| 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.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 18:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-666-1481 https://www.shiroikoibitopark.jp/ |
| Notes | Chocolate factory, Chocolate shops, Wheelchair access, Restaurant inside, Free parking available for 130 cars |
| Location / Getting There | By subway 7 minutes on foot : Get off subway at Tozai Line Miyanosawa Station ・ (about 20 minutes from Odori Station) on foot (7 minutes) By bus 5 minutes on foot : From JR Sapporo Ekimae Bus Terminal (for Otaru) ・ Get off at "Nishimachi Kita 20-chome" By car 25 minute drive from central Sapporo 2-chōme-11-36 Miyanosawa 2 Jō, Nishi-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaidō 063-0052 |
Famous staircase inside
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All aboard
Outside, on the hour every hour, is the “Chocolate Carnival”. This automated carnival sees a procession of characters parade around the clock tower with music and bubbles filling the courtyard. It’s a real fun part of the factory courtyard, which is popular in winter as well as winter. The public can also find the mini railway here. The replica mini steam engine takes up to thirty people and runs every 20 minutes. ¥300 for adults, and ¥200 for the kids will buy you a boarding pass for a 10 minute ride around the courtyard.
Watch the candy making
Inside the ‘Shiroi Koibito’ buildings, there are tours you can go on. The general tour will put you back ¥600 per adult, and ¥300 per child. There are groups discounts for more than twenty people, and discounts for special needs. For the premium tour, the price is ¥900 more expensive. The tour gives a look at the Shiroi Koibito Chocolate (a famous Hokkaido chocolate brand) line. Other things to look at include the ‘Chocolate Room’ where you can make your own chocolate, the ‘Sweets Room’ where you can make your own cookies.
There is a lot to see
Also located in the Tudor house, on the second floor there is the ‘Kids Town’ aimed at children ages 0 to 8. It is here they can enjoy the play area. It costs ¥200 per person, every 30 minutes. There are plenty of places to grab a savory bite throughout the factory. Restaurants such as ‘Cafe Butlers Wharf’ serving up delicious quiche. Plus there is a hamburger restaurant. For curry, there is ‘Cafe Antorupo’, the ‘London Bus’ for snacks and a few ice cream shops dotted around the grounds. The shops at Shiroi Koibito park are perfect for buying sweets and gifts.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 9:30 - 21:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0139-42-2216 |
| Notes | Museum & gallery |
| Location / Getting There | Access via Mt. Tengu Ropeway. Top of Mt. Tengu 2-chōme-16-16 Mogami, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0023 |
Tengu masks
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Otaru Ski Museum
Mt. Tengu is said to be protected by this deity. Tengu Hall is is a small exhibition space that has approximately 700 varieties of Tengu masks that have been collected from all around Japan. It can be found after exiting the gondola on top of the mountain. It is a fascinating spot to see all the different types of masks. To get to Tengu hall, enter Otaru Ski Museum. This museum is interesting in itself and has some 400 items on display, relating to the history of skiing in Japan. Otaru has known to have produced many professional skiers, who have long skied the slopes of Mt. Tengu
| Mt Tengu Ropeway | ¥1200 Adult round trip ¥600 Child round trip *discount for groups of 20 or more ¥1500 Adults round trip ticket + ¥800 meal coupon: |
| Opening Hours | 9:30 - 21:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0134-33-7381 |
| Notes | Observatory, gift shop, restaurants, hiking path, Squirrel park, shrine, snow gallery, Wheelchair access |
| Location / Getting There | Take the Chuo (#9 天狗山ロープウエイ線) bus from Otaru station terminal, or Otaru canal terminal. Get off at "Tenguyama" (last stop). Takes about 15 minutes. 2-chōme-16-16 Mogami, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0023 |
Great views
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“Tengu” of Japanese folklore
Once alighting the cablecar, you will first enter the gift shop and restaurant, where you can sit and have lunch, dinner or coffee. If you need lockers, there are a few here for ¥500 for the day, and which are cheaper than the lockers at the bottom of the mountain. It is here too, you can see the Otaru Winter Museum, and the Tengu Hall which has fantastic Tengu masks on display. Outside, there is “Nausea’s Tengu”, a giant Tengu sculpture, which if you touch the nose, your wishes will come true. Behind this is a squirrel enclosure (open only during the summer), and a shrine, known as “Tengusan Shrine”. The shrine in the evening is lit by lanterns and is especially beautiful during this time.
One of the observation points
Circling around the top of the mountain is a small hiking path. It takes about 25 minutes to walk around. It is a pleasant walk and while walking around there are a couple of clear vantage points that offer beautiful views over the surrounding area. Finally, for kids and adults there is a downhill bobsled track that runs for 400 meters. The track costs ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for children. The track is closed during bad weather. All this during the summer, and during the winter there is skiing and snowboarding as well! A great place for family and friends.
Impressive views up
To get to the mountain, you can drive or take a bus. Buses leave from Otaru station, and Otaru canal bus terminal. For night viewing, there is an ‘Otaru Nightview Shuttle Bus’ (小樽夜景シャトルバス). This shuttle bus leaves from the the Otaru Grand Park Hotel at 18:50 and 19:20. It does a run through Otaru, stopping further at Hotel Otaru Furukawa, Hotel Sonia, Hotel Nord, Otaru Canal Bus Terminal, The Bank of Japan Otaru Museum, Inaho Jujigai, and the Otaru Train Station Bus Teminal. It operates from the end April until the start of November and costs ¥210 per adult, and ¥110 per child.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0139-42-2449 |
| Notes | Photography spot |
| Location / Getting There | 6 hour drive from Sapporo or 2 hour bus ride from Hakadote. Matsujo, Matsumae-cho, Matsumae-gun, Hokkaido, Japan 049-1511 |
Peaceful
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Graveyard of the Matsumae Lords
Walking among the stone pathways and moss covered gardens is a real treat. Another feature of this area is the graveyard of the local Matsumae Lords. The trees surrounding the headstones and tombs make for a fantastic setting, with which to wander and take the quiet beauty of the graveyard. There is also a fantastic 200 year old Kechimyaku Sakura (bloodline cherry). The temples are especially beautiful during late April and early May, as the cherry blossoms (with which Matsumae is famous) are in full bloom. Make sure to bring your camera as you stroll through the historic buildings and paths.
| Admission | ¥360 Adults / ¥290 Group ¥240 Students / ¥190 Group Children free *Groups of 10 or more |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 17:00 April 10 to December 10 |
| Closed | Winter |
| Contact | 0139-42-2216 |
| Notes | Wheelchair access April & May busy, need early reservations for hotels, weeks in advance |
| Location / Getting There | 6 hour drive from Sapporo or 2 hour bus ride from Hakadote. Matsujo, Matsumae-cho, Matsumae-gun, Hokkaido, Japan 049-1511 |
Sunset on the hill
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Great spot for photos
The castle is most popular during the months of April & May due to its vast array of stunning cherry blossom trees, during which the Matsumae Sakura festival is held. The castle is located in Matsumae Park. The park boasts 10,000 cherry blossoms of 250 different kinds of varieties. Many of these cherry blossoms descend from a 200 year old Kechimyaku Sakura (bloodline cherry) also found on the grounds. The castle is a great spot to visit, as there is a lot to see and do in the area. The seashore town of Matsumae is also steeped in history.
How to get there
Matsumae is a town located at the very bottom of Hokkaido and from Sapporo, it takes a while to get there. Having your own transport is the optimum means of getting there. To rent a car would be the cheapest and fastest way. For those who can only take public transport, train and then bus are your options.
| From Sapporo to Hakadote | Super Hokuto Limited Express Super Hokuto 12 (platform 4) 3 hours and 30 minutes | ¥8,830 |
| Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station to Kikonai Station | Tohoku-Hokkaido Shinkansen Hayabusa Hayabusa 34 towards Tokyo (platform 11) 12 minutes | ¥3,250 |
| Kikonai Station to Kikonai Ekimae Bus Stop | Walk 5 minutes | - |
| Kikonai Ekimae Bus Stop to Matsushiro (Matsumae) Bus Stop | 6:20, 7:38, 9:00, 11:10, 12:10*, 14:52, 15:20, 16:50*, 17:55*, 19:15 90 minutes | ¥1370 |
| Matsushiro Bus Stop to Matsumae Castle | Walk 400 meters 5 minutes | - |
How to get back
| Matsumae Castle to Matsushiro (Matsumae) Bus Stop | Walk 400 meters 5 minutes | - |
| Matsushiro (Matsumae) Bus Stop to Kikonai Ekimae Bus Stop | 5:22*, 6:21, 7:20*, 8:44, 9:50*, 10:37, 12:34, 14:22, 15:52, 18:03 90 minutes * to Hakodate | ¥1,370 |
| Kikonai Ekimae Bus Stop to Kikonai station | Walk 5 minutes | - |
| Kikonai Station to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station | Tohoku-Hokkaido Shinkansen Hayabusa Hayabusa 23 towards Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto 12 minutes | ¥3,250 |
| Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station to Sapporo | Hokuto or the Super Hokuto Limited Express on the Hakodate Line. 3 hours 30 minutes | ¥8,830 |