is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

located in

Sorachi Subprefecture is a Subprefectures of Hokkaido, subprefecture of Hokkaido, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. As of 2004, its estimated population is 373,736 and its area is 6,558.26 km2. Geography Cities 10 cities are located in Sorachi Subprefecture: Town ...

Hokkaido is the list of islands of Japan by area, second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own list of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō fr ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. As of 2023, the city has an estimated

population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

of 19,242, and the

density Density (volumetric mass density or specific mass) is the ratio of a substance's mass to its volume. The symbol most often used for density is ''ρ'' (the lower case Greek letter rho), although the Latin letter ''D'' (or ''d'') can also be u ...

of 69.3 persons per km². The total area is 277.69 km².

History

The name ''Bibai'' is derived from Ainu word "pipa o i", meaning "Place (swamp) with many cockscomb pearl mussels". *1890 - The village of Numakai was founded. *1925 - Numakai village became Numakai town. *1926 - Numakai was renamed Bibai. *1950 - Bibai town became Bibai city. *1982 - Bibai Dam was completed. At its peak, Bibai was a

coal town A coal town, also known as a coal camp or patch, is a type of company town or mining community established by the employer, a mining company, which imports workers to the site to work the mineral find. The company develops it and provides reside ...

that produced over a million tons annually. However, ever since the mine was closed in 1972, the city has suffered a slowly declining population.

Geography

The

Ishikari River The , at long, is the third longest in Japan and the longest in Hokkaidō. The river drains an area of , making it the second largest in Japan, with a total discharge of around per year. It originates from Mount Ishikari in the Daisetsuzan ...

flows to the west of Bibai. The

Bibai Dam The is a dam in Bibai, Hokkaidō, Japan. The Bibai Dam is constructed along the Mikawa River and is part of the Ishikari River water system. Bibai Dam was Hokkaido's first multipurpose auxiliary dam project. It is a 35.5m tall concrete Gravit ...

was built on the Bibai River, a tributary of the Ishikari River. Lake Miyajima was registered as a wetland under the

Ramsar Convention The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar site, Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on We ...

in 2002.

Climate

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Bibai has declined by more than half over the past half-century.

Education

High schools

* Hokkaido Bibai Shoei High School * Hokkaido Bibai Seika High School

School for special needs

* Hokkaido Bibai School for Special Needs

Transportation

Rail

Hakodate Main Line Minami-Bibai Branch Line used to run from Bibai to Minami-Bibai. *

Hakodate Main Line The is a railway line connecting the cities of Hakodate, Hokkaido, Hakodate and Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Asahikawa via Sapporo in Hokkaido, Japan. It is one of the trunk lines that is operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). The Sawa ...

: Minenobu - Kōshunai -

Bibai is a city located in Sorachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. As of 2023, the city has an estimated population of 19,242, and the density of 69.3 persons per km2. The total area is 277.69 km2. History The name ''Bibai'' is derived from Ainu ...

- Chashinai

Road

Straight line section of Route 12 is the longest in Japan. *

Hokkaidō Expressway is the second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by railway via the Seikan Tunnel. The ...

* Route 12

Culture

Mascots

Bibai's mascots are . He is a greater white-fronted goose. He was unveiled in 1986. is Mami-chan's assistant who is a

yakitori is a Japanese type of skewered chicken. Its preparation involves attaching the meat to a skewer, typically made of steel, bamboo, or similar materials, after which it is grilled over a charcoal fire. During or after cooking, the meat is ty ...

References

External links

Official Website
Cities in Hokkaido Bibai {{Hokkaido-geo-stub