Obihiro, city in northern Japan on southern Hokkaido Island, in Hokkaido Prefecture. Obihiro lies on the Tokachi River near the center of the Tokachi Plain. It is a rail junction and market center for the farm products of the surrounding area. Its agriculture-based industries include the processing of sugar beets, flax fiber, cheese and other dairy products, and alcohol. Obihiro also has a beef-canning factory and a lumber mill. The city is the seat of the Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (founded in 1949), which operates a veterinary hospital. In the summer Obihiro is the site of the popular Hot Air Balloon Festival. The city was founded in 1883 when the Tokachi Plain was part of Japan's northern agricultural frontier. Population (1999) 173,488.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Obihiro Information info
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