Roadside Station Thoroughbred Road Niikappu is located almost halfway along National Route 235, which runs along the coastline of the Hidaka region in southern Hokkaido. It is home to a product center, flower shop, restaurant, and more, and is also used as a base for sightseeing. This time, we will introduce the charms of this roadside station!

The Hidaka region is known as the "hometown of racehorses," and the roadside station "Thoroughbred Road Niikappu" is lined with various bronze statues and objects related to thoroughbreds.

Monster of the Showa Era: "Haiseiko Statue"

Haiseiko, affectionately known as the "Showa Monster," was a famous horse that created a sensation in the Japanese horse racing world in the 1970s. The statue of Haiseiko, erected as a symbol of the horse breeding area, exudes the dignity of the "Showa Monster."

The Yushun Monument, an objet d'art with the names of famous horses engraved on it

The "Yushun Monument" was erected to honor horses with brilliant achievements. Some of the famous horses that became famous through the "Uma Musume" series were bred in Niikappu Town.

Uma Shrine!? "Umakyuu Going Place"

This is a corner inside the roadside station called "Umaku Ikussho (Everything will go well)." It's Hokkaido dialect for "Everything will go well." There are lots of offerings placed in front of the horse, making it look like a shrine. If you're visiting, why not stop by and pray?

Hidaka kelp is a local specialty of the Hidaka region. But did you know that there are gourmet dishes made with Hidaka kelp?

The name of this impressive black pork bun is "Araisomaru." Let's try it!

Packed with Hidaka kelp and pork! The aroma of kelp will whet your appetite. You can fill your stomach without getting your hands dirty, so it's the perfect accompaniment for a drive!

Niikappu Town is known as the "Town of Thoroughbreds," but it is also known as the "Town of Green Peppers," as it is the number one producer of green peppers in Hokkaido. At the roadside station, they serve "Green Pepper Soft Serve," a soft serve ice cream made with green peppers, a specialty product of Niikappu Town. Many tourists buy it because it is so rare, so we decided to try it for ourselves!

This soft serve ice cream is a blend of rich milk and the refreshing flavor of bell peppers...it's a combination that might make you hesitate to eat it, but once you try it, it's refreshing and maybe even addictive.

The souvenir shop inside the roadside station is lined with souvenirs, including thoroughbred wood carvings, horseshoes, and Uma Musume goods. There are plenty of souvenirs that can only be found in the hometown of racehorses.

These wood carvings are made from hardwood grown at the foot of Mount Daisetsu. It's amazing to see that each piece is carefully carved by hand! You can really feel the craftsmanship in the dynamism of the thoroughbreds.

A corner is filled with stuffed horses, including Uma Musume stuffed animals!

In addition, horseshoes that were actually used by Hidaka's horses are also available for purchase.

Be sure to check out the souvenir shop, as there are many souvenirs unique to this town of thoroughbreds!

So far we have introduced the sights and cuisine at the roadside station "Thoroughbred Road Niikappu," but you can't miss the surrounding spots either. Nearby are the "Record Hall," which displays records donated from all over the country, the "Yushun Tower," which offers a 360° panoramic view, and the "Niikappu Kitchen," which has multiple tenants.

The first place we'd like to introduce is the Record Museum, which has a collection of over one million records donated by music lovers from all over the country.

Record Hall

And we recommend the view from the 25m high Tower of Yushun!

View from Yushun Tower

There is also a panel of Uma Musume character Narita Brian next to the elevator to the observation deck.

"Narita Brian" panel at the observation deck of Yushun Tower

Niikappu Kitchen was opened in 2018 after being renovated from a former supermarket. It is home to four tenants: a bakery and cake shop, a greengrocer, a fishmonger, and a butcher, making it extremely convenient for shopping.

Niikappu Kitchen

What did you think? Thoroughbred Road Niikappu is a great place to take a break during your drive, shop, or go sightseeing. Be sure to stop by!

Roadside Station Thoroughbred Road Niikappu

Address: 1-20 Chuo-cho, Niikappu-cho, Niikappu-gun, Hokkaido ◾️Business hours ・Golden Week and July to September 9:00 to 18:00 ・November-February 10:00-17:00 ・Other than the above 10:00-18:00 ◾️Closed: New Year's holiday (December 30th - January 3rd), every Monday

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