A majestic active volcano and the graceful Lake Toya.
Sobetsu, a town that excites the heart.
This dynamic and beautiful landscape was created by the power of heat trapped since the Earth's birth approximately 4.6 billion years ago. Lake Toya, Mt. Usu, and the miraculous Mt. Showa-Shinzan are the treasures of this land. The active volcano, born from numerous eruptions, has bestowed blessings such as gushing hot springs and fertile land that yields a bounty of food, supporting the life, culture, and industry of Sobetsu Town.
Located in the south-central part of Hokkaido, within a two-hour radius of Sapporo and New Chitose Airport, the town is situated on the eastern side of the scenic Lake Toya, which gained fame during the 2008 Hokkaido Toyako Summit. It is a small town with a population of about 2,500, located within the Lake Toya-Usuzan area, a registered UNESCO Global Geopark. The area is home to precious geological heritage sites like Mt. Showa-Shinzan, a national natural monument that attracts over 1.5 million tourists annually.
With a relatively mild climate for Hokkaido, a wide variety of agricultural products are cultivated, including fruits like apples and cherries, vegetables like tomatoes, corn, and asparagus, and rice. Hot spring facilities, a blessing from volcanoes like Mt. Showa-Shinzan and Mt. Usu, are also scattered throughout the town.