Bihoro, Hokkaido

Bihoro 美幌町
Town
Symbol
Location of Bihoro in Hokkaido (Okhotsk Subprefecture)
Bihoro Location in Japan
Coordinates: 43°49′30″N 144°6′20″E / 43.82500°N 144.10556°ECoordinates: 43°49′30″N 144°6′20″E / 43.82500°N 144.10556°E
Country	Japan
Region	Hokkaido
Prefecture	Hokkaido (Okhotsk Subprefecture)
District	Abashiri
Government
• Mayor	Tsuchiya Kōji (土谷耕治)
Area
• Total	438.36 km^2 (169.25 sq mi)
Population (2009)
• Total	22,117
• Density	50/km^2 (130/sq mi)
Symbols
• Tree	Taxus cuspidata
• Flower	Rhododendron dauricum
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City hall address	2 Chōme 25 Banchi, Aza Higashi 2 Jō Kita, Bihoro-chō, Abashiri-gun, Hokkaidō 092-8650
Website	www.town.bihoro.hokkaido.jp

Bihoro (美幌町 Bihoro-chō) is a town located in Abashiri District, Okhotsk Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. The name is derived from the Ainu word piporo, meaning "place of much water".

Largely agricultural, the town is best known for the Bihoro Pass, which affords scenic views over Lake Kussharo in the Akan National Park.

One of its attractions is Bihoro Aviation Park, which contains a number of aircraft previously used by the Japan Self-Defense Forces.

As of 2009, the town has an estimated population of 22,117 and a population density of 50 persons per km². The total area is 438.36 km².

History

• 1915 Bihoro Village founded
• 1919 Tsubetsu Village (津別村), now Tsubetsu Town, split
• 1921 Part of Tsubetsu Village incorporated
• 1923 Bihoro Village becomes Bihoro Town
• 1946 Part of Memanbetsu Village (now Memanbetsu Town) incorporated
• 1953 Bihoro song, Toru Takemitsu

External links

• Media related to Bihoro, Hokkaidō at Wikimedia Commons
• Bihoro travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Official website (Japanese)
• Bihoro song (Japanese)