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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Sapporo Art Park

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General Admission	Free
Sculpture Garden Entry	￥700 adults ￥560 over 65 Free for junior high students and younger ￥1000 annual fee
Art Museum Entry	Admission varies on exhibition
Opening Hours	9:45 - 17:00 *closes at 5:30 from June 1 to August 31
Closed	Mondays: November 4 to April 28
Contact	011-592-5111
Notes	￥500 Parking normal cars ￥1200 Parking large cars
Location / Getting There	40 minutes by car from Sapporo station on route 453 1 hour by car from New Chitose airport Buses run from Makomanai station every 15 minutes. Chuo bus stop no.2 2 Chome-2-75 Geijutsunomori, Minami-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaidō 005-0864

One of the well known sculptures at the park

The Sapporo Art Park also known as ‘Geijutsu no Mori’ is a large expanse of land that incorporates gardens, a sculpture park, art galleries, art workshops, a restaurant and shops. Located on forty hectares, it is a terrific place to walk around, take in some art, do some shopping, or take in the fresh air. Throughout the year there are events and craft workshops such as woodwork, glassmaking, pottery, and textiles. There are also places for acting and music, as well as facilities for overnight stays. All this in the gardens and forest area, makes for a great experience out of town.

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: Art gallery on the pond

: Textiles workshop

: Pottery for sale

: Sapporo Sculpture Garden This extensive garden is dotted with 74 works by 64 different artists. Visitors can enjoy walking around the paths throughout the changing seasons.

: Art Park Centre Located at the center of Sapporo Art Park. You can find the ticket counter here plus the entrance to the Sculpture Garden. The bus stop is found directly in front of this building.

: Sapporo Art Museum This museum located on the pond has regular exhibitions throughout the year by both local artists and overseas artists.

: Craft Studio The craft studio has pottery, cloisonne, glassware, and textile dying classes are held for individuals or groups. Full scale craft classes are held in the wood craft, hand weaving, and print studios.

: Craft Hall Carftwork exhibitions are held here. There are also craft shops selling goods plus there is a hand weaving studio.

: Hatake no Haru A buffet style restaurant which uses Hokkaidos’s seasonal produce. The all you can eat buffet changes with the seasons.

: Sato Churyo Children’s Atelier Sato Churyo was a leading Japanese sculptor. The atelier is a space for exhibiting sculptures. This building also has daily workshops that can be enjoyed by adults and children.

: Rental Studios Rental facilities can be used for music practice and performance. The Atelier Lodge can be rented as a whole facility. There are numerous art studios, with equipment that can be used by artists.

: Outdoor Stage & Art Hall During the summer, there are jazz, classical and various concerts that are held. The art hall also has concerts throughout the year.

Near the entrance of the park

So, how to get there? There are two ways to get to the art park. By public transport take the subway on the Nanboku Line (green line). Get off at Makamonai Station. Take the ‘Soranuma’ or ‘Takino’ bus from the bus stop no.2 which is at the front of Makamonai station. You can get off at ‘Geijutsu no Mori Iriguchi’ or the ‘Geijutsu no Mori Center’. Alternatively, if you have your own transport, it is a forty minute drive from central Sapporo. Head onto route 453 which is the Sapporo to Shikotsu route. The turn off will be on the right.

La Foglia cafe

If you are driving from New Chitose Airport, it is a one hour drive. Head along the Hokkaido Expressway Kitahiroshima Interchange.Lastly, on your walks around the park, you may need to refuel at some point. There are plenty of places to have a picnic if you want to bring your own lunch. There is a cafe ‘La Foglia’ that has tea, as well as homemade confections. The cafe offers relaxing views over the park. The restaurant on the grounds is called ‘Hatake no Haru’. It is a buffet style restaurant that uses local produce from Hokkaido. It is here you can find a delicious lunch. For more details on the restaurant, see below.

Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person)	￥1500 Junior high school and over ￥1300 Seniors ￥900 Children Free for toddlers, three and under
Opening Hours	11:00 - 17:00
Closed	-
Contact	011-215-1778 http://hatake-no-haru.com/
Notes	All you can eat buffet