| Admission | Adults - ¥410 Children - ¥80 Preschool - free Pensioners - ¥210 |
| Admission (groups of more than 20) | Adults - ¥290 Children - ¥50 Preschool - free Pensioners - ¥210 |
| Opening Hours | Spring 9:00 - 17:00 Summer 9:00 - 18:00 Autumn 9:00 - 17:00 Winter 9:00 - 16:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-592-3333 http://www.takinopark.com.e.bn.hp.transer.com/?go=kaienkikan |
| Notes | Car required to get there Buses available Wheelchair access |
| Location / Getting There | 〒005-0862 Hokkaidō, Sapporo-shi, Minami-ku, Takino, ２４７ Take Bus 106 from Sapporo station or Makomanai station |
Takino Suzuran park is a huge park that is a great place for families and nature lovers. It covers 395.7 hectares, with around 200 hectares are available to the public. There are 2 entrances, the East Gate entrance (higashi guchi), and the Central Gate entrance (chuo guchi). Parking is available and the bus stops are located here. There are 3 main areas that make up the park. There is the Country Garden Area, the Childrens Playground area, and the Forest Area. There is also a camping area and an observatory on the grounds.
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Country Garden Area
This area is famous for its flowers in the spring season. It has the visitors centre here and the country club building. Lockers, bathrooms, bus stop, and rest area is here. Its at the top of the park offering great views. A perfect spot to sit and get views down the hill of the flower pasture. Thousands upon thousands of lilacs are planted here and are truly beautiful in May. There is a path leading down through them to get great photos. The country club has a restaurant, a snack shop and shops selling local vegetables. The country club is home to the herb garden, rock garden, flower master retreat, and the observatory.
Children’s Playground (Kodomo no Tani)
This area is designed for the kids. It has a huge 6.8 hectare sloped lawn area. Kids can take giant red inflatable balls and roll them down the hill. There is a giant ants nest sculpture and tunnels that the kids can crawl through and play in. A cool stream is here, and kids can play and cool down in the summer. This place really captures the imagination with slides, tunnels, and trampolines for the kids to play on. There is a rest area for the parents, and toilets, and a coffee shop is available.
Forest Area (Mori no Sumikawa)
This heavily wooded area is a great place to walk around and take in the pine air. There are walkways that twist and turn through the forest. There is a timber swing for the kids, a woodland craft house, and a suspension bridge all through this area. This area leads to the waterfalls which are a main feature in this park. There are 4 main waterfalls that surround the park, Ashiribetsu Fall, Masumi Fall, Shiraho Fall, and Furo Fall.
| Summer Activities | |
| Camping | There are camping grounds at this park, with access to shower rooms and a laundromat. Cabins are also available to rent but you will need to call in advance. There is a small shop near the camping grounds selling alcohol, cold drinks, snacks, cold meat, frozen foods, toys, camping equipment, and fuel (charcoal, white gasoline, various gas cartridges) |
| Fishing | Rent a fishing pole and bait and try some trout and rainbow trout fishing. Cost is ¥850 for the hour and ¥100 for additional bait. |
| Cycling | Rent a bicycle to get around and see the whole park! There are bicycles for adults, children and tandem bicycles. Prices range from ¥100 for children to ¥310 for adults. A 2 person bicycle is ¥800. Rental is for 2 hours. For an extra 30 minutes the cost is ¥30 for children and ¥80 for adults. |
| Park Golf | Park golf is like mini golf. It involves hitting a billiard size ball around a short course with a wooden club. Fun for everyone! Clubs and balls are available for free from the Country Club |
| Cooking | There are 4 different spots around the park that have BBQ’s and areas to cook. These areas can accommodate 100, 300, and to 1000 people depending on the area. Water supplies, and sinks, log seating is available. |
| Winter Activities | |
| Sled Slope | This slope for tubing is the longest in the country! For kids and adults the straight course is 200 metres! There is a shorter 180 metre S shape course. There is also a kids sled corner. Tubes and sleds are FREE to rent! |
| Skiing & Snowboarding | This 250 metre length course is perfect for beginners at a 7 degree slope. The weekend lift tickets for adults are ¥150 per ride, ¥1030 for 4 hours, or ¥1540 for a day pass. Lift tickets for children are ¥100 per ride, ¥620 for 4 hours, ¥1030 for a day pass. Weekdays have cheaper day passes. ¥820 for adults and ¥510 for children. |
| Skiing Lessons | Skiing lessons are available but only in Japanese, and depending on the conditions. It is advised to call ahead. The cost is ¥200 per person (not including ticket passes). There is a morning class and an afternoon class. Applications for the morning class must be handed in by 10:15. Morning class is from 10:30 – 12:00. Afternoon class applications must be in by 13:45. The lesson goes from 14:00 – 15:30. Skiing gear is available from the Country Club |
| Snowshoeing | There are 3 courses available. 1st is the Forest area (Takino no Mori), a 30 minute to 2 hour trek through the woods. 2nd is the Kawagarasu Course, a 1 hour trek to see the Ashiribetsu Falls frozen over, or “ice falls”. The 3rd is the Akagera Course which is also a 1 hour course. This course is an up and down course which has views over the park. |
| Cross Country Skiing | 6 courses to choose from. You can rent the gear and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the park. There are 2 beginner courses, a 1 km and a 5km course. 2 intermediate courses, 3km and a 5km course. 2 advanced courses, a 10km and a 16km course. Ski rentals are available from the Country Club. |
| Ice Falls | Snowshoe or do cross country skiing to see these amazing waterfalls frozen over. To Ashiribetsu Fall, it is approximately 1.1km from Keiryu Guchi Parking lot. The waterfalls are frozen by the end of December. |
If you don’t have your own transport, there are buses available from Sapporo station and Makomanai station. It is also possible to use a taxi from Makomani station. The ride takes about 20 minutes via taxi. The bus time tables are as follows:
To
Takino Suzuran Park Cost
Times
From
Makomanai Station
Terminal 2 Bus 106
Adults ¥440
Children ¥220
Takes 31 min.8:45
9:45
10:45
11:45
12:45
13:45
14:45
15:50
From
Sapporo Station
Terminal 1 Bus 106
Adults ¥630
Children ¥320
Takes 61 min.9:15
12:15
From
Fukuzumi Station
Terminal 6 Bus 87
Adults ¥620
Children ¥310
Takes 44-50 min.10:20
11:20
12:40
13:42
14:30
| From Takino Suzuran Park | ||
| To Makomanai Station East Exit Bus 106 | Cost Adults ¥440 Children ¥220 Takes 31 min. | Times 9:33 10:33 11:33 12:28 13:28 14:28 15:28 16:33 |
| To Sapporo Station East Exit Bus 106 | Adults ¥440 Children ¥220 Takes 61 min. | 8:45 9:45 10:45 11:45 12:45 13:45 14:45 15:50 |
| To Fukuzumi Station East Exit Bus 87 | Adults ¥620 Children ¥310 Takes 44-50 min. | 12:17 13:37 14:42 15:37 16:42 |
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Daisetsuzan Foliage: Ropeway assisted one-day and multi-day walks and hikes in Daisetsuzan National Park, Japan’s largest
Visit our website (http://hokkaidonaturetours.com/) and let us create a personalized itinerary for your tour by submitting the easy-to-use preferences form. You’ll soon understand why guests have raved about our tours: “Absolutely Brilliant!”, “Dream itinerary”, “Thank you for an awesome time!”, and many, many other happy travelers. Your private tour with us will become a memory of a lifetime!
| Height | 1293 m / 4114 ft |
| Length | 11km round trip |
| Hiking Time | Winter - 4 hours to the top Summer - 3 hours to the top |
| Notes | Car needed Cabin available - Free |
| Location / Getting There | Sapporo-dake, Jozankei, Minami Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture 061-2301 Take route 230 past Jozankei , turn left heading to Hoheikyo Hot Spring. |
Hike up through winter
For outdoor enthusiasts there is a great hike up to Mt. Sapporo (Sapporo Dake). The views from the 1293m summit are spectacular! You can catch stunning views of Sapporo on one side and on the other, there are views of the inactive volcano, Mt Yotei. The hike is medium and to get to the summit it takes about 4 hours in winter with snowshoes and about 3 in summer. The length is about 6 km from the hike starting point. You will need a car to get to there! (refer to the map to see where the starting point is).
Hiyamizu Hut
The hike can be done in a day but if you are looking for a weekend away, there is a cabin halfway up. The cabin is 2 stories and is decked out with a fireplace, a kitchen area with cups and cooking knives, tables, chairs, a toilet, and oil lamps. The cabin is sometimes locked, but if you are caught out in a blizzard or are in need of shelter the back windows are easy to open. The cabin, known as Hiyamizu Hut is looked after by a local resident and the firewood is constantly stocked up. If you do stay at the cabin then make sure you leave it clean and tidy for the next hikers!
Start of the trail
Lake Shikotsu (Shikotsuko) is located in the Shikotsu–Toya national park. This lake as with Lake Toya, is a caldera lake, which was formed from collapses in the earth after volcanic activity. It has an average depth of 265 metres (869 feet) and a maximum depth of 363 metres (1,191 feet), making it the second deepest lake in Japan. It is encircled by mountains. One being the active volcano, Mount Tarumae, which last erupted in 1981. Most of Shikotsuko is little developed except for Shikotsu Kohan, a small, touristy town with a visitor centre, restaurants, hot springs and a small number of lodgings along the lake’s western shores.
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From here you can rent paddle boats, bicycles and scuba gear to explore the crystal clear waters of Shikotsu. Sightseeing cruises of the lake are offered in glass bottomed boats from mid April to early November. In summer there are camping grounds on the Western and Northern banks and is a great place to camp and relax by the calm waters, have a BBQ, light fireworks and swim in the fresh waters. Hiking is also popular and if you have access to a car you can get to the trailhead of Mount Tarumae. The mountain can be climbed in a steep but short ascent in less than an hour. It is not permitted to enter the crater of Mount Tarumae due to poisonous gases though you can trek around the crater which takes about 2 hours. At the top, the mountain offers impressive views of the deserted crater landscape and over Lake Shikotsuko.
On the northern shore stands MARUKAMA ONSEN. This inn is open to guests and to non-staying visitors. The hots springs are located right on the lake waters and offer a relaxing warm bath while enjoying the outside air and beautiful lake views. Conventional hot spring pools are also inside which are gender separated. On the southern shore Morappu Campsite, is located.
Hours and Fees
Marukoma Onsen (for non-staying guests)
HOURS 10:00 to 15:00
COST 1000 yen
Another site of interest is KOKE NO DOMON or MOSS CANYNON. This gulley with a rich variety of plant life lining its walls is located 10 kilometres south of the lake. There is a platform from which to view this moss covered gulley.
Koke no Domon Moss Canyon
HOURS 9:00 to 17:00 (entry until 16:00)
CLOSED Late October to early June
To get to Shikotsu Lake from Sapporo follow highway 453. This takes about 40 minutes. . In the summer, there is also a bus from Sapporo Terminal. From the New Chitose Airport, it takes about one hour. There are four to six buses daily. It takes about one hour and costs ¥1030. Buses will also stop at Chitose station on the way. It takes about 45 minutes and ¥930 to get from Chitose Station to the lake.
| Admission | – |
| Opening Hours | 10AM - 7PM |
| Closed | Mondays |
| Contact | shugakuso.com +81 11-726-1235 |
| Notes | - |
| Location / Getting There | N12, Chuo Ku. Japan, 〒001-0012 Hokkaido Prefecture, Sapporo, 北区北１２条西３丁目２−１５ |
Entering paradise
Just walking through the doors of the Shugakusou (秀岳荘) in N12, Chuo Ku, Sapporo makes you feel you’re headed for adventure. For Hokkaido outdoor enthusiasts this store is the one-stop supplier, its floors replete with everything needed to explore paradise Earth. Be it a day hike or month-long alpine mission, this compact, densely stocked home store (Hokudai-ten, 北大店) is the best spot on the island to sherpa up. It is a gearhead’s nirvana.
Enter into a thicket of hiking poles, headlamps and gas camp stoves. A long glass display counter to the left displays the newest gizmos for tracking outdoor metrics and location. GPS systems and watches segue into more primitive multi-tools, knives and axes. Beyond that tower stacks of literature, from magazines to guidebooks to topographic maps. Cups and pans, Dutch-ovens and thermoses, freeze-dried dinners and back-packing coffee grinders – it’s all there. No less than 100 bags hang along the back wall, from 70 + liter expedition monsters all the way down to svelte trail running belts.
All the major outdoor brands are carried here.
Leave camping and ascend to the second floor for a full selection of mountaineering gear. Boulder crushing alpine boots to toe crushing climbing shoes stock the shelves. Gaze and be reminded that winter here is a protracted, freezing affair. As one who’s been to countless outfitters, the collection of snow boots and ice studs here rivals much bigger stores. For those who really embrace the cold, Shugakusou carries snowshoes and snow shovels, ice axes and crampons. Rock-climbing supplies are available year round, while a corner of the floor is devoted to skiers from November to April. If only they covered snowboarders as well…
The entire store is festooned with the trappings of world exploration. Take a moment to look at the many maps, paintings and framed photographs adorning the walls. Pat the sea-lion head as you climb the stairs to floor three. Next stop – clothing.
Anyone who’s hiked around Hokkaido knows the locals dress well on the mountain. One could easily drop $500 here – indeed many shoppers spend much more. Most major outdoor brands are featured, ensuring that nature lovers will pitch their tents and shred pow in style. If there’s any place to rationalize spending stupid money on clothes, it’s here. Hypothermia? Sunstroke? Can’t risk it. We all know matching proper attire to the occasion is crucial. So if dropping $140 bucks on a pair of lined pants makes you balk, just tell yourself it could mean the difference between life and death.
Boom! Goodbye guilt.
Top floor!
It’s bad, but I’ve got to default to a cake metaphor now, because the fourth floor can only be described as icing. Bouldering crash pads and jidohanbaiki (自動販売機, vending machine) drinks are the only items for sale up here are. The rest is a space of utility and sport. Bathrooms and the office designate the former, while a no nonsense bouldering room indicates the latter. Set by real climbers, the problems bolted onto the walls of this modest gym range from first timer fun to badass rock ninja. Shugakusou’s commitment to providing a quality training room for climbers has had me coming here for years.
And that’s the crux of it – commitment. For 40 years the company has been committed to providing the best outdoor gear the world has to offer. The staff are knowledgeable and enthusiastic, both in the store and on the trail. Even if you’re not shopping, drop in and get a feel for Hokkaido outdoor culture and history. One of the only real outfitters in a city of upscale shops, it’s the rough in the diamond.
Two other Shugakusou stores exist, one in Shiroishi, Sapporo (白石店) and Asahikawa (旭川店). Link to their homepage for details regarding business hours and merchandise.
