Things to do in Shakotan

On the Western Line of Hokkaido, Shakotan Town, there is Japan's top 100 scenic spot "Shimabuchi Coast". Walking through a narrow tunnel, you can see the beautiful "Shimabuchi Coast" with blue water! There are few people, quiet and very comfortable!

Never thought we would enjoy a chocolate factory so much even though we didn’t try any chocolate during the visit! It was very sighftul and yet full of surprises we walked till they close! Don’t forget to get the parking coupon vouchers from them to get discount off the carpark. We bought our tickets from trip.com and could use them instantly, offsetting coins! Best deal ever! The 6-years old daughter even tried a simple 10mins snack making course for 900yen!

You must make an appointment online in advance to attend the school, but it is not required at the store. The guard at the entrance will give you a map of the store behind you. From the main entrance, go around to the left and enter from the Yoichi River side. There is a paid tasting at the Whiskey History Information Center in the other area. If you like whiskey, don’t miss it. I don’t drink too strong. I bought the new gold reward in the current period at the store. The wine is next to the Yoichi River embankment and the cherry blossom season is beautiful. In front of the station, the Kakizaki store on the second floor has CP meals that you shouldn’t miss.

So nice to go and wander around the city famous scenic spot, it is always nice to come back there for a chill afternoon

The Shakotan Peninsula is located in the western part of Hokkaido, about 2 hours by car from Sapporo. The name comes from the Ainu language, which means "summer village". The Shakotan Peninsula has a 30km coastline, and the surrounding area is designated as the [Niseko Shakotan Otaru Coast National Park], which is also the only designated marine park in Hokkaido. There are many fishing villages along the coastline of the Shakotan Peninsula. The earliest was from the Edo period to the end of the Taisho period. Like Rumoi and Hiyama near Hakodate, herring fishing developed. Later, with the depletion of fishery resources, Shakotan also gradually declined. In addition to the beautiful coastal scenery, there are also rich hot spring resources, but due to inconvenient transportation and sparse population, the tourism industry has not developed. It is for this reason that this place can become an excellent scenic spot with beautiful scenery but not crowded with tourists. There are two capes on the peninsula that extend into the sea, namely Shakotan Cape and Kamui Cape. Among them, Cape Kamui is often visited by tourists. Cape Kamui is also an Ainu word, meaning the place where the gods live. There is a 770-meter-long walking trail that stretches out to the sea. Because there are cliffs on both sides of the road, it is forbidden to enter in strong winds. At the end of the road, a huge rock 41 meters high stands far away in the sea - Kamui Rock. In ancient times, women were prohibited from entering Kamui Cape. There is still a sign at the entrance of Kamui Cape that says "Women are forbidden to enter", but of course it is open now. It is said that when Minamoto no Yoshitsune came to Hokkaido, the daughter of the leader of the Ainu tribe in Hidaka fell in love with Minamoto no Yoshitsune and followed him all the way here. However, when he heard that Minamoto no Yoshitsune had left by boat, he jumped into the sea in despair and turned into Kamui Rock, and there was a curse: any ship carrying women passing by here will sink. Another saying is that there are many reefs in the waters of Kamui Cape, and ships often suffer shipwrecks here, which is called the Devil's Sea. The Shakotan History Book records that when Japanese women pass by here, the sea god will be angry, causing the ship to sink and the fishing industry to slump. Therefore, in 1691, the Matsumae Domain, which was responsible for managing the Hokkaido region during the Edo period, prohibited Yamato women from entering Cape Shakotan. This rule lasted until 1855, at the end of the shogunate, when it was lifted. However, even though the idea of ​​lifting the ban had already been deeply rooted in people's minds, the shogun Tokugawa Iesada later sent his men to bombard Cape Kamui with cannons to break this superstition.

A must-visit in Hokkaido: Funamizaka in Otaru The popularity of Otaru in the travel circle is largely inseparable from the movie "Love Letter". Funamizaka is actually very close to Otaru Station, but it requires climbing a slope, so it still takes some effort to walk.

Odori Park, located near Sapporo Station in downtown Sapporo, isn't particularly large, resembling a typical garden or green space in Japan. However, the famous Sapporo TV Tower is right next to the park, attracting numerous tourists from all over the world. The area is packed with people eager to take photos.

Otaru Music Box Museum is a famous tourist attraction in Otaru and a shop where you can touch and buy music boxes! If you visit Otaru, be sure to stop by~

Cape Kamui is a forbidden place for women. The sky is blue and the sea is blue, so clear and cool. Before leaving Cape Kamui, have a mint-flavored Shakotan Blue soft serve ice cream and a Shakotan Blue marble soda! Finally, have a bowl of solid sea urchin three-color donburi at the seafood restaurant to make this summer perfect!

Tanukikoji is a shopping street that you must visit when visiting Sapporo. The entire Tanukikoji consists of 7 sections. There are everything from daily life stores to drugstores on both sides. There are also many specialty restaurants, many of which are popular stores.