Take a drive around Mount Komagatake, the symbol of Southern Hokkaido. We recommend the “Road of Many Colors,” which is dyed in spring hues from late May to early June with a collaboration of double-flowered cherry blossoms, marigolds, and more. In early summer, you can also enjoy delicious blueberries!

This Route's Coordinator

This Drive's Route

Hakodate, Onuma, and Uchiura Bay Route

The Hakodate, Onuma, and Uchiura Bay Route, which serves as Hokkaido's gateway by air, sea, and rail, allows you to experience a unique local character that is “in Hokkaido but not quite Hokkaido, yet not Tohoku either.” Here, you'll find the exotic townscape surrounding Mount Hakodate, the Onuma area where you can enjoy nature activities like horseback riding and canoeing, and the ancient romance of the Jomon archaeological sites. The route showcases a variety of landscapes, from urban to rural and fishing village scenes. Additionally, events like “Scenic de Night” and the “Clean, Green & Flower Event” are held to deepen interactions between local residents and visitors.

Let's Start the Drive!

1 [Viewpoint] Kijihiki Highland (Panorama Observatory)

This observatory stands at an elevation of 560m on a highland in Hokuto City. The Panorama Observatory is a spectacular spot offering a sweeping view of Mount Hakodate, Uchiura Bay, Onuma, and Mount Komagatake. At the “Scenic Forest” near the Kijihiki Highland Campground, tree-planting activities for carbon offsetting are also continuously carried out.

Kijihiki Highland (Panorama Observatory)

2 Michi-no-Eki Tsudoru Plaza Sawara

From the observation hall at Michi-no-Eki Tsudoru Plaza Sawara, you can enjoy a 360-degree grand panorama that includes not only Mount Komagatake but also a view of Mount Yotei across Uchiura Bay. At the product hall, the blueberry soft-serve ice cream, a mix of Komagatake Milk cream and blueberries, a specialty of Mori Town, is incredibly popular for its refreshing sweetness, smooth texture, and light melt-in-your-mouth feel.

Michi-no-Eki Tsudoru Plaza Sawara

3 Michi-no-Eki Shikabe Kanketsusen Park (Geyser Park)

A geyser is a hot spring that periodically erupts from the ground. At Michi-no-Eki Shikabe Kanketsusen Park, the sight of water shooting up to a height of 15 meters at intervals of about 12 minutes is popular with visitors! The footbath, which uses water from the erupting hot spring, allows you to easily enjoy improved blood circulation and relaxation. There are also steam cookers on the premises that use the hot spring, where you can cook and savor ingredients purchased at the product hall.

Michi-no-Eki Shikabe Kanketsusen Park (Geyser Park)

4 Onuma Quasi-National Park

Onuma Quasi-National Park, selected as one of the New Three Views of Japan, is a nature park of about 9,000 hectares located in the central part of the Oshima Peninsula. From within the vast park, you can see the active volcano Mount Komagatake, and on Lake Onuma, 126 small and large islands float, where you can enjoy boating and sightseeing cruises. After the snow melts, from early to late April, we recommend viewing the beautiful white Asian skunk-cabbages blooming in the lakeside marsh near the Higashi-Onuma Campground.

Onuma Quasi-National Park

5 Goryokaku Park & Goryokaku Tower

Goryokaku Park is famous as one of Hakodate's premier cherry blossom spots. The spring scenery, when the cherry trees planted inside and outside the moat are in full bloom, is spectacular. From the tower's observation deck, you can see the beautiful star shape of Goryokaku outlined in pink. You can enjoy the view from above or take a stroll along the outer moat. The 107-meter-tall Goryokaku Tower is a landmark of Hakodate. Come and experience this beautiful space created by history.

Goryokaku Park & Goryokaku Tower

Summary

How was it?
This route was perfect for fully enjoying Hokkaido's spring. It's wonderful to enjoy the cherry blossoms as they start blooming from the south in the warm, sunny weather!

Please continue to take precautions against infectious diseases and enjoy an exciting drive.