Hokkaido Official Tourism Site HOKKAIDO LOVE!

Step into a vast natural landscape of about 2,053 hectares at Nopporo Forest Park. Located just a short distance from Sapporo, this prefectural nature park features 17 well-maintained walking trails, offering a rare chance to enter deep tranquility and a remarkably untouched forest just beside the city.

The forest is home to towering Mizunara oak and Katsura trees, including a massive chestnut tree believed to be around 500 years old. As you walk along sun-dappled paths, light filters softly through the canopy while birdsong and rustling leaves create a gentle rhythm that slows time itself.

This woodland is also a sanctuary for Hokkaido’s native wildlife. You may spot agile Hokkaido squirrels darting through the trees or notice subtle signs of the black woodpecker among ancient trunks. Each season transforms the scenery—fresh greenery in spring, deep green in summer, vivid autumn colors, and quiet snow-covered stillness in winter.

For deeper insight, visit the Shizen Fureai Koryukan Visitor Center, where admission is free. Interactive exhibits and seasonal programs reveal the park’s diverse ecosystem and natural cycles.

Next to the forest lies the Historical Village of Hokkaido, an open-air museum where restored Meiji and Taisho-era buildings vividly recreate early pioneer life. Together, the forest and village create a unified experience of nature and history in northern Japan.