| Admission | Free admission |
| Opening Hours | All day |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0139-42-2275 |
| Notes | Parking available 175 cars, Toilets, Wheelchair access & toilets. Matsumae Sakura Festival (late April-mid May) Matsumae Ajisa Festival (early August) |
| Location / Getting There | 6 hour drive from Sapporo or 2 hour bus ride from Hakadote, get off at "Matsujo Bus Stop", 7 minutes on foot. Matsujo, Matsumae-cho, Matsumae-gun, Hokkaido, Japan 049-1511 |
The extensive Matsumae Park
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The path running through the park
Besides the cherry blossoms the park has other flowers that bloom throughout the summer and spring. Camellias come out from April to May, dandelions & azaleas in mid-May. In early June, wisterias are in bloom, and from July you can see hydrangeas & roses in the park. There is a path that runs through all the way up to a second park at the back and to the base of the mountains. It is well worth a walk up as at the top you can enjoy great views looking over the whole of Matsumae Park and the Strait of Tsugaru. There are two festivals held in Matsumae park, the first is the Matsumae Sakura Festival which is held from late April to mid May. The second is the Matsumae Ajisa Festival in early August.
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥500 - ¥2000 |
| Opening Hours | 10:30 - 21:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0142-82-3031 |
| Notes | Restaurant, coffee shop & gallery space, English menu available, No parking, outside seating (smoking), seating 40, credit card accepted |
| Location / Getting There | Located on the south west side of lake Toya, in the Lake Toya Hot Spring district 40-11 Toyakoonsen, Toyako, Abuta District, Hokkaido 049-5721 |
Delicious roast chicken meal
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Relax with a coffee
For appetizers there are Italian Olives, Fried Potato With Truffle Salt, or Fried Chicken. Inside there are artworks for customers to enjoy. As the name suggests, Toya Art & Crafts focuses on local craft blended with good local produce, wine & coffee. They have some delicious organic wines, and Hokkaido craft beers to choose from such as an Otaru Pilsner or the North Island Brown to name a few. Finally, with outside seating, you can sit back and enjoy a nice cup of tea, or coffee. The large tables inside are available for reservations making the restaurant a good place for parties as well as for small groups or couples.
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | - |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 19:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0133-78-2300 |
| Notes | Rest stop, Museum, Food available, Souvenir store, Observation deck, Parking available |
| Location / Getting There | Found on the Ishikari coastal road, route 231. It's a 1 hour drive from Sapporo. 12-4 Atsutaku Atsuta, Ishikari-shi, Hokkaidō 061-3601 |
Observation deck
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Energy for the drive from Ishikari Fumiichi
The small museum has information on the surrounding flora and fauna. With miniatures, small exhibits, and photographs, its an interesting place to have a wander around. For those wanting to grab a bite to eat, there are a couple of food stalls on the middle floor. The ‘Ishikari Fumiichi’ store has a few fish meals, Chinese dumplings, and beers to buy. ‘Home’ is a bakery & pizza restaurant that has delicious pastries, pizzas, and fresh juices available. And the popular ‘Gelato Lico Lico’ sells (you guessed it) gelatos. Simply order your meal from the vending machines and go to the counter. There are plenty of tables to rest, eat, and drink.
| Dates | Last weekend of May |
| Opening Hours | 10:00 - 14:00 |
| Contact | 0164-53-3332 (Mashike Town Office Commerce and Industry Tourism Division) |
| Location / Getting There | 1 minute walk from Mashike bus station. 2 hour 15 minute drive from Sapporo. Mashike station Ekimae Street Surroundings (Masuke Machi Bentencho 1) |
Get your shrimp!
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Inside the fishing museum
Many of the public arrive early and get shrimp in take away packs so get in quick. The festival finishes surprisingly early at 14:00. There are lots of stalls selling different kinds of food, especially seafood. You can buy shrimp, octopus and shell fish for a cheap price. Goes well with the beer! The festival also focuses on local sake and the breweries in the area. They have a sake tasting area as well as sake competition which can be seen on a large stage. There are local performers and attraction throughout the streets, so make sure to bring a camera.
Mashike town
There are three ways to get to Mashike. The most convenient and probably the cheapest would be to get a hire car from Sapporo. If you don’t have a lot of time, it is an easy drive up in the morning and head back in the evening. It’s a great drive and you can stop off along the way and see Shiragane Waterfall, and the Yuhinooka Rest Stop. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Sapporo Station to Rumoi (2 hrs & 50 min) and then take a taxi (20 km) to Mashike. This will put you back about ¥10,000 return. Via train from Sapporo, take the ‘Lilac Limited Express’ or the ‘Kamui Limited Express’ to Fukugawa (1 hour 5 min). Trains run every 4 hours to Owada (50min) and then a taxi to Mashike (25km). Total cost via this route is about ¥12,000 there and back.
| Admission | - |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot , Parking available, Rest rooms available |
| Location / Getting There | Located along coastal road, route 231. West cost on Ishikari Bay. 1 hour 30 minute drive from Sapporo Hamamasuku Ofuyu, Ishikari, Hokkaido 077-0351 |
White Silver Waterfall
On the west coast of Hokkaido, from Ishikari bay all the way up, to Rumoi and up further to the north of Hokkaido, there is a beautiful coastal drive that you can take. The coastal road on route 231, winds its way along, hugging the cliffs with the ocean lapping at its side. Along the way, there are plenty of places to stop and take a break. The Shiragane Falls, translated to the ‘White Silver Waterfall’ is one of these spots, where you can take a break, stretch the legs and take a look at the waterfall as it spills its way into the ocean below.
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Relaxing spot
The falls are found at Cape Ofuyu and measure at thirty meters. In November 1977, Route 231 was opened, and to celebrate this achievement a monument was built. The monument can be found here at the Shiragane Waterfall. There is free parking available here, and the entrance can be found just after coming out of the Yutosu Tunnel (if coming from the Sapporo direction). The name meaning ‘White Silver’ is said to come from the silver splash that is reflected in the sunlight. It is a nice little spot, as the waterfall flows on one side, and the ocean can be found on the other.
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | - |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 19:00 |
| Closed | Depending on season |
| Contact | 0133-78-2000 |
| Notes | Rest stop, Free coffee, Lunch boxes available, Coastal views, Rest rooms |
| Location / Getting There | Found on the Ishikari coastal road, route 231. It's a 1 hour drive from Sapporo. 12-4 Atsutaku Atsuta, Ishikari-shi, Hokkaidō 061-3601 |
Pull up a seat and enjoy the view
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Seafood lunch set
The small building and porch offers views over the bay, and the views of the sunsets here are particularly stunning. There are a couple of photography spots to get some photos. Inside, they have quaint seafood lunch box sets that are available to purchase. Also, there is ice cream and drinks. The best part, though, is that this rest stop offers free coffee! There are benches and tables to sit and eat and enjoy the sea breeze. Across the road is the recently built ‘Airodo Atsuta Rest Stop’ and although this newer, larger building is more frequented, the Ai Road Yuhinooka, is a great little place to check out.
