Snowmobiles and horse-drawn sleighs! 15 snow play spots to enjoy winter in Hokkaido|Domingo

Snowmobiles and horse-drawn sleighs! 15 snow play spots to enjoy winter in Hokkaido

Winter in Hokkaido is a time of pure white snow fields as far as the eye can see. Why don't you enjoy sledding, snow rafting, horse-drawn sleigh rides, and other activities that are only possible in winter in this silvery white world? Here we introduce some of these experience spots, which are usually sightseeing spots but become snow playgrounds in winter!

SPOT 1Takino Suzuran Hillside Park (Sapporo ) is recommended for skiing debutants .

滝野すずらん丘陵公園

Takino Suzuran Hillside Park is a 400-hectare site with colorful flower gardens, large playground equipment, three waterfalls, and other attractions that are popular among citizens and tourists alike. In winter, the park is renamed "Takino Snow World" and visitors can enjoy various snow activities such as walking skiing and tube sliding.

Dates: December 23, 2022 (Fri.) - March 31, 2023 (Fri.) 9:00 - 16:00
Admission fee: Free of charge during the winter season.
Parking:Available (fee required)
Location: National Takino Suzuran Hillside Park, 247 Takino, Minami-ku, Sapporo
Access: 5 min. on foot after getting off at "Suzuran Koen Keiryu-guchi", "Suzuran Koen Chuo-guchi" or "Suzuran Koen Higashi-guchi" bus stop.

▼For more information about Takino Suzuran Hillside Park "Takino Snow World", please visit

SPOT 2 Spacious winter leisure land The North Country Golf Club (Chitose City)

ザノース・スノーランド in 千歳

A golf course with good access by car from New Chitose Airport. In winter, it becomes "North Snow Land in Chitose" and you can enjoy winter activities such as snow experience corner and tube sliders in the vast snow field as much as you like. A free bus service is also available to take you to tourist facilities in Chitose City.

Date & Time: December 28, 2022 (Wed) - March 7, 2023 (Tue) 9:00 - 16:00 (registration closes at 15:30)
■Fees: Admission (snow experience, unlimited play on tube sliders)
Adults 600 yen / Elementary school students 400 yen / Children under 5 free *Other options and package fees available
Location:The North Country Golf Club, 26 Rangetsu, Chitose-shi, Hokkaido
Access: 1 hour drive from Sapporo / 15 minutes drive from New Chitose Airport

For more information about "The North Country Golf Club "North Snowland in Chitose", please visit

SPOT 3 Fantastic ice town appears Hoshino Resort Tomamu (Shimukappu Village )

星野リゾート トマム

Hoshino Resort Tomamu, where the "Sea of Clouds Terrace" is very popular for its spectacular sea of clouds, offers a wide variety of nature experiences throughout the four seasons. In winter, "Ice Village," a fantastic ice town lined with domes made of ice and snow, can be created only in an environment where the temperature drops to -20 to 30 degrees Celsius. In addition to the fantastic space of the ice church, there are also ice ziplines and ice slides for children and adults to enjoy.

Dates: Saturday, December 10, 2022 - Tuesday, March 14, 2023 17:00 - 22:00 (last admission 21:30)
Admission: 600 yen for elementary school students and older
Location: Hoshino Resort Tomamu, Nakatomamu, Shimukappu Village, Yufutsu-gun
■Access
About 2 hours drive from Sapporo City
About 1 hour drive from Obihiro City
There is a shuttle bus service from JR Tomamu Station.

For more information about Hoshino Resort Tomamu Ice Village, please visit

SPOT 4 Genghis Khan in summer, snow in winter Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill (Sapporo )

羊ヶ丘展望台

This popular tourist spot in Sapporo welcomes visitors with a statue of Dr. Clark and cute sheep. In winter, "Hitsujigaoka Snow Park" is held where visitors can play with snow on a pure white snow field. Visitors can experience familiar activities such as tube sliding, walking skiing, and making mini snowmen.

Dates: January 6 (Fri.) - March 5 (Sun.), 2023 10:00 - 15:00 (last admission at 14:45)
Fee: Observation deck admission: Adults 530 yen / Elementary/Junior high school students 300 yen
*All experience fees and rental fees for each activity are free.
■Parking: Available (free of charge)
Location: 1 Hitsujigaoka, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo
■Access
Approximately 34 minutes by car from JR Sapporo Station
・A short walk after getting off at "Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill" bus stop.


▼For more information about Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill "Hitsujigaoka Snow Park 2023", please visit

SPOT 5 You can also interact with horses in winter at the Northern Horse Park (Tomakomai City)

ノーザンホースパーク

This nature park was created under the theme of "the bond between horses, the land, and people," and offers activities and events throughout the year that allow visitors to easily interact with horses. In winter, visitors can enjoy horse-drawn sleigh rides, mini snowmobiles, snow rafting, and other activities.

Dates and times
Winter: November 6, 2022 (Sun) - April 9, 2023 (Sun) 10:00 - 16:00
Winter (Nov. 6 - Apr. 9): Adults (junior high school students and older): 500 yen / Children (elementary school students): 200 yen / Children under elementary school age: free
*Please check the official website for information on use during the summer season.
Parking: Available (free of charge)
Location: 114-7 Misawa, Tomakomai City

For more information about the Northern Horse Park, please visit

SPOT 6 Winter activities in the heavy snow field Tokachi Ecology Park (Otoe Town)

十勝エコロジーパーク

Tokachi Ecology Park, a large playground in the great outdoors, is a place where families can enjoy a full day of fun, including a campground and one of the largest fluffy domes in Japan. In winter, "Winter Fest in Ecopa" is held. The popular snow raft tours through forests and plains, winter footpaths, snow tubing, and other winter activities are all available.

Dates: Thursday, December 1, 2022 - Friday, March 31, 2023 9:00 - 16:00
■Fees: Winter footpath and cross-country ski rental
2 hours: 300 yen / 4 hours: 500 yen / 1 day: 700 yen / 1 hour extension: 100 yen
Location:18-1 Tokachigawaonsen Minami, Onsen-minami, Ondo-cho, Kawagoe-gun
Access: 20 minutes by car from Ondose-Obihiro IC / 2 minutes by car from Tokachigawa Onsen

For more information about "Tokachi Ecology Park "Winter Fest in Ecopa", please visit

SPOT 7 Let's play with snow excitingly Sapporo Dome (Sapporo )

札幌ドーム

Sapporo Dome is well-known for sports games and concert events. In winter, Sapporo Dome is transformed into a snow plaza where visitors can play in the snow on sleds, tubes and snow rafting. In the snow-covered zone, visitors can dive into the snow and enjoy the feel of the snow by treasure hunting.

Dates: Thursday, January 5, 2023 - Thursday, February 23, 2023 10:00 - 16:00
Admission fee: Free
Snow rafting: 500 yen per person per trip
Parking: Available
Location:Sapporo Dome site, 1 Hitsujigaoka, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo
Access:10 min. walk from Fukuzumi Station on the Toho Subway Line.

For more information about Sapporo Dome "Yukihiroba 2023", please visit

SPOT 8 Enjoy the great outdoors Winter play experience Tokachi Nature Center (Otoe Town)

十勝ネイチャーセンター

This is a spot where you can experience various outdoor activities throughout the four seasons in the great nature around Tokachigawa Onsen Onsen. In summer, there are balloon rides and canoeing down the river, and in winter, in addition to snowshoe petit trail and snowmobiling, there is a winter cruise down the Tokachigawa River by canoe. The luxury of being alone on the water in the cool air and silence is exceptional.

Dates: Usually from mid-December to March of the following year, 9:00-18:00
Fees: *Fees vary depending on the activity, so please check the official website.
Location:12-1 Tokachigawaonsen Minami, Onsen-minami, Ondo-cho, Kawagoe-gun
■Access: 20 minutes by car from Ondou Obihiro IC

▼For more information about "Tokachi Nature Center", please visit

SPOT 9 Let's go sledding in Sapporo Satarando (Sapporo )

サッポロさとらんど

Sapporo Satarando aims to deepen understanding of agriculture and increase interest in food. In winter, visitors can enjoy sledding on the sledding hill, horse-drawn sleigh rides and snowmobile-drawn banana boat rides in the spacious park, which cannot be experienced in other seasons.

Dates: January 7, 2023 (Sat) - February 19, 2023 (Sun) 9:00 - 17:00
Fees
Sledding in the park: Free of charge
Banana board: Adults 300 yen / Junior high school students and younger 200 yen
Horse-drawn sleigh: Adults 400 yen / Junior high school students and under 200 yen
Parking: Free
Location: 584-2, Okadama-cho, Higashi-ku, Sapporo
■Access: 10 minutes on foot after getting off at Okadama High School bus stop

For more information about Sapporo Satarando "Satarando Winter Fun", please visit

SPOT 10 Experience winter life in Hokkaido pioneer days Hokkaido Kaitakunomura (Sapporo )

北海道開拓の村

Located in Nopporo Forest Park, Hokkaido Kaitakunomura is an open-air museum established to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of Hokkaido. Once you step inside, you will feel like you are in Hokkaido more than 100 years ago. We recommend taking the horse-drawn carriage railroad in summer and the horse-drawn sleigh in winter. In the winter-only "Winter Life Experience," visitors can learn about the harsh winter lifestyle of the pioneer days by playing with bamboo skis and sledges.

Dates and times: October - April, 9:00 - 16:30
*Winter Life Experience is available until mid-March and horse-drawn sleigh rides are available until March.
*For more information, please check the official website.
Fees: Admission: Adults 800 yen / High school and university students 600 yen *Free for junior high school students and younger, and those 65 and older
Parking: Available (free of charge)
Location: 50-1 Onohoro, Atsubetsu-cho, Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo
Access: Short walk after getting off at the last stop of "Kaitakunomura" bus stop.

▼For more information about "Hokkaido Kaitakunomura", please visit

SPOT 11 Phantom village on a frozen lake Shikaribetsu Lake (Shikaoi Town )

然別湖

Lake Shikaribetsu is the highest lake in Hokkaido at 800 m above sea level, and for only 60 days in December, when the lake is completely frozen over, a phantom village called "Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan" appears. All of the village's structures are made entirely of ice and snow. Visitors can enjoy an ice bar, an open-air bath on ice, and snowmobiling.

Dates: January 28 (Sat) - March 12 (Sun), 9:00 - 20:00
Admission fee: Season pass (sponsorship fee): 500 yen for elementary school students and older
Location: Shikaribetsu lakeside, Shikaribetsu-cho, Kawato-gun

For more information about "Lake Shikaribetsu "2023 Shikaribetsu-ko Kotan", please visit

SPOT 12 View of Sapporo's snowy landscape Moerenuma Park (Sapporo )

モエレ沼公園

Moerenuma Park, one of Sapporo's representative art parks, was designed by sculptor Isamu Noguchi as a single work of sculpture. In winter, it is a popular spot for playing in the snow, and the snowy view of Sapporo from the top of the mountain is exceptional. At the store on the first floor of the Glass Pyramid, visitors can rent sleds, snowshoes, and other equipment.

Open Hours
During winter, only the east entrance gate is open: 7:00-22:00 (admission until 21:00)
Fee:Free ※Please check the official website for rental fees.
Location: 1-1 Moerenuma Park, Higashi-ku, Sapporo
Access: Approximately 30 minutes by car from the center of Sapporo

▼For more information about "Moerenuma Park", please visit

SPOT 13 Winter activities at hot spring resort Toyako Silo Viewing (Toyako Town )

洞爺湖サイロ展望

The Silo Observation Deck is located on the western shore of Lake Toya in Hokkaido, at the edge of the land surrounding Lake Toya. It is a scenic spot from which you can view Lake Toya, Nakajima, Usuyama, Showa Shinzan, and other mountains. Visitors can also enjoy snowmobile rides through the vast silver-white world, and small children can have fun at the sledding corner.

Date: Wednesday, December 28, 2022 - late February, 2023 (scheduled) 10:00 - 15:30
Fees
Snow Rafting: Adults 1,500 yen / Children 1,000 yen
Snowmobile: Adults: 3,000 yen and up / Rear passenger: 1,500 yen and up
Parking: Available
Location: 3-5 Naruka, Toyako Town, Abuta-gun
■Access: 15 minutes by car from Toyako Onsen Hot Spring Resort

For more information about "Toyako Silo Observation "Yukiyu Hiroba", please visit

SPOT 14 Snowmobiling in a spectacular silvery-white world Shibetsu Golf Course (Shibetsu City)

士別ゴルフ場

In winter, Shibetsu Golf Course is transformed into "Snowmobile Land in Shibetsu" where both children and adults can enjoy. Held on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays during the period, snowmobiles and banana boats are very popular. There are also discount coupon tickets with common meal coupons that can be used at restaurants in the city.

Dates: January 14 (Sat.) - March 5 (Sun.), 2023 10:00 - 16:00 (last admission at 15:30)
Fees
Suffolk course: 1 lap (3km) 1000 yen / 2 laps (6km) 2000 yen
Banana board: 500 yen per ride
Banana board: 500 yen per ride ・Ticket with meal ticket: 2,000 yen (2,000 yen ticket + 500 yen meal ticket)
Location: Higashi 8jo 15-chome, Shibetsu City

▼For more information about "Shibetsu Golf Course "Snowmobile Land Inn Shibetsu", please visit

SPOT 15 Wai Wai Tube Sliding in Northeast Hokkaido (Sapporo )

農試公園

Northeast Park has unique facilities such as a chapu-chapu pond and a traffic area where visitors can practice bicycle riding. In winter, sledding and walking ski courses are open on the slopes of the multipurpose plaza, and "Wai Wai Tire Tubing," in which tire tubes are pulled by snowmobiles, is held.

Dates: Winter Activities: Saturday, January 7, 2023 - Sunday, March 5, 2023
*Please check the official website for detailed information on the hours of each activity and operating hours outside of the winter season.
Fees: *Fees vary depending on the activity you wish to experience.
Parking: Available (free of charge)
Location: 6-95-21 Nishi 6-chome, Hachiken 5-jo Nishi, Nishi-ku, Sapporo
Access: 15 minutes on foot after getting off at JR Kotoni Station
For more information about "Northeast Park Winter Activities", please visit

All information is current as of January 2023.
All information is subject to change. Please check the official website for details.

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