The people of Rikubetsu like those who first pioneered this land, see the cold as a blessing. The great opportunities and the cold weather was something worth celebrating. A mid-winter festival was created and has become increasingly more well known year after year attracting more people than there are residents, to come from all over Japan to celebrate the cold. The festival is held on the first weekend of February. The best circuit course in Hokkaido combines technique and speed through a series of twisting curves.
Buggy cars run at full speed raising a cloud of dust.
The sounds of engines are loud enough to shake the earth. At the Rikubetsu Circuit Course, a famous center for motor sports in Hokkaido, a long running buggy car race is held every year on the first Sunday of September. This very exciting race attracts about 100cars and 6,000 spectators.