Do you know how many municipalities there are in Hokkaido?
The answer is that there are 179 cities, towns, and villages!
Each town is unique and full of wonderful attractions.

In this article, we introduce three of the 179 cities, towns, and villages in Hokkaido: Minamihoro Town in Sorachi, Otaru City in Goshi, and Urahoro Town in Tokachi!
Cute local characters of the towns will also be introduced.
It is fun to learn about the charm of a town from its local characters!

1 Nan boro Town

Located in the center of the Ishikari Plain, Minamihoro Town is only about 40 minutes by car from the Sapporo area, yet it is a town with a countryside landscape rich in nature.

The town is characterized by its flat terrain with no mountains and many sunny days throughout the year, making it ideal for rice cultivation.

The town also focuses on agricultural branding, including the production of "Pure White" corn, which can be eaten raw, and processed products such as "cabbage kimchi" using local agricultural products.

Mr. Cabbage

(courtesy of Nanboro Town)

This is "Cabbage-kun," the mascot of Minami-horo Town's Tourism Association! He is a fairy born from the town's specialty, cabbage, and named after the image of "vegetables, the sun, and a cheerful child! He promotes the town with 200 times more energy!

2 Otaru City

Otaru City is located in the center of the west coast of Hokkaido, on the east side of the Goshi region, and bordered by four cities, towns, and villages including Sapporo.
It is a hilly city with one side of the city facing the Sea of Japan and the other three sides surrounded by mountains.

The climate is pleasant to live in due to the small difference in temperature, and the rich nature can be enjoyed throughout the four seasons: cherry blossoms and fresh greenery in spring, golf and marine recreation in summer, autumn leaves in fall, and skiing in winter.

Otaru is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Hokkaido. In winter, many tourists from home and abroad visit Otaru for "Otaru Yukimonogatari" (Otaru Snow Light Path), a beautiful illuminated festival and the town is decorated with candlelight.

Otaru Unggappa

(Courtesy of Otaru Shishodo)

A lucky girl travels across the ocean on a floating ball of glass. He fell in love with Otaru, a city of history and romance, and settled on the Otaru Canal, one of Hokkaido's most famous tourist attractions. I am a lucky kappa with luck.

3 U rahoro Town

Urahoro Town is located in the eastern part of Tokachi, facing the Pacific Ocean.
Urahoro is a town that is not only known for its agriculture, but also for its forestry and fisheries industries.

Urahoro is a sacred place for birdwatching.
More than 200 species of wild birds can be seen in each of the four seasons. Especially in spring and fall, you can see at the same time the endangered white-fronted goose, the white-fronted goose, the white-tailed eagle, the red-crowned crane, the white-fronted goose, and the white-tailed sea eagle, all of which are designated natural treasures.

Kombukuri-ishi Observatory, located by the sea, is a popular sightseeing spot that offers a panoramic view of Cape Erimo and Kushiro on a clear day.

Uraha Holloma

(courtesy of Uraha Horoma)

"Uraha" and "Holloma" are the mascot characters of Urahoro Town, created based on the "character stickers" that third-year students at Urahoro Junior High School created as a project to revitalize their town as a conclusion to their nine years of elementary and middle school studies.