Ashibetsu

Ashibetsu (芦別市, Ashibetsu-shi) is a city located in Sorachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.

As of September 2016, the city has an estimated population of 14,260, and a density of 16 persons per km². The total area is 865.02 km².

History

The city was once a prosperous coal mining city, its population exceeding 70,000 at its peak, but its population has fallen since the closing of the coal mines.^[1]

1893 - Satō Denjirō (originally from Yamagata Prefecture) founds Ashibetsu.
1897 - Nae Village (now Sunagawa City) and part of Takikawa Village (now City) split off to form Utashinai Village.
1900 - Ashibetsu Village split off of Utashinai Village.
1906 - Ashibetsu becomes a Second Class Municipality.
1917 - Kuhara Mining Industry Yuya Ashibetu Coal Mine opened.
1923 - First Class Municipality.
1924 - Mitsubishi Mining Industry Ashibetsu Coal Mine opened.
1935 - Meiji Mining Industry Meiji-Kamiashibetsu Coal Mine opened.
1938 - Ashibetsu-Takane Colliery Takane Mining Station opened.
1941 - Ashibetsu Village becomes Ashibetsu Town.
1943 - Mitsui-Ashibetsu Mining Industry Mitsui-Ashibetsu Coal Mine opened.
1953 - Ashibetsu Town becomes Ashibetsu City.
1963 - Meiji Mining Industry Meiji-Kamiashibetsu Coal Mine closed.
1964 - Mitsubishi Mining Industry Ashibetsu Coal Mine closed.
1967 - Ashibetsu-Takane Colliery Takane Mining Station closed.
1969 - Yuya Mining Industry Yuya Ashibetu Coal Mine closed.
1992 - Mitsui-Ashibetsu Mining Industry Mitsui-Ashibetsu Coal Mine closed.
1991 - Canadian World park opened.
1997 - Canadian World business failure (to transform munincipal park in 1999).

Geography

Ashibetsu is located in the northern part of Yūbari Mountains. Mount Ashibetsu is located on south of the city.

Name

There are two theories about the origin of "Ashibetsu". In both theories the river means Ashibetsu River, which flows through in the city.^[1]

"as pet", the river which flows in a shrub
"hasi pet", the standing river

Locations of interest

The Hokkaido Kannon is the third-tallest statue in Japan, and is the tenth-tallest statue in the world. It was considered the tallest statue in the world when it opened in 1989 at 88 metres (289 ft), holding the world record until 1991^[2].