Area Code 1564 – Kamishihoro, Hokkaido

Geographic Overview

The +81 1564 area code serves the town of Kamishihoro (上士幌町) and its surrounding rural districts in the Tokachi Subprefecture of Hokkaido, Japan. This is a classic geographic numbering allocation under the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) and follows ITU-T E.164 standards. The code is assigned to the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) East network, which provides fixed-line PSTN services in the region.

Coverage Area

Kamishihoro is located in the central part of Hokkaido, approximately 40 kilometers north of Obihiro City. The area code covers the town's administrative boundaries, including the main urban center and agricultural communities. The region is known for its dairy farming and scenic landscapes, including the Nukabira area and parts of the Daisetsuzan National Park. The local exchange network is terrestrial, with copper and fiber-optic lines connecting subscribers to the public switched telephone network.

Dialing Formats

For callers within Japan, the national trunk prefix is '0'. Therefore, to call a Kamishihoro number from elsewhere in Japan, you dial 01564 followed by the local subscriber number. The local subscriber number typically consists of 5 digits, making the total national significant number (NSN) 10 digits (including the leading '0'). For example, a typical local number might be 01564-2-XXXX (where XXXX is the subscriber's line).

For international callers, the Japanese country code is +81, and the leading '0' of the area code is omitted. Thus, you would dial +81 1564 followed by the local subscriber number. For instance, if the local number is 2-3456, the international format would be +81 1564 2 3456. This format is essential for routing calls through international gateways.

Caller Instructions

• Local calls within Kamishihoro: If you are physically within the same charging group, you may be able to dial just the 5-digit subscriber number without the area code. However, to ensure correct routing, it is recommended to always use the full national format.
• Domestic long-distance calls: Dial 01564 + local number. For example, from Tokyo, you would dial 01564-2-3456.
• International calls to Kamishihoro: Dial your country's exit code (e.g., 011 from the US, 00 from most European countries), then 81 (Japan's country code), then 1564 (without the leading zero), and then the local subscriber number. Example: 011-81-1564-2-3456 from the US.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

As of the latest MIC data, there is no overlay code for the 1564 area. The numbering plan is straightforward, with no permissive dialing requirements. However, Japan has been migrating toward IP-based networks, and some subscribers may have VoIP services that use the same geographic number. In such cases, call routing is based on the number's registered address, not the physical location of the VoIP adapter. This ensures that emergency services (110 for police, 119 for fire/ambulance) are correctly routed to the appropriate dispatch center.

For businesses, having a 01564 number establishes a local presence in Kamishihoro, which can be beneficial for customer trust and local marketing. However, due to the declining population in rural areas, some subscribers may have migrated to mobile-only usage, but fixed-line numbers remain active for businesses and public services.