| Height | 1,023 metres |
| Length | 10km round trip |
| Hiking Time | Summer - 3 hours to summit |
| Notes | Hiking trail, popular ski field in winter, car access |
| Location / Getting There | To hike the trail during summer. Drive to Heiwa no Taki (peace waterfall). This drive is a 30 minute drive east from central Sapporo. From the shrine near the waterfall you can find the trail head. During winter, it is a 1 hour drive from central Sapporo. The easiest route is to get on route 5 and then turn left onto the road that leads up to the mountain top. Heiwa, Nishi Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 063-0029 |
Mt Teine is a very popular mountain on the western outskirts of the city of Sapporo. The mountain has an elevation of 1,023 meters, or 3,356 feet. This mountain is busy during summer as well as winter. During the winter months Mt Teine serves as a ski resort which sees thousands of locals and visitors enjoying the ski slopes whether it be skiing, or snowboarding. Mt Teine was one of the sites of the first Winter Olympics held in Asia, in 1972. This mountain hosted the giant slalom and slalom events in alpine skiing.
During the summer months there are hiking trails that lead to the summit of the mountain. For those who don’t wish to hike the trail (which takes about 2 hours to the top), there is an access road which can be used to drive up where you can enjoy the views over Sapporo and Ishikari Bay. The trail head can be found at Heiwa no Taki (peace waterfall). There is parking here and you can find the trail next to an old shrine here. Along the path you can see the Nunojikino Falls, a small waterfall, plus along the path you can pick wild vegetables including mushrooms. The trail turns into a rocky slope near the top so be sure to wear suitable foot wear.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | All day |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Light walking trails, photography spot, parking available |
| Location / Getting There | On the southern side of Lake Toya. The crater itself is a 15 minute walk from the entrance. Toyakoonsen, Toyako, Abuta District, Hokkaido 049-5721 |
Lake Toya, being a caldera volcanic lake, is surrounded by land that has seen its fair share of volcanic activity. The area is home to a few craters, half a dozen monuments related to the ever shifting geography, and the active volcano Mt. Usu! Among the craters formed over the the southern area of Lake Toya there are some walking trails that make for a nice hike taking in the surrounding landscape. The entrance to the path, called the ‘Kompirayama Walking Trail’ can be found behind the Toyako Visitor Centre. It is also here you can find the parking lot.
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The walking trails are numbered from one to seven. You can find a map of these trails at the small hut at the base of the stairs that lead to start of the hike. The walk leads up into the hills where you can view the Ari-kun crater. Simply follow the sign mark T-7 and this will lead you to the crater. Along the way, you can see the steel barriers that were erected to protect the town from the hot mudflow after the 1977 eruptions. The trail is a circuit that also leads past the Sakuragaoka Housing Complex Ruins. Not only can you enjoy the views, but you also learn about the interesting history of the impact of the volcanoes in the area!
| Admission | - |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot , parking available, rest rooms available, walking trails |
| Location / Getting There | Located along route 452 in the Ashibetsu province, between Yubari and Ashibetsu. 30 minute drive from Furano, 20 minute drive from Ashibetsu. 1 hour 30 minute drive from Sapporo. Ashibetsu, Hokkaido 075-0000 |
The path down to the falls
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The falls during summer
The river in question is the Ashibetsu River. It flows for sixty kilometres, and runs through to the city of Ashibetsu itself. The Sandan Falls can be found around halfway along the Ashibetsu river not far from the park. The falls can range from a small trickle to a raging torrent during spring after the snowmelt. The river is especially beautiful during the spring with a couple of cherry blossoms and in autumn with the foliage along the river. Sandandaki Park has restrooms next to the parking lot, and there are benches to take a seat and enjoy the view.
| Mt Tengu Ropeway | ¥1200 Adult round trip ¥600 Child round trip *discount for groups of 20 or more ¥1500 Adults round trip ticket + ¥800 meal coupon: |
| Opening Hours | 9:30 - 21:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0134-33-7381 |
| Notes | Observatory, gift shop, restaurants, hiking path, Squirrel park, shrine, snow gallery, Wheelchair access |
| Location / Getting There | Take the Chuo (#9 天狗山ロープウエイ線) bus from Otaru station terminal, or Otaru canal terminal. Get off at "Tenguyama" (last stop). Takes about 15 minutes. 2-chōme-16-16 Mogami, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0023 |
Great views
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“Tengu” of Japanese folklore
Once alighting the cablecar, you will first enter the gift shop and restaurant, where you can sit and have lunch, dinner or coffee. If you need lockers, there are a few here for ¥500 for the day, and which are cheaper than the lockers at the bottom of the mountain. It is here too, you can see the Otaru Winter Museum, and the Tengu Hall which has fantastic Tengu masks on display. Outside, there is “Nausea’s Tengu”, a giant Tengu sculpture, which if you touch the nose, your wishes will come true. Behind this is a squirrel enclosure (open only during the summer), and a shrine, known as “Tengusan Shrine”. The shrine in the evening is lit by lanterns and is especially beautiful during this time.
One of the observation points
Circling around the top of the mountain is a small hiking path. It takes about 25 minutes to walk around. It is a pleasant walk and while walking around there are a couple of clear vantage points that offer beautiful views over the surrounding area. Finally, for kids and adults there is a downhill bobsled track that runs for 400 meters. The track costs ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for children. The track is closed during bad weather. All this during the summer, and during the winter there is skiing and snowboarding as well! A great place for family and friends.
Impressive views up
To get to the mountain, you can drive or take a bus. Buses leave from Otaru station, and Otaru canal bus terminal. For night viewing, there is an ‘Otaru Nightview Shuttle Bus’ (小樽夜景シャトルバス). This shuttle bus leaves from the the Otaru Grand Park Hotel at 18:50 and 19:20. It does a run through Otaru, stopping further at Hotel Otaru Furukawa, Hotel Sonia, Hotel Nord, Otaru Canal Bus Terminal, The Bank of Japan Otaru Museum, Inaho Jujigai, and the Otaru Train Station Bus Teminal. It operates from the end April until the start of November and costs ¥210 per adult, and ¥110 per child.
| Height | 907m / 2962ft |
| Length | 12km round trip |
| Hiking Time | Winter - 4 hours to summit Summer - 3 hours to summit |
| Notes | Cabin available (booking required 011-571-5111) Overnight stay ￥800 per person |
| Location / Getting There | Take the National Road 5 国道５号線, 30 minute drive from Sapporo. 30 minute walk to trail head from Zenibako station. Jozankei, Minami Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 061-2301 |
Cool sights along the path
This relatively easy hike is a popular trail, especially for locals. For those not heading to the top, there are places along the way to forage for wild mushrooms. To get to the trail head, take the National Road 5 国道５号線, turn left (coming from Sapporo), turn right (coming from Otaru) at the intersection between a 7-11 and a Ralse Supermarket. Follow this road through a residential area up to the trail head. Alternatively, it is a thirty minute walk from Zenibako JR station. You can make this a great day trip, or stay overnight at a cabin which can be found three quarters of the way up.
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Ginjinso cabin
The cabin that can be found is a two story structure and is well kept. It was built in 1960, and since 1974 it is operated as a welfare facility of Tokai University. Be warned, you will need to reserve the cabin in advance if you wish to stay the night! The custodian who stays there runs a tight ship, but the facilities there are great. There is a toilet and cooking facilities here, bunk beds and a warm stove can be found here also. The start of the hike is on a gradual incline making for a pleasant walk. After the cabin, the trail gets quite steep and is a thirty minute trek to the top.
| General Admission | Ropeway ￥1600 - Adults ￥800 - Children |
| Opening Hours | 8:30 - 17:00 (During winter, the ropeway stops 1 hour earlier) |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0142-75-2401 |
| Notes | 400 car parking spots : ￥500 40 bus parking spots : ￥2000 40 minutes to Usu Observation deck Restaurants and shops at bottom of ropeway |
| Location / Getting There | From JR Toyako station, take the Donan Bus bound for Toyako Onsen. (15 min.) Get off at the Toyako Onsen Bus Terminal. Change buses to Showa Shinzan and get off at last stop (15 min.) *No bus service to Showa Shinzan in winter. 2 and a half hour drive from Sapporo city. 184-5 Aza Showa Shinzan, Sobetsu-cho, Usu-gun, Hokkaido, Japan 052-0102 |
The ropeway up overlooking Shōwa-Shinzan
Mount Usu is an active stratovolcano in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. Since 1900, it has erupted a total of four times. In 1910, in 1944 which created Shōwa-Shinzan, in 1977, and as recent as March, 2000. Mt. Usu is formed on the southern rim of the caldera which contains Lake Toya. Mount Usu and Shōwa-Shinzan are major tourist attractions in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. The best way to see the Shōwa-Shinzan peak and Mt. Usu is to take the cable car to the top. From here, it is a 10 minute walk to the viewing platform offering views looking down over Lake Toya, Shōwa-Shinzan, and the towns of Date and Toyako.
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Path along the basin crater
The car park to get to the ropeway is just off Lake Toya. From here you can take the ropeway up. It takes about thirty minutes to get to the Observation Deck via the ropeway and after a short walk. If you want to explore further, there is a path that leads further down into, and around, the Usu Crater Basin. It is a nice hike along the path, though it will take an extra hour heading down and back. It is a long flight of stairs down to the path along the craters edge, so bring some water! The path around has some stunning views along the coast. Inside and outside the crater you can see the volcanic steam vents coming through the surface.
Volcano Village
After taking in some spectacular views, you can make your way back to the ropeway and head down to the “Volcano Village” next to the car park, which lies at the bottom of Mt. Usu and Shōwa-Shinzan. Here you can find a half dozen restaurants, toilet facilities, souvenir shops, and information centers, and a museum. The Information center has information on what to explore in the area. There is also an eruption experience room using sounds and images. There is also a theater with a film on the history of Mt. Usu. The gallery, here too, has panels with images on the area.
Restaurant Funka-tei 9:00 - 15:00 Soba noodle and curry restaurant 
Volcano Ramen 10:00 - 15:00 Ramen noodle shop
Village Store
Shopping9:00 - 18:00 Summer
9:00 - 16:00 WinterSouvenir Shops
Hinokuniya
Honpo Shopping9:00 - 19:00 Summer
9:00 - 16:00 WinterSouvenir Shops 
