| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥3000 - ¥5500 |
| Opening Hours | 17:00 - 02:00 Susukino & Kitano store 17:00 - 23:00 Motomachi 17:00 - 00:30 Obihiro, Riverside, Aso, and Kotomi store |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | For numbers please check the Gaja website http://gajafan.com/store/ |
| Notes | BBQ style dining, all you can eat plan, all you can drink plan, party plan, good for groups |
| Location | Various locations throughout Hokkaido. The Susukino location in Sapporo is a 4 minute walk south from the Susukino subway station and can be found in the Cyber Building. Please see the maps below for Sapporo location and at the end of the article for locations in Hokkaido. |
They have party plans that range from ¥3500 to ¥5500 and obviously the more expensive the more you get for your buck. They also have a ‘viking’ plan which is basically an all you can eat plan that costs around ¥4000 for around two hours. You can have yourself a nice little BBQ in the comfort of a restaurant. And what goes well with cuts of meat but beer. Here they have an all you can drink plan as well. So this place is good for parties and groups where the drink and food flows all round.
Gaja is a very popular chain of yakiniku restaurants throughout Sapporo and with another location in Obihiro as well. Yakiniku is a unique dining experience where the clientele grill (yaku) their own meats (niku) to their desired taste. The food is cooked on small hot grill that is heated via hot coals. Each grill is located in the center of the tables with an exhaust fan above (so the customers don’t get smoked out). These restaurants are popular for two reasons. First there is a large selection of meat that can be chosen. Different cuts of beef, plus pork, chicken and vegetables. Rice and a variety of sauces are also available.
| Opening Hours | *17:00 - 24:00 Each bar has its own opening and closing times. Some stay open until 03:00 |
| Closed | *Depends on bar |
| Contact | 0155-26-2330 http://www.tokachinonagaya.com/nagaya |
| Notes | Walking street with small bars and restaurants, toilets, smoking area, paid parking near the area. |
| Location / Getting There | The street is a 7 minute walk north from the JR Obihiro station. From the airport it's 40 minutes to Obihiro Station Bus Terminal by city hotel patrol bus (¥1000 one way). 10-chome, Nishi 1 Jominami, Obihiro-shi, Hokkaido |
For a night out on the town in Obihiro most of the bars and restaurants are on the north side of Obihiro Station. Walking the streets you will come across Tokachi No Nagaya & Kitanoyatai. These narrow streets cover two blocks and seem to be one of the most popular areas for the locals. Lining the streets are around forty small bars, izakayas, and restaurants. They are all quite compact and can fit up to around twelve people (some even have standing space only). Each bar is unique and as you walk down the street you can see and hear the revelers enjoying a good night out on the town.
The compact shops at Kita no Yatai and Tokachi no Nagaya serve locally brewed sake and the food here is fantastic. You can find dishes made from the fresh produce of Tokachi. One of the great things about these bars is that they are open all year and can be enjoyed in any weather. They have covers to keep the warmth in winter and are opened out during the summer. There is a great atmosphere throughout the streets and is a great Japanese experience. These streets are a must see while in Obihiro and worth more than one visit to enjoy all the bars and restaurants!
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥900 |
| Opening Hours | 11:00 - 18:00 |
| Closed | Sundays |
| Contact | 015-524-4358 |
| Notes | Pork bowl restaurant, seating 43, parking 21, no credit cards |
| Location / Getting There | Approximately 8 minutes by car from Obihiro Station on the JR Nemuro Main Line 〒080-0810 17-2-2, Higashi 10 Jominami, Obihiro-shi, Hokkaido |
For those of you who enjoy a good pork dish, then ‘Butadon’ is a must try while in Japan. Butadon is pork simmered in a mildly sweet sauce served in a bowl on top of steaming white rice. Butadon is famous in Obihiro (central Hokkaido), and Butadon Tonta is one of the best pork restaurants in the city. The restaurant is slightly on the edge of the city centre by the large Satsunai River. It is a 30 minute walk from the centre of town, so going by car is the best means to get there. The pork here is full of flavor and succulent.
The menu here has only three main dishes but these are enough for any diner as they are all equally delicious. There is a basic pork loin bowl, a more succulent but fattier rose pork bowl, and lastly there is a fillet bowl which serves a more lean cut of pork. These dishes all come with a sauce which can be poured over the bowl and has a fantastic flavor. At the cash register, you can buy this fantastic sauce to take home with you. This restaurant is large and has plenty of parking. If you want to experience famous butadon, look no further than Butadon Tonta!
| 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.
