[Approximately 31 minutes by bus from the Tokachi Bus "Nishi 12-jo 34-chome" stop to the Tokachi Bus "Dobutsuen-mae" stop]

We arrived at Obihiro Zoo just after noon! Don't forget to get a stamp here too. Obihiro Zoo is the second zoo in Hokkaido after Maruyama Zoo in Sapporo. Take a leisurely stroll through the spacious zoo and be soothed by the various expressions of the animals. However, please note that the zoo is closed in winter.

Obihiro Zoo

■Location: Midorigaoka Park, Midorigaoka 2, Obihiro City ■Opening hours: (2022) April 29th to September 30th 9:00-16:30, October 1st to November 3rd 9:30-16:00 ■ Admission fee: 420 yen for adults, 210 yen for those 65 and over, 210 yen for high school students See details of "Obihiro Zoo" on Domingo

[10 minutes walk from "Obihiro Zoo" to "Obihiro Centennial Memorial Hall"]

After a fun day at the zoo, let's walk for about 10 minutes to the Obihiro Centennial Memorial Hall. This is a museum with permanent exhibits on the history, nature, and industry of Obihiro and Tokachi. In addition, a wide variety of exhibits and events are held depending on the season, so it might be a good idea to check in advance. By the way, this is also a stamp spot. Get your fifth stamp.

We also recommend taking a stroll through Midorigaoka Park, where the memorial hall is located. The Hokkaido Obihiro Museum of Art is also located within the park, so if you have time, it might be worth stopping by.

Obihiro Centennial Memorial Hall

■Location: Midorigaoka Park, Midorigaoka 2, Obihiro City ■Opening hours: Permanent exhibition room 9:00-17:00 Admission fee to the permanent exhibition room: 380 yen for adults, 190 yen for high school students, 190 yen for those aged 65 and over See details of "Obihiro Centennial Memorial Hall" on Domingo

Midorigaoka Park

■Location: Midorigaoka 2, Obihiro City See details of "Midorigaoka Park" on Domingo

Our next stop is Midorigaoka 6-chome (Obihiro Museum of Art Entrance). From here we return to Obihiro Station Bus Terminal. Normally the fare would be 200 yen, but of course, by using the VISIT TOKACHI PASS, we can get on and off easily!

[5 minutes walk from "Obihiro Centennial Memorial Hall" to "Midorigaoka 6-chome (Obihiro Museum of Art Entrance)" bus stop]

[16 minutes by bus from Tokachi Bus "Midorigaoka 6-chome (Obihiro Museum of Art Entrance)" stop to "Obihiro Station Bus Terminal"]

From Obihiro Station Bus Terminal, I head to Tokachigawa Onsen, where I'll be staying tonight. Needless to say, I'll use the VISIT TOKACHI PASS. The normal fare is 500 yen.

[28 minutes from Obihiro Bus Terminal by Tokachi Bus to Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen stop]

Get off at the Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen stop and walk to the Tokachigawa Nature Center. It's about a 5-minute walk.

[5 minutes walk from the Tokachi Bus "Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen" stop to "Tokachigawa Nature Center"]

At the Tokachi Nature Center, we got our sixth and final stamp of the day. This is all the stamps we could get on this model course. Here, we were given more details about the "Early Morning Hot Air Balloon Experience" we planned for the next morning. It is a time-limited event, and the time varies from month to month, so we should be careful. Well, this is the end of the first day, which involved a lot of travel. Please relax and recover from your travel fatigue at Tokachigawa Onsen.

Tokachi Nature Center

■Address: 1-12 Tokachigawa Onsen Minami, Otofuke Town ■Opening hours: Permanent exhibition room 9:00-18:00 See details of "Tokachi Nature Center" on Domingo

The second day begins with a trip into the sky! Experience an early morning hot air balloon ride at Tokachigaoka Park Hanakku Square, located very close to Tokachigawa Onsen town. The tethered flight, which rises gently 30 meters into the air, is suitable for children as young as two years old. From the sky, you can see the Tokachi River flowing below and the Hidaka Mountains towering in the distance. The experience lasts for about five minutes, so it passes in the blink of an eye, but it's sure to be an unforgettable experience.

Still excited from the hot air balloon ride, we left Tokachigaoka Park. We walked for about 10 minutes to the Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen bus stop. We then took the Tokachi bus to Obihiro Station Bus Terminal. Normally, the fare would be 500 yen, but since we had purchased a two-day VISIT TOKACHI PASS the day before, the pass was valid for the second day as well.

[10 minutes walk from "Tokachigaoka Park Hanak Square" Tokachi Bus "Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen" stop]

[34 minutes by bus from the Tokachi Bus "Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen" stop to "Obihiro Bus Terminal"]

Take the Tokachi bus leaving from Obihiro Station Bus Terminal at 9:35 and ride for 65 minutes to the Nakasatsunai Art Village stop. The fare is 930 yen, but of course the VISIT TOKACHI PASS will come in handy here too.

[65 minutes by bus from Obihiro Bus Terminal on the Tokachi Bus to Nakasatsunai Art Village stop]

Rokkatei Art Village Nakasatsunai Art Village is a vast site of approximately 145,000 square meters, with art museums and restaurants scattered throughout. Enjoy a wonderful time strolling along the promenade surrounded by cedar forests and visiting the various art museums. Being in contact with both nature and art is sure to leave you feeling refreshed and fulfilled. However, the opening hours are limited, so be sure to check the opening days and times before visiting.

Nakasatsunai Art Village

■Location: Sakaehigashi 5th Line, Nakasatsunai Village, Kasai District See details of "Nakasatsunai Art Village" on Domingo

Once you've filled your soul with nature and art, it's time to satisfy your hunger. At Restaurant Porosiri, located on the same premises, you can enjoy home-cooked meals made with seasonal ingredients. The food you eat in such a wonderful environment is sure to be exceptional. The most popular standard menu item is Porosiri Corai, beef stewed for a long time.

Leaving Rokkatei Art Village Nakasatsunai Art Village with a feeling of enrichment, I take the Tokachi bus from the Nakasatsunai Art Village stop to the Roadside Station Nakasatsunai stop. I use the VISIT TOKACHI PASS, which normally costs 320 yen.

[3 minutes by bus from the Tokachi bus "Nakasatsunai Art Village stop" to the Tokachi bus "Roadside Station Nakasatsunai stop"]

Once you arrive at the Nakasatsunai Roadside Station stop, head to Rokka no Mori, which is a 15-minute walk away.

[15 minutes walk from "Rokka no Mori" from "Roadside Station Nakasatsunai" stop]

Anyone who has shopped at Rokkatei will remember its distinctive floral wrapping paper. The desire to create a forest full of flowers depicted on the wrapping paper led to the creation of Rokka no Mori. Flowers bloom in every season across a vast expanse of 100,000 square meters. The park is also dotted with galleries housed in old Croatian houses, which are well worth a visit. Please note that the galleries are closed in the winter.

Rokka no Mori

■Address: 249-6 Tokiwa Nishi 3-sen, Nakasatsunai Village, Kasai District ■Opening period (2022): April 29th to October 10th ■Opening hours: 10:00-16:00 ■ Admission fee (single ticket): 1,000 yen for adults, 500 yen for elementary and junior high school students See details of "Rokka no Mori" on Domingo

After taking in the pretty flowers and art, including the original artwork for the floral wrapping paper, at Rokka no Mori, we head back on foot to the Nakasatsunai Roadside Station stop.

[15 minutes walk from "Rokka no Mori" Tokachi bus "Michi-no-Eki Nakasatsunai stop"]

The bus stop and the roadside station are just around the corner. Since you have some time before the next bus, it might be a good idea to stop by the roadside station to look for souvenirs.

Nakasatsunai Roadside Station

■Location: 7-146 Odori Minami, Nakasatsunai Village, Kasai District See details of "Michi-no-Eki Nakasatsunai" on Domingo

From the Nakasatsunai Roadside Station stop, take the Tokachi bus to Obihiro Station Bus Terminal. The journey takes about an hour, and the usual fare is 750 yen. In the end, by using the VISIT TOKACHI PASS, I saved 1,080 yen over two days. What's more, I don't have to carry coins with me, so it's very convenient.

[65 minutes by bus from Tokachi Bus "Michi-no-Eki Nakasatsunai Bus Stop" to "Obihiro Station Bus Terminal"]

[6 minutes walk from Obihiro Station Bus Terminal to Rokkatei Obihiro Main Branch]

Rokkatei Obihiro Main Branch is located a 6-minute walk from Obihiro Station Bus Terminal. It's great for buying souvenirs, but you'll probably end up buying some for yourself too. Rokkatei's sweets are always appealing.

[6 minutes walk from "Rokkatei Obihiro Main Branch" to "Panchou"]

Speaking of Obihiro, you'll want to try the pork bowl, which has recently become famous nationwide! Enjoy the local gourmet food at the famous restaurant "Panchou" in front of JR Obihiro Station, a 6-minute walk from Rokkatei Obihiro Main Branch. In fact, Obihiro's pork bowl is said to have originated here. It's so delicious that it's sure to please anyone, regardless of age or gender.

[2 minutes walk from "Panchou" to "JR Obihiro Station"]

19:20 JR Obihiro Station

After buying souvenirs and tasting the unique cuisine of Obihiro, the trip finally comes to an end. Using the HOKKAIDO LOVE! 6-Day Tour Pass that I bought at the beginning, I head from JR Obihiro Station to JR Sapporo Station. Normally, the fare would be 7,260 yen, the same as the outbound trip, so I saved 2,520 yen for the round trip. That's a big deal!

[Approx. 2 hours 30 minutes from JR Obihiro Station to JR Sapporo Station]

Our two-day, one-night model itinerary came to an end when we arrived at JR Sapporo Station late at night. What did you think? It was a very eventful trip, with a visit to the zoo, a hot air balloon ride, and art. What's more, by participating in the Bingo Stamp Rally, the fun will continue even after you get home. Enter with the stamps you've collected and you could win some great prizes!