This week, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway is leading a delegation of Madison officials to visit our sister city in Obihiro, Japan. The two cities have a lot in common, both small cities in agricultural regions with a climate that includes nice summers and cold winters.
But you don’t have to organize a full delegation to visit Obihiro, Japan. Here’s what life is like in the city.
🗾 Where is Obihiro?
Obihiro is a city on Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s main islands, in the Tokachi Subprefecture. (Subprefectures are sort of like provinces, only smaller – Hokkaido is a prefecture with 14 subprefectures alone has 14 of them.) Obihiro has a population of 160,000.
The city is located in the agricultural heartland of Hokkaido, surrounded by wide-open plains and the majestic nearby Hidaka Mountains.
⏲️ How Old is It?
Obihiro was first settled in 1883 by Benzo Yoda, a Japanese farmer and explorer who led a group of pioneers called Banseisha. Obihiro was formally incorporated as a city in 1933.
Much like a U.S. Western state like Colorado or Montana, horses were an instrumental part of settling and developing Obihiro, and the animals are a big part of the city’s cultural identity.
Obihiro Racecourse is known for a unique kind of horse racing in which heavy sleds are dragged across a sandy track. (Philip Fong/ AFP via Getty Images)
🏇 What Should We See?
Obihiro celebrates the strength of horses with a unique kind of event called “Ban’ei horse racing.” It’s sort of like a cross between a race and a tug-of-war, in which draft horses pull heavy sleds that can weigh over a ton on a sandy, hilly track.
The city has three major festivals throughout the year. The Flat Plain Festival in August may sound a little drab, but it is actually an energetic event which features a taiko drumming celebration that takes up several city blocks and a massive two-hour public dance competition.
In late October, the city’s Chrysanthemum Festival celebrates the flower, with literally thousands of them decorating Obihiro Central Park. And Wisconsinites will find kindred spirits at the Ice Festival in the winter, which features fireworks, food stands, and snow and ice sculptures of mythical creatures.
Otherwise, visitors can hike in the Tokachi Millennium Forest nearby, check out Manabe Garden, Japan’s first conifer garden, or take a day trip to explore the Hokada Mountains. At the end of the day, relax in Tokachigawa Onsen or one of the city’s other hot springs.
One unlikely tourist destination is Kofuku Station, a train station that has been closed since the 1980s. However, since its name means “happiness,” visitors will come and paste notes on its walls in the hopes of starting their own journeys to happiness.
🍜 What Should We Eat?
Obihiro is best known for butadon, which literally translates as “pork bowl.” The dish features a bowl of rice topped with pork simmering in a sweet sauce.
If you’re looking for something different, head to Kita no Yatai, an alleyway that’s stuffed with small izakaya Japanese bars and other unique food stands offering cuisine from many different countries.
Obihiro is also known for its sweet dairy treats, including soft-serve ice cream, milk pudding, and cheesecake. Wisconsinites will feel right at home!
