, also known as Embetsu, is a town located in Rumoi, Hokkaidō, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 2,249 in 1253 households, and a population density of 3.8 people per km<sup>2</sup>. The total area of the town is .
Geography
thumb|right|Asahi Spa, Kotoura
Enbetsu is located at the north-northwest of the island of Hokkaido and overlooks the Sea of Japan. The town occupies the drainage basin of the Enbetsu River from its origin on the western slopes of the Teshio Mountains to its mouth at the Sea of Japan. The town is bisected by the Enbetsu River, which flows from the Teshio Mountains directly into the Sea of Japan.
|source 2 = JMA
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Enbetsu is as shown below. The town is in a long period of sustained population loss.
History
The first recorded Japanese settler of Enbetsu was Gentarō Shirahata, who moved to Enbetsu in 1896. A group of settlers from Echizen, Fukui Prefecture called the Echizen Dantai came to Enbetsu in the following year. Groups from Aichi, Chiba, and Kumamoto followed, as well as individual settlers. Enbetsu, which had previously been part of Teshio, was established as a separate village in 1909. Rice production was tested as early as 1897, specifically with strains of rice from Fukui Prefecture. After testing numerous strains from other parts of Honshu, 1921 saw a successful rice crop in Enbetsu, and the start of an agricultural industry in the village.
Sister city relations
- - Starting in 1989, Enbetsu has maintained a sister city relationship with Castlegar, BC. As part of the relationship, an educational exchange program occurs each summer between the town and city. Students visit their counterpart in alternating years, fostering an understanding of differing cultures and way of living.