The Toyako, Noboribetsu, and Hidaka areas are home to Lake Toya, which is famous for hosting the Summit. The biggest attraction of the area is its hot springs, and visitors can enjoy bathing in a wide variety of hot springs in Noboribetsu Onsen.
Here is some recommended local information on the Lake Toya, Noboribetsu, and Hidaka area. The Toya-Lake Noboribetsu-Hidaka area offers tourist attractions such as Noboribetsu Onsen, Lake Toya, and Lake Shikotsu, tourist events such as Shiraoi Beef Festival and Tomakomai Port Festival, and local delicacies such as ramen and Genghis Khan.
Lake Toya is located in the same Shikotsu-Toya National Park as Lake Shikotsu, and at the same time is part of the Lake Toya-Usu Geopark, which is recognized as a World Geopark. Toyako Onsen Hot Spring is located on the south side of Lake Toya, and it is one of the most famous sightseeing areas in Hokkaido, with views of Mount Usu and Mt. Lake Toya is stocked with wakasagi (smelt), hime-masu (cyprinid), rainbow trout, cherry salmon, carp, brown trout, and other fish.
Noboribetsu faces the Pacific Ocean, and the city's most famous tourist attractions are Noboribetsu Onsen and Carles Onsen. The southwestern part of Noboribetsu is connected to Muroran City, which, like Muroran City, is an industrial area and at the same time an important satellite city of Muroran City. Noboribetsu as a tourist destination is, after all, its hot spring resort.
Adjacent to Noboribetsu is Muroran City, which faces the Pacific Ocean and is centered on the Egara Peninsula. Muroran City is surrounded by the sea on three sides, and therefore, the famous eight views of Muroran as a sightseeing spot are mainly based on the sea. The eight views of Muroran include the beautiful and fantastic night view of Muroran Port, the view of Mt. Muroran City is also home to the Shiratori Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in eastern Japan, which is also a popular sightseeing spot.
Hidaka is especially popular among horse racing fans. The Hidaka Breeding Farm, where 80% of Japan's racehorses are produced, is located in Hidaka and is known around the world.
Cape Chikyu Observatory stands more than 150 meters above the sea in Muroran, Hokkaido, offering a breathtaking panorama of the open ocean. From the observation deck, visitors can see the striking contrast between the white Cape Chikyu Lighthouse standing on the edge of the cliffs and the deep marine-blue waters stretching toward the horizon. Cape Chikyu is famous for its dramatic coastal scenery...»
Noboribetsu Jigokudani, or Hell Valley, lies northeast of the Noboribetsu Onsen resort area in Hokkaido. This spectacular landscape is the remains of an explosive volcanic crater, approximately 450 meters in diameter, formed by an eruption of Mount Hiyoriyama. Numerous fumaroles are scattered throughout the valley, releasing high-temperature volcanic gases and hot water from beneath the ground. T...»
Noboribetsu Onsen is one of Japan's most famous hot spring destinations, renowned for its extraordinary variety and abundance of mineral-rich waters. Natural hot springs emerge at a rate of approximately 10,000 tons per day, with around 3,000 liters flowing every minute. The resort is famous for its nine different types of spring water, earning it the nickname “the department store of hot springs...»
Lake Toya is a magnificent volcanic lake at the heart of Shikotsu-Toya National Park in southwestern Hokkaido. Formed by a massive volcanic eruption approximately 110,000 years ago, the almost perfectly circular caldera lake is one of Hokkaido's most celebrated natural landscapes. With a circumference of approximately 50 kilometers and an area of about 70.7 square kilometers, Lake Toya is one of ...»
Showa Shinzan is a remarkable lava dome that suddenly emerged from the flat land at the foot of Mount Usu in Hokkaido. It was formed by volcanic activity between 1943 and 1945, making it one of the youngest volcanoes in the world whose entire formation process was observed and documented from beginning to end. Today, the volcano rises to approximately 398 meters above sea level and continues to s...»
Lake Toya Onsen is one of Hokkaido's most popular hot spring resorts, stretching along the southern shore of beautiful Lake Toya. Hotels, traditional Japanese inns, restaurants, souvenir shops, and other visitor facilities form a lively resort town surrounded by spectacular volcanic scenery. The lakeside area features a pleasant promenade, sightseeing boat piers, an outdoor sculpture park, and fr...»
Silo Observatory stands on a hill overlooking the western shore of Lake Toya, offering one of the closest and most impressive views of the lake in the Lake Toya area. From an elevation of approximately 170 meters, visitors can enjoy a sweeping panorama of Lake Toya, Nakajima Island, Mount Usu, and Mount Showa-Shinzan, while the Lake Toya Onsen resort area can be seen to the right. The combination...»
Mount Usu Ropeway offers a spectacular aerial journey over one of Hokkaido's most active volcanoes and the surrounding landscape of the Toya-Usu Geopark. Mount Usu is an exceptionally active volcano, with eruptions observed four times during the 20th century. The ropeway travels approximately 1,370 meters, rising about 356 meters in elevation. The one-way journey takes approximately six minutes, ...»
Upopoy is a cultural facility in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, dedicated to sharing the history, culture, and traditions of the Ainu, the Indigenous people of northern Japan. Officially known as the National Ainu Museum and Park, or the Symbolic Space for Ethnic Harmony, it was established as a major center for the revitalization and transmission of Ainu culture. The name Upopoy comes from an Ainu word mean...»
Lake Toya Sculpture Park is a unique open-air art space stretching around the shores of Lake Toya in Hokkaido. Sculptures are displayed along promenades and other locations around the lake, allowing visitors to enjoy contemporary art against a constantly changing natural backdrop. The park extends for approximately 43 kilometers, following almost the entire circumference of Lake Toya. Around 58 s...»
Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura is a historical theme park where the streets, architecture, entertainment, and everyday culture of Japan's Edo period are recreated in remarkable detail. From the moment you enter, the atmosphere is designed to make you feel as though you have stepped back several centuries into the world of samurai, merchants, ninja, and traditional performers. Many of the buildings an...»
Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum is a cultural museum in Nibutani, Biratori, Hokkaido, dedicated to introducing the history, traditions, language, and everyday life of the Ainu people. The museum houses a rich collection of traditional household objects and ethnographic materials, as well as audio recordings featuring the Ainu language. Nibutani was once known as an important Ainu settlement, alongsi...»
Lake Utonai is a freshwater lake surrounded by expansive wetlands and natural wilderness in Tomakomai, Hokkaido. Located about 11 kilometers east-northeast of central Tomakomai, the lake stretches across the alluvial plain of the lower Bibi River. It has a circumference of approximately 9 kilometers, an area of about 275 hectares, and an average depth of only 1.2 meters. The surrounding landscape...»
Muroran Curry Ramen is a distinctive local specialty from Muroran, a port city in southern Hokkaido. Around 60% of the city’s approximately 50 ramen shops are said to serve curry ramen, making Muroran one of Hokkaido’s true curry-ramen hotspots. Its appeal lies in the combination of a rich, slightly sweet and spicy curry soup with chewy noodles, tender slices of chashu pork, and toppings such as ...»
Shiraoi Burger is a distinctive local specialty created in Shiraoi Town, southern Hokkaido. Known as a “kingdom of ingredients,” Shiraoi is blessed with a wide variety of local foods, including seafood, beef and other livestock products, dairy products, and agricultural produce. The town actively promotes the use of locally produced ingredients, and Shiraoi Burger was created to showcase this rich...»
Salmon Sushi Bento is a distinctive local ekiben, or railway station lunch box, featuring pressed sushi made with smoked salmon from Tomakomai in Hokkaido. The dish uses locally produced Oji Salmon, giving this simple-looking sushi a rich and memorable character....»
Hokki Curry is a beloved local dish from Tomakomai, Hokkaido, made with hokki-gai, or surf clams, one of the city's signature seafood products. Tomakomai is known for having one of Japan's largest surf clam catches, and hokki-gai has long been a familiar ingredient in local cuisine. Hokki Curry is so deeply rooted in the area's food culture that it has traditionally been prepared in ordinary hous...»
Muroran Yakitori is a distinctive local specialty from Muroran, Hokkaido. Despite its name, “yakitori,” which normally means grilled chicken skewers in Japan, Muroran Yakitori is traditionally made with pork rather than chicken. The classic combination consists of tender pork and onion threaded alternately onto a skewer. It is typically brushed with a sweet and savory sauce and served with a gene...»
Asahi Melon is a premium melon grown in the former Oiwake Town area of Hokkaido, near Yūbari. Sometimes described as rivaling the famous Yūbari melon, it is known for its exceptionally high quality, refreshing sweetness, and firm flesh....»
Haskap is a distinctive berry native to Hokkaido, known for its unique sweet-and-tart flavor and delicate aroma. The Japanese name for the plant is “Kuronōguisukagura”, while the name “Haskap” is believed to come from the Ainu word “Haskapp”....»
Toyoura Strawberries are a signature specialty of Toyoura, a town in southern Hokkaido. This traditional local brand has a history of more than 70 years and is highly regarded for its large size, sweetness, and overall quality....»
Soi is a flavorful white fish from the rockfish family that is sometimes called the “sea bream of Hokkaido.” Although its flesh is light and delicate, it has a notably rich umami flavor, making it one of the versatile fish enjoyed in Hokkaido cuisine....»
Ginsei is a premium variety of salmon from Hokkaido’s Hidaka region, carefully caught alive using fixed fishing nets off the Hidaka coast. Among the many high-quality salmon produced in Hokkaido, Ginsei is especially prized for its rich flavor, beautiful appearance and careful handling....»
Hokkigai, commonly known in English as the surf clam, is one of Hokkaido’s well-known shellfish. Its official Japanese name is Ubagai, but throughout Hokkaido it is widely called Hokkigai, or “Northern clam.” It is found in sandy coastal waters across much of Hokkaido....»
Yoitomake is the signature confection of Mitsuboshi, a long-established confectionery company founded in 1898 and based in Tomakomai, Hokkaido. This distinctive roll cake is generously coated with haskap jam and has been a beloved local favorite for more than half a century....»
Kuma Tsumami is a distinctive Hokkaido snack made from natural autumn salmon. Its playful name and cute package immediately catch the eye, while its rich smoked-salmon flavor makes it surprisingly addictive....»
Kusataro is a traditional Japanese steamed bun flavored with yomogi, or Japanese mugwort, a plant that has long been valued in Japan for its medicinal properties. Its vivid green color and distinctive herbal aroma are the result of carefully selected ingredients, freshness, and meticulous preparation. The buns are made with hand-picked wild mugwort shoots gathered around Lake Toya and wheat produ...»
Hokkaido Rusk is a delicious baked confection made by Shikisha using its own carefully developed bread. Rusk is typically prepared by slicing bread into thin pieces, coating them with butter or sugar, and baking them again until crisp. To achieve the ideal texture and flavor, Shikisha experimented extensively to create a bread specially designed for making rusk....»
Haskap Berry Jam is a distinctive Hokkaido specialty made from haskap berries, a fruit known for its refreshing tartness, rich flavor, and deep color. In the Tomakomai area, the long-established confectionery maker Mitsuboshi has continued to develop products that showcase the unique qualities of this local berry. Haskap is a plant native to northern regions, and it grows naturally in the Yufutsu...»
Camembert Hayakita is a soft, white-mold cheese produced by Yume Minsya (Yumeminsya), a cheesemaker in Hokkaido. Camembert originated in France and is characterized by its distinctive white mold rind. This cheese was the first locally produced cheese made by Yumeminsya, marking the beginning of the company’s cheesemaking history. Made exclusively with fresh raw milk from dairy farms in the easter...»
Uncolored Tarako is a traditional Japanese delicacy made from the mature roe of fresh Alaska pollock caught in Hokkaido’s Funka Bay. The roe is carefully preserved using only mineral-rich sun-dried salt and water, with no added coloring agents or other additives. This simple preparation allows the natural qualities of the ingredients to shine through....»
Toit Vert Cream Cheese is a fresh cheese made from raw milk and fresh cream. Unlike aged cheeses, it is not matured, allowing its fresh dairy flavor to remain at the forefront. The cheese is first coagulated through the action of lactic acid bacteria, then placed in a cotton bag to drain away the whey. It is subsequently heated under pressure in an emulsifying kettle, where the fat is homogenized ...»