# Kimobetsu, Hokkaido

Kimobetsu (喜茂別町, Kimobetsu-chō) is a town located in Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.
As of September 2016, the town has an estimated population of 2,286 and a population density of 12 persons per km$^2$. The total area is 189.51 km$^2$.

## Geography

Route 230 and Route 276 cross each other in Kimobetsu. Nakayama Pass is on the eastern of the town.
The name derived from Ainu word "kim-o-pet", meaning "The river in the mountain".
* Mountains: Mount Yōtei, Mount Shiribetsu
* Rivers: Shiribetsu River, Kimobetsu River

### Neighboring municipalities

* Iburi Subprefecture
** Date
* Ishikari Subprefecture
** Minami-ku, Sapporo
* Shiribeshi Subprefecture
** Kyogoku
** Makkari
** Rusutsu

### Climate

Due to its mountainous location, Kimobetsu has a humid continental climate (Koppen Dfb). Summers are generally warm and wet, while winters are cold and extremely snowy.
Climate data for Kimobetsu (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1978–present) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 7.1 (44.8) | 11.0 (51.8) | 13.1 (55.6) | 23.8 (74.8) | 30.2 (86.4) | 33.3 (91.9) | 34.1 (93.4) | 34.5 (94.1) | 31.0 (87.8) | 24.4 (75.9) | 18.3 (64.9) | 11.3 (52.3) | 34.1 (93.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −2.7 (27.1) | −1.7 (28.9) | 2.2 (36.0) | 8.8 (47.8) | 16.5 (61.7) | 20.7 (69.3) | 24.1 (75.4) | 24.9 (76.8) | 21.0 (69.8) | 14.3 (57.7) | 6.3 (43.3) | −0.6 (30.9) | 11.2 (52.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −7.2 (19.0) | −6.7 (19.9) | −2.5 (27.5) | 3.5 (38.3) | 10.2 (50.4) | 15.0 (59.0) | 19.0 (66.2) | 19.6 (67.3) | 15.0 (59.0) | 8.2 (46.8) | 1.5 (34.7) | −4.8 (23.4) | 5.9 (42.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −14.1 (6.6) | −14.0 (6.8) | −9.2 (15.4) | −2.3 (27.9) | 3.7 (38.7) | 9.4 (48.9) | 14.4 (57.9) | 14.8 (58.6) | 9.2 (48.6) | 2.3 (36.1) | −3.2 (26.2) | −10.3 (13.5) | 0.1 (32.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −31.3 (−24.3) | −31.9 (−25.4) | −25.7 (−14.3) | −18.5 (−1.3) | −4.0 (24.8) | −1.6 (29.1) | 2.4 (36.3) | 4.9 (40.8) | −1.1 (30.0) | −7.3 (18.9) | −20.6 (−5.1) | −27.3 (−17.1) | −31.9 (−25.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 86.1 (3.39) | 66.4 (2.61) | 68.2 (2.69) | 64.0 (2.52) | 78.9 (3.11) | 58.1 (2.29) | 106.2 (4.18) | 157.7 (6.21) | 140.3 (5.52) | 112.4 (4.43) | 126.4 (4.98) | 113.2 (4.46) | 1,178 (46.38) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 238 (94) | 193 (76) | 143 (56) | 32 (13) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 3 (1.2) | 95 (37) | 244 (96) | 954 (376) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 20.3 | 17.6 | 16.2 | 11.3 | 10.9 | 9.1 | 10.3 | 11.0 | 12.6 | 14.3 | 17.7 | 21.8 | 173.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm) | 23.0 | 19.6 | 16.7 | 4.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 8.6 | 21.7 | 94.8 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 46.2 | 57.2 | 99.7 | 153.2 | 183.0 | 170.0 | 141.9 | 144.5 | 150.7 | 125.6 | 68.2 | 34.6 | 1,376.3 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency ||||||||||||||

## History

* 1897: Makkari Village split off from Abuta Village (now Toyako Town).
* 1901: Kaributo Village (now Niseko Town) was split off from Makkari Village.
* 1906: Makkari Village became a Second Class Village.
* 1910: Makkari Village was transferred from Muroran Subprefecture (now Iburi Subprefecture) to Shiribeshi Subprefecture.
* 1917: Kimobetsu Village (now town) was split off from Makkari Village.
* 1946: Kimobetsu Village became a First Class Village.
* 1952: Kimobetsu Village became Kimobetsu Town.

## Education

* Junior high school
** Kimobetsu Junior High School
* Elementary school
** Kimobetsu Elementary School
** Suzukawa Elementary School