| 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.
| General Admission | Free |
| Sculpture Garden Entry | ￥700 adults ￥560 over 65 Free for junior high students and younger ￥1000 annual fee |
| Art Museum Entry | Admission varies on exhibition |
| Opening Hours | 9:45 - 17:00 *closes at 5:30 from June 1 to August 31 |
| Closed | Mondays: November 4 to April 28 |
| Contact | 011-592-5111 |
| Notes | ￥500 Parking normal cars ￥1200 Parking large cars |
| Location / Getting There | 40 minutes by car from Sapporo station on route 453 1 hour by car from New Chitose airport Buses run from Makomanai station every 15 minutes. Chuo bus stop no.2 2 Chome-2-75 Geijutsunomori, Minami-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaidō 005-0864 |
One of the well known sculptures at the park
The Sapporo Art Park also known as ‘Geijutsu no Mori’ is a large expanse of land that incorporates gardens, a sculpture park, art galleries, art workshops, a restaurant and shops. Located on forty hectares, it is a terrific place to walk around, take in some art, do some shopping, or take in the fresh air. Throughout the year there are events and craft workshops such as woodwork, glassmaking, pottery, and textiles. There are also places for acting and music, as well as facilities for overnight stays. All this in the gardens and forest area, makes for a great experience out of town.
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Near the entrance of the park
So, how to get there? There are two ways to get to the art park. By public transport take the subway on the Nanboku Line (green line). Get off at Makamonai Station. Take the ‘Soranuma’ or ‘Takino’ bus from the bus stop no.2 which is at the front of Makamonai station. You can get off at ‘Geijutsu no Mori Iriguchi’ or the ‘Geijutsu no Mori Center’. Alternatively, if you have your own transport, it is a forty minute drive from central Sapporo. Head onto route 453 which is the Sapporo to Shikotsu route. The turn off will be on the right.
La Foglia cafe
If you are driving from New Chitose Airport, it is a one hour drive. Head along the Hokkaido Expressway Kitahiroshima Interchange.Lastly, on your walks around the park, you may need to refuel at some point. There are plenty of places to have a picnic if you want to bring your own lunch. There is a cafe ‘La Foglia’ that has tea, as well as homemade confections. The cafe offers relaxing views over the park. The restaurant on the grounds is called ‘Hatake no Haru’. It is a buffet style restaurant that uses local produce from Hokkaido. It is here you can find a delicious lunch. For more details on the restaurant, see below.
Pricing Guide
(Avg. cost per person)￥1500 Junior high school and over
￥1300 Seniors
￥900 Children
Free for toddlers, three and under
Opening Hours 11:00 - 17:00
Closed -
Contact 011-215-1778
http://hatake-no-haru.com/
Notes All you can eat buffet
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | - |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0142-75-4400 |
| Notes | Toilets on site Parking available |
| Location / Getting There | Located bottom left on Lake Toya. 2 minute walk from Hokkai Hotel 168 Tōyakoonsen, Tōyako-chō, Abuta-gun, Hokkaidō 049-5721 |
Views from the park
The Mount usu Eruption Memorial park is a nice stretch of grassland on the south western coast of Lake Toya. It serves as an art park with some fantastic sculptures, plus it also has some information about the Mt Usu eruption, which still shows signs of a fault line that runs through the park. Mt. Usu, which lies a few kilometers to the south is a stratovolcano that has erupted four times since 1900. In the most recent eruption in 2000, a new fault line cut through the road and the park! This fault can still be seen today.
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Beautiful art
The park is a wonderful spot to stroll around, look at the sculptures, take in the gorgeous views of the lake and get some photos. There are about half a dozen sculptures in the park, starting with the carvings of three lionesses, that mark the entrance and the parking area. At the western point of the park , there is a tiny forested outcrop called ‘Chinko Island’ which has a small path running through it. The water around this area is crystal clear and a good spot for a picnic!
| Cost per night | Free |
| Open | April - November |
| Contact | 0158-29-3399 |
| Notes | Small campsite Covered cooking area Washing area Toilets Onsen nearby |
| Location / Getting There | 5 min. drive from Takinoue city center 〒099-5604 Hokkaidō, Monbetsu-gun, Takinoue-chō, Kamishokotsugenya. |
Small grass area
If you are out and about taking in the sights of Takinoue, and camping is an option, then Keikoku Park Camping Ground is a good choice to pitch your tent! This camping ground is not your common camping ground, and can be easily missed at first glance. It is a small grass area located in front of a park golf course, and next to an open hut area for barbecuing. The best thing about this camp ground is that it’s free, which is becoming rarer to find in Hokkaido. It may be small, but it has everything you need!
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Park Golf Building & restrooms
Keikoku Park has a large park golf course on the grounds, and it is at the large park golf building, that you can check in to the camping ground. The park golf building reception closes at 17:00, but the building remains open all night and this where you will find the restrooms (though no showers). There is a large parking lot in front the park golf building so parking is not a problem, AND, if you are planning on staying a few nights there is an onsen down the road to clean up and refresh. The onsen can be found at the Takinoue Valley Hotel and costs ￥440 per adult and ￥160 per child.
Cooking and BBQ area
The camp ground is located near all the good sightseeing spots. While in Takinoue, be sure to see the Takinoue Shibazakura Festival. It is the main attraction during May. The campground is also across from Kaori no Sato Herb Garden, which is a fantastic place to visit. If you head over and across the park golf course, and over a walkway bridge, it will lead down to a fantastic walking track which runs the length of Takinoue Gorge , which leads into the town. There is also the Takinoue City Museum which is a five minute walk away, and for the kids, there is a huge play gym in front of the camping ground!
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | - |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | +81-166-52-1934 |
| Notes | Hiking trails near by Free parking (180 cars) Picnic area Scenic views |
| Location / Getting There | 10 minute walk from Asahiyama parking lot & Asahiyama zoo 〒 078 - 8205 Hokkaido, Asahikawa-shi Higashi Asahikawa Machigakuma |
Walk around at your leisure
Inari Konpira Shrine is located near the top of Asahiyama park and is a beautiful spot to walk around and take in the scenery, especially during the spring as it is surrounded by hundreds of stunning cherry blossom trees. With the cherry blossom petals slowly cascading down in a nice warm breeze, in front of this quiet shrine, never will you find a more peaceful spot. Away from any major roads, you can take in the old stone and wood of this serene shrine. A great spot to get some photos!
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View from the shrine
In the Asahiyama park area, you can also find the famous Asahiyama zoo, and plenty of small stalls, facilities, and free parking. In the spring, cherry blossoms and dogtooth violet blossoms can be seen, summer brings in the hiking, in the fall, the beautiful autumn foliage can be enjoyed, and in a winter, there are plenty of winter activities to enjoy the snow. To get to Inari Konpira Shrine, from the parking lot out the front of Asahiyama zoo, walk up the road through the park. Continue past the Asahiyama Ryubokutaishido Hall (a small shrine) on your right, and you will see Inari Konpira Shrine 200 metres further along.
| Admission | Adults : ￥520 (groups ￥470) Children: ￥300 (groups ￥270) |
| Opening Hours | May - June: 8:30 -18:00 July - August: 8:30 - 19:00 September: 8:30 - 18:00 October - April: 9:00 - 17:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-851-3080 |
| Notes | Buses available Wheelchair access Free parking for 150 vehicles Credit cards available |
| Location / Getting There | 1 Hitsujigaoka, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaidō 062-0045 Hokkaido Chuo Bus: 10 minutes from Fukuzumi Station (Tōhō Line) to Hitsujigaoka Tenbodai Bus stop. |
Hitsujigaoka which literally means, “Hill of Sheep”, was first developed in 1906 as a cattle breeding station, and then sheep breeding was introduced in 1919. At its peak it was the home to 2,000 sheep. The hill now, is the home to the famous statue of Dr. William Clark, and commands a stunning view overlooking the Ishikari Plains, with Sapporo Dome in the foreground. The hill also has an “Austrian House” souvenir shop, a rest house & restaurant serving mutton, a wedding chapel, a lavender garden in summer and the Snow Festival Museum.
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The Austrian House has plenty of souvenirs to choose from, and has ice cream for those hot, sunny days. Around the back is a huge field and a beautiful lavender garden that is in full bloom in the summer. People visiting are allowed to cut the lavender into bouquets at the end of the season and take them home! Nearby is a white birch grove, where you can wander about. For lunch, at the Rest House, there is a restaurant that is set up for “Jingisukan” (a Hokkaido dish of grilled mutton cooked on a hotplate). The two floor restaurant also has venison, lamb chops, and there is an all you can eat & drink option. Prices range from ￥1200 – ￥2200.
The chapel
The chapel is a pristine white building, which is a great wedding spot, and has seen many wedding ceremonies over the years. It is equally beautiful in the winter! Behind the chapel is a charming white birch grove. Along with the chapel is the Snow Museum. This building contains information about all the Snow Festivals that have been held over the years. It contains miniatures of the giant sculptures of the Snow Festival from decades past. The museum also has an interesting image of one of the snow sculptures in the very first Snow Festival!
The most famous aspect of Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill, is the statue of the Dr. William Smith Clark, the father of pioneers in Hokkaido and who left the famous words “boys be ambitious”. His right arm is raised in his characteristic pose as he points “toward the eternal truth which lies far in the distance”. Dr. William Smith Clark was the first “hired foreigner” and served as the vice-principal at the Sapporo Agricultural School (presently Hokkaido University) in 1876. Although he served for only 8 months he had a great influence on all the students. His statue was set up at the Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill as the university was being overwhelmed by tourists.
To get to Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill, you need to take the subway to Fukuzumi station on the Toho Line (blue line). From there take the 84 bus (Fuku Hachiju yon, Hitsujigaoka sen). Get off at the last stop Hitsujigaoka observation hill (Hitsujigaoka tenboudai). If you are driving, it is a 25 minute drive from Sapporo station.
