{{about|the city in Kamikawa Subprefecture|the town in Nemuro Subprefecture|Shibetsu, Hokkaido (Nemuro)}} {{redirect|Sipet|the Romanian village of Şipet|Șipet}}
{{Infobox settlement | name = Shibetsu | official_name = | native_name = {{nobold|{{nobold|{{lang|ja|士別市}}}}}} | native_name_lang = ja | settlement_type = City | other_name = | image_skyline = Shibetsu city hall.JPG | image_caption = Shibetsu city hall | image_flag = Flag of Shibetsu, Hokkaido.svg | image_seal = Emblem of Shibetsu, Hokkaido.svg | image_map= {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|zoom=8}} | image_map1 = Shibetsu in Hokkaido Prefecture Ja.svg | map_caption = Location of Shibetsu in Hokkaido (Kamikawa Subprefecture) | pushpin_map = Japan | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Japan | coordinates = {{coord|44|10|37.022|N|142|23|34.652|E|region:JP|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Japan | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Hokkaido | subdivision_type2 = Prefecture | subdivision_name2 = Hokkaido (Kamikawa Subprefecture) | subdivision_type3 = District | subdivision_name3 = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Eiji Watanabe | leader_title1 = Vice Mayor | leader_name1 = | unit_pref = Metric | area_total_km2 = 1119.22 | population_total = 16,400 | population_as_of = January 31, 2025 | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone1 = JST | utc_offset1 = +09:00 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | blank_name_sec1 = City hall address | blank_info_sec1 = 4-1, Higashi Roku-jō, Shibetsu-shi, Hokkaidō 095-8686 | blank_name_sec2 = Climate | blank_info_sec2 = Dfb | website = {{Official|1=http://www.city.shibetsu.lg.jp/}} | module = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=yes | tree = Japanese Rowan and Ezo Spruce | flower = Cosmos and ''{{transliteration|ja|Ezo murasaki-tsutsuji}}'' {{small|''(Rhododendron dauricum)''}} | bird = | butterfly = | fish = | mascot = Sahocchi (さほっち), Mei-chan (メイちゃん), Mi-chan (みーちゃん) and Jumpun (ジャンプん) }} }} right|thumb|270px|downtown Shibetsu {{Nihongo|'''Shibetsu'''|士別市|Shibetsu-shi|Ainu: シペㇳ ''Sipet''}} is a city located in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. {{As of |2024|12|31}}, the city had an estimated population of 16,400 in 706 households, and a population density of 15 people per km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name="Shibetsu-hp">{{cite web |url=https://www.city.shibetsu.lg.jp/soshikikarasagasu/shiminka/kosekijuminkakari/983.html|title= Shibetsu City official statistics|location= Japan|language= ja}}</ref> The total area of the city is {{cvt|1119.22|km2}}.
==Geography== Shibetsu is located N of Asahikawa and NNE of Sapporo. It is situated by the Shibetsu River in the north and its valley. The name comes from the Ainu word for "great river". The city center is located in the southern part of the Nayoro Basin, near the confluence of the Teshio River and the Kenbuchi River. The eastern part of the city is in the Kitami Mountains, while the Onnebetsu area in the west is mountainous land that continues into the Teshio Mountains. Lake Iwaonai, located in the eastern part of the city, is the uppermost reaches of the Teshio River.
===Neighbouring municipalities=== * Hokkaido ** Nayoro ** Wassamu ** Kenbuchi ** Shimokawa ** Pippu ** Kamikawa ** Aibetsu ** Horokanai ** Takinoue
== Climate == Shibetsu has a Humid continental climate (Köppen ''Dfb'') characterized by cold summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Shibetsu is 5.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1281 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 19.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around -8.6 °C.<ref>[https://en.climate-data.org/asia/japan/hokkaido/shibetsu-4344/ Shibetsu climate: Average Temperature, weather by month]</ref>
{{Weather box | collapsed = Y | single line = Y | metric first = Y | location = Shibetsu, elevation {{convert|135|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present) | Jan high C = -4.3 | Feb high C = -2.8 | Mar high C = 1.9 | Apr high C = 9.5 | May high C = 17.5 | Jun high C = 22.0 | Jul high C = 25.4 | Aug high C = 25.6 | Sep high C = 21.2 | Oct high C = 14.1 | Nov high C = 5.4 | Dec high C = -1.8 | Jan mean C = -8.5 | Feb mean C = -7.7 | Mar mean C = -2.8 | Apr mean C = 4.2 | May mean C = 11.2 | Jun mean C = 15.8 | Jul mean C = 19.7 | Aug mean C = 20.1 | Sep mean C = 15.5 | Oct mean C = 8.8 | Nov mean C = 1.7 | Dec mean C = -5.2 | Jan low C = -14.5 | Feb low C = -14.2 | Mar low C = -8.5 | Apr low C = -0.9 | May low C = 5.2 | Jun low C = 10.5 | Jul low C = 15.0 | Aug low C = 15.7 | Sep low C = 10.6 | Oct low C = 4.0 | Nov low C = -1.9 | Dec low C = -9.9 | Jan record high C = 6.8 | Feb record high C = 11.0 | Mar record high C = 13.6 | Apr record high C = 25.8 | May record high C = 32.8 | Jun record high C = 36.3 | Jul record high C = 36.2 | Aug record high C = 37.0 | Sep record high C = 31.8 | Oct record high C = 25.6 | Nov record high C = 19.9 | Dec record high C = 11.1 | year record high C = 37.0 | Jan record low C = -35.1 | Feb record low C = -34.2 | Mar record low C = -28.9 | Apr record low C = -13.0 | May record low C = -5.0 | Jun record low C = 0.4 | Jul record low C = 4.6 | Aug record low C = 4.5 | Sep record low C = 0.2 | Oct record low C = -6.4 | Nov record low C = -20.4 | Dec record low C = -29.0 | year record low C = -35.1 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 64.2 | Feb precipitation mm = 49.2 | Mar precipitation mm = 52.2 | Apr precipitation mm = 46.7 | May precipitation mm = 62.9 | Jun precipitation mm = 66.3 | Jul precipitation mm = 130.5 | Aug precipitation mm = 152.3 | Sep precipitation mm = 148.8 | Oct precipitation mm = 116.0 | Nov precipitation mm = 125.7 | Dec precipitation mm = 102.3 | year precipitation mm = 1117.6 | Jan rain days = 17.4 | Feb rain days = 14.6 | Mar rain days = 14.7 | Apr rain days = 10.8 | May rain days = 10.7 | Jun rain days = 10.0 | Jul rain days = 11.7 | Aug rain days = 12.3 | Sep rain days = 13.9 | Oct rain days = 15.8 | Nov rain days = 19.7 | Dec rain days = 21.5 | Jan sun = 47.6 | Feb sun = 75.0 | Mar sun = 117.2 | Apr sun = 159.3 | May sun = 189.8 | Jun sun = 168.4 | Jul sun = 162.6 | Aug sun = 152.2 | Sep sun = 147.2 | Oct sun = 114.6 | Nov sun = 48.0 | Dec sun = 31.8 | year sun = 1410.1 | source 1 = JMA<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=12&block_no=0011&year=&month=&day=&view= |script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値） | publisher = JMA | access-date = February 18, 2022}}</ref> | source 2 = JMA<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=12&block_no=0011&year=&month=&day=&view= |script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値） | publisher = JMA | access-date = February 18, 2022}}</ref> }}
===Demographics=== Per Japanese census data, the population of Shibetsu is as shown below. The city is in a long period of sustained population loss.
{{Historical populations | 1940 | 34276 | 1950 | 42913 | 1960 |45705 | 1970 | 38,145 | 1980 | 32,103 | 1990 | 28,162 | 2000 | 24,991 | 2010 | 21,797 | 2020 | 17,858 |align = none | footnote = }}
==History== Shibetsu was founded in 1899 as the last of the ''tondenhei'' settlements, established by the Meiji government to colonize Hokkaido with soldier-settlers. In 1902: Shibetsu village became a second class village, and was raised to town status in 1925. In 1954 Shibetsu merged with Kamishibetsu village, Tayoro village, and Onneppu village to form Shibetsu city. In 2005 Asahi town was merged into Shibetsu city.
==Government== Shibetsu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 14 members. Shibetsu, collectively with the other municipalities of Kawakami sub-prefecture, contributes three members to the Hokkaidō Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Hokkaidō 6th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
==Economy== The economy of Shibetsu is based on agricultural and livestock. Starch manufacturing became popular in the Taisho era, and sugar refining became popular from the early Showa era. Even today, there is a beet sugar factory, and it is a major industry. Under the slogan "Suffolk Land Shibetsu," the city is focusing on sheep farming, and about 30 types of sheep, mainly Suffolk sheep, are raised on the city-run ranch. Testing facilities for automobile and tire manufacturers have been built, and cold weather tests are conducted using the harsh winter cold.
==Education== Shibetsu has seven public elementary school, five public junior high schools and one public high school operated by the city government. One more public high school is operated by the Hokkaido Prefectural Board of Education.
==Transportation== ===Railways=== frameless|20x20px JR Hokkaido - Sōya Main Line :{{color|#954a35|■}} {{STN|Shibetsu|x}} - {{STN|Tayoro|x}} - {{STN| Mizuho |x}}
=== Highways === * 25px|link=|alt= Dō-Ō Expressway * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|40}} * {{jct|country=JPN|Route|239}}
==Sister cities and friendship cities== ===Sister city=== * {{flagicon|Australia}} Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia
===Friendship city=== * {{flagicon|Japan}} Miyoshi, Aichi Prefecture
==Culture== ===Mascots=== {{multiple image| align = right| direction = horizontal| total_width = 300| footer = Sahocchi, Mei-chan, Mi-chan and Janpun, the city's mascots| footer_align = center| image1 = Sahocchi, Mei-chan and Mi-chan.png| image2 = Janpun.png}} Shibetsu's mascots are {{Nihongo|'''Sahocchi'''|さほっち}}, {{Nihongo|'''Mei-chan'''|メイちゃん}}, {{Nihongo|'''Mi-chan'''|みーちゃん}} and {{Nihongo|'''Janpun'''|ジャンプん}}. *Sahocchi, whose real name is {{Nihongo|'''Kurosuke Hitsujida'''|羊田 黒助}}, is a cheerful and friendly ram. His birthday is July 1. On 24 August 2014, he married Mei-chan at Tsukumosuigo Park.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city.shibetsu.lg.jp/www/contents/1463030502092/index.html|title=メイちゃん|website=Shibetsu}}</ref> *Mei-chan, whose real name is {{Nihongo|'''Mei Hitsujida'''|羊田 メイ}}, is a shy yet kind, kind, cheerful and energetic ewe. Her birthday is May 5.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city.shibetsu.lg.jp/www/contents/1462953125980/index.html|title=メイちゃん|website=Shibetsu}}</ref> *Mi-chan, whose real name is {{Nihongo|'''Miu Hitsujida'''|羊田 未生}}, is a lamb who is the daughter of Sahocchi and Mei-chan. She was born on 1 January 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city.shibetsu.lg.jp/www/contents/1463030502092/index.html|title=みーちゃん|website=Shibetsu}}</ref> *Janpun is a farmer boy from Asahi who loves to ski jump. He assists the Asahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Youth Club. Sahocchi, Mei-chan and Mi-chan depend on him for any advice.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city.shibetsu.lg.jp/www/contents/1463020282179/index.html|title=ジャンプん|website=Shibetsu}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{commons category-inline|Shibetsu, Hokkaido (city)|Shibetsu}} * [http://www.city.shibetsu.lg.jp/ Official Website] {{in lang|ja}}
{{Hokkaido}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Cities in Hokkaido Category:Shibetsu, Hokkaido Category:Populated places on the Teshio River