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Bifuka (美深町, Bifuka-chō) is a town in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. As of October 2020[update], the town had an estimated population of 4,145 and a population density of 6.2 persons per km2. The total area is 672.14 square kilometres (259.51 sq mi).[1]
Geography
Bifuka is located in a valley in the north central region of the island of Hokkaido. The town is surrounded by mountains. The Teshio River flows roughly northwest through Bifuka.
Neighboring municipalities
Bifuka borders six other municipalities, which span Kamikawa, Okhotsk, and Sōya subprefectures:
Bifuka is home to the Bifuka Sturgeon Museum, a small facility which maintains eight species of sturgeon. Sturgeon were found in the Teshio River as far as Bifuka until the Meiji Period.[5]
The town is linked with Route 40 linking Wakkanai and southern Hokkaido. Another route the Route 275 is also connected.
Culture
Mascots
Bifuka-kun and Mimi-chan, the town's mascots
Bifuka's mascot are Bifuka-kun (美深くん) and Mimi-chan (美深ちゃん). They are pumpkins who are best friends. Both wear hats made of birch trees. However, Bifuka-kun is a green pumpkin who wears a tie that resembled a sturgeon while Mimi-chan is an orange pumpkin who carries a bag that resembled a sturgeon.[6]
References
^美深町の人口 [Enbetsu] (in Japanese). Bifuka, Hokkaido: Town of Bifuka. 2013. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
^"美深町チョウザメ館" [Bifuka Sturgeon Museum]. Dijitaru Daijisen (in Japanese). Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2013. OCLC56431036. Archived from the original on August 25, 2007. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
