ATTRACTION
ATTRACTION
OTARU CANAL CRUISE
The Otaru Canal was completed in the 12th year of the Taisho Era as part of the Otaru Port facilities. It was dug not into the land, but instead dug as a waterway between the reclaimed land and shore, as a "Land Reclamation-Style" canal. Today, the canal cruise it is a popular Otaru tourist attraction, rich with history and romance.
KENASHI MOUNTAIN PASS OBSERVATION POINT
The place can be found on the roadside of the National Highway no. 393 on the way from Kiroro Resort to the city of Otaru. From the observation point placed 470 metres above sea level one can view the great panorama of both Otaru and its Ishikari Bay in one sweep of an eye.
OTARU WINE GALLERY
The facility is a tour factory administered by Hokkaido Wine Co. Ltd. Inside it is possible to watch the process of wine bottling and try samples of different wine types. The wines are also available for sale. Among around 80 domestic wine types there are difficult to obtain limited edition wines.
TANAKA SAKE BREWERY
It is a local sake manufacturing institution. The building dates back to year 1905 and is one of numerous historical structures of Otaru city. Among many attractions of the brewery one can watch the sake manufacturing process through a window and try samples of different types of sake, including freshly produced, unprocessed type, or have a bite of sake manjū (steamed yeast bun).
HOPI HILLS
Hopi Hills is a petting farm right next to Kiroro. Great for families, children love feeding the alpacas, rabbits, goats, horses and other farm animals. They also have a famous pizza restaurant and cafe, charcoal grill and ice creamery. You can buy bacon and sausages smoked right at the farm as souvenirs.
AKAIGAWA ROADSIDE STATION (MICHI NO EKI)
It is a place where one can buy products made from local ingredients such as various baked goods or Italian ice cream – gelato. In addition to that, there is also a canteen serving Japanese-style light meals, and a direct sale store* with local agricultural products.
*the store is open only from May to October
“CALDERA OBSERVATION POINT” OF HIYAMIZU MOUNTAIN PASS
Hiyamizu Mountain Pass reaches up to 340 metres above sea level. You can admire the view of it and of the caldera basin from the “Caldera Observation Point” in Akaigawa. Behind the mountain pass one can see the spectacular giant figure of Mt Yōtei visible in the distance. In the early morning hours or at sunset, if the weather conditions are right, there sometimes appears the view of a sea of clouds spreading below one’s feet.
MT YOICHI
The mountain of 1488 meters extends from Akaigawa to the southern district of Sapporo and is one of “The 300 Famous Mountains of Japan”. From the mountain top one can see Mt Yōtei and the mountains at the outskirts of Sapporo. The Akaigawa path to Mt Yoichi starts from the nearby area of Kiroro’s Mountain Hotel.
SAKURANBOYAMA TOURIST ORCHARD
The orchard takes its pride in its 4000 trees spread over around 20 hectares. Tourists can enjoy not only cherry picking (available from the end of June), but also ume (from the end of July), plum (in August), as well as grape and prune (beginning of September) or apple picking (end of September). The orchard is located on a hill, and from there one can take in the view of mountains and the town of Niki in one sweep of an eye.
THE NIKKA WHISKEY YOICHI DISTILLERY
Yoichi Town was chosen as the ideal location in Japan to establish the Nikka Whiskey Distillery by its founder, Masataka Taketsuru. Factory distills whiskey in a traditional way, producing many single-casks and single-malt whiskey that have been called masterpieces. Distillery offers a free tour through the facility.
SPACE APPLE YOICHI ROADSIDE STATION
The roadside station is located at the crossing of National Highways no. 229 and no. 5. In the building one may buy not only agricultural products, but also over ten types of space food and local processed marine products. It is also popular for its handmade ice cream and apple pies produced with fruit wine.
YOICHI SPACE MUSEUM
It can be found nearby the Space Apple Yoichi Roadside Station. It was opened in 1998 to commemorate the first Japanese scientist who became a NASA Astronaut and who was born in Yoichi - Mamoru Mori. Inside one may enjoy the “Digital Planetarium” and the "2041 Solar System Mission" 3D Theatre. Moreover, the museum has in offer many space models such as 1/20 scale model of the International Space Station, a 3/4 scale Hubble Space Telescope and others.
SHIMAMUI COAST AT CAPE SHAKOTAN
With its crystal clear water, the coast has been designated one of Japan’s One Hundred Most Beautiful Beaches. It is full of mysterious beauty created by its visible bedrock partly protruding through the water surface and sea waves slowly coming into the bay. Because of those characteristics it is often visited by numerous tourists.
SAPPORO BEER MUSEUM
The Sapporo Breweries opened the Sapporo Beer Museum, one of the oldest and most popular beer brands in the country, in 1987 in a former brewery from the Meiji Period. The museum introduces the history of beer in Japan and the process of beer making. After the exhibitions, you can enjoy beer tastings for a small fee.
SUSUKINO
Susukino is Japan's largest entertainment district north of Tokyo. Enjoy the stores, bars, restaurants, karaoke shops and pachinko parlors. The Ramen Yokocho is a narrow lane lined with shops serving Sapporo famous ramen. In February, Susukino serves as a site of the Snow Festival, hosting an ice sculpture competition. The district full of nightlife.