Engaru (遠軽町) is a town in the Okhotsk subprefecture of Hokkaido, Japan. The name comes from the Ainu place name Inkar-us-i ("overlook-always doing-place"), meaning a lookout point. On October 1, 2005, the towns of Ikutahara and Maruseppu, and the village of Shirataki, all from Monbetsu District merged into the expanded town of Engaru. As of September 2016, the town has an estimated population of 20,757. The total area is 1,332.32 km2, making it the fifth largest municipality in Hokkaido. Engaru is known as the place where Aikido originated, in the Shirataki area. It is also where the largest cosmos flower park in Japan is located. An Upper Paleolithic site at Shirataki Site Group is the source of some Yubetsu technique stone blades dating from approximately 13,000 years ago.

History

Notable geography

Industry

The major industries are commercial forestry, wood processing, and agriculture. In the past, Engaru Station was the intersection of the Nayoro Main Line (closed in 1989) and the Sekihoku Main Line. It had an important position in business and overall development.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification, Engaru has a humid continental climate (Dfb) with warm, rainy summers and extremely snowy, long, and cold winters.

Gallery

Sister cities

Notable people