| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0138-40-3601 |
| Notes | Cemetery, sports park, playground, no parking, bathrooms |
| Location / Getting There | Located in Hakodate, by Omori beach. The closest tram station is Matsukaze-cho Station. It is a 7 minute walk east from this station. The park is also next to Kameda River. 33 Omoricho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0034 |
Ōmori Park is a large green space in Hakodate. It is used for sporting events (namely baseball), and as a play area for children. At the northern end of the park, you can find an impressive memorial hall and burial site. The park is popular for those looking to keep fit, as it has outdoor exercise equipment, plus it being a good spot to jog around. The spacious playground area also makes it a popular spot for families. The park is just across the road from Ōmori Beach as well, so there are a few things to see in the area.
The memorial hall was constructed in 1937 with the five tier pagoda being built later. Takenosuke Miyamoto (a local businessman), was behind the construction of the pagoda using his own funds and property. The area has some historical significance and there is a large plaque (in Japanese), talking about the dark event that took place here many years ago. On the evening of March 21, 1954 a fire spread through the city and was fanned by strong winds from the ocean. The fire affected 102,000 with almost 3,000 reported missing. The Omori Bridge was terribly burned and many people were killed in and along the Kameda River. This river flows right by the memorial hall and pagoda.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 5:00 - 18:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0138-31-5505 |
| Notes | Cherry blossom viewing, historical landmark, photography spot, walking paths, no parking (but paid parking nearby), wheelchair access |
| Location / Getting There | Central Hakodate. It's a 15 minute walk from Goryokaku Koen-mae station. From Hakodate Station take the 19, 25, or 33 bus and get off Goryokaku Park entrance. It's a 10 minute walk. There is a also a 'Goryokaku Tower Trappistine Shuttle Bus'. 44-2 Goryokakucho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0001 |
Goryōkaku Fort & Park was designed in 1855 by the scholar and the architect, Takeda Ayasaburō. His design was based on the work by the French architect, Vauban. The design is in the shape of a five-pointed star. Unlike other Japanese forts, this allowed for a greater number of gun emplacements, and reduced the number of blind spots. It was built to protect the Hakodate Magistrates office at the end of the Edo period when Hakodate opened its harbor to international trade. It played an important role as a political center in Ezo until it was taken over by the new Meiji government. The fort nowadays has seen the last of battles and sees quieter days as a national historic site. It is also a part of the Hakodate city museum and is a hugely popular spot for cherry blossom viewing.
In 1952, it was designated as a national historic site under the name of “Goryokaku Ruins”. The site is a fantastic place to wander around in any season. The green trees in summer, the autumn leaves in the fall, snow in winter. and the sprawling cherry blossoms in the spring. There are about 1,600 cherry blossoms here and they start to bloom in late April and the park is one of the best places to view the blossoms in the whole of Hokkaido. To appreciate the park there is an observation platform overlooking the park. The tower is called Goryokaku Tower and is accessible on the south eastern side.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0138-24-0033 |
| Notes | Park, events space, available to rent for events |
| Location / Getting There | This long park is located in central Hakodate. It is just a 5 minute walk from Hakodate Station. It is also a quick 3 minute walk from Matsukaze-Cho Tram Station. 2-23, Matsukaze-cho, Hakodate 10-62 16-8 |
The Hakodate Green Plaza is a long and narrow space that covers five blocks. It is located in the Daimon district in front of Hakodate Station. The park was established back in 1973 and was created as a place where people can relax and enjoy themselves. It was redeveloped from 2001 to 2003. This space is also used as an event space and can even be rented out, by calling and getting the appropriate forms. The park is also by many of the hotels and restaurants in the area so it is easily accessed.
The best time to visit the park would be during the spring as there are many cherry blossom trees planted along its central path. You can enjoy these blossoms with a casual walk or by taking a seat on one of the many benches. During the year, there are some events held at the park. These include the “Hakodate Shio Ramen Summit”, the “Daimon Festival”, and the “Hakodate Gourmet Circus”. In the middle of the park is a statue of ‘Gekko Kamen’ also known as Moonlight Mask, champion of justice. This masked hero became popular in Japan in 1958 and was idolized by many young boys. Hakodate is the hometown of the original author.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot, walking spot |
| Location / Getting There | The park and square are located on the eastern harbor, on the pier of Hakodate. It's only a 4 minute walk from Hakodate station. It's also a 10 minute walk from the Red Brick Warehouses 22-22 Otemachi, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0064 |
Hakodate is a coastal city. There are many piers and waterside promenades to casually stroll along and enjoy the views. On the western harbor you can find a nice small park appropriately named Seaport Park, plus Ika Square. The park is accessed via a circular walkway that surrounds the park and leads on to the well known Tomoe Big Bridge. The park has some small seating areas, has a view of the water, and views down onto Ika Square and the plaza there. This plaza is where tourists can access the decommissioned ship turned museum, the Mashu Maru.
Hakodate has a long and thriving squid fishing industry. It is one of the most popular seafood in Hakodate for the locals. In 1989 the city of Hakodate designated the squid as the city’s official fish. Squid is called ‘Ika’ in Japanese. Ika Square was created in honor of this event. The large monument located at the centre of the square represents a swarming school of squid. There are other statues in the plaza including an old anchor plus a young girl waving off departing ships from the port.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-894-1144 http://atsubetsu-park.jp/ |
| Notes | Athletics venue, jogging spot, training area, parking available, serves as Consadole home ground |
| Location / Getting There | The park is a 25 minute drive south east from central Sapporo. The easiest way to get there is to take the E5 expressway heading to Eniwa. The park is on a turn off on the left. By foot, it is a 20 minute walk from Oyachi subway station (Tozai line). Head south along Oyachi Ekimae dori Avenue. 1 Chome-2 Kaminopporo 3 Jo, Atsubetsu Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 004-0033 |
Atsubetsu Park & Stadium is a large park and venue that has sporting events throughout the year. The stadium holds up to 20,000 people and was constructed in 1980. The park is one of the few that not only has a stadium but also a training ground and running track. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium here acts as one of the home grounds for the Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo football team, with the other being Sapporo Dome. Other facilities at the stadium include a training room, exercise classes, plus an indoor running track.
Atsubetsu Park is not only home to the stadium and athletes, but it serves as a recreational space for the locals in the area. You can find this park a good place to take a stroll, or a run to keep fit. There is a track that surrounds the park. Others take advantage of the benches and grass area to relax. In the park, there is a memorial plaza, a wall fountain plus a large sculpture that pinpoints the main entrance. For those wishing to take the bus from the station, you can take the Chuo Bus 66, or 67. Get off at Hiraoka 9-jo 3-chome and walk for 5 minutes.
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 17:00 |
| Closed | During the winter (depending on snow conditions) |
| Contact | 011-662-2424 http://www.nankoen.co.jp/gmpmg/ |
| Notes | BBQ area, hiking trails, toilets, playground, BBQ area, park golf, parking for 544 cars |
| Park Golf | 18 holes fee Adults ¥270 / Children ¥120 / 65 years and older ¥180 27 holes fee Adults ¥400 / Children ¥180 / 65 and over ¥270 4-hour ticket Adults ¥700 / Children ¥360 / Over 65 years old ¥500 |
| Location / Getting There | The park is a 20 minute drive west from Sapporo into the mountains. Parking is free. JR Bus 41 "Nishino Fukui Line" departing from JR "Hassamu Station" JR Bus Kotoni 41 Nishino-Fukui Line from "Kotoni Subway Station" It's a 5 minutes walk from "Fukui 10-chome" or get off at "Gotenzan Park" 423 Fukui, Nishi Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 063-0012 |
This large recreational space (which was originally an old quarry) can be found up in the mountains and was opened in 2009. The park was the first of its kind, found in the west ward of Sapporo. It is easily recognizable by its pyramid shaped mountain overlooking the whole area. The park has BBQ cooking huts for use (enquire at the office), plus a playground for the kids, a ball game space for football and basketball, and a 27 hole park golf course on the grounds. During the summer, there are fireflies that converge at the ‘firefly waterway’ which also has a restored windmill running.
If you want to stretch your legs even further, take a walk up to Mt. Goten which has two viewing platforms. The springtime is especially popular for its beautiful flowers. Even though this large recreational space is up in the mountains it is actually not that far from central Sapporo. It is about a twenty minute drive from central Sapporo. The road winds its way west up through the mountains until you reach the park of Gotenzan. Take advantage of the ample free parking here, that has enough space for 550 vehicles! For those without access to a vehicle, you can take the bus up from Kotoni station in Sapporo.
