| 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.
| Admission | Ski lift to top ￥500 adults ￥300 children |
| Opening Hours | 8:30 - 18:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-641-8585 |
| Notes | |
| Location / Getting There | 20 minute bus ride from Sapporo station (JR bus [circle 14] Arai Yamasen) 45 minute walk from Maruyama subway station Hokkaidō, Sapporo-shi, Chūō-ku, Miyanomori, 1274 |
Ski lifts to the look out. Rug up!
Okurayama ski jump was built in 1931 and is located on the east side of Mt.Okura in Sapporo. Contructed by Kishichiro Okura, it is one of the few 90 metre class jumping hills in the world. The ski jump has been home to Nordic World Ski Championships as well as 1972 Winter Olympics to name a few. The total height of the jump hill from the top starting point to the bottom of the slope is 133 metres, with a stadium area that can hold up to 50,000 spectators. There is also the Mt. Okura Observation Platform, offering views down the jump itself, plus views overlooking Sapporo from a height of 300 meters.
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Inside the observation deckOpen all year round, once visitors have arrived at the parking lot and taken the escalator to the base of the ski jump, the tickets for the chairlifts to the viewing platform can be found. There is not only the ski jump at Mt. Okura, but there is the Okurayama Crystal House and the Winter Sports Museum. The Okurayama Crystal House is a large building that houses a souvenir shop and restaurant. Tickets for the Winter Olympic Museum can be purchased with the ski jump observation tickets.
Escalators to the ski jump entrance
To get Okurayama Ski Jump, a car is needed. If you need public transport, then there are regular buses that can be taken from Maruyama subway station. Once arriving at Maruyama subway station, take the JR Hokkaido Bus Circle 14 (JR 北海度バス円14), and this bush will take you to Okurayama Ski Jump. These come twice an hour. Bus tickets are ￥210 for adults and ￥110 for children. The return bus schedule is located at the ticket shop. Okurayama Ski Jump is a good spot for views over the city, and if you’re lucky, you may get to some ski jumpers taking to the air!
| 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 |
Tama Temple and Toyokawa Inari shrine were founded in 1891 and are located in the Susukino district of Sapporo. The temple is made of wood and reinforced concrete and is a nice small temple to visit. With the shrine right by, and in a convenient location, its a good spot to take some photos of not only the shrine, bu the many small statues around the temple. The Toyokawa Inari shrine is believed to have been built as a guardian company of Tamaji.
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The shrine is said to have “watched Suzukino’s emotions and sorrows for years, and witnessed its prosperity”. The “gate pillar” has inscriptions of certain geisha during this time. A small garden was maintained in the precincts of the Inari shrine, and upon entering the area on the left you can see the ‘Mizuko Mourning Monument’. This shrine seems to have a sad past concerning children lost at birth. Tama Temple is one of the few remnants of the old days during the period of the shogun of Hokkaido.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 19:00 |
| Closed | Mondays December 29 - January 3 |
| Contact | 011-251-0731 |
| Notes | Wheelchair access Location of bike rental |
| Location / Getting There | 10 minute walk from Odori station 13-chome Otanishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo-shi |
Open during year round
The Sapporo City Museum of Art was originally built as a Sapporo Appellant College in 1926. It was changed from the Court of Appeals to the Sapporo Museum in 1973. At the opening, materials related to the Sapporo Olympics and documents relating to Sapporo literature were originally displayed. The Shiryokan can be found on the west end of Odori park overlooking the extensive rose gardens that are in bloom from spring. Due to its architecture and history, it became a registered cultural asset of Japan in 1997. This two story building has a ‘town history exhibition room’, a ‘mini gallery’ and also a ‘rental room’.
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Court room
In 2006, the ‘criminal court exhibition room’ was restored to its former glory during the appellate court era. The ‘mini’ gallery’ and ‘training room’ are available to hire and can be used to present artworks, for meetings, or presentations. The mini gallery is open from 9:00 to 19:00 that is open to check out the current exhibitions. The building is not large, but the surrounding gardens are a pleasant area to walk around during the warmer seasons. There are also benches in which to sit and take in the surroundings. During summer you will find bike rentals here out the front of this building. This building is heavily used during the Sapporo International Art Festival.
Gallery
The ‘mini’ gallery’ and ‘training room’ are available to hire and can be used to present artworks, for meetings, or presentations. For an exhibition, artworks must be loaded and unloaded during the opening times. During the week, the exhibition is open from Tusday to Sundays. Applications for exhibitions are taken on the first of each month, a year in advance. Exhibitions run for two weeks and up to three rooms are available. For more information, please visit their site at http://www.s-shiryokan.jp/
| Admission | Adults : ￥420 Aged 7 - 15 : ￥300 6 and under : free |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 16:30 (16:00 last entry) |
| Closed | Mondays（on Tuesday when Monday is a National Holiday） Winter - November to April |
| Contact | 011-221-0066 hubg@fsc.hokudai.ac.jp |
| Notes | Wheelchairs available to borrow The botanic garden does not allow pets on garden grounds. Service animals are permitted. Toilets available. No car parking Parking available for motorcycles and bicycles. |
| Location / Getting There | North3, West8, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-0003, Japan 10 minute walk from Sapporo station |
Woodlands
The Hokkaido University Botanical Gardens were established in 1886 as a part of the Old Sapporo Agricultural College. They were opened by Dr. Miyabe Kingo, a graduate of Sapporo Agricultural College (now Hokkaido University). The gardens cover 13.3 hectares and are the second oldest botanical gardens in Japan! The collection of plants and trees numbers over 4,000 species. These include alpine plants, and wild plants from Hokkaido, and can be enjoyed in the Spring, Summer, and Autumn.
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Natural History Museum
The gardens also contain a tropical greenhouse, a natural history museum, memorial building, and early Hokkaido homes. The natural history museum was built in 1884, and is the oldest museum in Hokkaido. Its old and spooky facade houses Ainu artifacts, biological specimens, and the stuffed body of ‘Taro’, one of two surviving sled dogs from Japan’s 1958 Antarctica mission. The exhibits documenting the lives of the Ainu and Uilta (indigenous peoples of Hokkaido) were collected from 1870 – 1930. There is also the Miyabe Kingo Memorial Building with displays of articles belonging to Miyabe, the first director of the botanical gardens.
Rose garden area
Other features of the Botanical Gardens are a Herbaceous Plants Garden, a Rose Garden with 200 rose bushes from 20 different varieties, a Canadian Rock Garden (in commemoration of the partnership between the University of British Colombia and the University of Hokkaido) ,and the Alpine Plants Rock Garden with over 600 species of alpine plants home to Hokkaido and its climate. The Northern Peoples Ethnobotanical Garden has around 200 species of plants used by the indigenous peoples of North East Asia for building, clothing, food, hunting, medicine and rituals.
The botanical gardens, are only a 10 minute walk from Sapporo station on the south exit. It is also a few minutes on the west side of the Old Hokkaido Government Building so you can fit the gardens into a sightseeing schedule. The gardens are a nice spot to walk around, sit on one of the many lawns, and take in the nature. Visitors can enjoy the seasonal flowers and the autumn leaves.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 17:00 (including prayer room) |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-521-2565 |
| Notes | Prayer room available for reservations. Available for weddings & funerals |
| Location | Nakajima Park 1- 8, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 5 minute walk from Nakajima park station |
“Torii” located at the entrance
Iyahiko Shrine is located in Nakajima park on the east side. It’s a small Shinto shrine and when you are in
Nakajima Park it’s another nice little spot to visit to get some nice photos, to pray, or to buy a souvenir or prayer amulet. Feel free to walk around the small grounds, or sit for a coffee and enjoy a piece of Japanese culture. There are special events at the shrine that take place throughout the year, especially around New Year. Summer and the Obon festival are also big on the calendar. Iyahiko Shrine is especially beautiful during the autumn and winter seasons.
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“Komainu” statue guarding the temple
Prayer rooms and prayer times are daily. For specific blessings, for things such as company prosperity, baby blessings, or for family health and safety then a priest is available. The cost ranges from ￥5000 to ￥15,000. Before coming to visit for a blessing, it is recommended to contact the shrine as there are occasions where the priest is absent at a visit. And as with all religious or spiritual places, the shrine is available for weddings or funerals. The amulets and trinkets available from the shop cover things from health, luck to money and prosperity.
