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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Nakayama Pass

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Opening Hours	8:30 - 17:30 Restaurant & stores
Closed	-
Contact	0136-33-2671 https://ageimo.com/
Notes	Rest stop, sightseeing spot, restaurant, take out food, souvenirs, restrooms
Location / Getting There	Nakayama Pass is located on route 230 and is directly between Sapporo & Niseko. It is about a one hour drive from both. 345 Kawakami, Kimobetsu-cho, Abuta District, Kimobetsu, 044-0223 Hokkaido

Nakayama Pass is also known as Nakayama Toge (toge meaning ‘mountain pass’ in Japanese). This mountain pass acts as a rest stop, shopping spot, restaurant, and sightseeing spot. The pass offers striking views of Mt. Yotei. Mt. Yotei being an active stratovolcano located in Shikotsu-Toya National Park. The pass is on the national highway route 230. The pass sees a lot of traffic coming and going as the highway is the link between Sapporo and all the southern districts, mainly Hirafu (Niseko), Lake Toya, Makkari, and Rusutsu. It is also the entrance to the Nakayama Toge ski field.

There is a huge parking area with entrances on both sides. There are a couple of buildings at the pass. It is here you can find a large souvenir store to pick up something on your way through. There are a couple of small take away stores as well. Nakayama Pass is probably best known for its ‘Ageimo’. Ageimo is a potato deep fried in batter (a little dry but popular). These come on a stick and cost ¥350. They also have fried chicken, imomochi (sticky potato cake) and ice-creams. There is also coffee. On the top floor is a small gallery and restaurant with panoramic views over the valley of Kimobetsu.