Kotan Hachiman Shrine

Posted on By

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

Posted on By

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

Posted on By

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

Posted on By

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

Posted on By

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

Posted on By

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

Posted on By

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

Posted on By

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 ....

< >

Sobetsu Waterfall

Posted on by

Admission	Free
Opening Hours	Open 24 hours
Contact	-
Notes	Sightseeing spot , parking available, short walking trail
Location / Getting There	12 minute drive from Toyako Onsen on the southern edge of Lake Toya Takinomachi, Machi Sobetsu, Usu District, Hokkaido 052-0101

The path up past the shrine.

Sobetsu Waterfall can be found on the southern edge of Lake Toya. It is a beautiful waterfall, where you can take a nice walk to its base. You can get some great photos and experience the waterfall up close. To get to the waterfall you need to follow the road down on route 2 keeping Sobetsu river on your left (coming from Toyako Onsen). At the bottom of the hill, make a U-turn and cross over the river and follow the small road keeping the river on your left. There will be parking on the left hand side. Once parked, simply follow the winding path until you reach the waterfall.

[the_ad id=”4264″]

The flowing stream

The walk to the waterfall is a nice stroll and it takes about 8 minutes to get there. On the way you can enjoy the flowing stream and the surrounding trees creating a picturesque scene. The path crosses over the river twice over small bridges. On the way to the falls you can also find a small Buddhist Shrine on the left. With the falls in the background, this small shrine is also a good spot to get some photos. The path reaches a small wooden viewing platform about 10 metres from the falls. This wooden platform can get slippery so make sure you hold on to the rail. Sobetsu Waterfall is a beautiful spot to visit.