Shiroi Koibito Park is a confectionery theme park in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Here, you can enjoy a factory tour of the famous Hokkaido souvenir "Shiroi Koibito," participate in sweet-making workshops, savor original sweets and other gourmet treats, and shop for exclusive products. This guide will introduce you to how to get to Shiroi Koibito Park, a classic Sapporo sightseeing spot, and highlight the park's attractions and ways to enjoy them.

The popular Hokkaido souvenir "Shiroi Koibito" (photo for illustrative purposes)

First, let's go over the basic information and how to enjoy Shiroi Koibito Park. We'll also introduce the attractions within the facility in detail. By the time you finish reading, you'll be a master of enjoying Shiroi Koibito Park.

The park is filled with picturesque photo spots.

Shiroi Koibito Park is a confectionery theme park operated by ISHIYA, the manufacturer and seller of Hokkaido's iconic souvenir sweet, "Shiroi Koibito." Since its opening in 1995, it has been a major tourist destination in Sapporo, attracting a constant stream of visitors, including tourists and locals alike. Its popularity stems from being a facility where you can see, learn, taste, and experience. Not only can you enjoy dining and shopping, but you can also learn about the history and charm of chocolate, centered around "Shiroi Koibito," and enjoy various activities like sweet-making and taking photos at scenic spots.

The building resembles a Western castle, complete with an English-style courtyard.

Although located on the outskirts of Sapporo, Shiroi Koibito Park is easily accessible by car, subway, or bus, making it a popular spot that can be fully enjoyed in just half a day.

By Car

Take the Sasson Expressway and get off at the Sapporo-nishi IC; the park is immediately on your right, about a 1-minute drive. However, you can only exit at Sapporo-nishi IC when coming from the Otaru direction. If you're coming from New Chitose Airport, you'll need to get off at the Shinkawa IC, which is about a 10-minute drive away (travel time may vary depending on traffic). There are multiple parking lots on and off the premises, so you won't have trouble finding a spot.

By Subway

It's about a 7-minute walk from Miyanosawa Station, the last stop on the Tozai Subway Line. Go through the Sapporo City Lifelong Learning Center "Chieria," which is directly connected to the station, cross the main road, and turn right to reach the main gate of Shiroi Koibito Park. The Tozai Line is convenient for getting there from central Sapporo or New Chitose Airport, as it passes through Odori Station in the city center and Shin-Sapporo Station, where you can transfer to the Rapid Airport train from New Chitose Airport. The ride to Miyanosawa Station takes about 16 minutes from Odori Station and about 35 minutes from Shin-Sapporo Station.

By Bus

Take the highway bus from Sapporo Station Front heading to Otaru Station Front via Maruyama, and get off at the Nishimachi-kita 20-chome bus stop, which is about a 7-minute walk from the park. This bus is a convenient option if you're coming from the Otaru area by public transport. Note that there are several highway bus routes between Sapporo and Otaru, so be sure to take the one that goes via Maruyama, as others do not stop at Nishimachi-kita 20-chome.

You can also decorate a heart-shaped Shiroi Koibito with your own drawings and messages.

Shiroi Koibito Park has both paid and free areas. In the paid area, you can enjoy sweet-making workshops, factory tours, and video attractions, as well as access some cafes and shops with exclusive menus.

The popular "Shiroi Koibito Soft Serve Ice Cream."

In the free area, you can admire the beautiful rose garden and winter illuminations, dine at some of the cafes, and shop for treats like soft serve ice cream and bread. The recommended way to explore Shiroi Koibito Park is to first immerse yourself in the paid area's tours, workshops, and exclusive sweets, and then move to the free area for dining and shopping. While you can certainly enjoy the park by just visiting the free areas for the garden and shopping, a visit to the paid area is highly recommended to fully experience all the park's charms.

You can also enjoy a relaxing time with a chocolate drink.

To see the paid and free areas and do some shopping at a brisk pace, you should allow at least 2 hours. If you want to take your time, including participating in a sweet-making workshop and dining at a cafe, plan for 3 to 4 hours, or about half a day, to fully enjoy your visit.

From here, we'll introduce how to enjoy the paid areas of Shiroi Koibito Park, including the factory tour and sweet-making workshops. We'll guide you along the actual route inside the building.

The projection mapping show in the Time Travel Room inside Chocotopia House.

The entrance to the paid area is the ticket center near the main gate of Shiroi Koibito Park. After purchasing your ticket and heading inside, you'll first enter Chocotopia House. Here, you can watch a video introducing the story of cacao and a projection mapping show about the history of chocolate's evolution. You'll have fun learning how chocolate was born, spread throughout the world, and became the delicious treat it is today.

A view of the Chocotopia Factory.

After Chocotopia House, you'll proceed to Chocotopia Factory on the third floor. Here, you can watch the production line for "Shiroi Koibito" and other sweets through a glass window. Since the production line is on the first floor, you can get a bird's-eye view of the entire process. Watching the endless stream of "Shiroi Koibito" cookies being mass-produced really drives home the fact that it is Hokkaido's most popular and iconic sweet.

Draw your favorite pictures and messages on a heart-shaped Shiroi Koibito.

On the fourth floor, you'll find the Chocotopia Market, which houses several facilities. One of them is the Sweets Workshop Dream Kitchen, where you can enjoy making your own sweets. You can create your own custom-designed treat, such as drawing pictures and writing messages with a chocolate pen on a large, heart-shaped "Shiroi Koibito." Don't worry if you're not artistic! You'll find it's quite addicting once you start.

Since sessions have set times and capacities, it's best to book in advance on the official website if you want to participate. Same-day registration is available if there are open spots, except for the "My Shiroi Koibito Baking" course.

An example of a custom design.

Sweets Workshop Dream Kitchen Experience Menu

Inside the Chocolate Lounge Oxford.

At Trial Place Covent and Chocolate Lounge Oxford in the Chocotopia Market, you can savor exclusive sweets that can't be found anywhere else.

The "Shiroi Koibito" Nama Chocolate Sandwich.

Trial Place Covent is a takeout shop located in front of the demonstration area where they bake Langue de Chat cookies. They make and serve the "Shiroi Koibito" Nama Chocolate Sandwich right before your eyes. It's about four times the size of a regular "Shiroi Koibito" and very satisfying! You can enjoy its freshly made texture.

The Shiroi Koibito Parfait.

Chocolate Lounge Oxford is a cafe with large windows offering views of the Shiroi Koibito Park courtyard and distant mountains. Here, you can enjoy the "Shiroi Koibito Parfait," made with original white chocolate sauce, as well as pancakes, seasonal sweets, and chocolate drinks. It's a calm atmosphere where you can relax and enjoy the scenery.

A photo spot at Magical Marche.

Magical Marche, located at the exit of the Chocotopia Market, is the perfect photo spot. With various Instagrammable items, it's ideal for capturing a memorable photo. It's great for taking pictures with friends or family, and even if you're alone, you can take photos here without feeling awkward. Continuing on, you'll reach the exit of the paid area, which leads to the second floor of the Tudor House in the free area.

In the free area, you can enjoy the Tudor House, a building with shops and light meals, as well as a courtyard filled with blooming roses.

Inside Cafe Butler's Wharf.

The "Drinkable Shiroi Koibito" perfectly combines white chocolate and Langue de Chat cookies.

Cafe Butler's Wharf, located on the second floor of the Tudor House at the exit of the paid area, is the perfect cafe to take a break during your tour. Besides the "Shiroi Koibito Soft Serve Ice Cream," you can also enjoy pasta and pizza. The "Drinkable Shiroi Koibito," a beverage version of the famous cookie, is a must-try! This exclusive item, only available at this cafe, perfectly blends a white chocolate drink with crushed Langue de Chat cookies sprinkled on top.

The meal options are also substantial. Chicken curry with plenty of shredded chicken.

If you're in the mood for rice instead of pasta or pizza, head to Curry Restaurant Entrepot, located on the B1 floor near the main gate after exiting the building. Here, you can enjoy authentic, original curry and soup curry made by curry specialists.

Soup curry with seared cheese and chicken.

With several varieties of both curry and soup curry, featuring chicken, scallops, or hamburger steak, there's something for everyone! The cheese-topped curry and soup curry are highly recommended; the melted cheese mixes with the spicy curry for a rich, mellow flavor. They also offer a "Kids' Meal" with fried shrimp and a mini hamburger steak, making it a family-friendly option.

Bake Shop Chelsea, where you can buy bread (photo for illustrative purposes).

The exclusive Shiroi Koibito Park original bread, "Snow Dome White" (right).

The first floor of the Tudor House features a bakery and a shop. Bake Shop Chelsea is a bakery that makes and sells bread using Hokkaido wheat, including the popular Shiroi Koibito Park original bread, "Snow Dome White." Popular items like the "Snow Dome" can sell out later in the day, so it's best to visit earlier if you can.

Exclusive to Shop Piccadilly: "Shiroi Koibito (Original Tea) 5 Tea Bags Box" (photo for illustrative purposes).

Exclusive to Shop Piccadilly and Bake Shop Chelsea: "Shiroi Koibito Milk Jam."

Shop Piccadilly is the place for souvenir shopping, offering not only "Shiroi Koibito" but also a wide variety of other ISHIYA products, including some exclusive items sold only here. It's the perfect one-stop shop for all your Shiroi Koibito Park souvenirs! They also offer domestic shipping, so visitors from far away can shop without worrying about carrying extra luggage.

You can insert your favorite image into the heart-shaped center.

If you're buying "Shiroi Koibito" as a souvenir, why not make it a custom design? At Photo Shop Memento (Tudor House branch) on the first floor of the Tudor House, you can have your own photo incorporated into the package design of the 36-piece or 54-piece "Shiroi Koibito" tins. Since it's a tin container, you can keep it as a lasting memento even after the cookies are gone.

Please note that they do not accept paper photos or USB drives, so be sure to have the image you want to use saved on your smartphone before you visit. (*Images must not infringe on any copyrights or trademarks.)

The Karakuri Clock Tower soaring over the courtyard.

The free area offers plenty to enjoy outdoors as well. One highlight is the parade at the Karakuri Clock Tower, visible from the courtyard, which takes place for about 10 minutes every hour on the hour from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (may be canceled due to weather). When the clock strikes the hour, mechanical animal puppets emerge from the clock tower and other spots to begin a lively parade. Their cute and cheerful performance might seem geared towards children, but it's heartwarming for adults too, making you feel like you've stepped into a fairytale. Be sure to head to the courtyard just before the top of the hour!

The Rose Garden in summer.

The winter illuminations.

Shiroi Koibito Park is famous for the roses and illuminations in its courtyard. The courtyard features a rose garden, and the sight of roses in full bloom from spring to autumn, especially in summer, is simply breathtaking! The vibrant colors of the flowers against the backdrop of the buildings are spectacular. In winter, when the ground is covered in snow, the courtyard is adorned with illuminations. The view during twilight, just at or after sunset, is truly magical! The courtyard is a fantastic viewing spot in any season, as long as the weather is good.

Shiroi Koibito Park has many other attractions, including courtyard stalls, photo spots, and other amusements! While you can get a quick tour in about 2 hours, you'll want to set aside at least half a day to fully enjoy everything it has to offer. This theme park, perfect for sightseeing or a family outing, is sure to create wonderful memories of your trip or holiday.

(Photos courtesy of ISHIYA TRADING CO., LTD.)

Get Hokkaido's classic souvenir "Shiroi Koibito" through the Furusato Nozei (Hometown Tax) program!

Shiroi Koibito Park

■Address: 2-2-11-36 Miyanosawa, Nishi-ku, Sapporo
■Hours: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
*Last admission to paid area: 4:30 PM
■Closed: Open year-round
■Paid Area Admission: Adults (high school students & older) 800 yen / Children (up to junior high school) 400 yen / Ages 3 and under Free
Click here for details and map information for Shiroi Koibito Park