Urahoro Shrine

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During the Meiji Era, as the town of Urahoro (on the south east coast of Hokkaido) was being developed, the pioneers called for the construction of a shrine to serve as a spiritual centre. On August 15, 1896, a small shrine was erected, enshrining Amaterasu (goddess of the sun and the universe). Read More ....

Onnenai Visitor Center

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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. Read More ....

Kushiro Shitsugen National Park

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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. Read More ....

Kushiro Marsh Observatory

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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. Read More ....

Obihiro Shrine

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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. Read More ....

Kushiro City Museum

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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. Read More ....

Midorigaoka Park

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This massive park is located in the middle of the city of Obihiro. Stretching to 50 hectares, this comprehensive park contains a park golf course, the Obihiro Zoo and the Obihiro Centennial Hall, plus walking trails and a pond. Read More ....

Obihiro Centennial Hall

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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. Read More ....

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Gotenzan Park

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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.