札幌からJR学園都市線に乗って石狩川の長大な鉄橋を渡ると、のどかな田園地帯が広がる当別町である。ストックホルム近郊の風景に似ているとされ、1980年代から新興住宅街スウェーデンヒルズをはじめとする北欧風の街づくりが進められてきた。
当別川とふくろう湖に沿った道を遡ると、レクリエーションの場として親しまれている道民の森がある。
JR Gakuen-toshi Line (also called the JR Sassho Line) runs between Sapporo and Hokkaido-iryo-daigaku in Tobetsu across Ishikari-gawa, Hokkaido’s longest river. Tobetsu is Sapporo’s closest rural town and famous for its Swedish-style villa. Carl XVI Gustaf, the king of Sweden, has visited here.
Guide Map
★ ATTRACTIONS
01 NORTHERN SAPPORO: PARK
Yurigahara Park
百合が原公園 ● Yurigahara-koen, Kita-ku, Sapporo-shi ● 6am–8pm ● Free ● Green Center ¥130 ● yuri-park.jp
Famous for its lovely yuri (lily) garden, one of Sapporo’s best botanical parks covering an area of 25-hectare, with a wide variety of plants and flowers bloom in the warmer months. The World Garden (8.45am–5.15pm ● ¥130) contains American, Chinese, German and Japanese gardens. You can take a 10-minute ride on the lily train (¥360) that goes around the park.
02 NORTHERN SAPPORO: PARK
Moerenuma Park
モエレ沼公園 ● 1-1 Moerenuma-koen, Higashi-ku, Sapporo-shi ● 7am–10pm ● Glass Pyramid 9am–7pm, to 8pm Jun–Aug, to 5pm early Nov–late Apr ● Free ● moerenumapark.jp
This grand-scale artistic park was designed by the world-famous sculptor Isamu Noguchi in 1988. At that time, the marsh of Moere-numa was a dreary waste disposal site, but finally it completed in 2005. The park is dotted with a variety of geometric objects, such as artificial mountains and fountains. Arriving by the Glass Pyramid, pick up maps and snacks.
From Kanjo-dori-higashi Station (環状通東駅) on the Toho subway line, take bus 69 or 79 and get off at the Moerenuma-koen-higashi-guchi (モエレ沼公園東口 ● 25min ● ¥210), going directly to the park on weekends from late Apri to early November. There are also directly seasonal buses (weekend of Apr–Nov) from Odori Bus Center (bus 6) and the Sapporo Beer Museum (bus 68).
03 TOBETSU: VILLA
Swedish Center Foundation
スウェーデン交流センター ● 10am–4.30pm, to 4pm Dec–Mar ● Closed Tue ● Free ● swedishcenter.or.jp
Located in the heart of the Sweden Hills, the Center Hall displays thematic changing exhibition, Swedish handmade glasses and crafts. There are also glass and wooden craft workshops. Stop for lunch at the Italian restaurant Ari (11.30am–2pm, 6pm–9pm ● Closed Tue ● Takeout). Take the Fureai Bus from JR Ishikari-Futomi Station for Tobetsu and get off at the Hills Kanri Center (ヒルズ管理センター ● 8min ● flat ¥200).
04 TOBETSU: PARK
Leksand Memorial Park
レクサンド記念公園 ● Closed in winter
In the west side of the beautiful Sweden Hills villa, this hillside park offering views over Sapporo and the Ishikari Bay. Carl XVI Gustaf, the king of Sweden visited the rural town Tobetsu in 1990.
Tobetsu & Northern Sapporo’s
SUGGESTED ITINERARY
TIME TO EXPLORE One-day
BEST TIME Weekend from May to October ● The following schedule is available on Saturday, Sunday and Holiday throughout the year. Bus schedules are different on weekdays.
9:54 Sapporo Station
⬇︎ Local train for Hokkaido-iryo-daigaku ● ¥340
10:12 Yurigahara Station
⬇︎ 3min walk
10:15 ★ Yurigahara Park
⬇︎ 3min walk
11:57 Yurigahara Station
⬇︎ Local train for Hokkaido-iryo-daigaku ● ¥340
12:14 | 12:26 Ishikari-Futomi Station
➡︎ Tobetsu Tourist Information Plaza FIKA inside the train station offers bike rentals (10am–5pm Tue–Sun late Apr–late Oct).
⬇︎ Fureai Bus for JR Tobetsu Station south gate (JR当別駅南口) ● ¥200
12:41 Reksand Kinen Koen (レクサンド記念公園)
⬇︎ 1min walk
12:42 ★ Leksand Memorial Park
⬇︎ 12min walk across the wine-red Swedish houses
13:05 ★ Swedish Center Foundation ● Restaurant Ari
⬇︎ 1min walk
14:33 Hills Kanri Center (ヒルズ管理センター)
⬇︎ Fureai Bus for Ishikari-Futomi Station ● ¥200
14:47 | 15:11 Ishikari-Futomi Station
⬇︎ Local train for Sapporo ● ¥250
15:19 | 15:40 Ainosato-kyoikudai Station
⬇︎ Chuo Bus 69 for Kanjo-dori-higashi Station ● ¥210
15:54 Moerenuma-koen-higashi-guchi (モエレ沼公園東口)
⬇︎ 5min walk
16:00 ★ Moerenuma Park
⬇︎ 5min walk
17:54 Moerenuma-koen-higashi-guchi
⬇︎ Chuo Bus 69 for Kanjo-dori-higashi Station ● ¥210
18:20 | 18:33 Kanjo-dori-higashi Station
⬇︎ Toho subway line for Fukuzumi ● ¥250
18:39 Sapporo Station
GETTING THERE & AROUND
From Sapporo, take the train for Ainosato-koen (Northern Sapporo), Ishikari-Tobetsu or Hokkaido-iryo-daigaku (in Tobetsu) on the JR Gakuen-toshi Line.
Tobetsu Town Fureai Bus (ふれあいバス): There are three regular bus routes around the town. ● One ride ¥200, 1-day pass ¥500 ● www.town.tobetsu.hokkaido.jp/site/fureai-bus
Tobe-ru-go (とベーる号): The municipal bus runs on Route 275 between JR Ishikari-Tobetsu Station and Tsukigata Station via Hokkaido-iryo-daigaku Station. ● 9 daily ● 50min ● ¥400 ● www.town.tsukigata.hokkaido.jp/7002.htm
REFERENCE
Tobetsu Tourist Information Plaza FIKA (当別観光情報プラザ): JR Ishikari-Futomi Station ● 9.30am-5.30pm ● Closed Mon ● Bike Rentals 10am-5pm late Apr-late Oct ● portal.town.tobetsu.hokkaido.jp/town/fika
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