Noboribetsu (登別市, Noboribetsu-shi
?) is a
city located in
Iburi,
Hokkaidō,
Japan. Part of
Shikotsu-Toya National Park, it is located southwest of
Sapporo, west of
Tomakomai and northeast of
Hakodate. The name, Noboribetsu, derives from an
Ainu word, nupur-pet, which means dark-coloured river.
As of 2008, the city has an estimated
population of 53,018 and the
density of 250 persons per km². The total area is 212.11 km².
The mountains dominate the west and north while the plains dominate around five km within the coastline. There are three towns along the Pacific Ocean: from northeast to southwest, Noboribetsu, Horobetsu and Washibetsu. These betsu are derived from river in the
Ainu language. Noboribetsu is on the Noboribetsu River. Horobetsu and Washibetsu are on the Iburi-horobetsu River and the Washibetsu River respectively.
The city office is located in Horobetsu. The town of Noboribetsu is located at the mouth of the Noboribetsu river and is therefore a much narrower area.
Six km inland from this is the smaller town of Noboribetsu-
onsen (Noboribetsu
hot-spring). Enjoying many hot springs of varying ingredients, Noboribetsu-onsen is one of many well-known resorts in Japan and the largest "hot spring town" in Hokkaidō.
Noboribetsu Town as a municipality was born in 1961 by renaming the former Horobetsu Town. It was given city status on August 1, 1970.
Noboribetsu has four train stations and is accessed by the
Dōō Expressway with two interchanges and
route 36.
