument. A bear monument has stood in the town-office parking lot since 1988. It is a popular photo stop for motorcyclists.3

Outdoor & seasonal activities

  • Tomamae Yūhigaoka Auto Campground (とままえ夕陽ヶ丘オートキャンプ場, Sakaehama 67-1).
    • Open 25 April–30 September in 2026.45
    • A sites have power and a sink (21 sites, ¥4,250). B sites are on grass (50 sites, ¥2,050). Free sites are only for riders, cyclists and walkers (¥500).45
    • There are coin showers and laundry and Wi-Fi. No pets.45
    • Book through the town's official LINE account, up to 90 days ahead.45
  • Mirai-kō Park (とままえ夕陽ヶ丘未来港公園). A large lawn below Fuwatto where you can camp in July and August without booking (tent fee ¥500–1,000).46
  • Tomamae B&G Marine Center pool. Next to Fuwatto. Open from early May to the end of September and closed Mondays.47
  • Park golf. The Tomamae Park Golf course has two 18-hole courses, "Hamanasu" and the wooded "Karamatsu." It is free and open 1 May–31 October.48
  • Skiing. Kodanbetsu Midorigaoka Ski Area has intermediate runs and is open from January to February. Lifts run until 20:45 on weekdays and Saturdays and until 15:45 on Sundays, and the area is closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In the 2026 season only the lower lift ran, and full operation is planned from the 2027 season.49 Tomamae Sankakuten Ski Area also opens in early January.40
  • Cycling.
    • The tourist association rents bicycles at the roadside station from 1 May to 30 September. A regular bike is ¥500 an hour, and an e-bike ¥1,000 an hour.50
    • The town also publishes a map of the Oronon Line cycling route.51

Food experiences

  • Restaurant Fūmu (風夢) at Fuwatto. Local seafood, including sweet shrimp stored in a snow-cooled room, and the "Fuwatto set" of a half-size rice bowl with ramen or soba.52
  • Coco Kapiu (ココ・カピウ, Sakaehama 55). A beach café that serves uni-don and salmon-roe and scallop bowls. Open 21 June–20 August in 2026, 11:00–15:30. Phone ahead, because urchin may be sold out or unavailable in bad weather.39
  • Drive-in Sawa (ドライブインさわ, Rikibiru 56). A roadside diner on the national route known for thick pork cutlets. It serves uni-don in summer.53
  • Sankaikō (山海幸, Kodanbetsu). Seafood set meals, "Yanshū ramen" and octopus shabu-shabu.54
  • Taishū Shokudō (大衆食堂, Tomamae 214). An old-style diner known for miso ramen. Closed Sundays.55

Roadside stations (Michi-no-Eki)

Kaze-W Tomamae (道の駅風Wとままえ)

  • Location:
    • Address: Tomamae 119-1, Tomamae-chō, on National Route 232 (the Oronon Line).26
    • Next to the Yūhigaoka campground, the White Beach and Mirai-kō Park.26
    • The station is about 45 km north of Rumoi IC on the Fukagawa-Rumoi Expressway.56 The Engan Bus stop Tomamae Uemachi (苫前上町) is a 4-minute walk away.57
    • Tel. 0164-64-2810.26
  • Hours:
    • The station itself is open 7:00–22:00 every day of the year.26
    • Yottekeya shop: 8:00–18:00, or 8:00–17:00 from December to February. Take-out runs 10:00–17:00 and stops in winter.538
    • Restaurant Fūmu: 11:30–15:00 (last order 14:30) and 17:00–21:00 (last order 20:30).26 The town lists the same hours for Lounge Windmill,5 while the station site says 11:30–20:30.26
    • Day bathing: 10:30–22:00, last entry 21:30.5
    • As of September 2026 — check before visiting.
  • Shops & products:
    • The Yottekeya (よってけ屋) shop opened on 28 April 2023 in its own building. It sells sweet shrimp, botan shrimp, herring roe, vinegared octopus, skate bacon, Tomamae melon, chestnut pumpkin, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes and cherry-tomato juice, and "Amapirika" amazake (あまぴりか甘酒).38
    • The shop also sells pottery, vases and woodwork made by local craft circles.26
    • It has an online store (yottekeya.com).38
  • Food:
    • Restaurant Fūmu (風夢): 88 seats, 48 at tables and 40 in a tatami room with raised tables. It serves Japanese, Western and Chinese dishes made with local produce. The favorite is the "Fuwatto set" of a half-size bowl (fresh chirashi, tempura and others) with ramen or soba. There is a different menu on Wednesdays.58
    • Lounge Windmill: Coffee, light meals and take-out soft-serve. It also sells a shrimp burger (エビバーガー).5 The station site features the shrimp burger and "pari-pari" (crispy) soft-serve.26
    • Yottekeya: Take-out soft-serve and pumpkin dumplings (かぼちゃ団子).5
  • Facilities:
    • Parking for 78 cars and 10 large vehicles.26 Wikipedia adds 6 accessible spaces.57 The town's 2026 tourism plan gives a higher figure for the hotel: 93 cars, 10 large vehicles and 6 accessible spaces.3
    • 24-hour toilets in the shop building, including an ostomate toilet. There is also a smoking room.559
    • A 24-hour baby corner with a nursing room and diaper-changing table. There is a covered priority parking space for pregnant women, and a vending machine that sells diapers and liquid baby milk.60
    • Two EV chargers, which have been out of service since 15 January 2026 "for the time being."61
    • Wi-Fi throughout.5 Credit cards and other cashless payment are accepted.26
    • Hot spring: Indoor bath, an outdoor bath and an open-roofed "atrium" bath (men and women swap daily), a jacuzzi, and a 90 °C dry sauna with automatic löyly (steam) and a cold plunge. A free footbath is open from May to mid-September.559
    • Day-bath fees: Since 1 July 2025, ¥600 for junior-high age and up, ¥300 for elementary pupils, and free for preschoolers.625
    • Lodging: 25 rooms, from lofted Japanese rooms and twins to 12 single "cabin" rooms added in October 2022. Check-in is 14:00 and check-out 10:00.5
    • Hokkaido's accommodation tax applies from 1 April 2026.63
    • The B&G pool, auto campground and beach are next door. Rental bicycles are lent at the front desk.2650
  • Notes:
    • The name "Fuwatto" is written 風W, meaning "wind" plus "W" for watt, because wind power is the town's symbol.26
    • The station was registered on 10 August 2006 as Hokkaido Michi-no-Eki No. 94.26 The town says it began operating as a station in November 2006.35
    • The building opened in May 2000 as the New Sea of Japan Regional Exchange Center (新日本海地域交流センター). It was renovated in fiscal 2021–22.3
    • Since 2009 it has been run by Shidax Daishinto Human Service (シダックス大新東ヒューマンサービス).356
    • Stamps can be pressed during opening hours.26
    • The onsen water temperature is listed differently in different places: 47.3 °C (town), 46 °C (station site) and 48.5 °C (Wikipedia).52657
    • The station site still describes the Kamihira wind farm with its pre-replacement line-up of 39 turbines (1,000–1,650 kW each).26 Its total of 50,600 kW happens to match the town's figure for the 13 turbines that stand there now.3
    • Other nearby Michi-no-Eki are Obira Nishin Banya (道の駅おびら鰊番屋) in Obira, Hotto Haboro (道の駅ほっと・はぼろ) in Haboro and Roman Kaidō Shosanbetsu (道の駅☆ロマン街道しょさんべつ) in Shosanbetsu.64

Getting there & around

  • Rail:
    • No railway runs in the town. The JNR Haboro Line closed in 1987.1
    • Since the Rumoi Line closed between Ishikari-Numata and Rumoi in April 2023, the town's suggested rail route is JR to Fukagawa on the Hakodate Main Line, then a bus via Rumoi.30
  • Express buses (Engan Bus, 沿岸バス):
    • The reserved-seat "Tokkyū Haboro-gō" (特急はぼろ号) runs from Sapporo Station and stops at Rikibiru, Kamihira and Tomamae Uemachi.651
    • The 9:30 bus from Sapporo reaches Tomamae Uemachi at 12:36, or 12:41 on the timetable from 1 October 2026. So the trip takes a little over three hours.65
    • The "Tokkyū Asahikawa-gō" (特急あさひかわ号) runs from Asahikawa.1
  • Local buses: The Horonobe–Rumoi coastal line (幌延留萌線) runs along Route 232. A town route links Kamihira and Kodanbetsu.1
  • By car:
    • Sapporo to Tomamae takes about 3 h 10 min via the Hokkaido Expressway and the Fukagawa-Rumoi Expressway to Rumoi IC, then Route 232. It takes about 3 h 50 min by Route 231 along the coast.30
    • Asahikawa takes about 2 h 05 min by expressway, or about 2 h 50 min over Kiritachi Pass on Route 239 via Shibetsu.30
    • Allow at least an extra hour in winter.30
  • Airports: The town lists Asahikawa, New Chitose and Wakkanai as the nearest airports.30
  • Getting around: A car is the practical choice. The main sights are spread between the coast (Fuwatto, the beach and the wind farm) and inland (Kodanbetsu, and the bear site 19 km beyond it).3 From May to September, rental bikes at the station are good for the coast.50

Practical tips

  • Best seasons: Late May and late July, for the sun setting between the islands. July–August for the beach, camping and the windmill festival. Early May for cherry blossoms in Kodanbetsu.540
  • Seasonal closures:
    • The local museum and the Sankebetsu site are open only from about May to October.1817
    • The campground closes after September, and the beach and Mirai-kō Park are open only in July–August.454446
  • Brown bears:
    • The town lists 18 bear sightings or tracks in fiscal 2026 up to 15 September. They include a mother and two cubs in a pasture at Nagashima (長島).66
    • At the Sankebetsu site, carry a bell or radio. There is no phone signal and no toilet.17
  • Wind and winter driving:
    • From November to March, strong winds and ground blizzards are common.2 Winter trips take longer than the summer times above.30
    • The town advises checking the latest road and weather information before you set out.30
  • Tourist information: The Commerce, Labor and Tourism Section at the town office (tel. 0164-64-2212) handles tourist questions.17 The tourist association runs the station's bicycle rental.50
  • Paying: Visitors can make a furusato nozei donation on the spot and spend the e-voucher at local shops and at Fuwatto.31

More about Tomamae

At a glance
Field Details
Type Town (町)
Subprefecture Rumoi (留萌振興局)
District Tomamae District (苫前郡). The district also includes Haboro and Shosanbetsu.6
Population 2,936 at the 2020 National Census: 1,428 men, 1,508 women and 1,347 households. This was 10.1% lower than the 2015 count of 3,265.7 The preliminary 2025 Census count is 2,560, down another 12.8%.8 Resident register: 2,592 people in 1,421 households at the end of August 2026.9 The population peaked at 11,696 in the 1955 census.10
Area 454.60 km² (GSI, 1 April 2026).11
Density About 5.7 people/km² (August 2026 register ÷ GSI area). The 2020 Census figure was 6.5 people/km².7
Municipal history 1880: a village office (戸長役場) for Tomamae, Shirashidomari and Rikibiru villages opens in Tomamae. The town counts 1880 as its founding (開基).112 1894: Haboro splits off. 1 April 1902: Tomamae becomes a second-class village and absorbs Rikibiru (力昼). 1 April 1915: first-class village. 1 October 1948: town status.1 No later mergers are recorded.6
Neighboring municipalities Rumoi: Haboro (north) and Obira (south). Kamikawa: Horokanai (east)1
Symbols Town tree: Japanese rowan (ナナカマド). Town flower: Ezo-engosaku, a spring corydalis (エゾエンゴサク). The flag and emblem date from 18 December 1967. No town bird is listed.1
Mascot Kumada Tomao (くまだ とまお), a brown-bear cub who is "forever seven years old." His blue hat carries a wind turbine and symbols of the town's sea and farm produce.13 He has his own X (Twitter) account.14
Official website http://www.town.tomamae.lg.jp/ (Japanese)14

Name origin
  • Main theory: toma-oma-i.
    • In Ainu, toma-oma-i (トマオマイ) means "the place where Ezo-engosaku grows." Ezo-engosaku is a spring corydalis, which is also the town flower.120
    • The Hokkaido Government's list of Ainu place names takes this reading from Uehara Kumajirō's Edo-period notes: "a place where engosaku grows in abundance." The town history (苫前町史) says the same. The scholar Yamada Hidezō judged it the closest in sound, at least for the present name.20
  • Older theory: enrum-oma-moy.
    • The same list records Matsuura Takeshirō's version. He wrote that the original name was エンルムオマモイ (enrum-oma-moy), "the bay at the headland."20
    • Yamada noted that the old town center did sit on a beach below a terrace, which fits this description.20
  • Old reading. The name was once read "Tomamai" (とままい). The Edo-period trading post was called Tomamai-basho (トママイ場所).6
  • Other Ainu names in the town. Until about 1955, several hamlets were still known by older names, which appear to be Ainu in origin. For example, Atchanai (アッチャナイ) is now Sakaehama (栄浜), Poronai (ポロナイ) is Santoyo (三豊), and Uenbira (ウエンビラ) is Kamihira (上平).21

History
  • Prehistory.
    • People have lived here since the Jōmon period.1
    • In 1987, digs at the Kagawa 3-sen site (香川三線遺跡) and the nearby Kagawa 6 site found a village of the Satsumon culture. At the 3-sen site alone, archaeologists found five pit dwellings, Satsumon pottery, Sue and Haji ware brought from Honshu, smithing bellows nozzles, spindle whorls and iron tools.22
    • The two sites produced about 20,000 objects, which the archaeology museum now displays.323
  • Edo period.
    • The Matsumae domain opened the Tomamai trading post (トママイ場所). Wikipedia gives the date as 1634, and its district article says the post dates from the Keichō era (1596–1615).16
    • Tomamae Shrine (苫前神社) was founded in 1786.1
    • Because of the Russian threat, the shogunate took direct control of the area in 1807. It returned to Matsumae in 1821, then came under the shogunate again in 1855. From then on, the Shōnai domain (庄内藩) kept a guard post (陣屋) at Tomamae, and from 1859 the area was part of Shōnai's territory.6
    • Kinpō-in (金宝院), the town's oldest temple, was founded in 1860. It has since closed.24
  • Meiji settlement.
    • In 1869, Tomamae District was created in Teshio Province.1
    • Settlers began clearing the inland plains from the mid-1890s. They lived in rough huts and cleared the virgin forest by hand with axes and hoes.4
    • A group of settlers came from Nagashima (長島) in Mie Prefecture. This is the origin of the sister-city tie with Kuwana.1
    • On the coast, seasonal herring workers (やん衆) came each spring. Some settled for good, and those from Tsugaru brought their tradition of sturdy Tsugaru kites.2
  • 1915: the Sankebetsu incident.
    • On 9–10 December, a huge bear that had not gone into hibernation attacked families in the Rokusensawa (六線沢) area of Sankebetsu.4
    • It killed a pregnant woman and children. The next night it returned during the wake and attacked another house. In total, seven people were killed and three badly injured.4
    • The veteran hunter Yamamoto Heikichi (山本兵吉) came from Onishika and shot the bear on 14 December. When a storm broke out right after, people called it a "bear storm" (クマ嵐).4
  • 20th century.
    • 1928: The town office building that now houses the local museum was built.3
    • 1 October 1948: Tomamae becomes a town.1
    • By 1961: The Kodanbetsu forest railway (古丹別森林鉄道) closed.1
    • 30 March 1987: The JNR Haboro Line closed. It had stations at Rikibiru, Kodanbetsu, Kamihira and Tomamae, and since then the town has had no railway.1
    • 1988: A bear monument was built in front of the town office to use the incident for tourism.3
    • July 1990: Local people opened the Sankebetsu reconstruction site.25
    • 1996: The White Beach and the auto campground opened.3
  • Wind and revitalization.
    • 1995–96: Wind surveys showed Tomamae was very well suited to wind power.2
    • Fiscal 1998–2000: The town built three turbines of its own.16
    • May 2000: The Fuwatto hot-spring center opened.3
    • 2006: Fuwatto was registered as a Michi-no-Eki.26
    • 2020: The town's three old turbines were replaced by a single 2,300 kW machine. The town says this was Japan's first replacement of this kind.16
    • 24 January 2022: Tomamae declared itself a "Zero Carbon City."27
    • 2022–2023: The two private wind farms were rebuilt with larger turbines.2829
  • Recent years.
    • On 1 April 2023, the JR Rumoi Line between Ishikari-Numata and Rumoi closed. For rail travel, the town now directs visitors to JR Fukagawa Station and a bus from there.30
    • In December 2025, the town began "travel-destination" furusato nozei (旅先納税). Visitors can donate by smartphone and get an electronic voucher to spend in town.31
    • In 2026, the town was preparing a new multi-generation community center with a shop in Kodanbetsu. It asked the public for a nickname between August and September 2026.32

Geography & climate
  • Location. Tomamae sits in the middle of the Rumoi coast in north-western Hokkaido, facing the Sea of Japan.30
  • Landforms.
    • The town has 17.3 km of coastline, with flat land along the shore. To the east, the land rises into mountains that join the Teshio Mountains.12
    • Forest covers 85% of the town.12 Of its 38,352 ha of forest, 30,861 ha is national forest.12
  • Rivers and lakes.
    • The Kotanbetsu River (古丹別川), its tributary the Sankebetsu River (三毛別川) and the Chiebotsunai River (チエボツナイ川) rise in the Teshio range and flow into the Sea of Japan.12
    • Man-made lakes include the Tomamae Dam and Kamiogawa Dam reservoirs. There is also a marsh called Kiritachi-numa (霧立沼).1
  • Mountain roads. Route 239 crosses the mountains over Kiritachi Pass (霧立峠).1 The upland hamlet of Kiritachi had no residents at the 2015 census.1
  • Offshore islands. Teuri and Yagishiri islands lie offshore but belong to Haboro.11
  • Parks. Tomamae is not among the municipalities covered by the nearby Shokanbetsu-Teuri-Yagishiri Quasi-National Park (暑寒別天売焼尻国定公園), which includes Haboro's two islands.33 No other national or prefectural natural park in the town was found (unverified).
  • Climate.
    • The town describes its climate as maritime. Strong north-westerly winds blow in winter and bring a lot of snow. The warm Tsushima Current keeps it milder than inland Hokkaido, and autumn tends to be wet.12
    • From November to March, ground blizzards (地吹雪) blow almost every day.2
    • At the Kodanbetsu (古丹別) weather station in the town, the 1991–2020 averages are 1,210 mm of precipitation and 722 cm of snowfall a year. The deepest snow in an average winter is 125 cm.34
    • The Kodanbetsu station does not record temperature,34 so figures from the neighboring Haboro station are used here. Haboro's annual mean is 8.0 °C, with 20.9 °C in August and −4.3 °C in January.35
    • Haboro's record high is 34.4 °C (3 August 1978 and 1 August 2021). Its record low is −26.4 °C (27 January 1923).36

Economy & industry
  • Workforce. At the 2020 Census, 37.0% of workers were in farming, forestry or fishing, 15.5% in industry and 47.1% in services. The farming and fishing share is far above the Hokkaido average of 6.7%.12
  • Fishing.
    • Coastal fishing brings in flatfish, octopus, sea urchin and sea cucumber. Boats offshore catch shrimp, and scallops are farmed.12
    • In 2024, 57 fishing businesses landed 4,929 tonnes worth ¥2.385 billion.12
    • Octopus catches have been poor for years, while herring has started to return.12 Poor sweet-shrimp catches have forced the windmill festival to drop its popular shrimp-trap event.3
    • Tomamae Port is a class-3 fishing port. A 2024 improvement plan adds new quays for scallop shipping and export, and holding ponds for sea urchin, octopus, kelp and sea cucumber.12
  • Farming.
    • Farms grow paddy rice and field crops, and there is dairy farming.12
    • In 2024, 105 farm households worked 3,100 ha: 1,430 ha of rice paddy, 595 ha of fields and 1,075 ha of pasture. Farm output was ¥3.50 billion.12
    • Dairy herds have shrunk. In 2024 there were 1,699 dairy cattle on 12 farms, down from 2,060 on 17 farms in 2019.12
    • Crops include rice, wheat, beans, melons, cherry tomatoes, pumpkin and sweet corn.3
  • Wind power.
    • A 66,000-volt power line built for the former Haboro coal mine made it easy to connect wind farms to the grid.2
    • Today the privately run turbines are Eurus Tomamae Wind Farm (20,000 kW, five 4,200 kW turbines, running since March 2022)28 and J-Power's New Tomamae Winvilla (新苫前ウィンビラ発電所, 30,600 kW, running since October 2023).29
    • With the town's 2,300 kW turbine, that is about 52,900 kW in total (sum of the figures above).16
    • Part of the income from the town turbine pays for cheaper garbage bags: a 40-litre bag costs ¥20 instead of ¥100.16
    • The town's website says its renewable-energy self-sufficiency rate is 535.8%, ninth in Japan, and its food self-sufficiency rate is 575%, second in Japan. It does not say where the rankings come from.14
  • Tourism. The town counted 169,000 visitors in 2024 (149,000 day-trippers and 20,000 overnight). This is up from a low of 49,000 in 2022.12 Fuwatto alone had 175,818 uses in fiscal 2024.3
  • Population and finances.
    • 40.4% of residents were 65 or older in 2020.12
    • A national projection says the population could fall to 1,362 by 2050. The town's own target is about 1,700.10
    • The town's fiscal strength index was 0.153 in fiscal 2024.12
  • Revitalization. The town is recruiting "community revitalization cooperators" (地域おこし協力隊), and the prefectural Tomamae Commercial High School accepts students from all over Japan.14

Local specialties
Specialty Category Details & where to get it
Tomamae octopus (とままえ産蛸) Seafood Large giant Pacific octopus whose legs can be almost 10 cm thick. It heads the town's featured furusato nozei gifts.19 Hoshino Suisan (星野水産, Tomamae 35) sells boiled octopus (煮蛸) and vinegared octopus (酢蛸).37
"Three great shrimps" (とままえの三大海老) Seafood Sweet shrimp (甘エビ), botan shrimp (ボタンエビ) and ibara shrimp (イバラエビ), flash-frozen at −40 °C.19 Frozen amaebi, hatahata and hakkaku are sold at the fishing co-op shop Kairaku Ichiba (北るもい漁協直売所 海楽市場 苫前店).37
Herring roe & herring products Processed seafood Maruya Okada Shōten (丸や岡田商店) sells seasoned and salted herring roe (数の子), soy-marinated salmon roe, shio-kōji herring and dried herring (身欠にしん).37 The furusato roe comes from a processor founded in 1919.19
Kasube bacon (かすべのベーコン) Processed seafood Bacon made from skate wing. It was developed by the chamber of commerce and the restaurant Sankaikō (山海幸), which sells it. The station shop stocks it too.33738
Uni-don (ウニ丼) Local dish A sea-urchin rice bowl. Coco Kapiu (ココ・カピウ) is a summer-only café at the White Beach run by a working fisherman. It serves bafun and murasaki urchin bowls in limited numbers.39
Tomamae melon (とままえメロン) Fruit Shipped only at 14 degrees Brix or sweeter, and certified YES!clean.19 Sold in season at the station shop.38
Rice & wheat flour Grain Yumepirika and Nanatsuboshi rice, and Haru-yo-Koi bread flour, from the JA shop A-Mart Kodanbetsu (Aマートこたんべつ店, closed Sundays).37
Shiokaze udon & amazake JA products Hand-stretched "Shiokaze" udon (潮風うどん) and Tomamae-kaze amazake (とままえ風あまざけ) from JA Rumoi.37
Pumpkin sweets Farm products Ueda Farm (上田ファーム) makes pumpkin dumplings (plain, cheese or bean paste), pumpkin pudding, brown-rice tea and pumpkin udon called "Jinza" (甚左).37 Pumpkin pudding is the station's featured souvenir.26
Mini-tomato juice & ice cream Farm products Mugenju (無限樹), in Sankei, makes cherry-tomato juice and milk, strawberry and melon ice cream.37
Furusato nozei gifts Gifts Octopus, melon, the three shrimps, rice and herring roe.19 There is also "Tomamae e-Machi Gift," an electronic voucher you can get and spend on the spot, including a "Fuwatto Pass" for the hotel, bath, restaurant and shop.31

Culture & festivals
Event When Highlights
Kodanbetsu Midorigaoka Park Cherry Festival (古丹別緑ヶ丘公園さくらまつり) For about a week in early May. The main day in 2026 was 10 May. Held since 1971 in a park planted with about 1,000 trees, including Ezo mountain cherries. Singing show and karaoke contest.40341
Tomamae Windmill Festival (苫前町風車まつり) Late July. The 23rd festival was on 26 July 2026 at Mirai-kō Park. Started in fiscal 2004 as the Hokkaido Windmill Festival and renamed in 2025. Stage shows, kitchen cars, heavy-machinery rides and harbor boat tours. About 8,000 visitors.403
Tanabata Evening Market (七夕夕市) 1 August (2026: 15th) Held in the community-center parking lot in Kodanbetsu. Kitchen cars, free farm produce and Tanabata decorations.40
Kodanbetsu Furusato Festival (古丹別ふるさと祭り) 14 August (2026: 47th) Children's bon dance, games and stalls.40
Tomamae Furusato Festival (苫前ふるさと祭り) 15 August (2026: 41st) Bon dance and food stalls at the Tomamae community center, when many former residents come home for Obon.403
Tomamae Town Marathon (苫前町民マラソン大会) Early September (2026: 6 Sept, 48th) Parent–child, school and adult races, plus a relay.40
Community Center Festival (公民館フェスティバル) Late October (art exhibition) and early November (stage show; 8 Nov 2026) Works by local culture groups and a day of stage performances.40
Tomamae Kite Festival (苫前町凧あげ大会) Late February. The 52nd festival is on 28 February 2027 at Fuwatto. Held since fiscal 1973. From fiscal 1992 to 2019 it was run as the Hokkaido Kite Festival, open to all of Hokkaido. Big kites and kite trains are judged in seven categories. In peak years about 200 kites flew at once.403
  • Kuma shishimai (くま獅子舞). This "bear lion dance" is a town intangible cultural property.12 It started in 1973, and a bear played by two dancers takes the place of the usual lion. It paused in 2007 and came back in 2017. It is now performed at the autumn stage show.25 The Kuma Shishi Preservation Society practises on Thursday evenings, and the Hōjō Taiko Preservation Society (豊饒太鼓保存会) keeps up local drumming.42
  • Shrines and temples.
    • The main shrines are Tomamae Shrine (founded 1786), Kodanbetsu Shrine and Kogawa Shrine (小川神社).1
    • The town owns a wooden standing statue of the eleven-headed Kannon (木造十一面観音立像). It is a Kamakura-period work whose style resembles early-13th-century Nara sculpture, and it is a Hokkaido-designated cultural property. The statue came from Kyoto around 1890 to Kinpō-in temple, which gave it to the town in 1996. The temple has since closed.24 It is not on permanent display. It is shown in the town-office lobby once every four years.3
  • Town cultural properties. They include a wooden log sled (修羅), a Sue-ware jar, the site of the trading post, the site of the Shōnai guard post, the town's first terakoya school, the first paddy field and the "lone pine of Iwami," which is actually a Japanese yew (イチイ).1

Ainu heritage
  • Few written records. Little is written about Ainu life in Tomamae itself. The clearest traces are place names: the town name toma-oma-i, Matsuura's enrum-oma-moy, and hamlet names such as Atchanai and Uenbira that were used until about 1955.2021
  • Archaeology.
    • The Satsumon-culture villages at the Kagawa sites date from the centuries before the Ainu culture period. Finds there include Sue and Haji ware from Honshu and iron goods.22
    • The archaeology museum covers every period from the Paleolithic through the Jōmon, Epi-Jōmon, Satsumon and Okhotsk cultures to the Ainu culture.23
  • Reconstructed houses. Next to the museums, the "Kodai no Sato" (古代の里) has two reconstructed houses, one Jōmon and one Satsumon.43 The roadside-station website says an Ainu house (チセ, chise) has also been rebuilt there, but the town's page does not list one.26
  • What we did not find. No local Ainu association or living Ainu cultural activity in the town was found in the sources consulted.

Sister & friendship cities
  • Kuwana, Mie Prefecture (桑名市, domestic).
    • Tomamae became a sister city of the former town of Nagashima (長島町) in September 1981. The tie recalls the group of settlers who came from Nagashima in the Meiji era.167
    • Nagashima merged into Kuwana in December 2004, and the relationship continues with Kuwana.67 People from Kuwana have taken part in the Hokkaido Kite Festival in Tomamae.3
  • International: None found.

Notable people
  • Domon Kenji (土門健司, 1915–2004): Jockey and racehorse trainer, born in Tomamae village. His family were herring fishermen who owned racehorses.68
  • Niwa Masahiko (丹羽政彦, born 1968): Rugby player and former head coach of the Meiji University rugby club, born in Tomamae.69

Sources

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

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