Mikasa | Travel

Mikasa Railway Museum 

三笠鉄道村

1min walk from Tetsudo-kinenkan bus stop

Located in old Horonai Station (1882-1987), this open-air railway museum has about 30 historic carriages including coaches, diesel cars and freight trains. In addition to a 600m-return steam locomotive train runs on weekend. The little red brick memorial museum exhibits on Hokkaido’s railway history, georamas and model trains.

Old Horonai Coal Mine Natural Park

幌内炭鉱景観自然公園

7min walk from Mikasa Railway Museum

It is the historic heritage site of Hokkaido’s first fledged coal mine (1879-1988), about 500m ahead of the railway museum. You will find 20 remnants such as a preparation plant, thickener, transformer substation and tunnels, deep in the valley.

Crawford Park

クロフォード公園

8min walk from Mikasa-shimin-kaikan bus stop

Around 650m south of Chuo Park (in front of Mikasa-shimin-kaikan bus stop) is this old Mikasa railway station scrapped in 1987, with several old trains and a platform.

Mikasa Footpath

三笠フットパス

9.4km (Mikasa-shimin-kaikan to Michi-no-eki Mikasa)

A 9.4km-long hillside footpath follows the prisoner’s cemetery (Sennin-zuka) and vineyards, from Mikasa-shimin-kaikan bus stop to Michi-no-eki Mikasa (道の駅みかさ) on Route 12. Tappu-yama (達布山) is the highest point on this route overlooking the Ishikari Plain. After a hike, catch an hourly bus to Iwamizawa at the Aeon shopping mall south gate near the michi-no-eki.

Old Ponbetsu Coal Mine

旧奔別炭鉱

5min walk from Ikushunbetsu-cho bus stop

Japan’s tallest mining pithead (51m), built in 1960 and closed in 1971, sits in the old coal mine with a 100m-long coal hopper. You can see inside if you ask at the Sorachi Yama-no-Kioku management center (そらち炭鉱の記憶マネージメントセンター) in Iwamizawa before you visit.

Mikasa City Museum

三笠市立博物館

6min walk from Ikushunbetsu-cho bus stop

This museum has a wide range of ammonite collection, history of coal mines and Sorachi shujikan (prison). From the museum, a 40-minute return footpath (closed in winter) runs on the former forest railway track, with old coal mines and geological sites. It is about 450m east from Ikushunbetsu-cho bus stop.

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Mikasa Onsen Taiko-no-yu

三笠天然温泉 太古の湯スパリゾートHOTEL TAIKO・別邸旅籠

8min walk from Aeon-Mikasa-minami-guchi bus stop

Located behind the Michi-no-eki Mikasa on Route 12, this onsen is a Japanese-modern hotel with comfortable rooms. Guests can use an atmospheric public onsen opposite the building.

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Photo: じゃらんnet

Yunomoto Onsen Ryokan

湯の元温泉旅館

4km east of Ikushunbetsu-cho bus stop

This rustic ryokan near Katsurazawa-ko has Japanese-style rooms, mixed dormitories and communal onsen with open-air baths. Meals can be taken in the banquet hall. There is no public transport and shuttle service to Yunomoto Onsen.

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Photo: じゃらんnet

Iwamizawa Hotel 5

岩見沢ホテル5条

8min walk from Iwamizawa Station

Located in the center of Iwamizawa, this business hotel puts everything the city has to offer just outside your doorstep. There is a communal bath.

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