The name of Betsukai Town, Notsuke District, is said to come from the Ainu word bet-kaye. This word means a bend in the river. There was a long debate about whether to pronounce the town name "Betsukai" or "Bekkai," but in 2009, it was agreed that either pronunciation was acceptable. Betsukai Town, Notsuke District, is the sixth largest town in Hokkaido. Dairy farming is thriving in the plains, and the town is the top producer of raw milk in the country. Fishing is the main industry along the coast. Tourist attractions include Lake Furen and the Notsuke Peninsula and Utasebune, designated as a Hokkaido Heritage Site.