EDITORIALS
The 20 best places to drive in the suburbs of Obihiro and Tokachi! Full of spectacular scenery and culinary attractions!
The Obihiro/Tokachi area has many sunny days, as the phrase "Tokachi sunny days" suggests, making it a perfect area for a drive where you can enjoy both nature and food to the fullest. In this issue, we will introduce some of the best spots for a drive in the suburbs of Obihiro and Tokachi.
1 . "Tokachi Hills" (Makuharibetsu Town), a garden where you can enjoy Tokachi to the fullest based on the concept of flowers, food, and agriculture
(2 ) "Tokachi Millennium Woods (Shimizu Town)" where you can also enjoy a guided Segway tour
The Taushubetsu River Bridge on the former Japan National Railways Shihoro Line (Kamishihoro Town), a bridge that is nationally known as a miraculous bridge
4 . "Wine Castle (Ikeda Town)," which is famous for its Tokachi wine that is highly acclaimed overseas
Rokka Forest (Nakasatsunai Village), where the flowers depicted on Rokkatei wrapping paper are spread all over the land
6 . "Kofuku Station" (Obihiro City), where the "Kofuku Yuki" ticket is popular for its good fortune
Tokachimura (Obihiro City), where you can enjoy Banei horse racing and the adjacent Tokachi Village
8 . "Yanagizuki Sweetpia Garden (Otoe Town)" is full of sweets from the agricultural kingdom of Tokachi.
Karikatsu Highlands Eco Trolley (Shintoku Town), where you can enjoy a trolley ride on an 800-meter course
10. the Manabe Garden (Obihiro City), a magnificent garden boasting an area of 25,000 tsubo
11. "Saho" where you can observe brown bears ! Sahoro Resort Bear Mountain (Shintoku Town), where you can observe brown bears. 12.
12 . a view spot from which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Tokachi Plain! Shihoro Kogen Nupuka no Sato (Shihoro Town)
Lake Shikaribetsu, the highest lake in Hokkaido (Shikaoi Town )
Banei Tokachi (Obihiro City), the world's only powerful horse racing "Banei Tokachi
15 . the Kanda Nissho Memorial Museum of Art (Shikaoi-cho), which permanently exhibits the works of Western-style painters representing Hokkaido
16 . "Tokachi Nupuku Garden (Obihiro City)," a multi-purpose spot where you can enjoy horseback riding, restaurants, and a dog run
17. Shihoro Onsen Plaza Midorikaze (Shihoro Town), where you can refresh yourself in a mall hot spring.
18 . think back to ancient times at the Tokachi-Horokayantou Pit (Taiki Town )
19 . relax and enjoy the scenery of southern Tokachi at the Scenic Cafe Churui (Makuhibetsu Town)
20 . "Galaxy Forest Observatory [Rikubetsu Space & Earth Science Museum] (Rikubetsu Town)" where you can gaze at the stars through one of the largest telescopes in Japan
Tokachi Hills (Makubetsu Town), a garden where you can fully enjoy Tokachi based on the concept of flowers, food and agriculture
Located on top of a small hill, Tokachi Hills offers a luxurious view of the city of Tokachi and the mountains of the Tokachi mountain range, as well as other rich natural scenery. In this superb location, the café offers gourmet food made from local ingredients, allowing visitors to enjoy a relaxing time. In addition, the "Hills Shop & Shop Cafe," located before entering the garden, offers a variety of handmade goods by Tokachi artists and other wonderful garden goods that can only be found here.
Open: April 20 (Sat) - October 9:00-17:00
*Open only at the Garden Cafe until November: 10:00-17:00
Closed: Open every day during the period
Fees: Garden admission: Adults 1,000 yen / Junior high school students 400 yen / Elementary school students and younger free
Location: 13-5 Nisshin, Makubetsu-cho
Click here for details and map information of Tokachi Hills
2. "Tokachi Millennium Woods (Shimizu Town)" where you can also enjoy Segway guided tours
Tokachi Millennium Forest is a magnificent landscape of natural broadleaf forests and artificial larch forests. It is a space where people can interact with nature in various fields such as forests, gardens, art, agriculture, and food. Known as one of the eight gardens "Hokkaido Garden Road" scattered throughout Shimizu Town, visitors can enjoy horseback riding and Segway guided tours.
■Opening hours: April 20 (Sat) - June 9:30 - 17:00 / July - August 9:00 - 17:00 / September - October 14 (Mon) 9:30 - 16:00
*Last admission 30 minutes before closing time
Closed: Tuesday, October 15 to the opening of the following year
Fees: High school students and older: 1,200 yen / Elementary and junior high school students: 600 yen / Children under elementary school age: free
Location: 10 Habu Minami, Shimizu-cho, Kamikawa-gun
Click here for details and map information of Tokachi Millennium Woods
3. nationally known phantom bridge "Taushibetsu River Bridge on the former Japan National Railways Shihoro Line (Kamishihoro Town)
This 130-meter-long concrete arch bridge, known as a phantom bridge, appears on the frozen lake surface around January, begins to sink as the water level rises around May, and sinks to the bottom of the lake around summer. It is called "Megane-bashi (glasses bridge)" because the arches of the bridge reflected on the lake surface when it begins to sink look like glasses. This is the only arch bridge in Japan whose appearance changes with the seasons.
Location: Nukabira Gensenkyo, Kamishihoro Town, Kawato-gun
Click here for details and map information on the Tausubetsu River Bridge on the former Japan National Railways Shihoro Line.
4. Ikeda Wine Castle (Ikeda Town) is famous for its Tokachi wine, which is highly regarded overseas.
Ikeda Wine Castle is a winery with a history of more than 50 years, famous for its "Tokachi Wine. The first floor has a shopping area where you can buy Tokachi wine and other Ikeda products, while the underground aging room quietly houses French oak barrels and old vintage wines.
■Opening hours and days:
Wine Castle: 9:00-17:00
Restaurant (4th floor) 11:00-17:00 (LO 16:30)
Open until 20:00 on Saturdays only (LO19:00)
Closed
Wine Castle: Year-end and New Year holidays
Restaurant: Tuesdays, Year-end and New Year holidays
Open on Tuesdays when Tuesdays are national holidays, closed the following Wednesday.
■Fare: Free
Location: 83-4, Kiyomi, Ikeda-cho
For details and map information of Ikeda Wine Castle, click here.
5. "Rokka-no-mori" (Nakasatsunai Village), where the flowers and plants depicted on Rokkatei wrapping paper are spread all over the area
The Rokka-no-mori forest is surrounded by rich nature, with 100-year-old elm trees growing in the background of the magnificent Hidaka Mountains and the murmuring of a stream. Visitors are greeted by flowers and plants familiar to visitors from the flower-patterned wrapping paper of Rokkatei confectionery, a popular Hokkaido souvenir. The park also houses the Sakamoto Naoyuki Memorial Museum, where visitors can enjoy exhibits of works depicting the mountains of Hokkaido and sketches of flowers and plants.
Open: April 20 (Sat) - October 27 (Sun), 10:00 - 16:00
*Shop 10:30-16:00 / Cafe 11:00-16:00 (lunch LO 15:00, dessert menu LO 15:30)
Admission: Adults 1,000 yen / Elementary/Junior high school students 500 yen
Location：249-6, Tokiwa-nishi 3-sen, Nakasatsunai-mura, Kawanishi-gun
For details and map information of Rokka no Mori, click here.
6. "Kofuku Station (Obihiro City)" where the lucky "Kofuku Yuki" ticket is popular
The station building is now known as "Railway Park," and the two diesel cars, platform, and station building that served the area until it was closed down are preserved. The "Kofuku-yuki" ticket, which can be purchased as a souvenir, is still popular for its good fortune.
Opening hours: Shop: Summer 9:00-17:30 / Winter 9:30-15:00
Fee：Free of charge
Location：Happiness Town East Line 1, Obihiro City
Click here for details and map information of "Kofuku Station
7. after enjoying Banei Horse Racing, you can visit Tokachimura (Obihiro City), which is also adjacent to Banei Horse Racing.
Located on the grounds of Obihiro Horse Racetrack, where the powerful "Banei Horse Racing" is held, Tokachimura is a sightseeing spot that brings together all of Tokachi's culinary attractions. Inside, there is a "Kitchen" where you can taste menus that make full use of local ingredients, "Sweets & Select" where you can find sweets and original goods made from high-quality ingredients, and a "Produce Market" selling safe and secure agricultural products and specialties, perfect for selecting unique Tokachi souvenirs.
Business hours: 10:00 - 21:00 *Varies according to stores.
Closed: Wednesdays
*Toilets inside the facility, toilets by the parking lot, kids' room, free lounge, and shrine are open.
■Location: Nishi 13 Minami 8-chome, Obihiro City
Click here for more information about "Tokachimura" and map information.
8. "YANAGITSUKI SWEATPIER GARDEN (Otoe Town)" full of sweets particular to the agricultural kingdom of Tokachi
Sweet Pier Garden is the factory of "Yanagizuki," a leading Japanese and Western confectionery manufacturer in Tokachi, and inside the facility there is a tour course, a cafe corner, and a confectionery-making workshop. The sale of "Sanbouroku no Bargain", a completely limited-quantity product, is particularly popular, with people lining up to buy it.
■Opening Dates and Times
April 15 (Mon) - November 4 (Mon): Shop 9:00 - 18:00 / Coffee shop 9:00 - 17:00 / Factory tour store start time - 16:00
November 5 (Tue.) - April 20 (Sun.): Shop 9:00 - 17:00 / Coffee shop 9:00 - 16:30 / Factory tour: Shop start time - 16:00
Closed: Coffee shop January 1
Fee：Free *Some experiences and purchases require an additional fee.
Location: 1-1 Natsuzora, Ondo-cho, Kawagoe-gun
Click here for details and map information of "YANAGATSUKI SWEET PIERRE GARDEN
9. "Karikatsu Plateau Eco Torokko Railway (Shintoku Town)" where you can enjoy a trolley ride on an 800-meter course.
Visitors can enjoy pedaling their own 800-meter long course on a track bicycle modified into a trolley for track maintenance. The course, built on the premises of Shinnai Station on the former Nemuro Main Line, includes railroad crossings and various railroad signs, and visitors can feel like a train driver by obeying the signals.
Operating hours: April 29 (Mon.) - October 9:30 - 16:30
Except July 20 (Sat.)-August, the train operates only on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
Closed: Wednesdays from July 20 to August / Weekdays during other periods
Fees
Foot-peddling trolley: Adults 700 yen / Children 3 years old and up to junior high school students 400 yen
Battery train: Adults: 700 yen (for adults only, including those with a regular driver's license)
Location: Old Shinnai Station, Karikatsu Plateau, Shintoku-cho, Kamikawa-gun
Click here for more details and map information on the Karikatsu Plateau Eco Trolley Railroad.
10. "Manabe Garden (Obihiro City)," a magnificent garden covering an area of 25,000 tsubo
Manabe Garden, which boasts an area of 25,000 tsubo, is a circular garden that consists of gardens with three themes. Over the years, the garden has collected thousands of species of plants from all over the world, and wild birds and Hokkaido squirrels visit the garden daily. The grounds also include a café terrace where visitors can relax and a garden center where rare and up-to-date horticultural varieties of plants can be purchased.
■Opening hours: Usually from late April to November
8:30-17:30 (last admission 17:00) until September / October - 16:30 / November - 15:30
Closed: Open throughout the year
Fees: Adults 1,000 yen / Elementary/Junior high school students 200 yen
Location: 2-6, Higashi, Inada-cho, Obihiro City
Click here for details and map information of Manabe Garden
11. A powerful sightseeing spot for brown bears! Sahoro Resort Bear Mountain (Shintoku-cho), where you can observe brown bears
This is a spot where you can observe brown bears, the largest species of bear found only in Hokkaido, in their natural habitat. The "bear watching bus" and 5-meter-high "boardwalk" provide a close-up look at the bears from various angles. Visitors can also enjoy picking out original goods with cute bear motifs as souvenirs.
Open: April 27 (Sat) - October 20 (Sun), 9:00 - 16:00 (last admission at 15:20)
Closed: 5/7 (Tue), 5/15 (Wed), 5/21 (Tue), 5/29 (Wed), 6/5 (Wed), 6/12 (Wed), 6/19 (Wed), 6/25 (Tue), 9/3 (Tue), 9/10 (Tue), 9/24 (Tue), 10/1 (Tue), 10/10 (Thu), 10/16 (Wed)
*Please note that closing dates may change due to facility maintenance, etc.
Fees
Boardwalk course: Adults 2,200 yen / Elementary school students from 4 years old to 60 years old and over 1,650 yen
Bear watching bus course: Adults 3,300 yen / Elementary school students from 4 years old to 60 years old and over 2,750 yen
Location: Karikatsu Plateau, Shintoku-cho, Kamikawa-gun
Click here for details and map information of Sahoro Resort Bear Mountain.
12. a view spot from which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Tokachi Plain! Shihoro Kogen Nupuka no Sato (Shihoro Town)
A 20-minute drive up a gentle slope from downtown Shihoro will bring you to East Nupukausinupuri in the Daisetsuzan mountain range. When you arrive at the summit and look back, you will see an endless panorama of the Tokachi Plain before your eyes. It is a luxurious place where you can feel the clean air and wind with your whole body, and at night you can see the stars twinkling fantastically in the sky.
Open: April - November, 10:00 - 16:00
Closed: Tuesdays (except national holidays, GW period, and the 3rd week of July through August), December through March
Location：21-173, Kamiondori, Shihoro
Click here for details and map information of Shihoro Kogen Nupuka no Sato
13. Lake Shikaribetsu (Shikaoi Town), the highest lake in Hokkaido
Lake Shikaribetsu, the only natural lake in Yukiyama National Park, is the highest lake in Hokkaido at 810 m above sea level, and its deepest point is about 100 m. It is surrounded by virgin forest and is home to a variety of precious wildlife, including the naki-usagi, a living fossil said to have lived here since the Ice Age, white-tailed eagles, black-backed woodpeckers and great blue herons.
Location: Shikaribetsu Lakeside, Shikaoi Town, Kawato-gun
Click here for details and map information of Shikaribetsu Lake.
14. "Banei Tokachi (Obihiro City)," the world's only powerful horse race
Banei horse racing is the only horse race in the world where large horses weighing more than one ton pull iron sleds and compete for strength and speed on a straight course. Banei Horse Racing is the only horse race in the world, where large horses weighing more than one ton pull iron sleds and compete for strength and speed on a straight course. After enjoying Banei Horse Racing, visitors can go to the adjacent Tokachimura to buy delicious gourmet foods and souvenirs of Obihiro and Tokachi.
Open: Race days: Saturday, Sunday, and Monday
Please check the official website for race times.
*Available on non-race days (please check the official website for race times).
Closed: On-site facilities
Tokachimura: Wednesdays
Tokachimura: Wednesdays ・Fureai Zoo: Tuesdays
Fees: Admission (on race days): 100 yen
Location：Obihiro Racecourse, 9 minami, Nishi 13 jo, Obihiro City
Click here for details and map information of "Banei Tokachi
15. "Kanda Nissho Memorial Museum of Art (Shikaoi-cho)", a permanent exhibition of works by Western-style painters representing Hokkaido
Known as the model for Tenyo Yamada in NHK's morning drama "Natsuzora," Nissho Kanda is one of Hokkaido's leading Western-style painters. Although he died of illness at the young age of 32, his talent was spared, and almost half of his valuable masterpieces are on permanent display at this museum. The realistic style of his paintings has earned him a reputation of being a "thousand years old" and "unmatchable.
Open: 10:00-17:00 (last admission 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (open if Monday is a national holiday), the day following a national holiday, year-end and New Year holidays
Other temporary closures may occur.
Fees: Adults 530 yen / High school students 320 yen / Elementary and junior high school students 210 yen / Preschool children free
Location: 3-2 Higashi-machi, Shikaoi-machi, Kawato-gun
Click here for details and map information of Kanda Nissho Memorial Museum of Art
16. "Tokachi Nupuku Garden (Obihiro City)," a multi-purpose spot where you can enjoy horseback riding, a restaurant, and a dog run
A vast 4-hectare handmade garden. The grounds include a Western-style garden, a Japanese-style garden, and a natural forest. Visitors can enjoy horseback riding and feeding rainbow trout, and there is also a petting zoo with ponies and rabbits. The sound of the spring water flowing in the river is pleasant, and rainbow trout and Nishikigoi carp can be seen swimming in the pond. From the observatory above the waterfall, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the garden.
Open: April 21-October 20, 9:00-19:00 / October 21-April 20, 10:00-20:00
Closed: Open year-round
Admission: Adults ¥500 / Junior high school students and younger: Free
Location: 109 Nishi 1-sen, Showa-machi, Obihiro City
Click here for details and map information of Tokachi Nupuku Garden.
17. refresh yourself in a mall hot spring with free-flowing hot-spring water "Shihoro Onsen Plaza Midorikaze (Shihoro Town)
Shihoro's unique hot spring is a place where you can enjoy the luxury of having all of the hot spring water flowing from the source, a hot spring that has been selected as a Hokkaido Heritage Site. The rich nature of the deep forests and the mild water will leave your skin moist. The facilities include a large bath, jacuzzi, and sleeping bath, and at night you can bathe in the open-air bath made of rocks while looking at the stars in the sky.
Operating hours: One-day bathing: 11:00-23:00 (last admission at 22:00) *Depends on the facility.
Closed: Open every day of the year *Facilities are temporarily closed for maintenance.
Restaurant only: Mid-November to late April Wednesdays
Fees: One-day bathing: Junior high school students and older: 500 yen / Elementary school students and older: 250 yen / Seniors 65 and older: 350 yen
Location: 134, Aza Shimoibe Nishi 2 Line, Shihoro Town
Click here for details and map information of Shihoro Onsen Plaza Ryokaze.
18. "Tokachi-Horokayanto Pit Complex (Taiki Town)" that brings back memories of ancient times
This is a large aboriginal residential settlement built on a 15-meter-high late-successional coastal terrace overlooking the Pacific Ocean, stretching approximately 2 kilometers from north to south. The remains of the pit houses are scattered in approximately 130 locations around the area. The site is characterized by the small number of earthenware and stoneware, and the presence of metalware. It is also of interest because Okhotsk-style earthenware has been excavated. In 1966, the site was registered as a Hokkaido-designated historical site.
Location: Bansei 1, Taiki Town
Click here for details and map information of the Tokachi-Horokayantou Pit
19. "Scenic Cafe Churui (Makubetsu Town)" where you can relax and enjoy the scenery of southern Tokachi
This café terrace is located in Churui Kyoei Ranch, which stretches over a small hill. Scenic" means "scenic," and the magnificent view from 189 meters above sea level and the sight of cattle grazing in a relaxed manner will make you forget the hectic pace of daily life.
Open: July-September, Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays
Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays, the 3rd Monday in May to the 4th Friday in May, and December 28 to January 3 of the following year
*Special open on Mondays and Tuesdays from May 3 to 5 and August 14 to 16.
Location: 204 Shiraiginmachi, Churui, Makubetsu-cho
Click here for details and map information of Scenic Cafe Churui
20. "Galaxy Forest Observatory <Rikubetsu Space & Earth Science Museum> (Rikubetsu Town)" where you can gaze at the stars through one of the largest telescopes in Japan.
This observatory is open to the public and has one of the largest reflecting telescopes in Japan at 115 cm, as well as a 30 cm class small telescope and a quadruple solar telescope. On the second floor, there is a large telescope dome and a small telescope observation room, where visitors can enjoy the starry sky.
Open: April - September 14:00 - 22:30 / October - March 13:00 - 21:30
■Fees
Lunch time (April-September 14:00-18:00 / October-March 13:00-17:00)
Adults 300 yen / Elementary and junior high school students 200 yen
Night hours (April - September 18:00 - 22:30 / October - March 17:00 - 21:30)
Adults 500 yen / Elementary and junior high school students 300 yen
Location: Uwonbetsu, Rikubetsu-cho, Rikubetsu-cho, Ashoro-gun
Click here for details and map information of Ginga no Mori Observatory.
All information is current as of April 2024.
All information is subject to change. Please check the official website for details.
