Rikubetsu Town
The town of Rikubetsu is a forestry and dairy farming town blessed with an abundance of nature that was founded in 1902 by Kansai Seki. Plans to revitalize the town using the themes of “stars” and the town’s status as the “coldest in Japan” are currently underway. Rikubetsu was chosen as the Starry Sky Town of 1987 by the Ministry of the Environment. In 1997, the town was certified as being one of Japan’s “Top 10 Starry Sky Friendly Towns”.
The Rikubetsu Space and Earth Science Museum, famous as a place for observing the Aurora Borealis, is home to Japan’s largest reflecting telescope that is open to the public, Rikuri, where visitors can observe bright stars even during midday. On top of that, the stylish cottages located next door are a great place to enjoy a relaxing view of the starry skies. The Rikubetsu Railway, a preservation of the former Furusato Ginga Line in operating condition, and its operating experiences are becoming popular. Well then, all aboard to the open skies!
