is a small town located at the base of the Hidaka Mountain Range in Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. The name Shimizu is taken from the Ainu word "Pekerebetsu", which means bright clean river. As of 2011, the population of the town is 10,243, and its primary source of income is through agriculture. Shimizu, like many other towns in Hokkaido, is undergoing population decline. Population As of September 2016, the town has an estimated population of 9,784 and a density of 24 persons per km². The total area is 402.18 km². Geography The town of Shimizu lies within the Tokachi Subprefecture of Hokkaido, Japan. The town lies at the base of the Hidaka Mountain Range and has several towns nearby, including Shikaoi to the North, Shintoku to the West, Hidaka to the South, and Memuro to the East. The geography of the town of Shimizu is mostly flat, with a few low-lying hills to the North and West. History The town of Shimizu began to settle in 1898, with a population of 99 people, working as cultivating farmers. It was not until 1936 that Shimizu gained status as a town. In 1907 a railway connecting Kushiro and Asahikawa was built, thereby connecting Shimizu. At the time, two lines ran through the town: the Tokachi line, and the Tooru Hiraku line. Another improvement that helped put the town on the map was the opening of Nissho Toge, a mountain pass running through the Hidaka Mountains, which opened in 1965. This National Highway, route 274, runs all the way to Hokkaidos capital city, Sapporo. In 1980, the town's cultural center opened, and is famous for the playing of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. Every year, students from Shimizu High School practice singing the symphony, for an end of the year concert. The town's first swimming pool opened in 1983, and in 1990, both the town's library and local history museum were established. Economy Shimizu has roughly 440 farmers, and 14,500 ha of farmland. Dairy farming, cattle farming, and sugar beet cultivation are some of the main types of agriculture that take place in Shimizu and the surrounding area. Transportation The town has several means of transportation for getting in and out of town. A train line runs through town connecting neighboring towns Shintoku, Memuro, and capital city of Tokachi, Obihiro. Shimizu's station name is called Tokachi Shimizu. There is also a bus which runs from