Hokkaido Places

Town Okhotsk Subprefecture

Tsubetsu 津別町

つべつちょう

Tsubetsu is an inland forest town at the head of the Abashiri River. About 86% of its land is forest, and in 1982 it declared itself the "Forest-Loving Town" (愛林のまち)1. Visitors come for the bear-shaped kumayaki cakes at Michi-no-Eki Aioi, which stands on the site of an old railway terminus23, and for the 947 m lookout on Tsubetsu Pass, where you can watch a sea of clouds fill the Lake Kussharo caldera4.

Population (2020 Census)
4,373
Area
716.8 km²
District
Abashiri District (網走郡)
Official website
www.town.tsubetsu.hokkaido.jp

Known for

  • Forests and wood: In 1982 the town declared itself the "Forest-Loving Town". The town says it made this declaration "ahead of the rest of Japan" (全国に先駆け)1. The plywood maker Marutama Mokuzai (丸玉木材) has its head office here12. Small local mills make wooden bento boxes for Kiyoken's Shiumai Bento, and also ice-cream sticks and tongue depressors13.
  • Kumayaki (クマヤキ): Handmade bear-shaped cakes designed by local artist Onishi Shigenari. They are the signature product of Michi-no-Eki Aioi2.
  • Tsubetsu Pass (津別峠): The lookout stands at 947 m. It looks down on Lake Kussharo and the Akan volcanoes, and on clear days reaches the Sea of Okhotsk. It is best known for mornings when a sea of clouds fills the caldera4.
  • Nonno-no-Mori (ノンノの森): A certified Forest Therapy Base since April 201114. In June, about 300,000 Japanese primroses (クリンソウ) bloom along a stream here15.
  • Lake Chimikeppu (チミケップ湖): A lake hidden in old-growth forest, with black woodpeckers and more than 40 bird species16. On its shore is a small auberge that serves French cuisine17.
  • Beef and organic dairy: Tsubetsu Wagyu and Ryūhyō Beef (流氷牛) are the local beef brands5. Local organic dairy farms supply the milk for Meiji Organic Milk13.
  • Railway heritage: The station building and trains of Kitami-Aioi, the last stop on the JNR Aioi Line, are preserved3.
  • Sports camps: University, high-school and club teams come every summer to train in rugby, soccer and other sports18.

Sights & activities

Nature & scenery

  • Tsubetsu Pass observation facility (津別峠展望施設): Stands at 947 m, on Prefectural Road 588 toward Lake Kussharo4. It looks over Lake Kussharo, Me-Akan and O-Akan, and on clear days the Sea of Okhotsk4. The facility opens from 1 June to 31 October, 9:00–19:00, and the toilets are open 24 hours. Sleeping in cars and drinking alcohol are banned48.
  • Lake Chimikeppu (チミケップ湖): Old-growth forest of Ezo spruce and Sakhalin fir surrounds the lake. More than 40 bird species live here, including the black woodpecker (クマゲラ, a Natural Monument), along with red foxes and Ezo squirrels. The northern half of the shore is a bird park with a bird-watching hut, an arboretum and two walking trails16. Rokumei Falls (鹿鳴の滝) is about 200 m downstream from the lake's outlet. The lake is traditionally named, with Lake Akan, as an original home of the kokanee salmon (ヒメマス), though one theory holds that the fish were brought from Lake Akan around 1897. The access roads (Prefectural Roads 494 and 682) are partly unpaved21.
  • Nonno-no-Mori (ノンノの森, 町民の森自然公園): Located 24 km from the town center on Road 58815. It has a nature center with a tour desk, café and shop (上里703-4, run by the NPO Mori no Kodama)49. Its trails can be walked in every season. On summer nights you can see fireflies and starry skies, and autumn brings foliage walks14.
  • Giant mizunara oaks: Mogami no Mizunara (最上のミズナラ) is estimated at 1,200 years old, about 6 m around and 18 m tall50. Futaba no Mizunara (双葉のミズナラ), found in 1986, is also estimated at 1,200 years and measures 6.47 m around, the third-largest girth in Hokkaido51. Both stand in prefectural forest, and the access roads close from late April to 31 May for the forest-fire season50.

Onsen

  • Lamp no Yado Mori Tsubetsu (奥屈斜路温泉 ランプの宿 森つべつ): A forest hotel at 上里738, about 24 km from town52. The spring is alkaline simple water at 43.5 °C and pH 9.6. There is a rock-built open-air bath and two saunas. Day visitors can bathe 10:30–21:00 (last entry 20:00) for ¥80053.
  • Town public bath (津別町公衆浴場): A plain public bath (not a hot spring) at 幸町14-1, behind the town hall. Open 15:00–21:00, closed Mondays; adults ¥48054.

Museums & heritage

  • Kinos wood-craft center (つべつ木材工芸館キノス): Renovated in April 2019. It has large timber exhibits, wooden playground equipment, a woodworking workshop and a craft shop. Free entry; open 9:00–17:00, closed Tuesdays40.
  • Aioi Railway Park (相生鉄道公園): The former Kitami-Aioi Station, with its restored station building, platform, rails and the remains of the turntable3. A footbridge is also preserved55. The trains on display are railcar KiHa 22 69, passenger coach SuHaFu 42 502, snowplow Ki 703 and several freight wagons3.
  • Shigechan Land (シゲチャンランド): A private art park created by illustrator Onishi Shigenari on about 8,000 tsubo (roughly 2.6 ha) of old ranch land at 相生256, a three-minute drive from the roadside station toward Kushiro. Open early May to late October, 10:00–17:00 (16:00 in October). Closed Wednesday to Friday, except holidays. Admission ¥70056.
  • Junseiji main hall (順誓寺本堂): A registered Tangible Cultural Property (see Culture & festivals)22.

Outdoor & seasonal activities

  • Campgrounds: Tsubetsu 21st Century Forest Campground (津別21世紀の森キャンプ場) is open 1 May to 31 October. Tents are ¥500 plus ¥300 per person, and bungalows ¥2,000. Lake Chimikeppu Campground is open from late May to 31 October and is free57.
  • 21st Century Forest area: Besides the campground, it has a wood-craft workshop and a grass-ski slope (グレステンスキー場)6.
  • Guided tours: Sea-of-clouds and stargazing tours on Tsubetsu Pass run outside the facility's normal hours48.
  • Horse trekking: Offered by the Tsubetsu Horse Trekking Association (津別ホーストレッキング研究会) in Numazawa6.
  • Sports camps: Rugby, soccer, baseball, swimming and other teams train here in summer. The fiscal 2026 schedule includes Meijo University rugby and Cerezo Osaka Yanmar Ladies soccer18.

Food experiences

  • Soba, tofu and kumayaki at Michi-no-Eki Aioi372.
  • French dinners made with Hokkaido ingredients at the lakeside Chimikepp Hotel (チミケップホテル)17.
  • Ramen at Seiyōken in the town center (東4条3)13.

Roadside stations (Michi-no-Eki)

Michi-no-Eki Aioi (道の駅あいおい)

  • Location: 相生83番地1, Tsubetsu (〒092-0361), on National Route 240 between Abashiri and Kushiro. It stands on the site of Kitami-Aioi Station, the old terminus of the JNR Aioi Line583. Distances by car: about 20 km (25 min) to Akanko Onsen, 45 km (60 min) to Memanbetsu Airport, 48 km to Kitami and 300 km (about 4 h 45 min) to Sapporo38.
  • Hours: Shop 9:00–17:00, and 9:00–15:00 on 1–2 January. Closed Tuesdays (the next day if Tuesday is a holiday), 30–31 December and 3–6 January58. The soba corner is open 11:00–15:00 (last order 30 minutes before closing) and is also closed on Mondays59. As of September 2026 — check before visiting.
  • Shops & products: The Aioi Bussankan (相生物産館) shop sells handmade tofu and tofu pouches, local vegetables, homemade miso, udon made from Tsubetsu wheat and wood crafts5837. The orange Kumayaki House next door serves freshly baked kumayaki. On holidays there is often a queue38. Kumayaki goods include T-shirts, tote bags, gummies (¥324) and kumayaki cookies (¥810 for a box of 5)38.
  • Food: Soba-dokoro Aioi serves hand-cut soba made from 100% Hokkaido buckwheat. The menu runs from zaru and kake soba (¥850) to juwari soba (¥1,500) and shrimp-tempura soba (¥1,650)37. A limited-time kumayaki with soft-serve ice cream costs ¥50038. The restored station building has housed a café since 2016: first 駅舎Cafeくるみの森, then 駅舎Cafeホロカ after Kurumi no Mori moved out in 20183. The official Hokkaido roadside-station site still lists 駅舎カフェくるみの森58. Whether a café is open there now could not be confirmed.
  • Facilities: Parking for 94 cars and 8 large vehicles, plus accessible spaces. There are toilets with warm-water bidet seats, an EV charger and Wi-Fi, and credit cards and cashless payment are accepted58. The toilets are open 24 hours55. The Aioi Railway Park, with its preserved station and trains, is on site56. A converted passenger coach used to serve as a free rider house for motorcyclists. The town says it stayed closed again in fiscal 2024, and its current status could not be confirmed59.
  • Notes: Registered on 8 August 2003 as Hokkaido station No. 81. The stamp can be used during opening hours only58. The station is run by Aioi Shinkō Kōsha (株式会社相生振興公社), a town-affiliated company founded in 200060. It was featured on TBS's Matsuko no Shiranai Sekai in October 2024. A "Kumayaki-gō" van delivers orders of 50 or more kumayaki to places within an hour's drive38. Shigechan Land is three minutes away by car56.

Other stations nearby: Gurutto Panorama Bihoro-tōge (道の駅ぐるっとパノラマ美幌峠), on Route 243 at the top of Bihoro Pass in Bihoro, looks over Lake Kussharo61. Aurora Town 93 Rikubetsu (道の駅オーロラタウン93りくべつ), on Route 242 in Rikubetsu, also stands on a former railway station62. Akan Tanchō no Sato (道の駅阿寒丹頂の里) is further along Route 240 in Kushiro63.

Getting there & around

  • Rail: No railway runs in Tsubetsu today. The nearest station is JR Bihoro (美幌) on the Sekihoku Main Line5. The Aioi Line from Bihoro closed in 198524. From Sapporo to Kitami takes about 5 hours by JR or by highway bus64.
  • Buses: Hokkaido Kitami Bus runs the Bihoro–Tsubetsu Line (美幌・津別線) and the Kaisei–Tsubetsu Line (開成・津別線)65. Buses start from the terminal next to the town hall, and the Tsubetsu Machi-Bus (津別まちバス) runs local routes to Aioi and other outlying areas5.
  • Roads: National Route 240 runs through the town between Abashiri and Kushiro/Akan3863. Prefectural roads include Road 27 (to Kitami), Road 51 (to Rikubetsu), Road 494 (to Kunneppu), Road 588 (over Tsubetsu Pass to Kussharo) and Road 682. There is no expressway5.
  • Air: Memanbetsu Airport (in Ozora) is about 30 minutes' drive from the town center. Flights take about 1 h 50 min from Tokyo, 45 min from Sapporo and 2 h 30 min from Osaka. By car, Kitami is also about 30 minutes away and Abashiri about 50 minutes64. Kushiro Airport is about 1 h 30 min (76 km) from Michi-no-Eki Aioi38.
  • From nearby cities to Michi-no-Eki Aioi: Abashiri is 66 km away (about 1 h 30 min), Kitami 48 km (about 1 h) and central Kushiro 92 km (about 2 h)38.

Practical tips

  • When to go: June to early July brings the primroses at Nonno-no-Mori15. The Tsubetsu Pass lookout is open only from June to October48, and the pass road is closed from November to late May5. The summer festival is on a weekend in early July41, and the autumn-leaves marathon is on the first Sunday of October46.
  • Closed days: Michi-no-Eki Aioi is closed on Tuesdays38. Kinos is also closed on Tuesdays40, and Shigechan Land from Wednesday to Friday56. The town public bath is closed on Mondays54.
  • Tourist information: Sansan-kan (大通7番地) houses the NPO Tsubetsu Tourism Association. Tel. 0152-77-3771; open 10:00–21:00, closed Wednesdays2641.
  • Roads and forests: The roads to Lake Chimikeppu are narrow and partly unpaved21. The forest roads to the giant oaks close from late April to 31 May, and you can check conditions with the Okhotsk subprefecture's eastern forest office (0157-24-6276)50. In the mountains, winter temperatures around −25 °C are not unusual5.
  • Wildlife and insects: Bring long sleeves and insect repellent to Nonno-no-Mori15. Do not feed wild animals at Tsubetsu Pass48. This is brown bear and sika deer country: carry a bear bell in the forest, and watch for deer on Route 240 at dusk (general Hokkaido advice).

More about Tsubetsu

At a glance
Field Details
Type Town (町)
Subprefecture Okhotsk (オホーツク総合振興局)
District Abashiri District (網走郡)5
Population 4,373 in 2,043 households (2020 National Census)67. The 2025 Census preliminary count is 3,774 in 1,840 households, down 13.7% in five years7. The town's resident register showed 3,819 people in 2,091 households at the end of August 20268. Hokkaido's resident-register network gives 3,820 for 31 August 2026, including 43 foreign residents9.
Area 716.80 km² (GSI, 1 April 2026)10. The town measures 37.2 km east–west and 34.1 km north–south1.
Density About 5.3 people/km² (August 2026); 6.1/km² at the 2020 Census (calculated from the figures above).
Municipal history The town dates its founding (開基) to 1883 (Meiji 16), when an administrative office opened at Katsukumi (活汲). Tsubetsu Village split from Bihoro Village in 1919 and became a town in 19461. It has never merged. Heisei-era merger talks with Bihoro, Memanbetsu and Higashimokoto, and later with Kitami, came to nothing5.
Neighboring municipalities Kitami, Bihoro and Kunneppu (Okhotsk); Ashoro and Rikubetsu (Tokachi); Kushiro and Teshikaga (Kushiro)5
Symbols Tree: Ezo spruce (エゾマツ). Flower: lily of the valley (スズラン)1. There is no town bird. The flag and emblem were adopted on 1 July 19585.
Mascot Maruta-kun (まる太くん), a bear cub carved from a mizunara oak log. He wears a rugby jersey because the town hosts rugby training camps11.
Official website https://www.town.tsubetsu.hokkaido.jp/

Name origin
  • Tsubetsu: The town says the generally accepted origin is the Ainu Tupet (ツペツ), "the river that flows past the tip of a mountain spur"1. The place-name scholar Yamada Shūzō recorded tu-pet, "two rivers". He took this to describe how the Tsubetsu and Abashiri rivers run side by side before they meet, just north of the present town center. JNR's 1973 Origins of Hokkaido Station Names gives a different reading: "the river below the mountain's running root". The name first belonged to the area around today's town center5.
  • Katsukumi (活汲): From kakkum, the old Ainu name of the Sakaemori River. One theory links it to birch trees along the river, whose bark the Ainu made into ladles. Another reads it as "place where cuckoos live", but the Ainu scholar Chiri Mashiho argued that this form is not grammatical as a place name19.
  • Honki (本岐) and Onne (恩根): Honki is a shortened form of Pon-kikin (飜木禽), "the small Kikin river". The railway changed the characters because the old ones had too many strokes for a station name. Kikin is a berry tree, either rowan or bird cherry. Onne-kikin, "the big Kikin river", gave its name to Onne20.
  • Chimikeppu: The meaning is disputed. Yamada linked cimi-ke-p to the gorge cut by the river that drains the lake21.

History
  • Prehistory to the Edo period: Jomon-period ornaments and stone tools have been found here, and in the Edo period the Matsumae domain traded with the Ainu5. The town has 64 registered sites of buried cultural properties22.
  • 1883–1887: The town counts its founding from 1883, when an administrative office opened at Katsukumi. In 1887 a joint village office for Bihoro and five other villages was set up1.
  • 1912–1916: The first Akita settler group (第一秋田団体) arrived at what is now Aioi in June 1912, and the "New Akita Group" (新秋田団体) followed in February 1916. There was no road for the last 1.5 ri (about 6 km), so the settlers walked in on the Ainu trail toward Akan. The forest was so dense that the sun disappeared by early afternoon, and it took more than ten people to hand-dig a single tan (about 0.1 ha)23. No other settler groups or their home prefectures could be confirmed.
  • 1915–1919: In 1915, six villages merged into Bihoro Village1. On 1 April 1919, three of its districts, Takkobu (達媚), Katsukumi and Ponkikin, split off to form Tsubetsu Village5.
  • 1924–1925: JNR's Aioi Line (相生線) opened from Bihoro to Tsubetsu in November 1924 and reached Kitami-Aioi in November 1925, a total of 36.8 km24. The town's own chronology gives the opening year as 19251.
  • 1934–1936: Akan National Park was designated in 1934 and included the Mount Kikin (木禽岳) area. A swarm of earthquakes struck Aioi in May–June 193623.
  • 1943–1946: Tsubetsu became a first-class village in 1943 and a town on 10 September 19465.
  • 1947: The Tsubetsu Incident (津別事件) took place on 10 September, during the Tsubetsu Shrine festival. A clash between Korean residents and festival stallholders, who were joined by townspeople, left two Korean residents dead25.
  • 1953: On 21 May, a landslide destroyed a forestry workers' dormitory and killed 16 people5.
  • 1955–1982: The Aioi school district had 1,612 residents in 1955. By 1980 Aioi had only 476 people, and the Aioi timber yard closed in 198223. The Tsubetsu Forest Railway had already closed in May 19635.
  • 1982: The town declared itself the "Forest-Loving Town"1.
  • 1985: The Aioi Line closed on 1 April 198524. A town bus to Aioi started the same month23.
  • 1991–2007: Tsubetsu Ski Area opened in 1991 and drew 75,000 skiers at its peak in 1995–96. It closed after the 2006–07 season, and the slopes are being replanted with trees5.
  • 2001–2003: Shigechan Land opened in June 2001, and Michi-no-Eki Aioi opened in August 200323.
  • 2011: Nonno-no-Mori was certified as a Forest Therapy Base in April14. Sansan-kan, a community and tourist-information center, opened on 1 April26.
  • 2021: A new town hall opened on 6 May5.
  • 2023–2025: The October Industry Festival ended after its 10th edition in 202327. In June 2025, the former Meat Inn Tsubetsu reopened as the GYUGYU-TTO Ranch Lodge28.

Geography & climate
  • Landforms: Tsubetsu lies in the inland southeast of the Okhotsk region29. Farm villages sit on alluvial fans in the north, and the south is mountain forest. Two passes lead south into the Kushiro region: Tsubetsu Pass and Senpoku Pass (釧北峠)5. By land register, forest makes up 613.62 km² (85.61%) of the town and fields 59.96 km² (8.37%)6. Of the 61,358 ha of forest, 27,666 ha is national forest, 24,764 ha is prefectural forest, 7,533 ha is private and 1,395 ha belongs to the town30.
  • Rivers and lakes: The Abashiri River (115 km) rises on the southern slope of Mount Ahoro (阿幌岳) in the south of the town. It flows north through Bihoro, Ozora and Abashiri to the Sea of Okhotsk31. Lake Chimikeppu covers 1.07 km²10. It formed when a landslide dammed a valley, and it is 7.5 km around, up to 21.3 m deep and 290 m above sea level21.
  • Parks: Tsubetsu Pass is on the outer rim of the Kussharo caldera and looks down on Lake Kussharo in Akan-Mashu National Park (阿寒摩周国立公園)4.
  • Climate: The climate is strongly continental, with dry, sunny weather1. The weather station is in Toyonaga (豊永)6. The 1991–2020 normals are: annual mean 6.0 °C, January −8.5 °C, August 19.8 °C; precipitation 787.1 mm; sunshine 1,810.9 hours; snowfall 480 cm; average maximum snow depth 83 cm32. The record high is 38.4 °C (24 July 2025) and the record low −28.7 °C (9 February 2020). The deepest snow on record was 165 cm (16 January 2004)33. The whole town is designated a special heavy-snowfall area (特別豪雪地帯)34.

Economy & industry
  • Jobs: At the 2020 Census, 2,060 residents were in work. Agriculture and forestry employed 498 of them (24%) and manufacturing 332 (16%)6.
  • Forestry and wood: In 2020, the town's 13 factories with four or more employees shipped goods worth ¥24.39 billion. Eight of the 13 are in wood and wood products6. Marutama Mokuzai makes plywood. Its roots go back to 1902, it was incorporated in 1949, and it has about 550 employees and plants in Ibaraki and Kyoto prefectures as well as here12. Other companies in town include San Marco Foods, Romance Seika (a confectioner) and Yamagami Mokkō, which made the medal cases for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics5. Offcuts from the plywood mills are used as biomass fuel30.
  • Agriculture: In fiscal 2024 the town had 131 farm households (124 of them full-time) and 42 farming corporations. Crops were grown on 1,644 ha of wheat and barley, 1,051 ha of feed crops, 625 ha of beans, 623 ha of industrial crops (mainly sugar beet), 526 ha of potatoes and 458 ha of vegetables. Farms kept 1,611 dairy cattle and 5,752 beef cattle. Farm output for 2023 is estimated at ¥12.85 billion29. JA Tsubetsu runs wheat-drying plants, onion storage and storage for potatoes grown for processing29.
  • Tourism: In fiscal 2024, 409,100 visits were recorded (+1.4%). Of these, 398,700 were day trips and only 10,400 involved an overnight stay. Overnight guests from abroad rose to 1,449, from 272 the year before35.
  • Population and aging: The population fell from 6,789 in 2000 to 4,373 in 20206, and to 3,774 in the 2025 preliminary count7. In 1970 it was 13,0165. On 1 January 2026, 45.4% of residents were 65 or older (national average 29.0%) and 7.8% were children. Tsubetsu is a designated depopulated municipality36.
  • Revitalization: Furusato nozei (hometown tax) donations rose to 11,185 gifts worth ¥125.6 million in 2025, from 3,729 gifts worth ¥57.6 million in 202436. Other efforts include Sansan-kan, a hub for community activity and local information26; the GYUGYU-TTO Ranch Lodge, which offers lodging, training camps and farm experiences28; and the tofu maker at Michi-no-Eki Aioi, who moved here in 2013 as a regional revitalization volunteer (地域おこし協力隊) and stayed37.

Local specialties
Specialty Category Details & where to get it
Kumayaki (元祖クマヤキ) Sweets Bear-shaped cakes filled with local azuki beans. Other versions are Namakuma (azuki with fresh cream), Higuma (soy-milk cream) and Shirokuma (a white tapioca dough). Cherry-bean appears in spring and pumpkin cream in autumn. The listed prices are ¥240–270, but prices were revised in September 2025. Baked fresh at the Kumayaki House, Michi-no-Eki Aioi238
Aioi handmade tofu (手作り豆腐) Soy A firm tofu made to the recipe of the old Arai Tofu Shop (新井豆腐店), about 100 years old, using spring water and 100% Hokkaido soybeans. Deep-fried tofu (atsuage) and tofu pouches (age) are also sold37. Ganmodoki (fried tofu fritters) and agedōfu (fried tofu, あげ豆腐) were discontinued on 24 May 2025 because of staff shortages38
Soba & udon Noodles Hand-cut soba made from 100% Hokkaido buckwheat (juwari soba ¥1,500, zaru ¥850) at Soba-dokoro Aioi. Udon made from 100% Tsubetsu wheat is sold as a souvenir37
Tsubetsu Wagyu (つべつ和牛) and Ryūhyō Beef (流氷牛) Beef Both are Japanese Black wagyu brands. Ryūhyō Beef is raised on its own feed mix by the Ryūhyō Farm group5. Sukiyaki cuts, roast beef and wagyu steamed buns (nikuman) are offered as furusato nozei gifts39
Meiji Organic Milk (明治オーガニック牛乳) Dairy JAS-certified organic raw milk from the Tsubetsu Organic Dairy Research Group (津別町有機酪農研究会), processed at Meiji's Eniwa plant13
Onions and potatoes Produce Specially cultivated onions (特別栽培玉ねぎ) are the most popular furusato nozei gift39. JA Tsubetsu stores onions and potatoes for processing29
Hokkaido Tsubetsu Ramen 〈白〉〈朱〉 Noodles Souvenir ramen from Seiyōken (西洋軒), a restaurant with nearly a century in town. The noodles use local Kitanokaori and Kitahonami wheat. "White" is a salt ramen in a clear pork-and-seafood soup; "Vermilion" is a spicy miso ramen made with chilies grown in town13
Aka-no-Hitofuri (朱乃一振) Condiment Handmade chili powder from "Ratei" chilies grown by Kawamoto Farm in Nunokawa (布川)13
Cream croquettes (津別物語) Frozen food Croquettes filled with a béchamel made from local farm milk, from San Marco Foods. Sold in supermarkets nationwide13
Wooden bento boxes, sticks, ISU-WORKS chairs Wood crafts Sankyo (三共) makes wooden boxes for Kiyoken's Shiumai Bento and the sumo bento at the Kokugikan. Aitomi Mokuzai Kakō (相富木材加工) makes ice-cream sticks and medical tongue depressors. Yamagami Mokkō (山上木工) makes the ISU-WORKS chairs13
Local woodcraft Crafts On sale in the woodcraft corner at the Kinos wood-craft center40

Culture & festivals
Event When Highlights
Kurinsō Week (ノンノの森 くりん草ウィーク) Mid-June to early July About 300,000 pink Japanese primroses on 1 ha of wetland beside a stream. Lamp no Yado's free hotel shuttle bus runs on weekdays except Thursdays15
Tsubetsu Summer Festival (つべつ夏まつり) A Saturday and Sunday in early July The town calls it its biggest event. Held at Kawagishi Park (河岸公園). Saturday evening brings the "Thousand-Person Dance" (千人おどり) and fireworks. On Sunday there is a race across 30 linked tire tubes (つべつ川のぼり大会) and a Tsubetsu Wagyu sale at special prices41
Tsubetsu Tanabata Festival (つべつ七夕まつり) First Saturday of August, 16:00–20:00 Held at Sansan-kan. Stage shows, children's fireworks, a food village, and wishes hung on willow branches under lanterns painted by residents42
Bon Dance (つべつ納涼盆踊り大会) 15 August, 18:30–21:00 Held at Tsubetsu Shrine, with costumes and prizes. It moves to 16 August if it rains43
Tsubetsu Japan Philharmonic Seminar (つべつ日本フィルセミナー) Late August to late September Amateur musicians train for three days with Japan Philharmonic Orchestra players and give a final concert. The 21st seminar is the latest one mentioned44
Tsubetsu Furusato Festival (つべつふるさとまつり) 9–10 September The autumn festival of Tsubetsu Shrine. On the 10th, a portable shrine (mikoshi), a children's mikoshi and the komaodori hobby-horse dance parade through town45
Autumn Leaves Marathon (つべつ紅葉マラソン大会) First Sunday of October Courses of 3, 5 and 10 km for about 260 runners. The top three win carved wooden reliefs46
Town illumination and Ice Candle Festival (つべつアイスキャンドル点灯まつり) December / February The town-center lights are switched on in December, and the ice-candle festival is held in February26
  • Discontinued event: The Tsubetsu Industry Festival (つべつ産業まつり), held in October, ended with its 10th edition in 202327.
  • Temples and shrines: The main hall of Junseiji Temple (順誓寺本堂) was built in 1935 and registered as a national Tangible Cultural Property in 2007. It has gilded carvings in the transoms22. Tsubetsu Shrine (津別神社) stands in Nishi-2-jō43.
  • Performing arts and museums: See Shigechan Land and the Kinos wood-craft center under Sights & activities.
  • Trivia: The asteroid (4845) Tsubetsu is named after the town5.

Ainu heritage

Little Ainu history is documented in Tsubetsu, and the town's cultural-property register lists no Ainu-related items22. What survives is mostly in place names: Tsubetsu (tupet)15, Katsukumi (kakkum)19, Honki and Onne (pon-kikin and onne-kikin)20 and Chimikeppu21. The Aioi settlers of 1912 walked in on the "Ainu Akan road" (アイヌの阿寒通り), a narrow track that followed the river toward Akan23. Wikipedia notes Edo-period trade between the Matsumae domain and the Ainu, but gives no details specific to Tsubetsu5. There is no Ainu cultural facility in town. The nearest is the Akan Ainu Kotan (阿寒湖アイヌコタン), a community of about 120 people at Akanko Onsen in Kushiro47. Akanko Onsen is about 20 km (25 minutes) from Michi-no-Eki Aioi38.

Sister & friendship cities
  • Minami-Alps City (南アルプス市), Yamanashi Prefecture: Tsubetsu signed a friendship agreement with the former Kushigata Town on 16 October 1994, and a sister-city agreement with Minami-Alps City on 17 October 2004. The link began when a company based there built a factory in Tsubetsu. The two towns trade products at the summer festival and exchange elementary-school pupils66.
  • Funabashi City (船橋市), Chiba Prefecture: Not a formal partnership. Exchanges began around 1983 through a Tsubetsu native living in Funabashi, and school children visit each other every other year66.
  • Ershui Township (二水郷), Changhua County, Taiwan: The friendship-city agreement was signed on 8 October 2012, after visits that began in 2007. Junior-high exchanges have run since 2017, and in May 2024 a 27-member delegation that included the township head visited Tsubetsu67.

Notable people
  • Onishi Shigenari (大西重成): Illustrator and sculptor, born in Tsubetsu in 1946. He founded Shigechan Land in 2001 and designed the kumayaki in 2009682.

Sources

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

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