Mashike Town

• Hokkaido
• Area Info
• Sightseeing
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Mashike Town, in the Rumoi sub-prefecture of Hokkaido, is a small Sea of Japan port town steeped in fishing heritage and sake-brewing history. Its greatest pride is 'Amaebi' (sweet shrimp — locally called Nanban Ebi), harvested from the rich waters off Mashike's coast, and celebrated every spring at the 'Mashike Spring Flavor Festival' where freshly landed shrimp, octopus and scallops are enjoyed at local prices. 'Kunitare Sake Brewery', founded in 1882, is Hokkaido's northernmost sake brewer — its magnificent Meiji-era wooden brewery buildings are still in active use and open for free tours. The towering 'Mt. Shokanbestu (1,492 m)' is the highest peak of the Shokanbestu-Teuri-Yagishiri National Park, popular for hiking and skiing. The former JR Rumoi Main Line Mashike Station building, preserved after the line's closure, still evokes the nostalgic atmosphere of northern Hokkaido's railway heritage.