Hokuto, Hokkaidō

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**Hokuto**
**北斗市**
Hokuto's location in Hokkaidō, Japan.
Location
Country	Japan
Region	Hokkaidō
Prefecture	Hokkaidō
Physical characteristics
Area	397.29 km² (153.39 sq mi)
Population (as of March.31, 2008)
Total	49.452
Density	125 /km² (324 /sq mi)
Location	41°49′N, 140°39′E
Symbols
Hokuto Government Office
Mayor	Junzō Ebisawa
Address	〒049-0192 1-3-10 Chūō, Hokuto-shi, Hokkaidō
Phone number	0138-73-3111
Official website: City of Hokuto

Hokuto (北斗市, Hokuto-shi^?) is a city in the center of the Oshima Subprefecture in Japan's northern island of Hokkaidō. It was formed on February 1, 2006 from merging the towns Kamiiso in the Kamiiso District and Ōno in the Kameda District. Hokuto is the third city to be established in Oshima. (The second, Kameda City, no longer exists being dissolved just two years after its founding in 1971). Hokuto is the second largest city in Oshima by population after Hakodate.

[edit] Geography

Hokuto is located in the middle of Oshima, a peninsula in Hokkaidō's south. The southeast portion is mostly plains and the western part is more mountainous. The south borders the Hakodate Bay. The Ōno River runs north and south through the middle of Hokuto.

Mountain: Katsuratake (734m)
Rivers: Ōno, Hekirichi
Lake: Kamiiso
Forest parks: Hachirounuma Koen