| 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.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 07:00 - 18:00 10:00 - 17:00 coffee shop |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot, car needed or bus travel available, restrooms, souvenir store, cafe |
| Location / Getting There | The park is a 30 minute drive south from central Obihiro, take route 236. For those using public transport, from the bus terminal in front of JR Obihiro Station, take the Tokachi Bus bound for "Hiroo" and get off at the "Happiness" bus stop (about 45 minutes). It's 5 minute walk from here. From the Tokachi airport, it only a 5 minute drive or taxi ride. Obihiro, Hokkaido 089-1246 |
Kōfuku Station is a closed railway station from the now defunct Hiroo line. The station originally opened on 1st November 1956, but the line, which went from Obihiro to Hiroo, was discontinued in 1987 bringing an end to the station. Even though the station closed down, it still remains a popular sightseeing spot for tourists. Why? Well, it comes down to the name of the station. The name Kofuku (幸福）translates to “happiness” and the station became famous after it was featured on a Japanese NHK TV travel programme which aired in 1973. The station name is formed from the combination of the original name of the area, Kōshin. Plus many farmers settled here in 1902 coming from Fukui prefecture after flooding. Kō + Fuku = Kōfuku.
Kōfuku Station is part of Kōfuku Kōtsu Park. In this area, there is a nice little coffee shop, plus a small souvenir store (the Kōfuku train ticket is a very popular item), and photography area. There are two old trains here that have been turned into small museums. This area is especially popular for couples as the site was chosen as a ‘Sanctuary for Lovers’ in 2008. There is a special bell here that can be rung for good luck, plus the main attraction is the small hut here. You can write a message on a pink ticket and stick it to the wall. The hut is covered with thousands of these messages. Kōfuku Station is a popular spot to visit, if you can get out that way.
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥1000 |
| Opening Hours | 11:00 - 21:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0155-41-1789 http://www.butadon-ippin.com/ |
| Notes | Pork bowl restaurant chain, main store Obihiro, 5 stores in Sapporo, parking available, car needed to get there |
| Location / Getting There | The main store in Obihiro is a 15 minute drive from the centre of Obihiro. Drive west along Shinryoku Dori Avenue. The store is on the right. *For Sapporo locations see below of article 〒080-2471 Hokkaido, Obihiro, Nishi 21 Jominami, 3 Chome−５ |
Tokachi Pork Bowl Ippin is a butadon (pork bowl) restaurant in Obihiro with five more restaurants in Sapporo. It is considered one of THE best butadon restaurants in Hokkaido! The city of Obihiro is famous for its butadon restaurants and Tokachi Pork Bowl Ippin is one of the best in Obihiro. But you don’t have to travel all the way to Obihiro savor this delicious dish as you can visit one of the chains in Sapporo. Butadon is thick grilled pork slices in a caramelized soy sauce on a bed of rice. It usually comes with miso soup and is served hot. This dish is absolutely fantastic and if eat pork, then it is a must try while in Hokkaido!
These pork dishes are succulent and they are famous for the mouth watering fragrances that flow from the restaurants. The pork loin which are from Hokkaido, is baked over charcoal, so there is no extra fat. The sauce used is from Sorachi and this company has been producing their product for over sixty years. The menu is all the basic same dish of butadon. There are choices of the thickness of the cut, the size of the bowl and how lean you want the pork to be. The dishes come with miso soup and pickles or a salad. Tokachi Pork Bowl Ippin is a great restaurant to visit and is highly recommended for those visiting Hokkaido. For furthe information on Sapporo locations, see below.
| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥1000 |
| Opening Hours | 11:00 - 10:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-1209-5298 Sapporo Stellar Place 011-1685-2911 Teine location 011-1790-2911 Higashi location 011-1741-8555 North 9 east location 011-1888-1110 Kiyota ward |
| Notes | Butadon menu |
| Location / Getting There | The 5 locations are spread out over Sapporo (see maps below). The most accessible restaurant is at Stellar Place above Sapporo station. The other restaurant is within walking distance of Sapporo is at North 9 East 4. |
Sports, sports, sports! Looking for sporting gear? Chance are, you can find it at the Sports House. Convenient location right in the heart of Sapporo. This impressive seven story building is filled with all types of sporting gear and is a good first choice to check if they have what you need. Most of the gear here is for the large summer sports so there is not much winter gear for snowboarding or skiing. If you are lazy to come into town, they have online shopping so you can check the wares via their website. This website has membership as well!
Besides the main store in central Sapporo, and the online shopping store, there are nine other stores throughout Hokkaido. There is a shop at Kushiro, Obihiro, Asahikawa, and Kitami. Plus there are four more locations and outlets in the city of Sapporo. For further store locations, check below! The sports covered at their locations include a long list, including running, hiking, walking, tennis, badminton, baseball, swimming, golf, rugby, football, training, basketball, volleyball, cycling, and martial arts! Their products include a lot of clothing for these sports mainly but its a good idea to peruse their wares online and see if they have what you are looking for. Happy shopping and happy sporting!
| Opening Hours | 09:00 - 21:00 Asahikawa 10:30 - 18:30 Kitami, Kushiro & Obihiro |
| Closed | Asahikawa - Kitami : Wednesday Kushiro - Obihiro : Weekends |
| Contact | 0166-23-0191 Asahikawa 0157-24-3753 Kitami 0154-64-5005 Kushiro 0155-22-1151 Obihiro |
| Notes | Sports store, credit card ok |
| Location / Getting There | Asahikawa - 3 minute walk from Asahikawa station in AEON Mall Kitami - 30 minute walk from Kitami station Kushiro - 40 minute walk from Higashi Kushiro station, next to AEON Mall Obihiro - 20 minute walk south from Obihiro station |