| Cost per night | ¥6000 bungalow for 6 (Japanese style room) ¥4000 bungalow for 4 ¥600 tent campsite adults ¥400 tent campsite children |
| Open | May 1st - October 31st |
| Contact | 0142-66-2201 http://okutoya.com/sightseeing/sobetsu/pg119.html |
| Notes | Bungalows, Lake Toya views, parking lot, management building, toilets, kitchen, shower, astronomical observation dome, barbecue house |
| Location / Getting There | Located found on the south eastern edge of Lake Toya. 16 minute drive from Lake Toya Onsen district or a 18 minute drive from central Sobetsu. 3-1 Higashikohan, Sobetsu, Usu District, Hokkaido 052-0104, Japan |
For those looking for a rustic place to stay with some privacy, and away from the main tourist hot spots, the Forest and Tree Village Centre is a nice option. It is not a hotel but a center that has a couple of bungalows to rent. The main building is two stories with two large tatami rooms that can be rented for large groups of up to six. This building also has toilet facilities and showers. Outside of the building, you can find barbecue facilities on the large property here. Here you are free to use these to cook up a great summer barbecue for family or friends.
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For a starry experience, adjacent to the main building, you can find the astronomical observation dome. The dome is attached by a walkway to the main center from the second floor. Through the telescope here you can observe the impressive night sky! Apart from the views of the Milky Way, there are fantastic views overlooking the Lake Toya, plus views of Mt. Usu. Adjacent to the main center, and slightly apart from the observation deck are the bungalows. These private bungalows, slightly further down the hill, are suitable for up to groups of four.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | Grounds open all day |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0167-52-2115 (Travel Tourism) |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot, lavender blooms from late June to end of July |
| Location / Getting There |
The Lake Kanayama Lavender Fields are found on the shores of Kanayama Lake and are a great spot to get some good photos, and enjoy the gardens that have been made there. The lavender fields are in full bloom from the end of June and can be viewed until early August. Why not stop in while driving from Sapporo to Furano. The lavender gardens are nice in a beautiful area, and unlike other flower gardens in central Furano, they are not crowded and there is a lot of space to wander around at your leisure! What also makes these gardens unique, they overlook Kanayama Lake and have the mountains in the background making for the perfect backdrop.
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With plenty of parking, and just being right off route 465, the Lavender Fields are an easy spot to visit. Just make sure to bring the camera! There are a few benches plus a covered table so you can take a seat and enjoy the scenic views. It makes the perfect spot to have some lunch or a picnic. Behind the lavender fields on the other side of the road, there is the Kodakara Shrine. This quaint shrine is surrounded by forest. Though beware, the shrine is home to a huge ants nest and the ground is crawling with ants. So while sightseeing, you will have to move quick! The lavender fields are a few minutes walk away from Kanayamakohan Camping Ground so if you have the time, why not stay the night and relax.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | All day |
| Closed | November to April |
| Contact | 0142-66-4200 |
| Notes | Light walking trails, photography spot, parking available for 20, small shrine at park, plum tree viewing (mid May) |
| Location / Getting There | 12 minute drive east from Toyako Onsen. Heading east, the access road is on the right (with the lake on the left) 〒052-0104 Hokkaido, Usu District, Sobetsu, 町東湖畔 |
huge maps – google map here
Sobetsu park is a beautiful hilltop park that commands some of the best of views of Lake Toya. Not only can you see the lake in its glory, but there are views of the volcano, Mount Usu. And in good weather, you can see Mount Yotei and the Niseko mountain range in the distance. Sobetsu Park is most famous for its views during the spring. During mid May, the three hundred plum blossoms are in full bloom making the park a particularly popular spot for photographers from all over. You can get some great photos of the blossoms with the lake in the background!
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The park is huge and runs up the whole mountain and is adorned with a couple of sculptures. There is a narrow road that leads to the top where you can find parking for about twenty cars. Due to the winding road, it is inaccessible by bus. At the top, there are a few benches and tables and makes for a good picnic spot. Sightseers can also find a small shrine at the top here, which is surrounded, interestingly, by cut out steel swords and knives that have been placed on the fence. In the centre of the shrine, there is a warrior like statue. Sobetsu Park is a great place to take in the views!
| Places of Interest | Kanayama Lavender Fields Kanayama Dam Kodakara Shrine Kanayamo Forest Park Camping Ground |
| Notes | Walking trails, National park, Camping grounds, Canoeing |
| Getting There | Located along route 465 in Minami Furano (South Furano) district. 2 hour drive north east from Sapporo. 40 minute drive south from Furano. Closest station is Higashi-Shikagoe Station, along the Nemuro line. 5 minute walk to the lake from the station. |
In Central Hokkaido located in the district of Minami Furano you can find the impressive Lake Kanayama. This narrow lake stretches for about ten kilometers and is surrounded by wooded mountains. It is formed from the Sorachi River among half a dozen others. It is a very picturesque place to visit, and is a good stop over point of you are driving from Sapporo to Furano via the backroads. On its central northern edge there is the Kanayama Forest Park, which is home to the Kanayamakohan Camping Ground, plus the beautiful Lake Kanayama Lavender Fields. On the eastern edge of the lake, there is the Kanayama Dam.
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Along the lake you can often find a few fishermen, but if you want to get a closer look on the lake , then there is a fun canoeing tour that is available for the public! To rent out the canoes, you can talk to the staff at the Kanayama Camping Ground, as this is where the tour starts. The large canoes fit a maximum of five people (2 adults and 3 children) and the tour is overseen by a guide. Tours are from April to September and run for 1 hour 30 minutes. The canoes are available from 6:00 until 16:00. Guide, insurance, plus equipment is all included in the price, which is ¥5000 per canoe (cash only). There are five canoes so a maximum of up to 25 people!
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot , historical landmark, parking available |
| Location / Getting There | Located on the southern shore of Lake Toya. Toyakoonsen, Toyako, Abuta District, Hokkaido 049-5721 |
On July 7th to July 8th of 2008 the 34th G8 Summit was held at Lake Toya. This unofficial annual forum saw the leaders from Canada, the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, The United Kingdom and the United States. The 34th G8 summit was the very first summit for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and the then Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev. The summit was also first and only summit for Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, and the last for U.S President George W. Bush. This was the first G8 summit ever held in Hokkaido.
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In July 2008, a monument decorated with flowers stands at the place where the Hokkaido Toyako Summit (Main Summit) was declared . The monument can be found in the Lake Toya Onsen district on the southern shoreline, and is part of the Funsui Hiroba Fountain Square, which is a nice promenade to walk along. The leaders stayed at the Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa which can be found on top of the hill overlooking the lake. The summit was one of the largest ever with more than 2,000 delegates attending. Other delegates included leaders from African nations and Australia and South Korea.
| Cost per night | ¥4,110 Large camper site ¥3,080 Camper site ¥2,570 Bungalow ¥610 Camping (per adult) ¥240 Camping (per child) |
| Open | May to September |
| Contact | 0167-52-3132 http://www.minamifurano-hokkaido.jp/kousya/camp/camp.html |
| Notes | Lakeside campsite, 500 camping spots, 7 bungalows, washing area, toilets, parking, 3 cooking spots, no direct fires on lawn or bonfires, no fireworks, outdoor stage available to rent Kanayama Lake Water Festival (July: last Sunday) |
| Location / Getting There | From Sapporo, it is a 2 and a half hour drive north east. From Furano it is a 43 minute drive south. There are no train stations. Higashishikagoe, Minamifurano, Sorachi District, Hokkaido 079-2411 |
The Kanayamakohan Camping Ground is part of the beautiful and scenic Kanayamako Forest Park. This a huge campground on lush lawns overlooking Lake Kanayama. The campgrounds are well managed and kept, with plenty of facilities to make your stay or visit more comfortable. There are five hundred camp spots so its easy to find a private spot if needed, and there are seven small bungalows. On entering you are given some garbage bags plus a a cart so you can carry your camping gear around with ease! Simply find your spot, set up camp, and enjoy the scenery of the lake and mountains.
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The campgrounds are the prefect stop over if you are driving from Sapporo to Furano. The park is located just south of Furano and even if you are not camping here you can stop in and check out the lake, the Lake Kanayama Lavender Fields (which are a must see in summer), and Kodokara shrine. The lake is huge and is a fishing spot for some, and there is a canoe activity that can be rented. The management staff are on site from 8:30 to 18:00. The campsite is open 24 hours a day, so if there are no staff, simply check in the next morning. For groups of thirty or more, there is a discount system.
