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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Kaiku Kiln Museum

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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.