is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

located in

Okhotsk Subprefecture is a Subprefectures of Hokkaido, subprefecture of Hokkaido, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. It was renamed from the earlier Abashiri Subprefecture on April 1, 2010. Abashiri Subprefecture was established in 1897. Etymology Abashiri Prefecture was n ...

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 ...

. The name Oketo is derived from the original Ainu name for the tributary entering the Tokoro River. "O-ket-un-nai" means the river at whose mouth there are drying/stretching frames for animal skins. As of September 2016, the town 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 3,042 and a

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

of 5.8 persons per km². The total area is 527.54 km². Oketo was originally a logging community, and is currently involved in farming as well. Popular crops include potatoes, white flower beans and beets. Dairy farming and cattle farming are also practiced. Oketo was the tug-of-war champion of Japan for a number of years in the 1960s. That tradition of showing strength continues today in the Ningen Banba festival which is held in July every year. During the Ningen Bamba, teams of 5 or 7 men pull sleds of logs over man-made hills to the finish line.

Education

Oketo has one elementary school, Oketo Elementary School. Previously, the town had four active elementary schools but due to the decline in population, three of them have been closed. Oketo Junior High School is the only junior high school in town. There is also a prefectural high school located in Oketo, Oketo High School, which offers a social welfare course of study.

History

Oketo is well known in Japan for its wood crafts, called Oke-Craft. The majority of these crafts are household objects such as plates and bowls. They are usually made from a local white pine. In prehistoric times the mountains near Oketo (e.g. Oketoyama) were a major source of obsidian used for cutting tools and arrowheads.

Mascot

Oketo's mascot is . He is a gentle nature-loving horse. He lives in the outskirts of Oketo. He is laid-back yet very sloppy. He is used to be a skilled Ningenbanba (Human Horse) competitor but retired as a result of many loses. He became a park golfer instead. When he is on his break, he goes to Katsuyama Onsen Yuyu while having a nice meal. He always bring his personal oke (a traditional bucket). His mane resembles that of the Oketo Park Golf Course.

References

External links

Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oketo, Hokkaido Towns in Hokkaido Okhotsk Subprefecture