Akabira (赤平市, Akabira-shi) is a city located in central Sorachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. The name comes from the Ainu language but the meaning is uncertain; possibly it means "mountain ridge" or "cliff".
Akabira
赤平市 | |
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Akabira Location in Japan | |
Coordinates: 43°33′N 142°3′E / 43.550°N 142.050°E | |
Country | Japan |
Region | Hokkaido |
Prefecture | Hokkaido (Sorachi Subprefecture) |
Government | |
• Mayor | Wataru Hatakeyama (since May 2019) |
Area | |
• Total | 129.88 km2 (50.15 sq mi) |
Population (January 31, 2024) | |
• Total | 8,709 |
• Density | 67/km2 (170/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
City hall address | 4-1 Izumimachi, Akabira-shi, Hokkaidō 079-1192 |
Website | www |
Symbols | |
Bird | Varied tit |
Flower | Lily |
Tree | Maple |
As of January 2024, the city has a population of 8,709 people living in 5,333 households.[1] The total area is 129.88 km2. The city was once a prosperous coal-mining city, its population reaching 59,430 in 1960. The population has been gradually declining. There have been efforts to create tourism around the city's coal mining heritage and other sights in order to strengthen the local economy. Other than that, there are also hot springs and campsites.
Akabira is located in the central region of the Hokkaido Sorachi Sub-prefecture jurisdiction. The Sorachi River flows through the city limits from east to west. Originally, development stretched from Utashinai (歌志内) to Mojiri (茂尻), but now is an urban region along the Sorachi River.
As of October 2019, the population dropped below 10,000.
According to the 2015 census, three communities within Akabira disappeared, with a population of 0 recorded by the census.
A climactic scene in the 2021 Academy Awards winning film Drive My Car was shot in Akabira, leading to interest from visitors.[2][3]