| Admission Gardens + Farm | ¥1200 Over 16 years old ¥600 Children* ¥1000 Seniors over 60 ¥2400 Annual ticket *up to 5 children can enter free with 1 adult |
| Opening Hours | 9:30 - 17:00 April - September 9:00 - 16:00 October |
| Closed | November - March |
| Contact | 0123-34-7800 http://www.ecorinvillage.com/ |
| Notes | Restaurant on grounds Farm next to gardens Parking available Playground for kids |
| Location / Getting There | 40 minute drive from Sapporo station 20 minute drive from New Chitose Airport 〒061-1421 Hokkaido, Eniwa, Makiba, 277−4 |
Purple & gold garden
If you have the time, Ecorin Village is a must see, for tourists and locals alike! Especially if you enjoy gardening, the outdoors, or architecture. Ecorin Village is divided into three main areas; The Galaxy Gardens, Midori Farm, and the Tomato Forest area. With the experience of international and Japanese world renown garden architects, the landscaping and design of the Galaxy Gardens is absolutely flawless. The attention to detail as you wander around is truly amazing. There are thirty different gardens to explore while at Galaxy Gardens!
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Bear garden
Among the thirty gardens to view, are the award winning ‘Dragon Garden’ and ‘Riverside Gardens’. There are ponds, picnic areas, beautiful cottages that you can enter and enjoy, an underground tunnel & cave, a hobbit home, a maze to wander in, streams, paths, a playground for the kids, grass areas on which to stretch out, and tables and chairs to rest and admire the scenery. Each garden has it’s own unique feel and design. Sculptures are dotted around the park and add to the experience. Ecorin Village is about the appreciation of the environment, and you can find many of the flowers and garden ornaments from the Galaxy Gardens in the garden centre (located at the Tomato Forest).
Rice planting
Also located in the Galaxy Gardens, are rice fields that are open to the public. There is a rice planting activity which is fun for the whole family. Dress up in traditional Japanese farmer clothing, and you can plant rice in one of the many fields. Great time to get some photos! There is information about the rice fields (in Japanese) and planting techniques. After trying out the rice planting, or even just wandering around the gardens, there is a fantastic restaurant on the grounds. Here you can enjoy a buffet style lunch, or hamburg patty set!
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 10:00 - 17:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0123-34-7800 |
| Notes | World's largest tomato plant Garden & flower store Local market Restaurant on site Free parking |
| Location / Getting There | 15 minute bus ride from Eniwa Station Hokkaido, Eniwa, Makiba, 281−1 061-1421 |
Plenty of produce
The Tomato Forest (or Tomato no Mori) is a HUGE tomato plant, that is so big, it was certified on November 13th, 2013 as the “World’s Largest Tomato Plant”. Impressive! Found in the town of Eniwa, this plant is an ordinary variety of tomato plant and is grown from one grain, which is gown through hydroponics. This feet of botanical accomplishment has seen the tomato plant reach dimensions of around 40 square meters, and produces up to 17,000 tomatoes annually! You can buy the tomatoes from the Garden Center Flower Ranch next door.
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Entrance to store, and the tomato forest
If you’re a gardener, or if you looking like to buy fresh, local produce, then the Garden Center Flower Ranch is a great spot! You can find a huge selection of ornaments for the garden and home, furniture, herbs, and a selection of indoor and outdoor plants. During the year, this store has seminars led by herbalists and gardeners to offer advice and information! They also have a wide variety of flowers to choose from. Eniwa is surrounded by many farmlands that produce fruit and vegetables. The Garden Center has a small market of local fruits and vegetables, (especially tomatoes!). These fresh foods are great not only for kitchen, but also as souvenirs! While looking around and shopping you can also stop in at the ‘Camel’ Italian restaurant for some lunch.
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 18:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0123-35-2321 |
| Notes | Garden store Market |
| Location / Getting There | 15 minute bus ride from Eniwa Station Hokkaido, Eniwa, Makiba, 281−1 061-1421 |
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | - |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | +81-166-52-1934 |
| Notes | Hiking trails near by Free parking (180 cars) Picnic area Scenic views |
| Location / Getting There | 10 minute walk from Asahiyama parking lot & Asahiyama zoo 〒 078 - 8205 Hokkaido, Asahikawa-shi Higashi Asahikawa Machigakuma |
Walk around at your leisure
Inari Konpira Shrine is located near the top of Asahiyama park and is a beautiful spot to walk around and take in the scenery, especially during the spring as it is surrounded by hundreds of stunning cherry blossom trees. With the cherry blossom petals slowly cascading down in a nice warm breeze, in front of this quiet shrine, never will you find a more peaceful spot. Away from any major roads, you can take in the old stone and wood of this serene shrine. A great spot to get some photos!
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View from the shrine
In the Asahiyama park area, you can also find the famous Asahiyama zoo, and plenty of small stalls, facilities, and free parking. In the spring, cherry blossoms and dogtooth violet blossoms can be seen, summer brings in the hiking, in the fall, the beautiful autumn foliage can be enjoyed, and in a winter, there are plenty of winter activities to enjoy the snow. To get to Inari Konpira Shrine, from the parking lot out the front of Asahiyama zoo, walk up the road through the park. Continue past the Asahiyama Ryubokutaishido Hall (a small shrine) on your right, and you will see Inari Konpira Shrine 200 metres further along.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | - |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-511-5917 |
| Notes | Buddhist temple |
| Location / Getting There | 5 minute walk from Nakajima station Hokkaido, Sapporo-shi, Chūō-ku, Minami 7 Jōnishi, 4 Chome−1−1 |
Immersed in history
Sapporo Gokoku Shrine is located in Sapporo, next to Nakajima Park on the southern side. The shrine was founded in 1888. It was built in honor and to comfort the spirits of the Tsunada soldiers who fought during the Meiji period. The shrine grounds are large and there is plenty of space to wander around and take photos. It is very quiet on weekdays, and is a pleasant walk from Nakajima park. The shrine is beautiful in all seasons, especially in autumn and spring with the cherry blossoms and the autumn leaves in the expansive gardens around the shrine.
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Gokoku shrine during spring
Behind the shrine, there are some beautiful old graves where you are free to wander round. There is a water basin, where you can purify your hands. The shrine has amulets they sell, and also offer blessings for things such as health, travel, business, and for good luck. Weddings, as well, as funerals are held here. For more information on booking the shrine, please contact them on their contact number (Japanese is required). Throughout the year, Sapporo Gokoku Shrine has numerous events. The public are welcome to come to the shrine and enjoy these events. For more information, check the table below.
| January 1st | New Year Day's festival from 7:00. From 10:00 prayers and blessings for cars are offered. Call for reservation |
| Febrauary 3rd | Setsubun Festival (bean throwing at spirits) from 15:00 |
| June first Saturday | Shinkuen Festival from 10:00 - 15:00 |
| July 5th | Concert Festival from 18:00. For members. |
| July 6th & 7th | Great Festival |
| August 7th & 8th | Taga Shrine Festival |
| October 15th | Shicho-go-san Festival |
| December 31st | Night Festival |
| Admission 入場料 | Free ※Parking 500yen/day 無料 ※駐車場１日５００円 |
| Opening Hours 営業時間 | - |
| Closed 定休日・休業期間 | - |
| Contact 問い合わせ | 0143-84-3311 |
| Notes 備考 | Numerous onsens in area Walking paths 温泉街 遊歩道あり |
| Location / Getting There 所在地・アクセス | 〒 059-0551 Hokkaido, Noboribetsu Onsen Town 〒059-0551 北海道登別市登別温泉町 |
Main walkway into the center
If you enjoy boiling sulfuric hot springs, volcanic steam plumes & hiking paths, then this is the place for you! As the name suggests, Jigokudanai, or better known as ‘Hell Valley’, is a 24-acre smoking crater of geothermal activity, created by a volcanic eruption 20,000 years ago. It is just a few minutes walk from the Noboribetsu Onsen district. Noboribetsu is also home to a shrine that is dedicated to Enma, the king of hell, which is an appropriate place for it. There is a chance to meet this formidable deity during the Jigoku Hell Festival during August.
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Okunoyu
Jigokudani can be explored via boardwalks and hiking trails that run through park. This eight kilometer network brings viewers to all areas of the valley. The sights will greet you, as well as the sulphur emanating the air, as you stroll along the boardwalks. Explore the sights, such as Tessen Pond (an 80° bubbling sulfur pool), or Okunoyu, and Oyunuma (small thermal lakes bubbling hot mud). Oyunuma flows into a warm volcanic river called Oyunumagawa, where visitors can place their feet along the trail. This river flows through the old forests making for some great sights.
| Things to see | Mt. Usu Toyako Onsen Toyako Visitor Center Tōya Lake Forest Museum |
| Notes | Walking trails, Onsens, National park, Camping grounds |
| Getting There | Take JR train from Sapporo station bound for Hakodate. Get off at Toya station (70 min) ￥4500 Take bus from Toya station to Toyako Onsen bus terminal (15 min) ￥330 |
Lake Tōya is a volcanic caldera lake in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. With a maximum depth of 180 metres, this lake is 10 kilometers in diameter from east to west and 9 kilometers, north to south. The lake’s biggest town, Tōyako is located on its western shore. The town Sōbetsu is located on the other side of the lake. The stratovolcano, Mt Usu, lies on the southern edge of the lake. This lake is beautiful all year round, and is one of the northern most lakes that never ices over.
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A beautiful winter dawn
So, what can you do at the lake? This Lake is a beautiful lake to drive around and get some photos. There are numerous parks surrounding the lake in which to stroll, and enjoy. Likewise, there are numerous walking trails surrounding the park, such as the Waterfront Forest Lane (Takarada Nature Observation Trail) and the Nishiyama Sanroku Crater Trail. In the warmer months, there are five campgrounds around the lake. Lake Toya is the second most transparent lake in Japan! Perfect for swimming, canoeing, and boating on a nice summers day.
After a days activities, you can sit in the soothing hot water of the numerous onsens in which to relax with gorgeous views of the lake. And finally, in the middle of the lake, there is Nakajima Island. Nakajima island is home to wild deer and it also houses houses the Tōya Lake Forest Museum.
