As of September 2016, the village has an estimated population of 1,249 and a density of 4.5 persons per km². The total area is 280.04 km². Shosambetsu observatory is a planetarium-cum-astronomical observatory which is a popular attraction in this region.
Shosambetsu was the hometown of famed bear hunter Yamamoto Heikichi, famous for his killing of the bear Kesagake.
Media related to Shosanbetsu, Hokkaidō at Wikimedia Commons
