Hokuto, Hokkaidō Prefecture, Hokkaido Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Hokuto is a city in the centre of the Oshima Subprefecture in Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. It serves as a bedroom community for Hakodate, to the east of the city. Hokuto was formed in 2006 from merging the town of Kamiiso, from Kamiiso District, and the town of Ōno, from Kameda District. Hokuto is the third city to be established in Oshima. Hokuto is the second largest city in Oshima by population after Hakodate.

Geography Hokuto is in the middle of Oshima, a peninsula in Hokkaido's south. The south-east portion is mostly plains and the western part is more mountainous. The south borders the Hakodate Bay. The Ōno River runs north and south through the middle of Hokuto. • Mountain: Katsuratake (734m) • Rivers: Ōno, Hekirichi • Lake: Kamiiso • Forest parks: Hachirounuma Koen.

Neighboring regions • Oshima Subprefecture ◦ Hakodate City ◦ Kamiiso District: Kikonai Town ◦ Kameda District: Nanae Town ◦ Kayabe District: Mori Town • Hiyama Subprefecture ◦ Hiyama District: Assabu Town.

History • 1900: Kamiiso village and Ono village were founded. • 1918: Kamiiso village became Kamiiso town. • 1955: Mobetsu village was merged into Kamiiso town. • 1957: Ono village became Ono town. • 2006: Kamiiso town and Ono town were merged to form Hokuto city.

Rail Oshima-Ōno Station was scheduled to be rebuilt and renamed Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station by the time the Hokkaido Shinkansen in March 2016. • Esashi Line: Nanaehama - Higashi-Kunebetsu - Kunebetsu - Kiyokawaguchi - Kamiiso - Moheji - Oshima-Tōbetsu • Hakodate Main Line: Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto • Hokkaido Shinkansen: Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto.

Road • Hakodate-Esashi Expressway: Hokuto-Oiwake IC - Hokuto-chūō IC - Hokuto-Tomigawa IC - Hokuto-Moheji IC.