| Admission | - |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 17:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-5523-3955 |
| Notes | |
| Location / Getting There | The shrine is a 24 minute walk north from Obihiro station, or a 7 minute drive by car. Obihiro Shrine is right by Obihiro river, and is accessed via route 38. East 2 South 2. From Obihiro Station Bus Terminal Station No.8, take the Tokachi bus (No.7) on the 'Water Line Higashi 13' (Obihiro City). From the General Promotion Bureau stop it's a 2 minute walk. 〒080-0803 Hokkaido, Obihiro, Higashi 3 Jominami, 2 Chome, 1 |
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. In March 1909, a town meeting was held and five members decided to relocate and build the Obihiro Shrine. Over the past hundred years, this shrine has developed, been renovated and welcomed thousands of worshippers.
The shrine is located by the Obihiro River and although the buses don’t run that often, it is in a walkable distance. Once inside the grounds, there are many things to see besides the main shrine. There are numerous shrines and buildings. The area is also rich in greenery and the land was designated as an environmental green space protection area in Hokkaido in 1974. The grounds are also home to many small animals and wild birds such as Ezo squirrels, chipmunks, red-cockaded woodpeckers, and starlings to name a few. This area has some statues and is a good spot for photos. At the shrine, you can buy souvenirs and charms to take home. Throughout the year there are many festivals held. For more detail see below.
| 1st and 15th of every month | Prayers for the safety of the Imperial Family, peace for the nation, and peace for the Urahoro worshippers. |
| January 1 | New Years Day. Prayer for the safety of the Imperial Family, peace for the nation, and a good harvest for the year. |
| January 15 | The burning of old Shinto prayer cards and charms. Prayer for good health. On the day before the first day of spring, there is the purification the evil spirits. The doors of the main shrine are opened to offer thanks to the Milk God and prayer for spring. |
| June 30 | Grand purification ceremony and Nagoshi-no-harai (summer purification). A Shinto ritual to purge the sins and impurities of the past six months and pray for good health. |
| August | On the evening before the last Sunday of the month, There is the summer portable shrine procession festival (Mikoshi & Yoimiya Festival). The portable shrine is purified the night before the main festival, and the gods are notified that the big festival will be held tomorrow. On the last Sunday of the month, the portable shrine will be paraded through the town to pray for the safety of each family and the prosperity of each company. |
| September 20 | Autumn Grand Festival Prayers and dedication events are held for the Ujigami (local deity), which has been handed down from the pioneers. The doors of the main shrine are opened to offer thanks to the Goddess of Milk and pray for the autumn. The god of the land and the god of agriculture are invited to give thanks for the year's harvest and to pray for the safety. Prayers are offered to the gods for the healthy growth of children who are three, five, and seven years old. Prayers are offered for the harvest and labor to the gods of the 24 shrines in Urahoro Town. |
| December 31 | New Year's Eve Purification Ceremony and Nightfall Festival is held to purify the sins and impurities of the year from the body and soul using dolls, and to pray for good health in the New Year. |
| December 30 to January 5 | The shrine grounds are illuminated. |
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 24 hours |
| Contact | 011-5521-3172 |
| Notes | Large park, playground, walking paths, park golf, event space, museum, jogging spot, picnic area, free parking available |
| Location / Getting There | The park is in central Obihiro. The park is an 18 minute walk from Obihiro station or a 6 minute drive. Simply head straight down 'Koen Odori Avenue'. 〒080-0846 Hokkaido, Obihiro, Midorigaoka, 2 |
This massive park is located in the middle of the city of Obihiro. Stretching to 50 hectares, this comprehensive park contains a park golf course, the Obihiro Zoo and the Obihiro Centennial Hall, plus walking trails and a pond. Midorigaoka Park has many different sections to it. One area is the ‘Green Park’ is a huge mowed lawn for people to enjoy. It is lined by a bench, but not just any bench. The bench here runs for 400 meters! Plenty of space to find a seat. beyond this large green space is a large stage used for events. Plus there is a park golf course as well.
You can find many of Obihiro’s older residents enjoy the park golf course. Past this is the Obihiro Centennial Hall, which serves as a museum and gallery for the local area. Near here there are winding paths that run through the park with sculptures and benches to enjoy. There is also a large pond. here you can rent out small row boats and have a paddle. Further on is the entrance to to zoo. This park, is not too far a walk from the station and if you have time is a top spot to visit in any season. In spring, the cherry blossoms are out and the autumn leaves are equally beautiful.
| Admission | ¥700 Year ticket ¥350 Adults ¥190 Highscool & seniors |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 17:00 |
| Closed | Mondays New Year Holidays |
| Contact | 0155-24-5352 |
| Notes | Museum, art gallery, parking available, free wi-fi, wheelchair access, free English, Chinese, & Korean audio service |
| Location / Getting There | The museum is in Midorigaoka Park which is right in the heart of Obihiro. It is a 25 minute walk south west from Obihiro station. 2 Midorigaoka, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-0846 |
The Obihiro Centennial City Museum was opened back in 1982. It is part of Midorigaoka Park which also contains the Obihiro Zoo. This museum exhibits materials relating to the natural history and local history of Obihiro and the Tokachi region. These exhibits include dioramas, photographs, art works, and items pertaining to that area. This museum also looks at the industries that made Obihiro what it is today. Other exhibits are dedicated to the history and culture of the Ainu the buried cultural property.
The hall also has finds from the Jōmon period. These items were excavated from the Yachiyo A site and have been designated as ‘Important Cultural Property’. There is an extensive amount of information for those interested in the local area. The centre also acts as an art museum with exhibitions held on a rotating basis. For those wishing to visit the centre, there is ample parking at the park itself and makes for a nice day out. The centre is easily accessed and doesn’t cost a lot to enter.
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥500 - ¥1000 |
| Opening Hours | Depends on store but generally from 11:00 - 21:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | http://www.fujimori-kk.co.jp/indian/ |
| Notes | Curry restaurant chain, 10 locations in Obihiro, with 2 locations in Kushiro |
| Location / Getting There | 10 locations in central Obihiro. See map below for access |
In the Obihiro area, there is a famous chain of curry restaurants, known as ‘Indian Curry’. There are ten of these restaurants and can be recognized by their cartoon logo. As with its namesake, the curry here is inspired by the flavors from India. The Indian Curry chain has a long history going back to 1968, with the opening of the first store. The original president of the company was an avid movie goer and had a passion for Hollywood movies in particular. All of the curry restaurants have movie posters of famous iconic actors. The posters vary depending on the age when each store opened.
The delicious curry here is cheap and served with steaming bed of rice. There are three kinds of base flavors of curry sauce. These being a beef based curry sauce, an onion based curry sauce, and a potato and onion sauce. As for the servings themselves, there are about half a dozen different dishes on the menu. For example, a seafood curry, vegetable curry, cutlet, chicken, or a beef curry. Toppings can be added for a more delicious taste. This curry chain is well known throughout Hokkaido and in Obihiro you may have to line up to get into one of the Indian Curry restaurants. It is an Obihiro based chain but there are two Indian Curry locations in the nearby city of Kushiro. See the map below. Enjoy!
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥2000 all you can drink plan ¥300 - ¥1000 per dish |
| Opening Hours | 17:00 - 01:00 17:00 - 03:00 Fridays & Saturdays |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-213-0010 |
| Notes | Night bar & dining, 2 hour sit down limit, seating 20, smoking, good for small groups up to 4 or couples, all you can drink plan, no parking |
| Location / Getting There | The bar is located in central Susukino, Sapporo. It is a 3 minute walk from Susukino subway station, located in a small alley at south 5 west 4. 〒064-0805 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Minami 5 Jonishi, 4 Chome, Susukino-ju Building 1F |
Sapporo, and its nightlife district of Susukino is full of bars, clubs and restaurants either on the main road or tucked away down small alleyways or streets. Barsamico is one of these bars that can be found in a small alleyway. It is a very popular bar and for good reason! They have an all you can drink plan and the drink menu includes spirits, beers, and wines. In fact, a lot of the decor is wine themed with barrels and motifs around the bar. You can enjoy some good wine here with equally good food. This bar is recommended for couples or small groups.
This small bar has good drinks menu and a food menu. The kitchen here, although very small, produces a huge range of delicious dishes. A lot of the food here is perfect for a bar sitting and compliments the drink. They have olives, cheeses, prosciutto, pâté, plus salads, grilled beef, pastas, and desserts. It is amazing the small kitchen can produce so much. The main dish here though, is the grilled meat skewers, or yakitori. Sample the dozen or so meats here. Barsamico is the perfect spot for a cozy date, or a for a good night with some friends.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | - |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Shinto shrine, parking, car needed |
| Location / Getting There | The shrine is located just to the south of Obihiro city. It is a 21 minute drive from central Obihiro along route 236. It is between Obihiro and Kōfuku Station Higashi 1 Sen-84 Taishocho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 089-1242 |
In the Obihiro district there is an expanse of farmlands and wilderness. Between the city of Obihiro and Hiroo, you can find Kofukuji. This temple, also known as the ‘happiness temple’ is a Shinto temple that is just off the main highway highway off route 236. It is quite a large temple and due to its remoteness it is in a quiet area. The Buddhist temple has a large wooden gate which allows access into the courtyard. For those driving you can park your vehicle along the road out the front.
The shrine is not too far from Kōfuku Station which is hugely popular sightseeing spot. For those traveling in the area and are interested in shrines and temples, Kofukuji is an easy temple to stop off at and have a look. Inside the courtyard of the temple, there is a large bell that is rung by the priests here. The bell is known as a bonshō or as tsurigane (hanging bell) and is prominent in Buddhist temples. Apart from the bonshō in the courtyard, there is are some small japanese style headstones to observe.
