Remains of Kofuku Train Station

"Visiting Eating Shopping Lodgings Area 10 Awesome Things to do in Obihiro: Get Active in Hokkaido's Great Outdoors Date published: 15 June 2022  #Obihiro   #Other Sightseeing   #Must-See The Obihiro area is located about 150km east of Sapporo, Hokkaido's largest city. Alongside Obihiro's thriving agriculture, livestock, forestry, and fishing industries, the area serves as a core region for Hokkaido's food and ingredients. But in addition to all that, it is surrounded by mountains like Mt. Tokachi, and is known for its fun activities that make the most of the abundant nature. Here are​​ ten things to do in​​ the Obihiro area, among its vast and refreshing landscapes. Table of Contents 1. Ban'ei kyōsō: Watch as giant horses draw an impressive 1-tonne sleigh 2. Rokka Forest: Enjoy nature and art in a vast landscape 3. Jewelry Ice: Natural jewels along the coast 4. Buta Don: Enjoy Obihiro's irresistible pork rice bowl 5. Taushubetsu River Bridge: Hokkaido's unique 'phantom bridge' 6. Kōfuku Station: Visit what might be Japan's happiest train station 7. Obihiro Zoo: A child's dream world 8. Tokachi Hot Air Balloon Experience (Anchored): Overlook the Tokachi Plain from 30 meters in the air 9. Tokachi River Rafting: Get the adrenaline pumping 10. Snowshoe Downhill Experience: Swoosh down covered in snow The land and sky stretch as far as the eye can see in Obihiro  1. Ban'ei kyōsō: Watch as giant horses draw an impressive 1-tonne sleigh The event is held mostly on weekends and public holidays (Photo: Yoshida Masakazu) Located about 7 minutes from the south exit of JR Obihiro Station, Ban'ei Tokachi holds the only Ban'ei kyōsō (Ban'ei horse racing) in the world. Ban'ei Racing is a race in which giant horses draw about a ton of sleigh to the finish line. It's said that during the era of the Hokkaido Development Commission, about 150 years ago, a festival was created in which farming horses drew sleighs to compete. It used to be held all over Hokkaido, but now Ban'ei Tokachi is the only place to see the spectacle. The giant horses begin in an explosion of dust and sand (Photo: Yoshida Masakazu) Even for first-timers, it's easy enough to make the most of your time here. First, take a look at the odds and place your bet by buying a betting slip. There are instructions in various languages at the information center, so take a look and decide which type of bet to place. There are various options, such as single-entry, double-entry, and wide. There are about 12 races in one day, so it's good to start with a small amount, like 100 yen, to get used to it. You can really feel their force as they surpass the obstacles, small and large. The slogan of the races roughly translates to "A live show that turns tables in an instant" (一発逆転のライブショー), so you'll be on the edge of your seat waiting to see who wins! Health & Safety Measures Indoor disinfection measures taken - Sanitizer installed - Ventilation measures in place - Staff wear masks, gargle, wash hands regularly, and monitor body temperature - Guests are required to wear masks Multilingual support Brochures in English and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) are available. Event information Dates: Varies by race *Please check the official website for more information Opening time: Varies by race *Please check the official website Duration: A total of 149 days from Friday, April 22, 2022 to Monday, March 20, 2023 Admission: 100 yen  Banei Tokachi ばんえい十勝（帯広競馬場） Obihiro  View MapCall View Details 2. Rokka Forest: Enjoy nature and art in a vast landscape Surround yourself in the floral aromas at Rokka Forest (Photo: Rokkatei) About 40 minutes by car from JR Obihiro Station, in the village of Nakasatsunai, is a vibrant flower garden called Rokka Forest. The garden was created by Rokkatei, one of Hokkaido's leading confectioners, and it was designed with the desire to "create a flower garden filled with the flowers from our confectionery's floral wrapping paper." The vast land of 100,000 square meters is full of ezo-oyamarindō, damask roses, Trillium camschatcense, Asian fawnlilies, caltha palustris, and other elegant flowers. The gardens look beautiful all year round (Photo: Rokkatei) The park is dotted with galleries in renovated Croatian houses. In addition to exhibiting the works of Naoyuki Sakamoto, who designed the wrapping paper of Rokkatei, there are also seven original collages created by Sakamoto displayed in the Floral Wrapping Paper Museum (花柄包装紙館). If you turn your attention outside, you'll notice subtle placements of the sculptures created by various artists, which make for great commemorative photos. Here you can enjoy nature and art to the fullest. Health & Safety Measures Disinfection measures taken - Sanitizer installed - Ventilation measures in place - Staff wear masks, gargle, wash hands regularly, and monitor body temperature - Guests are required to wear masks Multilingual support The official website is available in English and Chinese.  Rokka Forest 六花の森 Obihiro  View MapCall View Details 3. Jewelry Ice: Natural jewels along the coast "Gemstones" washed up on shore Every year around mid-January to late February, jewelry ice emanates from the river source near Mt. Tokachi, a short distance from Obihiro. Ice covering the Tokachi River flows southeast and into the Pacific Ocean. The ice clusters collect on the coast of Otsu at the river mouth, and they shine beautifully in the sun. The harsh cold temperatures of Tokachi combined with mother earth's Tokachi River bring forth these natural wonders, which have come to be known as "jewelry ice" because of their jewel-like shine. Early morning jewelry ice. Depending on the time of the day, the ice changes appearance. Jewelry ice comes from ice from the Tokachi River that flows into the Pacific Ocean, which is washed in the waves to form crystal-like ice. You can only see the Otsu Coast of Toyokoro Town, about an hour's drive from Obihiro City. It takes different forms depending on the time of day, such as bright red in the morning sunrise, blue of the Tokachi sky in the daytime, and a beautiful warm red glow in the sunset. Make your way here to bask in nature's brilliance. Health & Safety Measures Indoor disinfection measures taken - Sanitizer installed - Ventilation measures in place - Staff wear masks, gargle, wash hands regularly, and monitor body temperature - Guests are required to wear masks Jewelry Ice ジュエリーアイス AddressOtsu Motomachi, Toyokoro Town, Nakagawa District, Hokkaido 089-5461 View Map 4. Buta Don: Enjoy Obihiro's irresistible pork rice bowl How it's cooked and how the sauce is made makes a big difference to the taste. Pork farming began in the Tokachi region around the end of the Meiji period (1868 - 1912), and since then, pork has become popular. The specialty dish of Obihiro City, the "Pork Rice Bowl" or "buta don", is said to have originated in the early Showa period (around 1930) with an Obihiro restaurant owner. The owner saw the farmers and settlers working up a sweat outside, and put two elements of popular dishes together: charcoaled pork and the rich soy-based sauce from eel dishes. This combination resulted in buta don. This dish is also sold as bento boxes at stations (Photo: Yoshida Masakazu) Making the dish is very simple. Thick-sliced pork is mixed in a sauce made with sugar and soy sauce, and then placed on top of a bowl of rice to complete the dish. The sauce and the way the dish is cooked varies by restaurant, bringing out different characteristics that have the restaurants competing over flavor. In addition to being served at restaurants throughout the city, it is also sold as station bento boxes at JR Obihiro Station.  Foodgasm! 3 Popular Obihiro Butadon Pork Bowl Shops (Obihiro Food Guide) 5. Taushubetsu River Bridge: Hokkaido's unique 'phantom bridge' The bridge sunk to the bottom of the lake due to dam construction (Photo: Masakazu Yoshida) About an hour and 50 minutes by car from JR Obihiro Station, the Taushubetsu River Bridge is also called the "phantom bridge" because it disappears into the lake depending on the season. Surrounded by nature, the East Daisetsu area was very successful in forestry until the early Showa period (1950s), so the National Railway Shihoro Line was established in 1939 to carry the felled trees. In 1955, the route for the dam construction was changed, and the Taushubetsu River Bridge sank into the water. Though you can almost completely forget about the bridge at some points in the year, when the ruins reappear in the dry seasons, they become the talk of the town. One day you probably won't be able to see the bridge at all (Photo: Masakazu Yoshida) Completed in 1937, the 130-meter-long concrete arched bridge appears on the frozen lake's surface in January, when there is not much water in the dam. It starts to sink again in May when the water level rises. In summer, it is fully submerged at the bottom of the lake. To see the bridge ruins, you can go to the observation deck off of Highway 273 or by hiking with a tour organized by the Higashitaitetsu Nature Guide Centre. The Taushubetsu River Bridge is deteriorating as the years go on. Take a mental picture of it while it still holds its shape. Taushubetsu River Bridge タウシュベツ川橋梁 AddressNukabira Gensenkyo, Kamishihoro-cho, Kato-gun, Hokkaido 080-1403Phone Number01564-4-2224 View MapCall ・Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 6. Kōfuku Station: Visit what might be Japan's happiest train station Kōfuku Station opened in 1956 (Photo: Yoshida Masakazu) Located about a 30-minute drive from JR Obihiro Station, Kōfuku Station is a small station on the former National Railway's Hiroo Line that was abolished in 1987. When the station was opened in 1956, it was named "happiness" by taking a character from the local region (幸 from 幸震) and putting it together with a character from the settlers' original area (福 from 福 井). Those two characters put together make happiness (幸福; Kōfuku) in Japanese. There was a nearby station called "Aikoku Station" (Land of love station), so in the 1970s, it was said that the line between Aikoku Station and Kōfuku Station was good luck. Tickets started selling like crazy under the new slogan "from the land of love to happiness." Only seven tickets were sold for a trip from Aikoku to Kōfuku Station in 1972. But in 1973, three million tickets were sold, and in four years, more than 10 million tickets were sold!"