| Admission | ¥300 adults ¥200 high school students ¥100 children Free for Toyako townspeople |
| Opening Hours | 10:30 - 16:30 |
| Closed | Mondays November to March |
| Contact | 0142-87-2525 |
| Notes | Local art gallery, parking available, wheelchair access |
| Location / Getting There | Located on the northern side of Lake Toya. 3 minute walk from Toya Mizu-no-eki (Toyasui Station). 35-17 Tōyakoonsen, Toyako, Abuta-gun, Hokkaido 049-5721 |
The Toyako Art Museum is a small art museum that can be found by the northern shores of Lake Toya. The museum predominantly displays works from local artists. They have works from sculptors, painters, photographers, and writers. Inside the lovely rooms, there is a collection of first edition books, plus limited edition books from modern and contemporary writers. There is also works of the Village International Sculpture Biennale on display. Whilst looking at the artworks, viewers can also get nice views from the windows that look out directly across the lake.
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Throughout the year, the Toyako Art Museum holds a variety of events, including special exhibitions and mini concerts. Besides the Toyako Art Museum, you can also find a nice little park across the road. The park is home to a historical landmark, being the monument of Okubo Jinnojo. Okubo Jinnojo was a statesman, born in 1849 in Shikoku. He, among other things, used his money for pioneering Hokkaido, especially in the Toya district. To get to the museum and park, you can take a bus from Toyako Onsen bus terminal bound for Toya Mizu no Eki (Toyasui Station). Get off at Toyasui station and it’s a three minute walk from there.
| Opening Hours | 7:00 - 22:00 9:00 - 18:00 Coffee shop |
| Closed | – |
| Contact | – |
| Notes | Souvenir store and coffee shop |
| Location / Getting There | Located on the southern shore of Lake Toya. Toyakoonsen, Toyako, Abuta District, Hokkaido 049-5721 |
Modern Design
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Special wines
Among the ornaments and crafts, Select 108 also sells clothing. Here you can find some great Japanese ‘yukatas’ (casual style of a kimono, usually worn during the summer and at onsen hotels). They also sell some fantastic wines, sweets and other snacks that are home to Hokkaido. Select 108 also has a small cafe on its premises, with plenty of outside seating in which to enjoy a cup coffee, or one of their delicious cakes. After shopping, there is a nice restaurant across the road, Toya Arts & Crafts that you can have a nice lunch.
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥500 - ¥2000 |
| Opening Hours | 10:30 - 21:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0142-82-3031 |
| Notes | Restaurant, coffee shop & gallery space, English menu available, No parking, outside seating (smoking), seating 40, credit card accepted |
| Location / Getting There | Located on the south west side of lake Toya, in the Lake Toya Hot Spring district 40-11 Toyakoonsen, Toyako, Abuta District, Hokkaido 049-5721 |
Delicious roast chicken meal
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Relax with a coffee
For appetizers there are Italian Olives, Fried Potato With Truffle Salt, or Fried Chicken. Inside there are artworks for customers to enjoy. As the name suggests, Toya Art & Crafts focuses on local craft blended with good local produce, wine & coffee. They have some delicious organic wines, and Hokkaido craft beers to choose from such as an Otaru Pilsner or the North Island Brown to name a few. Finally, with outside seating, you can sit back and enjoy a nice cup of tea, or coffee. The large tables inside are available for reservations making the restaurant a good place for parties as well as for small groups or couples.
| Opening Hours | 10:00 - 22:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-207-5000 |
| Notes | Shopping area Restaurants Beer bar Arts & crafts |
| Location / Getting There | 5 minute walk from Bus Center Mae subway station, which is one stop from Chuo-ku station (central Sapporo) 4 Chome Kita 2 Johigashi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0032 |
Beautiful old architecture
Factory Renga-Kan is a part of the shopping complex, known as ‘Sapporo Factory’, which is made up of four large buildings. Built originally in 1876 as the Sapporo Pioneering Beer Brewery, the Factory complex is now used as a shopping centre, for a place to dine, and to take in a piece of history in the Sapporo area. The Renga-Kan is located on the western side of Factory, and is a short walk across the courtyard from ‘the atrium’. The Renga-Kan, which literally translates to ‘Brick Museum’ is a three story building that is perfect for shopping for arts & crafts, a photographic spot, and for some fine dining.
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The brewery observation hall
The first floor has kids park, the Sapporo Kaitakushi Brewery where you can observe the brewing process. Right by this brewery is a tasting room, where you can taste some traditional Sapporo beers and a great spot for tourists! On this floor you can also find four restaurants, plus a wine cellar with some fantastic wines! The ‘La Brique’ is a gorgeous French restaurant that is attached to the wine cellar. ‘Terzina Trattoria Pizzeria’ is an Italian restaurant and there is a fresh produce restaurant and market called ‘Fresh Factory’. Last but not least is the beer hall, with some hearty meals and beer!
Shopping area
Where the first floor is for feasting, the second floor is for shopping. Here, through the beautiful old hallways and creaking floorboards you can find an array of arts and craft shops. You can also watch the artists creating their works in their small workshops in the stores. There is jewelry , toys, woodwork and metal work on sale. There is also a furniture store, and an Iranian carpet store with some fantastic wares. The third floor is made up of photographic studios plus a ceramic workshop, kids school, and a theatre academy school.
| 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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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
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 8:30 - 17:00 |
| Closed | Tuesdays *Open every day in July & August |
| Contact | 0166-94-3354 http://www.kaikukiln.com/ |
| Notes | Free parking No photos allowed inside Ceramics for sale |
| Location / Getting There | 20 minutes by car from JR Biei Station. 20 minutes by Dohoku Bus from in front of Biei Station. Shirogane, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido |
One of the many sculptures
Kaiku Kiln Museum is a large, quiet homestead that is home to a gallery, kiln room, workshop, and house. The Kaiku Kiln property is located between the Blue Pond, which is a five minute drive away, and the ‘Biei Shirokanebiruke’ road station. The Blue Pond and road station can get quite crowded during the summer, so the gallery is a nice place to take a pleasant stroll and look at the sculptures, and get away from the crowds. The grounds are covered in various sculptures created from wood, clay, and metal, and there is a small rock path that crosses through the trees.
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One of the buildings
The gallery itself is located on the left of the entrance. The sculptures displayed at the gallery, are by local prominent artists. The gallery also serves as a shop where you can buy some fantastic ceramic dishes and serveware. These works are not cheap but they are high quality. Photos of the works in the gallery are not allowed, though photos outside are permitted. There is free parking available for those with transport. To getting to the gallery is a twenty minute drive from Biei station. There is also the Dohoku bus that stops in front of the station.
