| Cost per night | ¥2000 large tent ¥700 small tent |
| Open | April - November |
| Closed | Winter |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Lakeside campsite, Washing area, Toilets, Parking, Summer night time fireworks |
| Location / Getting There | Located on the northern side on Lake Toya. 2 hour drive from Sapporo 100 Tōyamachi, Toyako, Abuta-gun, Hokkaido 049-5802 |
Lake Toya is a beautiful lake that can be found in the southern area of Hokkaido. It is about a two and a half hour drive from Sapporo. The lake is famous for its pristine waters, local wilderness, and its volcano which lies dormant to the south of the lake. The volcano being Mt Usu. There are couple of camp grounds by the shores of Lake Toya which are fantastic spots to set up your tent. The Hagi Park Camp Ground is one of these. The camping area is large and there is plenty of space with spectacular views all overlooking the lake. The campground has toilets, parking, and sinks with running water to clean up.
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The camping ground has a small river running through it leading out to the lake. It’s here you can find some of the local residents paddling around. The swans like to feed here and it’s a good spot to get some photos! The grounds surrounding the whole lake has sculptures all through it, and at the Hagi Park Ground you can find some great pieces of art. During the warm summer months you can see (and hear) the fireworks show that is held daily across the other side of the lake. On setting up your tent at the site, friendly staff will do the rounds and you can pay the going rate for the tents. There is no office here. Hagi Park Camp Ground is the perfect spot to get away.
| 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.
| Admission | - |
| Opening Hours | - |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-581-1961 |
| Notes | Running circuit Ice skating facilities Futsal facilities Tennis facilities Hiking tracks |
| Location / Getting There | 10 minute walk from Makamonai subway station. 1-3-1 Makomanai-koen, Minami Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 005-0017 |
One of the many paths
Opened in 1975, Makomanai Park is a city park that is located in the southern ward of Sapporo city. The park is also home to Makamonai Open Stadium, the Makamonai Ice Arena, and the Sapporo Salmon Museum. Makamonai Park was also the main site of the 1972 Winter Olympic Games. Before that, the site was originally used for the Hokkaido dairy! There is also a hiking trail at the back of the park. This relatively easy hike leads to Monami Park, which is a nice smaller park, that also runs along Toyohira river.
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A popular spot in Autumn
This huge park, at 85 hectares, is extremely popular for jogging, running, or just taking a stroll around. With over 10km of paths, it is the perfect spot to get some exercise, all the while taking in the natural surroundings whether it be in winter, autumn, or the warmer seasons. Makamonai Park is especially beautiful during the autumn, where you can catch the changing colors of the leaves which starts early October. During the winter there is outdoor and indoor ice skating at the Makamonai Open Stadium, and the Makamonai Ice Arena.
| Cost per night | Free |
| Open | June 23 - August 31 |
| Contact | 0167-44-2122 http://www.town.nakafurano.lg.jp |
| Check-in times | 13:00 to 17:00 |
| Notes | Toilets on site Kitchen area No open fires allowed Stove fires allowed Parking available 2 nights maximum stay |
| Location / Getting There | 15 minute drive past central Furano. 〒 071-0705 Hokkaido, Sorachi District, Nakafurano, Nishi Line 1 north No.13 |
Camping beneath the pines
Furano is a hugely popular tourist destination especially during the summer months when the lavender and flowers are in full bloom. July through to the end of August is the busy season. If you are looking for cheap accommodation, or doing a road trip and camping along the way, the Nakafurano Forest Park Camping Ground is a great option. It is located only two minutes away from the Saika no Sato Lavender Farm, and the Nakafurano Flower Park, which are both great places to see some flowers and get some photos.
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Facilities
The camping ground itself is not large but there are enough spots for around fifteen campers. The camping spots are by a nice pine forest, which makes for nice padding, on the pine needle covered ground. The camping ground is free, and parking for cars is free too! During the busy season, it is a good idea to book ahead, especially on the weekend. There are three small buildings located on the grounds. One is the office to check in at, the other is small kitchen area for washing, and the last building is a well kept toilet facility. Open fires are prohibited, though fires for stoves are allowed.
| Price | ¥6150 per person *Average price |
| Office Hours | 8:00 - 21:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | Tel: +81-136-23-2093 Fax: +81-136-23-2094 Mail: info@nacadventures.jp http://www.nacadventures.jp/en/ |
| Notes | Summer Outdoor Activites White water rafting Mountain biking Trekking Canyoning Stand up paddling Adventure park Winter Outdoor Activities Skiing & Snowboarding lessons Deep powder runs Snowshoeing |
| Location / Getting There | Central Niseko. 2 hour drive from Sapporo and New Chitose Airport 179-53 Yamada, Kutchan-chō, Abuta-gun, Hokkaidō 044-0081, Japan |
Ducky paddling down the river
NAC Niseko Adventures is the largest adventure company in Japan! Being the first company in the Niseko area to provide adventure tours, and with over seven years experience, they offer safe and fun activities that are fantastic for families and friends! The huge NAC centre is impossible to miss. Located along route 343, it is a well known landmark in Niseko. The building was originally a junior high school gymnasium, which was taken down, moved and then rebuilt at its present location. This monster undertaking by the NAC staff has helped shape the legend of NAC.
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Snowshoeing Treks
With the beautiful and extensive scenery of the Niseko area, NAC offers a huge amount of activities during summer and winter! NAC Niseko’s primary concern is for the safety of their customers. With experienced guides, you can relax and enjoy your adventure in any season. Throughout the year, they deliver adventures that people would not normally have a chance to do! Not only do NAC offer fun adventures, they also have fun activities for kids, and numerous events throughout the year! While in Hokkaido, be sure to take a tour with NAC. Check below for list of activities offered.
| Summer Activities |
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| Winter Activities |
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| Things to see | Mt. Usu Toyako Onsen Toyako Visitor Center Tōya Lake Forest Museum |
| Notes | Walking trails, Onsens, National park, Camping grounds |
| Getting There | Take JR train from Sapporo station bound for Hakodate. Get off at Toya station (70 min) ￥4500 Take bus from Toya station to Toyako Onsen bus terminal (15 min) ￥330 |
Lake Tōya is a volcanic caldera lake in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. With a maximum depth of 180 metres, this lake is 10 kilometers in diameter from east to west and 9 kilometers, north to south. The lake’s biggest town, Tōyako is located on its western shore. The town Sōbetsu is located on the other side of the lake. The stratovolcano, Mt Usu, lies on the southern edge of the lake. This lake is beautiful all year round, and is one of the northern most lakes that never ices over.
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A beautiful winter dawn
So, what can you do at the lake? This Lake is a beautiful lake to drive around and get some photos. There are numerous parks surrounding the lake in which to stroll, and enjoy. Likewise, there are numerous walking trails surrounding the park, such as the Waterfront Forest Lane (Takarada Nature Observation Trail) and the Nishiyama Sanroku Crater Trail. In the warmer months, there are five campgrounds around the lake. Lake Toya is the second most transparent lake in Japan! Perfect for swimming, canoeing, and boating on a nice summers day.
After a days activities, you can sit in the soothing hot water of the numerous onsens in which to relax with gorgeous views of the lake. And finally, in the middle of the lake, there is Nakajima Island. Nakajima island is home to wild deer and it also houses houses the Tōya Lake Forest Museum.
