Kitami

In the first half of the 20th century, 70% of the world's mint was produced in Kitami, but there has since been a decline. Despite this, agriculture is still thriving, and Kitami is Japan's largest producer of onions. Housing branches of many large companies, Kitami is also the center of Okhotsk Subprefecture's economy. Kitami is the largest city in the subprefecture, and the second largest city in Eastern Hokkaido.
In 2006, the towns of Rubeshibe, Tanno and Tokoro merged with Kitami to form the current, larger city of Kitami. The city of Kitami extends from Daisetsu mountains in the east to the Okhotsk Sea in the west.

Plane

The Memambetsu Airport nearby. JAL and Air Do operate flights from Tokyo and Sapporo to Memambetsu. ANA operates flights from Nagoya to Memambetsu.
Hokkaido Kitami Bus operates an airport bus service from the center of Kitami that connects with each of the aforementioned flights. The bus ride is about 42 minutes long and costs ¥1000 per person. Taxis are also available, but cost approximately ¥7500 per car.

Train

The JR Sekihoku Main Line runs through Kitami Station as it travels from Sapporo to Abashiri. The Limited Express Okhotsk, servicing Kitami, runs 4 round trips from Sapporo to Abashiri daily. The trip from Sapporo to Kitami is around 4 hours and 35 minutes.

Bus

The Hokkaido Kitami Bus operates an intercity bus service.

• Dreamint Okhotsk (ドリーミント オホーツク号) - Hokkaido Kitami Bus and Abashiri Bus co-operate this service. It runs through Kitami from Sapporo to Abashiri with 9-10 round trips per day. About 4 hours and 30 minutes and costs ¥5190 from Sapporo to Kitami.
• Express Sekihoku (特急石北号) - Runs from Kitami to Asahikawa via Onneyu Onsen and Sounkyo Onsen with 4 round trips per day. About 4 hours and 30 minutes and costs ¥3500 to Asahikawa.
• Express Senboku (特急釧北号) - Hokkaido Kitami Bus and Kushiro Bus co-operate this service. It runs from Kitami to Kushiro via Lake Akan with 2 round trips per day. The trip is about 3 hours and costs ¥3300 to Kushiro.

Car

The Doto expressway arrives in Kitami from Obihiro in the south. National Route 39 goes through Kitami from Sapporo and Asahikawa in the west to Abashiri to the east.

By train

The JR Sekihoku Main Line runs through in the city. Local trains run every 1-2 hours.
The stations in the city from west to east are:

• Nishirubeshibe Station

• Rubeshibe StationLimited Express stops. Center of Rubeshibe area.

• Ainonai Station

• Higashiainonai Station

• Nishikitami Station

• Kitami StationLimited Express stops. Located center in the city.

• Hakuyō Station

• Itoshino Station

• Tanno Station

• Hiushinai Station

By bus

The Hokkaido Kitami Bus operates several routes in Kitami. In the Tokoro area, Abashiri Bus services several areas.

By car

There are many rental car providers in Kitami:

• Eki
• Itsumo
• Nippon
• Orix
• Times
• Toyota

• Kitami Mint Memorial Museum

  phone: +81 157 23-6200
  address: 1-7-28 Minaminakamachi, 南仲町1-7-28
  On display: material exhibiting the previous nature of the mint.

• Pierson Memorial House

  phone: +81 157 23-2546
  address: 7-4-28, Saiwaicho, 幸町7丁目4-28
  The former house of Mr. and Mrs. Pierson, Christian missionaries in Kitami in 19th century. There are displays also covering Elizabeth City - Kitami's sister city.

• Wakka

  phone: +81 152 54-3434
  address: 242-1, Sakaeura, Tokoro, 常呂町字栄浦242番地1
  A long sandbar that separates the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and Lake Saroma. More than 300 kinds of wild flower bloom on the sandbar. There is a Nature Center at the entrance to the sandbar. The center provides bicycle rental (for a fee) and information on the area.

• Aquarium of Mountain

  phone: +81 157-45-2223
  address: 1-4, Matsuyama, Rubeshibe, 留辺蘂町松山1番地4
  Aquarium for freshwarter fishes.

• Onneyu Onsen

  address: Onneyu-Onsen, Rubeshibe, 留辺蘂町温根湯温泉
  There are a lot of hotels and day spas with alkaline springs resulting in smooth skin after bathing.

• Shiobetsu Onsen

  phone: +81 157 45-2225
  address: 201 Takinoyu, Rubeshibe-cho, 留辺蘂町滝の湯201
  There is one inn that deals day bathing. The spring quality is alkaline which is similar to Onneyu Onsen, get smooth skin after bathing.

• MintKitami was one of the world's leading producers in the past. They sell such as at Kitami Mint Memorial Museum, Michi no Eki and Kitami Station.

• Salt Chow MeinLocal cuisine of Kitami. You can eat in the city each restaurants and hotels.

• Toriton, Miwa

  phone: +81 157 23-5555
  address: 4-12-20, Higashimiwa, 東三輪4丁目12番地20
  It is conveyor belt sushi restaurant. There are many delicious sushi restaurants in Kitami, but If you eat relatively cheap, this restaurant.

• Okhotsk Beer

  phone: +81 157 23-6300
  address: 2-2-2, Yamashita-cho, 山下町2丁目2-2
  It is local beer of Kitami that got the local first beer production license in Japan. There is the restaurant: "Okhotsk Beer Factory".

• Super Hotel Kitami

  phone: +81 157 22-9000
  address: 11-1, Kita4-Nishi2, 北四条西2丁目11-1

• Tōyoko Inn Kitami Ekimae

  phone: +81 157 62-1045
  address: 4 Odori-Nishi2, 大通西2-4

• Ōe-Honke

  phone: +81 157 45-2511
  address: 466-1, Onneyuonsen, Rubeshibe, 留辺蘂町温根湯温泉466-1
  In Onneyu Onsen town.

• Onneyu Hotel

  phone: +81 157 45-2211
  address: Onneyuonsen, Rubeshibe, 留辺蘂町温根湯温泉
  In Onneyu Onsen town.

• Jiyūkūkan, Kitami-Midorimachi

  phone: +81 157-36-8207
  address: 1-1-2, Midorimachi, 緑町1丁目1-2
  Internet cafe with private rooms.

• Daisetsuzan National Park
• Engaru
• Saroma
• Abashiri - a capital city of the subprefecture
• Ōzora - Memanbetsu Airport
• Bihoro - Akan National Park
• Tsubetsu
• Kunneppu
• Oketo
• Kamikawa - Sounkyo Onsen