| Population | 6,374 |
| Size | 763.20 km2 |
| Contact | https://www.city.yubari.lg.jp/ |
| Location / Getting There | By car the distance is about 61 km from Sapporo to Yūbari. Head east. By public transport from Sapporo Station take a train to Shin-Yūbari Station. From Shin-Yūbari Station transfer to a local bus operated by Yutetsu Bus (or other local bus) into Yūbari city centre. ¥3000 – ¥4800. 2 hour travel time. |
Yubari is a fascinating place to visit as it has turned predominantly into a ghost town though there are still a few places to see there. Yubari is most famous for its melons, hence the ‘melon bear mascot’ (which is a must see if you haven’t seen it), and the annual film festival. But first let’s look a little into the history of Yubari. The city was founded on April 1, 1943, as a coal mining town. During this lucrative time Yūbari had as many as 120,000 people. The mines closed in the 1980s, and an attempt was made to convert the economic base to tourism. Subsidies were obtained from the central government and huge debts incurred for the building of tourist attractions, but few visitors came. In 2007 Yubari went into bankruptcy. Walking the now deserted streets, you can see many places falling into disrepair that were once thriving. There are still remnants of the Yubari of old, but it is a lonely place which makes it very unique.
There are still some places to visit here, and there are a couple of reported ‘haunted sites’ in the area. A lot of the infrastructure is unkept and the wild cry of deer in the mountains does add to the atmosphere. It is not all doom and gloom however. There is a ski resort here which is a good place to go to get away from the large crowds. there is the coal mine museum and there are some beautiful old temples, a few restaurants and every year, the Yubari Film Festival is held. In fact, in Quentin Tarantino’s film Kill Bill, one of the characters is named ‘Gogo Yubari’. You need a car to get to Yubari and is an interesting place to walk around, especially in the fall.
Sightseeing
Yubari Coal Mine Haunted School
Food
Nightlife
Shopping
Accommodation
Mount Racey
Temples
Yubari Shrine
Outdoors
Yubari Ski Resort
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | Around ¥2000 - ¥3000 per person |
| Opening Hours | 18:00 - 00:00 |
| Closed | Sundays |
| Contact | 011-2318-488 |
| Notes | Small bar, no parking, seating 8, menu in Japanese |
| Location | This bar is located in Susukino, Sapporo. It is across from the Norbesa building (look for the ferris wheel). It is just a 2 minute walk from Susukino subway station. Take the exit and head west 2 blocks. Address: Toshimatsu Building, 5 Chome-6-1, Minami 4 Jonishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 064-0804 |
This is a cozy little wine bar on the street side of Sapporo. There is only seating for about eight people so this bar suitable for very small groups. It is run by a friendly local who has a nice listing of wines to enjoy. These wines aren’t cheap and patrons are looking at around ¥1200 to ¥2500 a glass. There is also a sit down charge as well. The bar is an open space that faces the street so it’s good for people watching. During the winter it has a plastic covering so you can keep fairly warm. The food dishes that are on the menu include rather large oysters, french fries and other small dishes. The liver pate with bread is very good here and goes well with the wine which is also very good! the menu is only in Japanese but this a nice spot to visit, especially if you like wine.
| Closed | - |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | The school may now be off limits but you can view it from the outside. There is parking nearby. |
| Getting There | By car the distance is about 61 km from Sapporo to Yūbari. Head east. By public transport from Sapporo Station take a train to Shin-Yūbari Station. From Shin-Yūbari Station transfer to a local bus operated by Yutetsu Bus (or other local bus) into Yūbari city centre. ¥3000 – ¥4800. 2 hour travel time. |
For those who enjoy haunted stories, like dark and eerie places, and are ghost chasers, Yubari is definitely a place you need to stop and check out. Yubari was once a thriving town and due to the coal mine closing down and the town going bankrupt, it has seen a massive population decline. The abandoned infrastructure and silent streets create a stark, haunting environment, with some specific locations linked to paranormal stories. Next to Yubari Shrine is one of these buildings. It used to be school but has now fallen silent and the company that ran the school went bankrupt. It is now overgrown with weeds and the school has fallen into disrepair. There is parking at Yubari Shrine and a path leading up to the school. This school is now off limits to the public but you can get a great sense of the eeriness from the outside. There have been reports of strange noises coming from inside the abandoned school at night and a strange presence can be felt in the room with the safe. There are odd items around the school which add to the creepiness.
| Ski Pass | ¥15000 1 day ticket ¥34000 25 hour ticket ¥90000 Season pass |
| Opening Hours | 09:00 - 20:00 (weather depending |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-136-46-3331 011-136 46-3111 (Reservations Center) https://rusutsu.com/ |
| Accommodation | Rusutsu Resort Hotel The Westin Rusutsu Resort The Vale Rusutsu Camp Village (summer) |
| Getting There | Rusutsu is about a 2 hour drive from Sapporo station. There are a few ways to get to the resort. 1. Direct Ski Bus (Easiest) ⏱Time: ~2 hours 💴Cost: ¥3,000–¥3,500 one way Rusutsu operates official ski buses during the winter season (usually Dec–Apr). Buses depart from Sapporo Station or major hotels (e.g. Sapporo Prince Hotel, ANA Crowne Plaza). Drop-off is directly at Rusutsu Resort Hotel — no transfers. Advance reservations are usually required. Where to book: Rusutsu Official Bus Service or 3rd-party services like Hokkaido Resort Liner, Good Sports, or SkiJapan. 2. Train + Bus Combo (Cheaper but slower) ⏱ Time: ~2.5–3 hours 💴 Cost: ~¥2,500 one way Take a JR train from Sapporo Station → Toya Station (about 1 h 45 min). From Toya Station, take the Donan Bus to Rusutsu Resort (approx 50 min). Note: Service frequency may be limited in winter — check Donan Bus schedules. 3. Private Shuttle or Taxi ⏱ Time: ~1.5–2 hours 💴 Cost: ¥25,000–¥35,000 (one way, car for up to 4 people) Available through services like SkyExpress, Whiteroom Tours, or Hokkaido Resort Liner private charter. 〒048-1711 Hokkaido, Abuta District, Rusutsu, Izumikawa, 13-13 |
There are quite a few ski resorts all over Hokkaido. Rusutsu is one of the more well known ones. It is located only a couple of hours from Sapporo and unlike the Niseko ski resort, it is not as busy though it is getting more popular over the years. There are many options for accommodation at and near the resort. The Rusutsu Resort Hotel, The Westin Rusutsu Resort and The Vale. Other options and one of the best value options is Rusutsu Lodges which is located across the road. The ski fields themselves have 18 lifts in total, which includes 4 gondolas and 14 chairlifts. There are 37 ski runs across its three peaks: West Mountain, East Mountain, and Mt Isola. Ski and snowboard gear is available to rent. For everything including skis or snowboard it will cost up to ¥20,000. The huge resort also has more than 30 restaurants ranging from casual cafés and snack spots to full-service French, Italian, Japanese and buffet-style dining. The resort also has onsens, massage, shopping and rest areas. During the off peak times (summer), the resort extends to things like golf courses, amusement park rides, outdoor activities, and camping.
| Closed | Open everyday |
| Contact | https://www.gyomusuper.jp/english/ |
| Notes | Supermarket, cheap, multiple locations, overseas goods available |
| Getting There | There are many locations in Sapporo. Most are only accessed via car. For public transport, can go to Odori subway station. Take the exit and it is a 5 minute walk to Tanuki Koji shopping arcade. A Gyomu Super is on the second block. |
Gyomu Super is a very popular chain of supermarkets all over Japan. Gyomu Super first opened its doors in 2000. Since then, the chain has grown to over seven hundred locations in Japan. In Hokkaido these locations are found in Sapporo and the outlying suburbs. In 2025 there are about twenty Gyomu stores and counting. What makes these supermarkets so popular? They are different to your main stream supermarkets. They are very cheap but what makes them so special is that they sell many overseas items and they are sold in bulk. You can find many overseas items (especially from Asia), making it a very convenient store. You will find here, frozen goods, dried goods, canned goods, condiments and an array of vegetables and fruits. With so many locations in Sapporo, it isn’t hard to find. the most common Gyomu is in the Tanuki Koji Shopping Arcade. Take some time and check out these supermarkets, though you will find most are accessed by car.
| Opening Hourse | 07:00 - 23:00 |
| Closed | Open everyday |
| Contact | https://www.odori-bisse.com/ |
| Notes | Shopping mall, 4 floors, restaurants, shopping, sweets and coffee shop |
| Getting There | Odori Bisse is located in central Sapporo. It overlooks Odori Park and is part of the Hokuyo Bank building. It is only a 1 minute walk from Odori subway station. 〒060-0042 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Odorinishi, 3 Chome-7 Hokuyo Odori Center |
Odori Bisse is a very small shopping complex in the center of Sapporo. It is right across from Odori Park and is part of the Hokuyo Bank building. It is a popular building as it is in a busy area. Odor Bisse is made up of five floors which includes a basement floor, a ground floor and three upper floors. The basement floor has a Seicomart on it and a seating area, plus a cosmetics store. The ground floor or first floor is a sweets and coffee shop called Kinotoya. Kintoya has outside seating and nice views onto the street. The 2nd floor has a few more stores including ‘Tokumitsu Coffee Shop’, ‘Somes’ which is a leather goods store, and if you are looking for some fine Japanese arts and crafts then there is ‘Yuiq’. Yuiq sells Japanese home made items from all around Hokkaido. The 3rd floor has a crab an seafood restaurant, a couple of boutique stores, and a couple of beauty stores for skin, nails, and eyes. The 4th floor is made up wholly of restaurants and is a good area to dine.
| 4th floor | Meat Kappo Tamura (yakiniku, steak, sukiyaki) 11:00 - 14:30 lunch / 17:00 - 22:00 dinner. ¥5000 - ¥10,000 Aburiya (charcoal grill and sushi restaurant) 11:00 - 15:00 lunch / 17:00 - 22:00 dinner. ¥1500 lunch ¥6000 dinner Shingozen Soba (lunch) / Creative Izakaya (dinner) 11:00 - 15:00 lunch / 17:00 - 21:00 dinner. ¥3500 dinner Sushi Natsume 11:30 - 15:00 lunch / 17:00 - 22:30 dinner ¥2000 lunch ¥6000 dinner Otaru Sanko Public Bar 11:30 - 14:30 lunch / 17:00 - 23:00 dinner ¥2000 dinner Cafe & Champagne (bar and restaurant) 11:00 - 15:00 lunch / 17:00 - 23:00 dinner ¥4000 drink and 5 dishes Omurice OMS (omelette rice) 11:00 - 21:00 |
| 3rd floor | Shining Kagayoi (crab and shabu shabu restaurant) 11:30 - 14:00 lunch / 17:30 - 22:30 dinner Nihondo Kampo Boutique (Chinese medicine boutique) 11:00 - 20:00 Beautiful Eye (eyelash curl extension salon) 11:00 - 20:00 Arucamo (women's clothing and imported goods) 10:00 - 22:00 Yag Beauty Clinic (cosmetic clinic) 10:00 - 19:00 Sertoli (cellulite care specialty store) 10:00 - 21:00 Miya (beauty salon and nail salon) 11:00 - 20:00 |
| 2nd floor | Tokumitsu Coffee Cafe & Beans 10:00 - 19:00 (August 1st to October 31st) Somes (leather goods) 10:00 - 20:00 Yuiq (Japanese goods) 10:00 - 20:00 |
| 1st floor | Kinotoya (sweets and cafe) 10:00 - 20:00 |
| Basement 1 floor | Seico Mart (convenience store) 07:00 - 22:00 Ainz & Tulpe (cosmetics store) 10:00 - 21:00 |