Takino Suzuran Hillside National Government Park is popular for its vast flower fields from spring to autumn, but in winter it transforms into Takino Snow World, where you can enjoy skiing and playing in the snow! The park's vast grounds are roughly 400 hectares, or the equivalent of 85 Tokyo Domes, and it's packed with activities that even small children can enjoy. Here, we'll show you how to enjoy Takino Snow World!

Takino Snow World is easily accessible, about 45 minutes by car from central Sapporo. The 2023-2024 season will begin on Saturday, December 23rd, just before Christmas, and will be open every day until it closes on Sunday, March 31st, 2024! Admission is free (parking fees are 420 yen for regular cars and 1,250 yen for large cars), making it an appealing place to visit without any hassle.

Takino Snow World is full of snow play spots that both children and adults can enjoy! We will introduce you to the snow play spots that are unique to Takino Snow World, including classic winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding, the longest tube sled ride in Japan, and snowshoes that allow you to explore in the fluffy snow.

Tube sledding, where you slide down a big tube with your bottom in it, is a specialty of Takino Snow World! The sledding slope here is one of the largest in Japan, with six 200m courses. Once you rent a tube, you will be automatically carried to the top by a rope tow.

For small children who find tube sledding a little scary, there is a small sledding course next door. Not only tube sledding, but also plastic sledding for children is available for free rental, so it is very safe.

Takino Snow World's family slope features a gentle slope that is 250m long. The gentle course is perfect for those trying winter sports for the first time! Not only do they provide the three-piece ski set, skis, poles, and ski boots, but they also rent ski wear for children, so you don't have to bring heavy skis! The lift is a slow two-seater, making it perfect for skiing or snowboarding debuts.

The vast Takino Snow World is the only place where you can enjoy cross-country skiing at your own pace. The park has six courses of various difficulty levels, ranging from 1km to 17km, so anyone from beginners to advanced skiers can have fun.

We also recommend using snowshoes to walk on the fluffy snow that is unique to Hokkaido. You can freely walk in places that you can't enter in the summer and experience winter in Hokkaido with your whole body. There are many fun things to do, such as finding the footprints of rabbits and raccoon dogs that live in the park, or lying down on the snow. Another great thing about snowshoes is that they can be rented for free at the Forest Communication Center in the Takino Forest Zone within the park.

If you want to have even more fun with snow, such as making snowmen and tunnels, we recommend the snow play area in the Takino Forest Zone! It's a play area made of piled up snow, so you can dive right into the snow, have a snowball fight, and do whatever you like.

Takino Snow World is a hotspot where you can enjoy not only playing in the snow, but also spectacular winter scenery. You may be able to see "frost flowers," which look like flowers blooming on frozen water, the morning after a very cold night. You can also see "frozen waterfalls," which are formed when water from waterfalls freeze, at Ashiribetsu Falls and Masumi Falls in the park.

There are so many ways to play in the snow at Takino Snow World that a day will fly by in a flash! Various events will also be held during the season. Why not come and visit Takino Snow World this winter?

Takino Suzuran Hillside National Park / Takino Snow World

■ Business hours: December 23rd (Saturday) to March 31st, 2024 (Sunday) 9:00-16:00 ■ Fee: Free admission ■Address: 247 Takino, Minami-ku, Sapporo For more information and maps about "Takino Suzuran Hillside National Park / Takino Snow World," please click here.