Hokkaido Official Tourism Site HOKKAIDO LOVE!

Kaiyo-dai Observatory offers a breathtaking 330-degree panoramic view over the vast landscapes of eastern Hokkaido. From here, you can gaze across the grid-pattern windbreak forests—a designated Hokkaido Heritage site—and watch as the horizon gently arcs into the sky, seemingly without end.

Standing on this 270-meter-high hill, an uninterrupted panorama of Hokkaido’s pioneering landscape unfolds. Below stretches the vast “grid windbreak forest,” a checkerboard of green lines etched into the land, each square spanning roughly three kilometers. Beyond it, land and sky merge into a soft, continuous curve. On clear days, you can sense the curvature of the Earth itself as the horizon subtly bends across the deep blue sky.

A cool, refreshing breeze flows across the observatory, carrying the scent of open grasslands. Cattle graze quietly in the distance, while long, straight country roads draw lines toward the horizon. The scene reflects both the serenity and quiet strength of Hokkaido’s northern wilderness.

After taking in the view, stop by the café inside the observatory. The signature “Shiawase no Hachimitsu Soft” is made with rich local milk from Nakashibetsu and topped with fragrant honey. Its smooth richness and gentle sweetness offer a perfect closing note to an unforgettable journey through this extraordinary landscape.