Mt. Moiwa Ropeway

Sapporo city is beautiful at night. In 2015 the city was selected as 1 of the 3 new top 3 cities with beautiful night views. Climb to the summit–altitude 513 meters–of Mt. Moiwa via ropeway, and once you reach you are welcomed with a panoramic view of a city twinkling like a box of jewels […]

Kanno Farm

The flower fields spread on a hill along Hanabito Kaido Road (Route 237), 2 km west of JR Bibaushi Station. More than 30 kinds of flowers, mainly lavender, are in full bloom from mid-June to mid-October Vivid flowers cover the entire hillside, and from the roadside you can look up to see the flower garden. […]

Mount Io

Mount Io is a 512-meter-high active volcano located between Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo. Its other name is Atosanupuri, meaning “naked mountain” in Ainu. In the past, it was used as a mine to extract sulfur. With the blue sky in the background, the plumes of smoke and the sound of gurgling are quite impressive. […]

Rausu Kunashiri Observation Tower

This observatory – located on a hill 167m above sea level — presents a great panoramic view of Rausu city, the Shiretoko mountains, the Nemuro Channel, and Kunashir Island (about 25 km away). Stationed telescopes are available, which is nice.

Shirahige Waterfall

The water gushing out and falling 30 meters comes from Mt. Tokachi’s underground water. If you want a great view of it all, head over to “Blue River Bridge”, the bridge standing over Biei River. In winter, the splashes of water and steam magically create silver frost on the trees, depicting a fantasy-like wonder. And, […]

Kushiro Zoo

Shikisai no Oka

Located atop a high hill, the garden is one of the must visit spots in Biei with a spectacular view. Enjoy in season flowers from spring to autumn. The garden takes up over 150,000 sq. m. of land and has roughly 30 kinds of flowers planted in stripes of red, yellow, pink, and white, so […]

Lavender East

The largest lavender field in Japan is operated by Farm Tomita, with approximately 90,000 lavender plants on a 140,000㎡ site. It is open to the public only in July. The view from the observation deck in the center of the grounds is splendid. The lavender fields spread out below you, and you can see the […]

Shiretoko Pass

A 738-meter altitude pass located approximately halfway along the Shiretoko Highway connecting Utoro on the Sea of Okhotsk side and Rausu on the Nemuro Channel side. Popular as a photogenic spot where visitors can enjoy a magnificent view. Mt. Rausu — the highest mountain in the Shiretoko mountains — directly in front of you, the […]

Shinei no Oka Observatory Park

Typical of Hokkaido scenery, the simple sprawling view of Biei’s rolling hills can be seen from this observatory park. The view of the sunset is especially famous for its beauty. The observatory park can be found midway through Panorama Road and a convenient break spot with bathrooms, a rest area, a parking lot, and shops.

Usu Ropeway

Jigokudani(Hell Valley)

Jigokudani is the aftermath of a volcanic repution that took place 10,0000 years ago. The crater you see today has diameter of 450 meters and an area of 11,000 square meters, and is the most popular tourist attraction in Noboribetsu Onsen. Located in the northeastern part of Noboribetsu Onsen, Jigokudani or “Hell’s Valley” gets its […]

Lake Notoro

Lake Notoro – a massive saltwater lake spanning 580,000m2 connected to the Sea of Okhotsk – is home to primeval flowers along the lakeside, famous especially for the infinite sea of red from the Salicornia europaea (also known as Sangocho) in autumn. Mid- to late-September is the best time to visit, when the deep red […]

Tree of Ken and Mary

Standing straight and tall towards the sky is this poplar tree. It measures 31 meters tall, and because there are no other tall trees it clearly stands out from a long distance.   The tree became famous when it was introduced as part of a 1972 commercial for Nissan’s Skyline sports car. In the ad was […]

Bihoro Pass

Bihoro Pass is a 525m high mountain pass located on the outer rim of the Kussharo Caldera. The view from here is an unbelievably brilliant panorama, and is one of the most spectacular views in Hokkaido. Not only do you have a panoramic view of the 57km-long Lake Kussharo, but you can also see Mt. […]

Fukugi Tree Road

Lake Akan

Lake Akanko is a freshwater lake located in eastern Hokkaido with a circumference of 30 km and an area of 13㎢. The entire area is included in the Akan-Mashu National Park, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Hokkaido. The blue surface of the lake, the beautiful silhouette of Mt. Oakandake, Mt. […]

Lake Mashu Observatory No.1

There are three observatories on Lake Mashu, but this one is the most popular and famous. Located at the top of Lake Mashu’s outer rim at an elevation of about 520 meters, the observatory offers a panoramic view of the deep blue waters of Lake Mashu, Mt. Oakandake, the Kushiro plains, the Pacific Ocean and […]

Lake Mashu

Lake Mashu is a caldera lake formed by the accumulation of water in a depression created by a huge eruption about 7,000 years ago. The lake is the second clearest in the world (the first is Lake Baikal in Russia). The reason for the high transparency is that there are no rivers flowing in or […]

Kushiro City Red-crowned Crane Natural Park

Farm Tomita

Farm Tomita is a sightseeing farm with a vast flower garden boasting as many as 80 varieties of flowers, mainly lavender. It is one of Hokkaido’s main attractions, visited by approximately 1 million tourists every year from all over Japan and abroad (*before Covid19) for its beautiful flowers and spectacular scenery. Various flowers bloom from […]

Akan Sightseeing Cruise

The Akan Sightseeing Cruise circumnavigates Lake Akan and operates 4 to 11 times a day between May and November. The boat departs from the pier on the south side of the lake and cruises for about 85 minutes, taking in the view of Mt. Oakan and Mt. Meakan, with stops at Churui Island (where the […]

Lake Oyunuma

Oyunuma is a gourd-shaped swamp (1 km in circumference) formed after a volcanic reuption created this crater and hot water accumulated at the site. Such a large scale hot spring swamp is extremely rare in the world and is highly valued academically. Sulfur spring water as hot as 130 degrees Celsius gushes out from the […]

Shiretoko Five Lakes

The Shiretoko Five Lakes are five lakes surrounded by lush primeval forests at the base of Mt.Rasau and Mout Iō. Shiretoko’s scenic mountains (1,500m class) and trees quietly reflect off the pristine surface of the lakes giving you a sense of healing; take in the wonderful views of the ocean, forests, mountains, and lakes all […]