| Admission | ￥800 - Adults (15-64) ￥700 - Adults groups (10 people or more) ￥600 - College & High school students ￥500 - College groups (10 people or more) Free - seniors (over 65) and children (under 14) |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 17:00 (May - Sep) 9:00 - 16:00 (Oct - Apr) |
| Closed | Mondays* December 29th - January 3rd *if Monday is a public holiday, Tuesdays will be closed |
| Contact | 011-898-2692 http://www.kaitaku.or.jp/ |
| Notes | Free parking Bus access Located near Hokkaido Historical Museum Located near Centennial Memorial Tower |
| Location / Getting There | Take JR & Tozai Line (Subway) to Shin Sapporo station. Change bus bound for [No.22 Kaitakunomura] (15min) to last bus stop. 40 minute drive from Sapporo station. 60 minute drive from Chitose airport. Konopporo 50-1,Atsubetsu-cyo,Atsubetsu-ku |
The front entrance
The Historical Village of Hokkaido is a must see while sightseeing in the Sapporo area. Opened in 1983, it includes fifty-two historical structures from the “frontier days” of the Meiji period to the Shōwa period that have been relocated and reconstructed or recreated. Visitors can get a glimpse of what life was like during the pioneer days from the mid 19th century to the early 20th century. The Historical Village consists of 52 buildings and is divided into a town area, fishing village, farm village, and mountain village.
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One of the menu wax dioramas
The main building that serves as the entrance into the village is the old Sapporo Station building. After buying your ticket and entering the village grounds, it is like stepping back in time. As there is a lot to see, and the grounds of the villages are huge, be prepared for a lot of walking. Visiting the Historical Village is a day trip, so bring water and it’s a good idea to bring something to eat (there is only one small snack restaurant on the grounds). In the summer a horse-drawn trolley runs along the main street of the Town, and in winter a horse-drawn sleigh goes around the villages. Seasonal village festivals and events including farm work and other hands-on events are held periodically throughout the year.
To get to the Historical Village, it is a forty minute drive from Sapporo Station. Take route 12 heading to Ebetsu. Alternatively you can take a train or subway and then take the bus. Take the JR train to Sapporo Station, or you can take the subway from Odori along the ‘Tozai line’ (orange line) to Shin Sapporo station. From Shin Sapporo station, take the No.22 bus to Kaitakunomura bus stop (last stop), which is at the Historical Museum. For bus timetables, see below.
Shin Sapporo Station to
Kaitakunomura8:23
9:15
10:00
10:45
11:30
12:15
13:00
13:45
14:30
Kaitakunomura to
Shin Sapporo Station9:45
10:30
11:15
12:00
12:45
13:30
14:15
15:00
15:45
16:30
17:15
17:40
| Admission | ￥300 Adults ￥100 Children |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 16:30 |
| Closed | Mondays Winter (November to mid April) |
| Contact | 0135-22-5600 |
| Notes | Parking available |
| Location / Getting There | Located on main road in Yoichi region. 1 hour 30 minute drive from Sapporo. 150−1 Hamanakachō, Yoichi-chō, Yoichi-gun, Hokkaidō 046-0021 |
During the Edo period, the coastal waters off Hokkaido in the Sea of Japan once flourished with herring. It was here in Yoichi that the fishing buildings were built. The fishing buildings and grounds were repaired and restored by the Fukuhara family until 1868. Now, you can take a step back in time and get a real sense of what life was like one hundred and fifty years ago. This valuable historic site can be accessed by car and is a must see while in the town of Yoichi.
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Inside the old treasury
The very reasonable price of admission will get you into the large grounds where you will find around half a dozen large buildings. Four of these you may enter. The largest building at the center of the grounds, is the first building that is noticeable from the road as you are driving along. This three story building used to serve as a secure treasury building for the local towns money and gold, hence the fortified windows around the building. Now it serves as a museum for artifacts over the last century. It overlooks the old grounds that were used for cutting and processing the herring.
Living quarters
The other buildings that may be entered include the fishing storage, that contains dozens of paintings, dioramas, and a fishing boat. It is a great building to stop by to study the history and folklore. The other, and equally fascinating building is also an old style home, that upon entering, shoes must be taken off. This house gives an interesting insight into living conditions in the past. They have tea rooms, old household items, and photographs of life One of the rooms has an antique hairdesser’s chair that was handled by some barber, now long gone.
So, for a nice (and cheap) day out, the Old Fukuhara Herring House is a great spot to visit. Not only, is the road out a nice drive, or ride, along the coast, but the Herring House is a place steeped in history. To get there, follow the Yoichi National Highway (route 5), which is a turn off to the right, after you pass through the small city of Otaru.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 10:00 - 16:00 Old Kitami Station 8:30 - 22:00 Takinoue Culture Center |
| Closed | Winter (November to April) - Museum |
| Contact | 0158-29-3735 (cultural center) |
| Notes | Train museum Part of the cultural center |
| Location / Getting There | Located next to the Takinoue Cultural Center Sakaemachi, Takinoue, Monbetsu District, Hokkaido 099-5605 |
Train apparatus
Even though Takinoue doesn’t have a train station, they do have a small museum dedicated to train memorabilia known as the ‘Old Kitami Takinoshi Station’. Opened in 1990, it’s an interesting place with plenty of exhibits with information about the station, and over three hundred items from the train stations of old. All the signs are in Japanese but you can still enjoy these items from over fifty years ago. The train museum is located right next to the Takinoue Cultur Center so it’s easy to find. Just look for the small blue train engine on the tracks.
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Culture center
The Takinoue Culture Center is located only a few minutes drive from the center of town. The culture center is used in Takinoue for events and for concerts that are held monthly. Apart from the stage area that is on the second floor, there is the Takinoue Library on the first floor. There are lounges and a tea area and restrooms. It is also here you can find information on local events and festivals. There is plenty of parking and also a bus stop so access is easy. If you have some time, and are interested in a bit of history (and trains), then the Old Kitami Takinoshi Station is a cheap and quick sightseeing spot.
| Admission | ¥150 |
| Opening Hours | 9:30 - 16:30 |
| Closed | Mondays, Tuesdays Winter (November 1 to April 30) |
| Contact | 0158-29-3499 |
| Notes | Exhibits information in Japanese |
| Location / Getting There | 5 minute drive past Takinoue city Across from Takinoue Valley Hotel Motomachi, Takinoue, Monbetsu District, Hokkaido 099-5604 |
The local wildlife display
The Takinoue City Museum may not look much from the outside, but on the inside, its a hidden treasure trove of Japanese history, antiques, and large dioramas depicting early life in the Takinoue area. The first room has information and dioramas on the local wildlife. It also has information about life in the Hokkaido region from a hundred years ago, and the way people lived. It has clothing from that era, tools used, farming methods and a fantastic Meiji era living room. Although the information is Japanese in only, you can still thoroughly enjoy the exhibitions. There are also a lot of artifacts on the Ainu.
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The days of old
There is another room at the back of the museum, that has an impressive collection of objects and artifacts from the decades past. Pick your way through pieces of history, and peruse at your leisure. Clothing, household items, banners, furniture and photographs can all be found here. The centerpiece of the room is a large vat that was used for brewing Japanese sake. This a truly fascinating room and if you like antiques, this is the place for you! To the side of the building, there is an old steam train carriage with illustrations of trains from the past. While in Takinoue be sure to have a look at the Takinoue City Museum, not only is it very cheap, it’s an interesting place to visit!
| Admission | ￥600 adults ￥540 groups of 15 or more ￥450 over 65 Free for 15 and under |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 18:00 April 29 to November 3 9:30 - 19:00 November 4 to April 28 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-641-8585 http://sapporo-olympicmuseum.jp/english/ |
| Notes | Wheelchair access |
| Location / Getting There | 1274 Miyanomori, Chuo-ku, Sapporo-shi |
Winter Olympic medals
The Sapporo Olympic Museum can be found near the foot of the Okurayama Ski Jump. With a joint ticket to both of these venues makes for a great day out, with friends or with the family! The construction of the museum was completed in December 1999, and opened to the public on April 22, 2000. The museum is three stories and contains a number of photographs, memorabilia from previous Olympics, media content, and interactive exhibits which are a lot of fun!
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Ski jumping simulation!
The museum has a lot of memorabilia dating a\back a hundred years, though the signage is all in Japanese. There are some great interactive exhibits. Try the simulated ski jump and see if you can beat the record! The staff who operates the simulation speaks English will explain the method of jumping. Other simulations include the cross country skiing, the bob sled, speed skating, and the ice-hockey, where you can compete aginst each other or try and beat the clock. All are a lot of fun, not only for the kids, but for adults alike!
| Admission | Adults : ￥420 Aged 7 - 15 : ￥300 6 and under : free |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 16:30 (16:00 last entry) |
| Closed | Mondays（on Tuesday when Monday is a National Holiday） Winter - November to April |
| Contact | 011-221-0066 hubg@fsc.hokudai.ac.jp |
| Notes | Wheelchairs available to borrow The botanic garden does not allow pets on garden grounds. Service animals are permitted. Toilets available. No car parking Parking available for motorcycles and bicycles. |
| Location / Getting There | North3, West8, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-0003, Japan 10 minute walk from Sapporo station |
Woodlands
The Hokkaido University Botanical Gardens were established in 1886 as a part of the Old Sapporo Agricultural College. They were opened by Dr. Miyabe Kingo, a graduate of Sapporo Agricultural College (now Hokkaido University). The gardens cover 13.3 hectares and are the second oldest botanical gardens in Japan! The collection of plants and trees numbers over 4,000 species. These include alpine plants, and wild plants from Hokkaido, and can be enjoyed in the Spring, Summer, and Autumn.
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Natural History Museum
The gardens also contain a tropical greenhouse, a natural history museum, memorial building, and early Hokkaido homes. The natural history museum was built in 1884, and is the oldest museum in Hokkaido. Its old and spooky facade houses Ainu artifacts, biological specimens, and the stuffed body of ‘Taro’, one of two surviving sled dogs from Japan’s 1958 Antarctica mission. The exhibits documenting the lives of the Ainu and Uilta (indigenous peoples of Hokkaido) were collected from 1870 – 1930. There is also the Miyabe Kingo Memorial Building with displays of articles belonging to Miyabe, the first director of the botanical gardens.
Rose garden area
Other features of the Botanical Gardens are a Herbaceous Plants Garden, a Rose Garden with 200 rose bushes from 20 different varieties, a Canadian Rock Garden (in commemoration of the partnership between the University of British Colombia and the University of Hokkaido) ,and the Alpine Plants Rock Garden with over 600 species of alpine plants home to Hokkaido and its climate. The Northern Peoples Ethnobotanical Garden has around 200 species of plants used by the indigenous peoples of North East Asia for building, clothing, food, hunting, medicine and rituals.
The botanical gardens, are only a 10 minute walk from Sapporo station on the south exit. It is also a few minutes on the west side of the Old Hokkaido Government Building so you can fit the gardens into a sightseeing schedule. The gardens are a nice spot to walk around, sit on one of the many lawns, and take in the nature. Visitors can enjoy the seasonal flowers and the autumn leaves.
