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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Hokkaido University Festival

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Dates	1st weekend of June (3 days)
Opening Hours	9:00 - 22:00
Contact	kagai@academic.hokudai.ac.jp
Notes	Alcohol not permitted, no parking
Location / Getting There	5 minute walk from Sapporo station. Take the north exit from the station, head one block north. The university is on the left hand side 5 Chome Kita 8 Jonishi, Kita Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0808

International food festival

The Hokkaido University Festival, also known as Hokudai-sai, is a three day event that is held at the start of June. It is a popular festival for the locals of Sapporo. The event allows the students to show the public their skills and cultural backgrounds. The event is actually compromised of ten festivals which are held down the main street of the campus in stalls, plus some of the surrounding buildings. One of the main attractions is the International Food Festival where you can sample foods from all over the world! These stalls are run by the international students attending the university.

: Turkish cuisine

: Frogs!

: Myanmar tent

: Delicious BBQ

One of the cosplayers

Besides the International Food area, there are further stalls set up along the road. These stalls sell Japanese cuisine, and include games and events. There are student performances on stage, a rock festival, haunted house, and a cosplay event. Simply take a long stroll down the main road that runs through the campus and take in the sights and smells. The stalls run for a few hundred meters so there is a lot to see! The event starts during the first week of June and runs through the weekend. If you are in Sapporo around that time, make sure to put the Hokkaido University Festival into your schedule.