| Admission | ¥150 |
| Opening Hours | 9:30 - 16:30 |
| Closed | Mondays, Tuesdays Winter (November 1 to April 30) |
| Contact | 0158-29-3499 |
| Notes | Exhibits information in Japanese |
| Location / Getting There | 5 minute drive past Takinoue city Across from Takinoue Valley Hotel Motomachi, Takinoue, Monbetsu District, Hokkaido 099-5604 |
The local wildlife display
The Takinoue City Museum may not look much from the outside, but on the inside, its a hidden treasure trove of Japanese history, antiques, and large dioramas depicting early life in the Takinoue area. The first room has information and dioramas on the local wildlife. It also has information about life in the Hokkaido region from a hundred years ago, and the way people lived. It has clothing from that era, tools used, farming methods and a fantastic Meiji era living room. Although the information is Japanese in only, you can still thoroughly enjoy the exhibitions. There are also a lot of artifacts on the Ainu.
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The days of old
There is another room at the back of the museum, that has an impressive collection of objects and artifacts from the decades past. Pick your way through pieces of history, and peruse at your leisure. Clothing, household items, banners, furniture and photographs can all be found here. The centerpiece of the room is a large vat that was used for brewing Japanese sake. This a truly fascinating room and if you like antiques, this is the place for you! To the side of the building, there is an old steam train carriage with illustrations of trains from the past. While in Takinoue be sure to have a look at the Takinoue City Museum, not only is it very cheap, it’s an interesting place to visit!
| Cost per night | Free |
| Open | April - November |
| Contact | 0158-29-3399 |
| Notes | Small campsite Covered cooking area Washing area Toilets Onsen nearby |
| Location / Getting There | 5 min. drive from Takinoue city center 〒099-5604 Hokkaidō, Monbetsu-gun, Takinoue-chō, Kamishokotsugenya. |
Small grass area
If you are out and about taking in the sights of Takinoue, and camping is an option, then Keikoku Park Camping Ground is a good choice to pitch your tent! This camping ground is not your common camping ground, and can be easily missed at first glance. It is a small grass area located in front of a park golf course, and next to an open hut area for barbecuing. The best thing about this camp ground is that it’s free, which is becoming rarer to find in Hokkaido. It may be small, but it has everything you need!
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Park Golf Building & restrooms
Keikoku Park has a large park golf course on the grounds, and it is at the large park golf building, that you can check in to the camping ground. The park golf building reception closes at 17:00, but the building remains open all night and this where you will find the restrooms (though no showers). There is a large parking lot in front the park golf building so parking is not a problem, AND, if you are planning on staying a few nights there is an onsen down the road to clean up and refresh. The onsen can be found at the Takinoue Valley Hotel and costs ￥440 per adult and ￥160 per child.
Cooking and BBQ area
The camp ground is located near all the good sightseeing spots. While in Takinoue, be sure to see the Takinoue Shibazakura Festival. It is the main attraction during May. The campground is also across from Kaori no Sato Herb Garden, which is a fantastic place to visit. If you head over and across the park golf course, and over a walkway bridge, it will lead down to a fantastic walking track which runs the length of Takinoue Gorge , which leads into the town. There is also the Takinoue City Museum which is a five minute walk away, and for the kids, there is a huge play gym in front of the camping ground!
| Length | Path along river is 2.7 km one way |
| Notes | Photography spot Wheelchair access |
| Location | 5 minute walk from Keikoku Park. 10 minute walk from Takinoue park |
Fishing spot
Takinoue Gorge (Kinsenkyo) is a hidden gem in the pleasant town of Takinoue and is formed from the Shokotsu River that flows from east to west. The gorge has a fantastic walking track that runs on both sides of the river offering great views down the gorge, and was voted as one of Hokkaido’s top hundred tourist spots for its breathtaking scenery. The path runs for 2.7km one way, starting from the rainbow bridge to the Keikoku Park Camping Ground. This river is a popular spot for fly fishing and was one of the first places in Japan to introduce the catch and release system. If you enjoy fishing this is a great spot to catch some rainbow trout. This river is beautiful in all seasons, especially in the autumn, as the leaves turn.
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Rainbow Bridge & Dragon falls
Along the trail there are some nice spots for photos, such as the Rakuyo Falls. There is a small observation point that overlooks the falls, making it a good spot for photos.There are a number of small waterfalls and tributaries and bridges along the path. On the western end of the river, you will find the rainbow bridge. The rainbow bridge name doesn’t come from old Norse mythology, rather that there is a fountain on the downstream side of the bridge and when the fountain is operating, the suns rays form the rainbow. The two tiered bridge is at the junction of the Shokotsu River and the Sakuru River, where they meet and form the ‘Water Dragon Waterfall’. The rainbow bridge offers views over these rivers, as well as Takinoue Park. On the second level of the bridge there is a slide for the kids down to the first level.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 9:30 - 16:30 |
| Closed | November - April |
| Contact | 0158-29-3400 |
| Notes | Fragrance House restaurant Wheelchair access |
| Location / Getting There | 3 and a half hour drive from Sapporo 2 hour drive from Asahikawa 〒099-5600, 19 Kamishokotsugenya, Takinoue, Monbetsu District, Hokkaido 099-5600 |
View from the top of the hill
While in Takinoue, be sure to visit the Kaori no Sato Herb Garden. It is open during the warmer months from June to September. Covering 40,000 square meters, these gardens are filled with subtle fragrances and beautiful colors. An interesting fact about the town of Takinoue is that it’s Japans biggest producer of peppermint, and it is here that it can be found. Besides the peppermint, there are over three hundred kinds of herbs that are grown here! Feel free to wander around, where you can also enjoy the views from the hill.
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A nice spot for lunch
At the top of the gardens, you will find not only the parking, but the Fragrance House restaurant and shop. The building has a very European design to its architecture and it’s a great spot to have some lunch, or relax and enjoy the views while sipping on the many herbal teas sold here. Fragrance House also has a cheese hamburg set, pastas, a herb pizza, fried rice and a delicious homemade herb sausage. During the summer, Fragrance house also has a choice of peppermint or vanilla ice cream. After lunch you can also pop into the adjacent building called the ‘Kew Palace herb craft center’ and make unique herbal goods such as potpourris, wreaths and sachets, to add a little zest to your daily life.
| Lunch menu (Avg. cost per person) | ¥1000 |
| Tea | ¥400 |
| Ice cream | ¥300 |
| Dates | Early May to early June |
| Opening Hours | 7:00 am to 6:00 pm (no illumination) |
| Entry fee | ¥500 Adults ¥250 Children |
| Contact | 0158-29-2730 http://takinoue.com/ |
| Notes | Parking available Best viewing time - Mid may Helicopter tour available |
| Location / Getting There | 3 and a half hour drive from Sapporo. 2 hour drive from Asahikawa Takinoue Park, Motomachi, Takinoue, Monbetsu District, Hokkaido 099-5604 |
Moss pink
From the start of May to the start of June, the small town of Takinoue displays its most famous sightseeing spot, the Takinoue Park Shibazakura. Shibazakura, also known as ‘moss pink’, or ‘creeping phlox’ is an evergreen mat that blooms five-petaled flowers in rose, mauve, blue, white, or pink during the spring. This festival began in 1956 and Takinoue, at 100,000 square meters, is literally covered from top to bottom with millions of these beautiful flowers, making the park an extraordinary place to visit in the spring! The best time to visit being in mid May.
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Phlox House
There are many paths in which to wander around the hillside and get some photos. If you are feeling a little more adventurous, then why not view the whole park from the air? At ¥5000 per adult, you can take a six minute helicopter ride that will take you over Takinoue Park. The flowers and festival lasts for a month in which there are stage events and stalls. Also located at the park is the ‘Phlox House’ where you can buy some souvenirs, have a coffee, take a rest, or try a ‘Shibazakura ice cream’. Restrooms are also located here.
Takinoue is a small town, which means there is no train station unfortunately. For those without their own transport, to get to Takinoue it is advised to rent a car from Sapporo or take the train to Asahikawa and rent a car from there. For car rentals in Asahikawa, you can check the Asahikawa rental site by clicking here . It will take some time to drive there and it is recommended to stay at least one day in Takinoue, as there are other things to see!
