| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | - |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-3633-2246 |
| Notes | Shinto shrine, sightseeing spot, no parking (though can park across the street), photography spot |
| Location / Getting There | Located at the southern end of the town of Kimobetsu. The temple is just past Kimobetsu River on the left (coming from Sapporo), and just past Aspeila Shopping Market. 323 Kimobetsu, Abuta District, Hokkaido 044-0201 |
In 1891, there was a drought in the late spring. On July 3rd Ōtsuki Mamoru and Hitoshi Otokichi travelled to Mt. Shiribetsu and attended a fasting prayer rain ritual for three days. On the evening of the 5th of July it started to rain. The plants and trees revived and the landscape flourished again. To give thanks, a small shrine was constructed as a thank you. This shrine was at the present location. In February 1945, the current shrine was established. In August 1952 the shrine burned down but was reconstructed. In September 2000, renovations were done to the large roof and work was done on the main gold foil metal fittings.
The land area of Kimobetsu Shrine is large with the shrine itself sitting at the top. What makes this shrine such a great place to visit is its views of Mt. Yotei and especially Mt. Shiribetsu (the mountain that was the scene of the fasting prayer over a hundred years ago). Mt. Shiribetsu is right across from the shrine and is definitely impressive. Kimobetsu Shrine is great to visit during late autumn. At this time the trees are changing colors and there is snow on the mountains. Alternatively, April is also a good month to visit after the snow has melted and the trees are blooming again. The shrine and surrounding buildings is a pleasant spot to walk around in the peace and quiet of the countryside. Don’t forget to bring your camera!
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥750 - ¥1000 |
| Opening Hours | 8:30 - 17:30 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0136-33-2671 |
| Notes | Seating 96, no smoking |
| Location / Getting There | Nakayama Pass is located on route 230 and is directly between Sapporo & Niseko. It is about a one hour drive from both. 345 Kawakami, Kimobetsu-cho, Abuta District, Kimobetsu, 044-0223 Hokkaido |
On the drive from Sapporo to Hirafu, Rusutsu and Toya, there is a rest stop at the top of Nakayama Pass. The rest stop is a good stop to take a break, buy a souvenir, grab a quick local snack, or enjoy the magnificent view looking out at Mt. Yotei. On the ground floor in the main building here you can pick up some small take away food. This includes ageimo (potato deep fried in batter), fried chicken, imomochi (sticky potato cake) and ice-creams. If you are looking for something more substantial, there is a great restaurant on the next floor up. Cheap and delicious, this restaurant has large glass windows with fantastic views.
The restaurant is affordable and the food here is really really good! If you want something more filling it is worth it. There is a huge range of lunches available. You can find ramen, soba noodles, tempura, a butadon (pork on rice), and some good black curries. The menu is displayed with large photos on the wall, too easy. With plenty of seating, you can find a seat anytime. Apart from the restaurant, there is a small photo gallery on the next floor up, with panoramic views of the mountain. Local photographers have some beautiful work of the surrounding landscape. Take a seat, have a coffee and take it all in.
