Livability Report
BieiLivability Score
Hokkaido·Pop. 9,327
Biei is a town near the center of Hokkaido, roughly halfway between Asahikawa and Furano. Gentle rolling hills spread over land formed by volcanic activity around Mt. Tokachi. The town's area is comparable to Tokyo's 23 wards, with more than 70% forest and about 15% farmland. The first settlers arrived at Beppetsubuto in 1894, and in 1900 the village separated from Kagura and became Biei. Upland farming of wheat, sugar beets, beans and potatoes is the core industry, and its rural landscape became known nationwide as the "town of hills." With Shirogane Onsen and the Blue Pond, it is a town of hills and volcanoes.
Published 2026-03-21 · Article updated 2026-10-20 · Data updated 2026-10-20
Where in Japan
Overall Score
69.9
—
52.4
32.2
43.9- ※ Cost is not scored because rent data is unavailable
- ※ Retail and restaurant figures are per resident and include shops serving tourists
* These scores are based on statistical analysis of public data and do not represent a definitive assessment of any area. Actual livability varies depending on individual values and lifestyle.
5-axis scores
Safety69.9CostNot scoredConvenience52.4Welfare32.2Economy43.9Basic Information
Population
9,327
Prefecture
Hokkaido
Q&A with Kai
Alex, Yuki, and Kai discuss what it's really like to live here.
How the town of hills came to be
Yuki
How did Biei's hilly landscape come about?
Alex
Are there any rules for the streetscape in front of the station?
Yuki
Is landscape protection a town-wide, ongoing effort?
Kai
The base is volcanic. The town says its hill landscape, shaped by nature and human activity, spreads over land created by volcanic activity around Mt. Tokachi. Farming began with settlement at Beppetsubuto in 1894, and the village separated from Kagura in 1900. Population topped twenty thousand until the late 1960s but fell to about ten thousand by the 2015 census.
Penal code offenses in a town full of visitors
Alex
With so many tourists, are there many crimes?
Yuki
How do visiting tourists affect this figure?
Kai
The count is low. According to Hokkaido Prefectural Police municipal crime statistics, Biei recorded 13 penal code offenses in 2025, or 1.39 per 1,000 residents. Penal code offenses are lower than the median of Japan's major municipalities, and lower is better. The table lists the town as Biei, Kamikawa District, and the safety score is 69.9.
Land prices and finding a home
Alex
How much do houses and land cost?
Yuki
How do people moving in find a place to live?
Kai
Land prices are low. In the 2026 official land price survey, residential sites in Biei average 9,150 yen per square meter, lower than the median of Japan's major municipalities, an advantage for housing costs. However, the Housing and Land Survey has no rent figure for the town, so the cost score, built from land and rent, is not calculated.
Car-based mobility and plenty of shops
Alex
Can you live here without a car?
Yuki
What rail and bus routes are there?
Alex
Is it hard to find shops and places to eat?
Kai
A car is assumed. In the 2020 census, 4.95% commuted by rail or bus, an average level among Japan's major municipalities. A resident survey found high car ownership, with over nine in ten not using public transport for trips like shopping and commuting. Driving being convenient was the main reason, followed by no service at the desired time.
The town hospital and schools in a wide town
Alex
Is there a hospital?
Yuki
What is the environment for raising children like?
Alex
Are schools within easy reach?
Kai
There is one town hospital. The 2023 Survey of Medical Institutions counts one hospital and three clinics, or 4.29 per 10,000 residents, lower than the median of Japan's major municipalities. Biei Town Hospital lists outpatient internal medicine, surgery, orthopedics and ophthalmology and has a medical liaison office. It added community-based care beds in May 2026 and respite admissions in July.
Balancing farming and tourism
Yuki
What industries support the town?
Alex
What are income levels like?
Yuki
Is the town doing anything about the growth in tourism?
Kai
Farming is the core. The town treats upland farming of wheat, sugar beets, beans and potatoes as its core industry, and districts discuss who will farm the land. Tourism began with Shirogane Onsen, and the Blue Pond, a byproduct of erosion control works on the Biei River, became a new draw. Trespassing on farmland and illegal dumping are serious.
The gap between registered and actual residents
Yuki
Do registered residents match the people actually living here?
Alex
Overall, what kind of town does the data describe?
Kai
Slightly more people actually live here. The residency rate divides the census population by the resident register population, and Biei's 2025 rate is 102.01%. The 2025 census population was 9,327, while the resident register population on January 1, 2026 was 9,143. The rate is higher than the median of Japan's major municipalities but not used in the axis scores.
Who this city suits
Families with children
There is a child support center, the town's Donguri Nursery, a medical expense subsidy for infants and gifts for births and school entry, and penal code offenses are low at 1.39 per 1,000 residents. Points to watch: schools are low at 0.03 per square kilometer of habitable land, so check the school bus, and hospitals and clinics are low at 4.29 per 10,000.
Young singles
Retail is high at 10.19 establishments per 1,000 residents and restaurants at 5.58, and residential land is low at 9,150 yen per square meter. Points to watch: only 4.95% use public transport and over nine in ten do not use it for daily trips, so a car is assumed, and taxable income is low at 3,199,111 yen, so check job options first.
Seniors
Biei Town Hospital lists outpatient care in internal medicine, surgery, orthopedics and ophthalmology, with community-based care beds and respite admissions. Points to watch: hospitals and clinics are low at 4.29 per 10,000, so options for care are limited, and residents report no public transport at the desired time, so plan for getting around after giving up driving.
Remote workers
Residential land is low at 9,150 yen per square meter, and 15 settlement promotion houses and the trial-stay Second Home Biei let you test daily life. Points to watch: the Furano Line is single-track and non-electrified, so check travel times to Asahikawa including Dohoku Bus, and with no rent statistics, check housing costs through the vacant house bank.
Disaster risk and hazard maps
On its Biei Disaster Prevention Guidebook page, the town publishes a flood and landslide hazard map and a volcano and eruption hazard map. The flood inundation map shows flooding of the Biei River under the maximum assumed rainfall defined by the Flood Control Act, and does not consider flooding from breaches of tributaries. There is also a reservoir hazard map assuming the collapse of reservoirs in the town; the priority reservoirs are Seidai Dam and Mizusawa Dam. Landslide risk areas on steep slopes are published in a steep-slope hazard area map. For Mt. Tokachi, the town has a volcanic evacuation plan and publishes an evacuation route map for the Shirogane Onsen area, and the Bogakudai shelter protects against volcanic rocks. Sensors and cameras installed after the 1988 eruption are monitored centrally at the Tokachidake Volcanic Sabo Information Center. The regional disaster plan has sections on storms and floods, volcanic disasters and earthquakes, and disaster information comes through the disaster radio system and area mail. A site-specific inundation simulation search system is also available from the town's disaster page. Check down to your exact street address with the town's official maps and the GSI overlaid hazard map.
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Detailed Data
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | 1.39 | 2025 |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | 9,150 | 2026 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 5.0 | 2020 |
| Retail Establishments | 95 | 2021 |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 10.19 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments | 52 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 5.58 | 2021 |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | 102.0 | 2025 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | 4.29 | 2023 |
| Hospitals | 1 | 2023 |
| Hospitals (per 10,000) | 1.07 | 2023 |
| Clinics | 3 | 2023 |
| Clinics (per 10,000) | 3.22 | 2023 |
| Schools (elementary + junior high + high) | 9 | 2024 |
| Schools (per 1,000) | 0.965 | 2024 |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | 0.028 | 2024 |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | 3,199,111 | 2025 |
| Net Migration | -22 | 2025 |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | -0.24 | 2025 |
| Total Population | 9,327 | 2025 |
| crime_count | 13 | 2025 |
| crime_count_pref | 24,150 | 2025 |
| crime_rate_pref_per_1000 | 5 | 2025 |
| habitable_area_km2 | 319 | 2024 |
| resident_registry_population | 9,143 | 2026 |
- ※ Cost is not scored because rent data is unavailable
- ※ Retail and restaurant figures are per resident and include shops serving tourists
Data sources
| Indicator | Source | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 2025 Population CensusStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2025 | |
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | Reported penal code offenses by municipalityHokkaido Prefectural Police | 2025 | Counted where offenses occur; per 1,000 uses the 2025 census population |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | Official land prices (National Land Numerical Information L01)Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | 2026 | Residential sites only; simple average of sites |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 2020 Population Census (means of commuting)Statistics Bureau of Japan | 2020 | To be updated when the 2025 census commuting tables are published |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 2021 Economic Census for Business ActivityMIC and METI | 2021 | Next survey in 2026 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 2021 Economic Census for Business ActivityMIC and METI | 2021 | Next survey in 2026 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | Survey of Medical Institutions (System of Social and Demographic Statistics)Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare | 2023 | Hospitals and clinics combined |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | School Basic Survey and habitable area (System of Social and Demographic Statistics)MEXT and Statistics Bureau of Japan | 2024 | Elementary, junior high and high schools per habitable km² |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | Survey on municipal tax assessmentMinistry of Internal Affairs and Communications | 2025 | Taxable income per taxpayer |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | Report on Internal MigrationStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2025 | |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | Census population ÷ resident register populationMinistry of Internal Affairs and Communications | 2025 | Resident register population as of January 1, 2026 |
Sources (32)
- Biei Town: Town Overview
- Biei Town: Biei Soft Stone
- Biei Town: Biei Streetscape
- Biei Town: Tourism
- Biei Town: Agriculture
- Biei Town: Public Transport
- Biei Town: Town Hospital and Medical Facilities
- Biei Town: Child-Rearing Subsidies
- Biei Town: Child Support Center
- Biei Town: Nurseries and Certified Centers
- Biei Town: Housing Search and Support
- Biei Town: Trial Living, Second Home Biei
- Biei Town: Disaster Prevention Guidebook
- Biei Town: About Mt. Tokachi
- Biei Town: Disaster Prevention Facilities
- Biei Town: Landslide Hazard Areas
- Biei Town: Association of Beautiful Villages
- Biei Town: Disaster Plans
- Asahikawa Development and Construction Department: Biei River Flood Inundation Map (Maximum Scale)
- Hokkaido Prefectural Police: Crime by Municipality (2021-2025)
- Wikipedia: Furano Line (Japanese)
- Wikipedia: Biei (Japanese)
- Biei Town: Home Page
- Biei Town: Preparing for Disasters
- e-Stat 2025 Population Census, Basic Tabulation (0004065881)
- e-Stat 2020 Population Census, Means of Commuting (0003454513)
- e-Stat 2021 Economic Census for Business Activity (0004005684)
- e-Stat Survey of Medical Institutions, System of Social and Demographic Statistics (0000020209)
- e-Stat School Basic Survey and Habitable Area, System of Social and Demographic Statistics (0000020205)
- e-Stat Report on Internal Migration (0003419945)
- National Land Numerical Information, Official Land Prices L01 (MLIT)
- MIC Survey on Municipal Tax Assessment
Data years: mainly 2025 (2020–2026 by indicator)
Published 2026-03-21 · Article updated 2026-10-20 · Data updated 2026-10-20