Kotan Hachiman Shrine

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Kotan Hachiman Shrine was founded in 1856 and was officially named a township shrine in 1875. It was listed as a local shrine on the 28th of April 1911. The purpose of the shrine is to follow the great principles of the deity, Hondawake no Mikoto. Hondawake no Mikoto is also more commonly known as the Emporer Ōjin. Read More ....

Otaru Canal Museum & Information Center

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Otaru City General Museum Canal Museum has an extensive collection that introduces the history of Otaru City including information on the natural environment. The exhibition includes 20,000 objects and materials in its collection. The museum is located by Otaru Canal and can be found in the 'former Otaru warehouse'. Read More ....

Tokai Lavender Fields

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On the Tokai Sapporo School campus the grounds really comes alive with lavender. It is said that the south district of Sapporo, where the campus is located, is known as the birthplace of lavender cultivation in Japan. Read More ....

Urahoro Shrine

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During the Meiji Era, as the town of Urahoro (on the south east coast of Hokkaido) was being developed, the pioneers called for the construction of a shrine to serve as a spiritual centre. On August 15, 1896, a small shrine was erected, enshrining Amaterasu (goddess of the sun and the universe). Read More ....

Onnenai Visitor Center

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The Kushiro Shitsugen National Park, also known as the Kushiro Marshland is a sprawling national park to the north of Kushiro. There are half a dozen observation decks, museums, and walking paths that surround the park. The Onnenai Visitor Center is one of these museums and can be found on the western side of the marshland. Read More ....

Kushiro Shitsugen National Park

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The Kushiro Shitsugen National park (better known as the Kushiro Marshland) is a national park, located to the north of Kushiro on the eastern side of Hokkaido. The park is known for its wetlands ecosystems. 'Shitsugen' translates to wetlands in English. It was designated as a national park on 31 July 1987. The massive park covers an area of 268.61 square kilometres on the Kushiro plain and is well known for its wildlife and vegetation. Read More ....

Kushiro Marsh Observatory

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Perched at the top of a large hill, overlooking Kushiro Marsh, you can find the Kushiro Marsh Observatory. This is one of the most interesting buildings in Hokkaido. The exterior, and especially the interior, has a strange and unique design and is reminiscent of a cool sci-fi movie. The central hall of the museum is definitely a place to get some photos. Read More ....

Obihiro Shrine

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In 1881, a man named Benzo Yoda and others from Shizuoka Prefecture organized a pioneer group called the "Bansei-sha". This group and settled inShimo-Obihiro Village and started pioneering. During this time, they started holding festivals and later built a small shrine, though the connection with the current Obihiro Shrine is still not well known. Read More ....

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Hoheikyo Dam

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Admission	Free
Opening Hours	All day
Shuttle bus hours	8:45 - 16:00 Adults ￥620, Children ￥300
Contact	011-598-3452
Notes	Peak spot for autumn leaves viewing Free parking Wheelchair access Toilets available
Location / Getting There	Jozankei 840-banchisaki, Minami-ku, Sapporo By car or bus, it's a 1 hour drive from Sapporo During October, it can take all day to get there! By car from Jozankei its an 8 minute drive.

Jozan lake

Hoheikyo Dam was constructed in 1972 and stands at 102.5 meters tall. It was built, utilizing Toyohira river, for irrigation, for hydroelectricity and to control flooding. The reservoir created from the dam is called Jozan lake, which is surrounded by forest and high mountains. Located in Shikotsu Toya National park, the dam is in a designated environmental protection area, so cars, motorbikes, and bicycles are not allowed. To get from the car park to the dam there is a hybrid electric bus available, or it’s a 20 minute walk.

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Restaurant & lookout

For places to see in Hokkaido, Hoheikyo dam is a beautiful location, and during autumn, it’s a must see! The views of the autumn leaves are spectacular. The dam was voted as one of the top 100 waterside forests, and is also one of the top 100 lake dams as ranked by the Forestry Agency. The floodgates are opened between June and October from 9:00 to 16:00. There is also a small lookout area above the dam, and for lunch , there is a Jingiskan (mutton) restaurant as well! At the far end of Hoheikyo Dam is a museum with old photos and information (in Japanese) about the dam. It has a nice place to sit, with amazing views over Jozan lake.

From the parking lot, to the dam it is about a kilometer. There is a hybrid electric bus that runs every 10 minutes. The fare (round trip) for adults is ￥620 and ￥300 for children. Children up to 12 years old can ride for free. If you prefer, you can walk this road, which will take about 20 minutes. The road passes through 2 long tunnels but there is a good photo opportunity along the way, looking into the valley.

: View from museum

: Valley view on the way to dam

WARNING!! To get to the dam requires your own transport or by public bus. The peak season in getting to Hoheikyo Dam is in October (for the stunning Autumn leaves). Getting to the dam from Sapporo will take ALL day during this month on the weekend! If possible, visit the dam during weekdays. Buses are available daily from Sapporo to Jozankei. From Jozankei to the dam, shuttle buses are available.