Hokkaido Official Tourism Site HOKKAIDO LOVE!

Kushiro Marsh is a national park consisting of Japan's largest marshland, the Kushiro River and its tributaries, and the hills surrounding the marshland.The park covers an area of 220.7 square kilometers and is home to a variety of precious plants and animals, including the red-crowned crane, which is designated as a special natural treasure by the Japanese government.In 1967, the marsh itself was designated as a national natural monument, which has enabled the park to maintain a landscape unique to Hokkaido and unparalleled in the country.

In 1980, the central part of the marsh became the first Ramsar wetland in Japan, and seven years later, almost the entire area, including the surrounding marshland, was designated as a national park. There are a number of scenic overlooks within the national park, so be sure to visit and take in the magnificent scenery.

Take in the awe-inspiring panorama of the vast Kushiro Wetland from Hoso'oka Observatory—also known as Daikanbo, or “Grand Viewpoint.” Among several observatories in the area, this is the most popular spot for witnessing the sheer scale of Japan’s largest wetland. On clear days, you can see as far north as Mt. Meakan and Mt. Oakan. The site is also famous for its stunning sunsets, making it a must-visit location for nature and photography lovers alike.

From the parking lot, a walking trail leads you gently uphill past the Hosooka Visitor Lounge. A bit further up the trail lies the observatory plaza, and continuing onward brings you to the Daikanbo viewpoint—where magnificent, wide-open vistas await.

Sarubo Observatory offers views of five lakes, including Tōro Lake, the largest in Kushiro Shitsugen, as well as Sarurun Lake, Pon Lake, Eoru Lake, and Makun Lake. In summer, the contrast between the lush green and the blue of the lakes is particularly beautiful. The observatory is equipped with free telescopes. Additionally, nearby Sarurun Observatory and Kottaro Wetland Observatory provide various scenic views.

This museum is a treasure trove of discovery, with exciting modern displays arranged around the central twin spiral staircase, designed in the image of a DNA double helix. On the first floor, you can explore archeology, geology, and the natural world while the second floor is dedicated to Kushiro’s history. Check out the fourth floor as well for an in-depth look at the Kushiro Ainu peoples. At the Kushiro City Museum, learn from fascinating exhibits on everything from geology and the formation of the local landscape to recent history and Ainu culture. An engaging museum perfect for all ages!

Voted as one of the “Top Three Sunsets in the World” alongside other famous worldwide spots like Bali and Manila, Kushiro in East Hokkaido is a reputed sunset-viewing location. Walk along Kita-Odori Street from JR Kushiro Station for about 15 minutes and you’ll come across the viewing spot: the 124-meter-long Nusamai Bridge. Four female statues, the Shiki no Zo, stand atop the guardrails of the bridge and make for a beautiful image when the setting sun paints the sky a calm vermillion hue behind them. The after-dark horizon is no less magical. You can finish your Kushiro visit by admiring the light-up event that starts 30 minutes after sunset, sampling the sunset-themed local cocktail “Kushiro Sunset High Ball”, or hop on the SEA CRANE cruising tour.

Next to Kushiro’s Nusamai Bridge sits the Kushiro Fisherman’s Wharf “MOO”, a bustling marketplace full of local delicacies served out of yatai food stalls. Built in 1989, this waterfront establishment houses fish markets, souvenir shops, restaurants, and other facilities. Visitors should try the Ganpeki-Robata Grill, a restaurant that lets patrons grill fresh seafood over an open robata-style charcoal grill. The shop faces the Kushiro River and is open from May until Oct.

This is the oldest market in Kushiro, established in 1954. It's one of Hokkaido's three major markets, alongside Hakodate Morning Market and Sapporo Nijo Market. Located just a 5-minute walk from JR Kushiro Station, it boasts excellent accessibility. About 50 shops line its aisles, including fresh seafood stores, dried and salted goods shops, delicatessens, greengrocers, and butcher shops, continuing to be a beloved "kitchen" for the locals.

You'll find an abundance of fresh seafood and processed marine products landed at Kushiro Port, such as "Tokishirazu" salmon in spring, squid in summer, Pacific saury in autumn, and crab and cod in winter. They also offer shipping services, making it an ideal place to pick up souvenirs.

The market's specialty is the "Katte-don," a customizable seafood rice bowl where you select your favorite seafood and have it arranged on rice right there.First, purchase your preferred size of rice at one of the prepared food shops within the market. Then, with your rice in hand, wander through the stalls and look for the toppings you desire. The variety of toppings differs from shop to shop. You'll be spoiled for choice with the fresh ingredients unique to Kushiro, one of Japan's leading port towns. Once you've chosen your favorites, have them placed on your rice to create your very own original seafood bowl! You can also buy crab soup or pickles to enjoy together in the market's eating area.

Tokachigawa Hot Spring is a unique hot spring in Japan that gushes out "moor hot spring" containing high levels of plant organic matter. The hot spring gushes out through layers of plants that have been deposited over a long period of time, making it one of the rarest springs in the world, and it has been selected as a Hokkaido Heritage Site. The smooth water, which is derived from plants, warms the body to the core after just a short soak, and keeps the body warm afterwards. It is also known as "hot water for beautiful skin" because it has a moisturizing effect like lotion. The hot spring resort area is dotted with numerous lodging facilities, including luxury inns with open-air baths and large hotels with many guest rooms. Visitors to Tokachigawa Hot Spring can enjoy experiences and events throughout the four seasons, such as hot-air balloon rides where they can view the magnificent scenery of Tokachi from above, and the "Sairinka" event in winter, which takes visitors into a fantastic world created by the night sky, snow, and countless light objects.

Obihiro Racecourse (Banei Tokachi) is the only place in the world that holds "Ban'ei Horse Racing." "Banei Horse Racing" is a race where draft horses, weighing around one ton, pull heavy iron sleds weighing up to one ton, competing in power, speed, and endurance. The sight of these Ban'ei horses pulling heavy sleds and running a 200-meter course that includes two inclines is incredibly powerful and captivating. The tradition of farmers' draft horses testing their strength during Hokkaido's pioneering era has been passed down to the present day and continues to move people as a Hokkaido Heritage.

Adjacent to Obihiro Racecourse is "Tokachi Mura," where you can savor the various "delicious flavors" of Tokachi. The direct sales shop is lined with fresh vegetables and ingredients sourced from Tokachi producers. Local gourmet dishes such as desserts and pork rice bowls are renowned as a "treasure trove of food."

Rokkatei Obihiro Main Store has been in business in Obihiro, Tokachi since its establishment in 1933. The store is lined with a wide variety of sweets, including the signature product, Marusei Butter Sandwich, and continues to be loved by locals as a snack, for spending money, and as a souvenir of Hokkaido. The store also offers sweets that can only be eaten at the store, such as “Crunchy Pie” with freshly filled cream and “Yukikon Cheese”. The second floor coffee shop offers seasonal pizzas and desserts.

Manabe Garden, known as Japan’s first conifer garden, is a botanical garden where all design, landscaping, and management happens on-site. The circuit-style garden within the grounds is the largest garden in Japan. Visitors to the garden will feel like they are in a fairytale thanks to the hundreds of unique trees imported from Northern Europe and Canada. In the summer, the garden comes to life with countless blooms, many of which are varieties only found in Hokkaido.

The Shichiku Garden was the passion project of a woman named Shichiku Akiha, an avid lover of flowers and the property’s namesake. Ms. Shichiku designed this lovely rural garden in the hopes of reliving and capturing a snapshot of her youth, a childhood spent among beautiful blooms. This incredible garden is over 60,000 square meters large and has more than 2,500 varieties of flowers. Visitors that choose to spend a day among Ms. Shichiku’s flowers will experience her passion first hand and see the work she has dedicated her life to.

This “Land of Love” in Hokkaido is known for the catchphrase: “from the land of love to fortune.” The area got its nickname from Kofuku Station (kofuku meaning “fortune”) and Aikoku Station (aikoku meaning “land of love”) on the former national Hiroo Line. After the route was abandoned, the pink station house of Kofuku Station became a popular photo spot with the walls becoming covered in the business cards of visitors hoping for good luck. You can now hold a mock “Happy Ceremony Wedding” with your special someone here alongside the recently instated bell. 

Aikoku Station, which became a huge boom along with Kōfuku Station in the 1970s with the catchphrase 'From the Land of Love to Happiness.' The station building of the former JNR Hiroo Line has been renovated and is now loved by people as a transportation museum. Tickets, panels, and an impressive SL (steam locomotive) that were used at the time are on display, allowing visitors to reminisce about the past. The cute heart-shaped fountain in the square and the monument shaped like a 'Ticket to Happiness' in front of the station building are also popular photo spots.