Onnenai Visitor Center

温根内ビジターセンター
AdmissionFree
Opening Hours9:00 to 17:00 April - October
9:00 to 16:00 November - March
ClosedTuesdays
New Year Holidays
Contact011-5465-2323
NotesMuseum, information center, restrooms, *wheelchair access, walking paths

*contact center prior to arrival for special parking access
Location /
Getting There
About 40 minutes by car from Kushiro Station, there is a parking lot along Route 53. For public transport take the 'Akan Bus' Tsurui Line / Hororo Line to the Onnenai Visitor Center Bus Stop.
The center is a 5 minutes walk away from the parking.
Onnenai, Tsurui, Akan District, Hokkaido 085-1145

The Kushiro Shitsugen National Park, also known as the Kushiro Marshland is a sprawling national park to the north of Kushiro. There are half a dozen observation decks, museums, and walking paths that surround the park. The Onnenai Visitor Center is one of these museums and can be found on the western side of the marshland. It is a point of contact between the marsh and the forest that leads down to the national park. It is here, that visitors can learn about the marsh, take a break, plus enjoy the walking courses throughout the year. 

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At the center, via video panels, you can learn about the plants and animals that live in the national park. This area can be visited in any season. The lush greenery in spring, the golden leaves in autumn, the winter snow, and during the summer months of July and August, you can see the marsh lit by the glow of fireflies. Cross-country skiing is possible in the winter, and you can rent skis and snowshoes free of charge from the facility. There are three separate walking courses from the center. The shortest being a short ten minute course. the middle course is 2 kilometers, and the longest course is around 3.1 kilometers. Free and paid guided nature walks are available. Cross-country skiing is possible in the winter, and you can rent skis and snowshoes free of charge from the facility.

Kushiro Shitsugen National Park

釧路湿原
AdmissionFree
Opening Hours9:30 - 16:30
ClosedWednesday
Contact0154-56-2345
NotesNational park, parking available, walking trails, museum
Location /
Getting There
The national park is to the north of Kushiro City. It is about a 25 minute drive north from the centre of the city. To get an observation deck overlooking the marshland, take the JR train to Kushiroshitsugen Station (4 stops from Kushiro station) via the Semmo Line.
2-2101 Hokuto, Kushiro, Kawakami District, Hokkaido 084-0922

The Kushiro Shitsugen National park (better known as the Kushiro Marshland) is a national park, located to the north of Kushiro on the eastern side of Hokkaido. The park is known for its wetlands ecosystems. ‘Shitsugen’ translates to wetlands in English. It was designated as a national park on 31 July 1987. The massive park covers an area of 268.61 square kilometres on the Kushiro plain and is well known for its wildlife and vegetation. The park also contains the largest tracts of reed beds in Japan! The Kushiro river, which originates from Lake Kussharo, winds its way through much of the park and ends in the harbor of Kushiro City.

In 1967, the wetlands were designated as a national natural monument. For this reason, access to the park is limited to keep the preservation of the area. There observation points to view the marshlands. These being the Toro Sarurun Observatory, the Yumegaoka Observatory, the Kushiro Marsh Observatory, and the Tenbo Terrace. From these vantage points you can enjoy the marshlands. There are a couple of small walking trails near these observatories. The vegetation of the park consists reeds, peat moss wetlands, and black alder thickets. The wild species that can be seen here include the red crowned crane, huchen salmon, siberian salamander, and dragonflies. 

bottom slider gallery. 

both upper gallery and slider galleries must be premade. 

Kushiro Marsh Observatory

釧路市湿原展望台
Admission¥480 - Adults
¥250 - Highschool Students
¥120 - Children
*Free for seniors
Opening Hours8: 30 - 18: 00 April-September
9: 00 - 17: 00 October-March
Closed-
Contact015-456-2424
NotesMuseum, wheelchair access, lockers available, parking 108 cars, souvenir store, toilets, restaurant
Location /
Getting There
The museum is to the north west of Kushiro city on route 53. It's 30 minutes by car from JR Kushiro Station (Akan Bus: Tsurui Line), or it's about 18 minutes by car from Kushiro Airport.
6-11 Hokuto, Kushiro, Hokkaido 084-0922

Perched at the top of a large hill, overlooking Kushiro Marsh, you can find the Kushiro Marsh Observatory. This is one of the most interesting buildings in Hokkaido. The exterior, and especially the interior, has a strange and unique design and is reminiscent of a cool sci-fi movie. The central hall of the museum is definitely a place to get some photos. This museum is a good spot to appreciate the surrounding wetlands, known as Kushiro Wetland. On the rooftop of the building, there is an observation deck where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the marshland, the city of Kushiro, and the mountains of Akan.

Inside the museum there are various exhibits of the surrounding landscape and the local animals of the wetlands. There aren’t a lot of these exhibits but they have some interesting information of the local area. Admission is free for the first floor. It is here you can find a souvenir shop and a restaurant. The second floor has an exhibition area and from this stage on, you have to pay to enter. There is an elevator that reaches the rooftop. Around the museum, there are walking paths that lead into the marshlands of Kushiro. The Marsh Observatory is definitely worth a stop in if you are in the area.

Obihiro Shrine

帯廣神社
Admission-
Opening Hours9:00 - 17:00
Closed-
Contact011-5523-3955
Notes
Location /
Getting There
The shrine is a 24 minute walk north from Obihiro station, or a 7 minute drive by car. Obihiro Shrine is right by Obihiro river, and is accessed via route 38. East 2 South 2.
From Obihiro Station Bus Terminal Station No.8, take the Tokachi bus (No.7) on the 'Water Line Higashi 13' (Obihiro City). From the General Promotion Bureau stop it's a 2 minute walk.
〒080-0803 Hokkaido, Obihiro, Higashi 3 Jominami, 2 Chome, 1

In 1881, a man named Benzo Yoda and others from Shizuoka Prefecture organized a pioneer group called the “Bansei-sha”. This group  and settled inShimo-Obihiro Village and started pioneering. During this time, they started holding festivals and later built a small shrine, though the connection with the current Obihiro Shrine is still not well known. In March 1909, a town meeting was held and five members decided to relocate and build the Obihiro Shrine. Over the past hundred years, this shrine has developed, been renovated and welcomed thousands of worshippers.

The shrine is located by the Obihiro River and although the buses don’t run that often, it is in a walkable distance. Once inside the grounds, there are many things to see besides the main shrine. There are numerous shrines and buildings. The area is also rich in greenery and the land was designated as an environmental green space protection area in Hokkaido in 1974. The grounds are also home to many small animals and wild birds such as Ezo squirrels, chipmunks, red-cockaded woodpeckers, and starlings to name a few. This area has some statues and is a good spot for photos. At the shrine, you can buy souvenirs and charms to take home. Throughout the year there are many festivals held. For more detail see below. 

1st and 15th of every monthPrayers for the safety of the Imperial Family, peace for the nation, and peace for the Urahoro worshippers.
January 1New Years Day. Prayer for the safety of the Imperial Family, peace for the nation, and a good harvest for the year.
January 15The burning of old Shinto prayer cards and charms. Prayer for good health. On the day before the first day of spring, there is the purification the evil spirits.
The doors of the main shrine are opened to offer thanks to the Milk God and prayer for spring.
June 30 Grand purification ceremony and Nagoshi-no-harai (summer purification). A Shinto ritual to purge the sins and impurities of the past six months and pray for good health.
AugustOn the evening before the last Sunday of the month, There is the summer portable shrine procession festival (Mikoshi & Yoimiya Festival). The portable shrine is purified the night before the main festival, and the gods are notified that the big festival will be held tomorrow.
On the last Sunday of the month, the portable shrine will be paraded through the town to pray for the safety of each family and the prosperity of each company.
September 20Autumn Grand Festival Prayers and dedication events are held for the Ujigami (local deity), which has been handed down from the pioneers. The doors of the main shrine are opened to offer thanks to the Goddess of Milk and pray for the autumn. The god of the land and the god of agriculture are invited to give thanks for the year's harvest and to pray for the safety.
Prayers are offered to the gods for the healthy growth of children who are three, five, and seven years old.
Prayers are offered for the harvest and labor to the gods of the 24 shrines in Urahoro Town.
December 31New Year's Eve Purification Ceremony and Nightfall Festival is held to purify the sins and impurities of the year from the body and soul using dolls, and to pray for good health in the New Year.
December 30 to January 5The shrine grounds are illuminated.

Kushiro City Museum

釧路市立博物館
Admission¥480 - Adults
¥250 - Highschool Students
¥110 - Children
Opening Hours9:30 - 17:00
ClosedMondays
Contact0154-41-5809
NotesMuseum, wheelchair access, free wifi, lockers available, events held throughout the year, wheelchair & stroller rental
Location /
Getting There
The museum is a 40 minute walk from Kushiro station or a 15 minute drive..
For public transport from Kushiro Station bus terminal No.3 (bus 16 Shirakaba Harutori Shopping Center Line, 17 Shirakaba Akira Danchi Line) or No. 11 (bus 2 Wakakusa Danchi Line, 12 Fumizono Koju Line (for Midorigaoka), 55 Nanboku Line (2nd) Please take the bus from (to Wakakusa housing complex)).
The nearest bus stop to the museum is the "Municipal Hospital".
It takes about 10 to 15 minutes from Kushiro Station to the city hospital bus stop. ¥220 yen one way. (As of October 1, 2021)
1-7 Shunkodai, Kushiro, Hokkaido 085-0822

The history of the Kushiro City Museum dates far back to 1936. Originally, an exhibition room was set up as the “Kushiro City Folk Museum” on the second floor of the Kushiro City Hall Waterworks Construction Office. Over the decades, the location changed and finally on November 3rd, 1983, the “Kushiro City Museum” was born. The building was designed by a local arhcitect, Kiko Mozuna. His award winning design was designed to represent a red-crowned crane with its wings spread out. The museum is home to 4100 exhibits and objects. 

The exhibitions at the museum incorporate flora and fauna from the Kushiro area. There is a permanent Ainu exhibition here also which is fascinating. This is one of the best museums in Hokkaido as the exhibits are first class and very well presented with great detail. There is information in multiple languages and there is plenty of space to walk around at your leisure. The museum is four floors and there is a huge amount of information to learn from the earliest archaeological findings to the current wild life of Kushiro. This museum is a must visit for those visiting Kushiro and are interested in history. 

Obihiro Centennial Hall

帯広百年記念館
Admission¥700 Year ticket
¥350 Adults
¥190 Highscool & seniors
Opening Hours9:00 - 17:00
ClosedMondays
New Year Holidays
Contact 0155-24-5352
NotesMuseum, art gallery, parking available, free wi-fi, wheelchair access, free English, Chinese, & Korean audio service
Location /
Getting There
The museum is in Midorigaoka Park which is right in the heart of Obihiro. It is a 25 minute walk south west from Obihiro station.
2 Midorigaoka, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-0846

The Obihiro Centennial City Museum was opened back in 1982. It is part of Midorigaoka Park which also contains the Obihiro Zoo. This museum exhibits materials relating to the natural history and local history of Obihiro and the Tokachi region. These exhibits include dioramas, photographs, art works, and items pertaining to that area. This museum also looks at the industries that made Obihiro what it is today. Other exhibits are dedicated to the history and culture of the Ainu the buried cultural property. 

The hall also has finds from the Jōmon period. These items were excavated from the Yachiyo A site and have been designated as ‘Important Cultural Property’. There is an extensive amount of information for those interested in the local area. The centre also acts as an art museum with exhibitions held on a rotating basis. For those wishing to visit the centre, there is ample parking at the park itself and makes for a nice day out. The centre is easily accessed and doesn’t cost a lot to enter.