 Alongside to the historic mine Horonai this basin is also home to the famous mining town of Yūbari (夕張市).Here in 1888, coal was discovered by engineer (坂市太郎) Ban Ichitarō (1854-1920), a follower of Benjamin Smith Lyman, on the upper reaches of the river Shihorokabetsu (士幌加別川).The following year, Hokutan opened its first colliery in Yūbari, the Yūbari Saitanjo (夕張採炭所).