The Ishikari coal basin lies in the tertiary mountains of the mining region of Sorachi, east of the Ishikari Plain in central Hokkaido. These coal veins contain the largest quantity of coal of Japan. Because of its late discovery the historical role of the coalfield could not be compared with that of the Chikuho coalfield, but its economic importance since the Japanese industrial revolution is comparable with that of the southern Chikuhà  coalfield.
It was explorer Matsuura Takeshirà  (æ¾浦 æ¦åÂÂéÂÂ), who, during his journey through Hokkaido in 1857, first marked the coal seams on the banks of the Sorachi river near Akabira. In 1868, carpenter Kimura Kichitarà  (æ¨æ åÂÂ太éÂÂ) discovered coal in Horonai, Mikasa (ä¸Â笠). However, it took another six years before the local government took action, and the mining engineers Benjamin Smith Lyman and Takeaki Enomoto welded an investigation. Their findings were satisfactory, and the Meiji government decided to build in Horonai the first coalmine of the Ishikari coal basin. In 1889, the Meiji government sold off the mine and its railways to, Hori Motoi, who found the Hokkaido Colliery and Railway Company (Ã¥ÂÂæµ·éÂÂçÂÂ礦éÂÂéÂÂä¼Â社 Hokkaidà  Tankà  Tetsudà  Kaisha), abbreviated as Hokutan.
Alongside to the historic mine Horonai this basin is also home to the famous mining town of Yà «bari (å¤Âå¼µå¸Â). Here in 1888, coal was discovered by engineer Ban Ichitarà  (å å¸Â太éÂÂ, 1854-1920), a follower of Benjamin Smith Lyman, on the upper reaches of the river Shihorokabetsu (士å¹Âå åÂ¥å·Â). The following year, Hokutan opened its first colliery in Yà «bari, the Yà «bari Saitanjo (å¤Âå¼µæ¡çÂÂæÂÂ).