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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Otaru Snow Light Path Festival

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Admission	Free entry
Opening Hours	Early to mid February 5pm – 9pm
Closed	–
Contact	-
Notes	-
Location / Getting There	Otaru Canal Area

The OTARU SNOW LIGHT PATH FESTIVAL is an annual festival that runs for 10 days in February and coincides with the SAPPORO WINTER FESTIVAL. The festival started in 1999 and has been running for 17 years. It enjoys around 500 000 visitors a year. Otaru is a small fishing village located about 30 minutes by train from Sapporo. It’s a picturesque town year around, particularly its canal area that’s lined with old warehouses that have been renovated into restaurants and shops.

To get to Otaru simply take the train from Sapporo station. There are multiple trains per hour between Sapporo and Otaru along the JR Hakodate Main Line. The one way trip costs 640 yen and takes 30 minutes by rapid train or 45 minutes by local train. This by far the easiest and fastest way to get to the festival. For those with cars take the Sasson Highway. Its a pleasant drive and takes about 40 minutes, traffic depending. There is parking available down near the docks located a few blocks past the canal.

During the festival the city is decorated with lights, candle lit lanterns, and snow sculptures. The main venues are the historic OTARU CANAL and the former JAPAN NATIONAL RAILWAYS TEMIYA LINE. The canal is lined with candles and offers a great place to take photos and take in the sight of the warehouses reflected on the calm water. To get to the canal from the train station simply take the main exit and head directly straight for about 8 blocks. Just keep following the incline down to the small canal.

: Heart sculpture for the couples

The former TEMIYA RAILWAY LINE SITE is a street cutting across the city. The service of the line was terminated finishing its role in 1985, but the track remains as a precious relic of railway. During the winter the old tracks are buried beneath the snow and the street is home to various snow sculptures and lanterns hanging from the bare branches of the trees. The view is quite stunning as the thousands of candles fade away into the distance. The site is located about halfway between the canal and OTARU train station. Its not hard to miss as there are throngs of people wandering down this old pathway.

Lanterns illuminating the street

This is a festival well worth a look. It offers nice views for the families and romantic walks for couples. There are plenty of photo opportunities and there are great sushi and seafood restaurants around the canal and its surrounding streets. The prime time is just after sunset as the volunteers tirelessly light the thousands of candles throughout the city of OTARU. Though not part of the festival, the docks are also a nice place to have a look and to take a break from the large crowds, especially in the evening. A quieter part of the town, its nice to have a wander along the calm ocean waters and look at the various fishing vessels and warehouses.