| Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | Free entry Restaurant ¥1000 - ¥3000 |
| Opening Hours | 09:30 - 17:30 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0133-625-511 |
| Notes | Seafood supermarket on 1st floor, 2nd floor is a seafood restaurant, parking 250 cars |
| Location | Need a car to get here, the Salmon Factory is a 40 minute drive from central Sapporo. You will need to head north in the direction of Ishikari along route 231. After 30 minutes turn left onto route 337 and then back again to route 231. This large building is easy to see and will be on the right hand side of the road if coming from Sapporo. 1 Chome-54 Shinkohigashi, Ishikari, Hokkaido 061-3243 |
If you love seafood and have a bit of time for a nice drive, head out to the Salmon Factory. It takes about 40 minutes to get there but there is plenty of parking once you arrive. The whole first floor is dedicated to the seafood market. They have lots and lots of frozen produce. They have lots of salmon products. You can buy some really quality and large cuts of salmon. Obviously, the price increases as the size of the cuts does. The store is actually call ‘Sato Suisan’ and many of their products are sent out to their stores across Hokkaido. To areas such as Hakodate and the New Chitose Airport to name a couple. After a little bit of shopping we recommend having lunch at the seafood restaurant on the next floor up. The restaurant is called ‘Old River’ and has a very extensive menu. Old River has plenty of seating but the best seats are the window seats and these overlook Ishikari River. If you want the window seats you can ask for them but the wait will be a little longer. But no matter where you are sitting, you can enjoy a great lunch here for about ¥1500.
Salmon Factory is a good place to visit if you are looking for seafood, some souvenirs as a gift or just for a special lunch. If you want to make a day of it, then after some lunch and some shopping, you should head out to Aso Beach which is about another 15 to 20 minute drive further north. This is a great spot, especially in the summer.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 07:00 - 18:00 10:00 - 17:00 coffee shop |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot, car needed or bus travel available, restrooms, souvenir store, cafe |
| Location / Getting There | The park is a 30 minute drive south from central Obihiro, take route 236. For those using public transport, from the bus terminal in front of JR Obihiro Station, take the Tokachi Bus bound for "Hiroo" and get off at the "Happiness" bus stop (about 45 minutes). It's 5 minute walk from here. From the Tokachi airport, it only a 5 minute drive or taxi ride. Obihiro, Hokkaido 089-1246 |
Kōfuku Station is a closed railway station from the now defunct Hiroo line. The station originally opened on 1st November 1956, but the line, which went from Obihiro to Hiroo, was discontinued in 1987 bringing an end to the station. Even though the station closed down, it still remains a popular sightseeing spot for tourists. Why? Well, it comes down to the name of the station. The name Kofuku (幸福）translates to “happiness” and the station became famous after it was featured on a Japanese NHK TV travel programme which aired in 1973. The station name is formed from the combination of the original name of the area, Kōshin. Plus many farmers settled here in 1902 coming from Fukui prefecture after flooding. Kō + Fuku = Kōfuku.
Kōfuku Station is part of Kōfuku Kōtsu Park. In this area, there is a nice little coffee shop, plus a small souvenir store (the Kōfuku train ticket is a very popular item), and photography area. There are two old trains here that have been turned into small museums. This area is especially popular for couples as the site was chosen as a ‘Sanctuary for Lovers’ in 2008. There is a special bell here that can be rung for good luck, plus the main attraction is the small hut here. You can write a message on a pink ticket and stick it to the wall. The hut is covered with thousands of these messages. Kōfuku Station is a popular spot to visit, if you can get out that way.
| Pricing Guide at restaurant (Avg. cost per person) | ¥1000 - ¥3500 |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 16:30 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-4663-1666 |
| Notes | Souvenir store, restaurant, restrooms |
| Location / Getting There | From Sapporo the cape is about a 4 hour drive down the south coast. There is also a return express bus from Sapporo station. JR Hokkaido Bus (High Speed) to Erimo, (reservation required until the day before departure). *JR Sapporo Station 16:30 departure-Erimo 20:30 arrival *Erimo 5:30 departure-JR Sapporo Station 9:30 arrival Erimomisaki, Erimo, Horoizumi District, Hokkaido 058-0342 |
The Erimo Misaki Tourist Center serves as a souvenir store, information center, and as a seafood restaurant. It can be found at Cape Erimo on the point. There is a large carpark here as well, and the Tourist Center is definitely a welcome place during cold, wet and windy weather. Close by, you can also find the entrance to the Kaze no Yakata (house of wind), wind museum. The tourist center has numerous souvenirs inside. These include mainly animal products from the local wildlife such as antlers from the Hokkaido deer.
The restaurant is large and one of the best spots to try some local seafood while in Erimo. There are not a lot of restaurants in Erimo, so this is a good spot for some lunch while on the road. Being on the coast, there is plenty of seafood to choose from. They have a great sea urchin bowl that comes with rice, pickles and a miso soup. It is costly at ¥3600 a bowl, but if you have the money, it’s worth a try. Other dishes include sashimi, sushi, and shellfish. You can also find some large tanks with equally large snow crabs for sale. These things are huge and aren’t cheap! Overall, Erimo Misaki Tourist Center is a good place, although a little old, to stop off at take a look at its wares, or have a taste of its local cuisine!
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Contact | 011-3642-2111 http://www.town-kyogoku.jp/kanko-event/fukidashi-park/ |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot, parking available, fresh water spring, cherry blossoms, picnic area, jogging spot, restaurants at park, bathrooms, children play area, photography spot |
| Location / Getting There | Fukidashi Park is on the western side of Mt. Yotei. It is between the districts of Kutchan and Kimobetsu and is a 90 minute drive from Sapporo. Take Route 276, and turn right onto route 784. 45 Kawanishi, Kyogoku Town, Abuta District, Hokkaido 044-0131 |
Fukidashi Park is a relaxing and beautiful park by Mt. Yotei. What makes this park so popular is the pristine waters that can be found flowing along its streams. The ice-cold waters flow down from Mt. Yotei and can be collected by visitors so be sure to bring some water bottles and containers to fill up! Containers can be bought at the park. The water is channelled by various wooden outlets and tourists and locals alike line up to get access to the spring water (this park can get very crowded). There are numerous tree lined paths and wooden walkways to gain access and invite visitors to enjoy the tranquility. Moss covered stones and pleasant streams makes it feel like a scene from a fantasy movie.
The entrance and parking is at the top of the park. Here, there is lush grasslands, and a play area for the kids. During the spring, you can find beautiful cherry blossoms here. There is also a large log cabin from the parking lot which serves as a souvenir store and restaurant. Following the numerous winding paths you can find a nice grove with stone effigies among the trees. Down the bottom, at the water collection point, there is a small lake plus a restaurant to enjoy a lunch overlooking the streams. Fukidashi Park is gorgeous in all seasons and the water here is crisp and fresh, so be sure to take some home with you!
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 18:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-3824-8108 |
| Notes | Supermarket, shopping hall, souvenir shop, tax free, parking available (at Mitsui nearby), |
| Location / Getting There | It's only a 2 minute walk from Suehirocho station. It's also an 18 minute walk from Hakodate station. It's right by the old red brick warehouses shopping district. 24-6 Suehirocho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0053 |
Hakodate Nishi Hatoba (known as the ‘west wharf’ in english), is a seafood market, souvenir and large shopping warehouse. Here, you can walk through this shopping area which has an atmospheric beauty. Old wooden floorboards, warm lighting from rustic light shades, and Japanese written hangings, makes this market a pleasant place to walk around and peruse the local wares. Hakodate being a harbor city, this market sells mainly seafood, and they have a lot of produce, 2,000 types of products! For those traveling from abroad, you can pick up some souvenirs, and being tax free is a real bonus.
Hakodate Factory is part of the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse area and is a popular sightseeing spot. They have a tonne of seafood products that make for a great gift to take home, or to give as a present. These items include a variety of fish, salmon, eggs, kelp, squid, octopus, and crab. They have livestock products such as ham and sausages, and agricultural items grown fresh in Hokkaido. They also have dairy, plus ramen, curries, and famous sweets. In addition, you can try the raw delicacies such as the local “Matsumaezuke” (pickled seaweed with shredded squid), or the dried delicacies such as the popular “dried scallop”. Around the area they have restaurants including the famous Lucky Pierrot, a Starbucks, cafes, and other shopping outlets. This is a great day out in Hakodate.
| Opening Hours | 9:30 - 18:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0138-27-5530 |
| Notes | Shopping complex, historical site, free Wifi, wheelchair access & rental, no smoking, tax free shopping, rental bicycles, lockers, baby stroller rental, breast feeding room, pay phone, no pets, no outside food, currency exchange machine, parking available at ¥400 an hour |
| Location / Getting There | It's only a 2 minute walk from Suehirocho station. It's also an 18 minute walk from Hakodate station. It's right by the old red brick warehouses shopping district. 14-12 Suehirocho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0053 |
Sitting on the old Hakodate pier, the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse is a commercial shopping area. Kumashiro Watanabe founded the first warehouse business in Hakodate, which lead to the current site. Constructed in 1909, it consists of four large facilities. Hakodate Port opened up to international trading. The Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, over its history, has seen countless people and cultures trade within its walls. The area has changed very little. This area is a great spot to walk around and enjoy the history of the place.
The Red Brick Warehouses are divided into four areas. Bay Hakodate, Kamemori Yobutsukan, Hakodate History Plaza, and Kanemori Hall. Bay Hakodate includes numerous stores, such as souvenir shops, boutiques, tax free stores, art and craft stores like Malaika, restaurants and cafes, plus a wine museum. Kamemori Yobutsukan, as with Bay Hakodate, has an array of twenty four stores including boutiques, interior stores, arts and crafts. Hakodate Plaza has fewer shops, but has a large beer hall with a couple of other stores, and the last warehouse is the Kanemori Hall. The hall is a concert hall that has regular shows on. Points of interest around the warehouse include the Girl in the Red Shoes, and the First Place of Entering Hokkaido.
