Usu is a seaside town located northwest of Date City. Usu Station Area is dotted with historical spots such as Usu Zenko-ji Temple, O-usuyama Shrine, and the Batchelor Memorial Church, making it a great place to stroll around even in the winter.
I visited at the end of December, and the wind blowing in from the sea was colder than I expected, so it’s a good idea to dress warmly. The walk takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours.
⚫︎ Information current as of January 2026. Content is subject to change.
Usu Station
有珠駅
It took about 40 minutes by local train from Higashi-Muroran, I arrived at Usu Station. On a one-man operated train, only the front door opens.
This is an unmanned station and does not have coin lockers. If you have large luggage, it is a good idea to leave it in coin lockers at Toya Station or Higashi-Muroran Station beforehand.
To get to Usu Station, take the local train from Higashi-Muroran (40min), or local train from Toya (6min).
IC Cards (such as Kitaca and Suica) cannot be used.
Nitto Seika sweet shop
日当製菓店
This sweets shop is located across Route 37 crossroads in front of Usu Station. Aside from the sign, the exterior looks almost the same as an ordinary house. There is a sign at the entrance that says “Open (営業中),” and if you press the intercom before entering, a staff will assist you.
Usu’s specialty “Waniguchi Monaka (鰐口最中)“. This large monaka wafer is modeled after a waniguchi (Japanese flat round hollow metal slit gong) that was donated to Usu-Zenko-ji Temple by a senior retainer of the Matsumae clan during the Edo period.
This sweet shop is 150m (2min walk) from Usu Station. It will be closed from December 30th to January 4th for the New Year holidays.
Batchelor Memorial Church
バチラー夫妻記念堂
This Anglican episcopal church sits on a small hill in the residential area of Usu. It was built in 1937 to commemorate the work of the British missionaries, Mr. and Mrs. Batchelor, who were stationed in Hokkaido during the Meiji period.
The church is made of stone using volcanic rocks from Mount Usu-zan, and the round windows on the second floor are impressive. The building can be visited with permission from the administrator only on Saturdays from April to October when there are religious services.
This church is 970m (12min walk) from Usu Station, or 850m (12min walk) from Nitto Seika sweet shop.
O-usuyama Jinja Shrine
大臼山神社
This is the only shrine in Usu. It is located on a small hill formed by the eruption of Mount Usu-zan about 8000 years ago, and large and small lava flows can be seen within the temple grounds.
The giant Shin-no-ki (しなの木) tree stands at the back left of the shrine. The sight of the tree splitting the rocks and growing its trunk is truly impressive. Recently, it has been attracting attention as a “power spot”.
This shrine is 850m (12min walk) from Usu Station, or 500m (7min walk) from Batchelor Memorial Church.
Zenko-ji Temple Jizo-do Hall
善光寺地蔵堂
This Jizo-do hall is located on a small hill about 150m north of O-usuyama Jinja Shrine and is full of charm. You can open the doors of the hall and pray.
Usu Bay stretches out in front of the Jizo-do Hall. Several swans were resting in a small inlet on a ria coast, which is rare in Hokkaido.
This jizo-do hall is 150m (2min walk) north of O-usuyama Jinja Shrine. It is adjacent to the community center.
Usu Zenko-ji Temple
有珠善光寺
This Jodo sect temple was rebuilt by the Matsumae clan during the Edo period and is one of the three Edo shogunate temples in Ezo. Thatched roof temples are extremely rare in Hokkaido, and I had always wanted to see the sight of one covered in snow. Please take off your shoes before entering the hall.
The promenade leads to the natural park. If there is not much snow, you can walk all the way to the Ishiwari-zakura cherry tree. The trails around here are complicated, and when the snow starts to fall it’s easy to lose your sense of direction. Make sure you find a suitable spot to turn back.
Usu Zenko-ji Temple is 1.6km (22min walk) north of Usu Station, or 950m north of the Jizo-do Hall. Otherwise, it is a 6-minute walk from Zenko-ji-iriguchi (善光寺入口) bus stop on Toya-Muroran Line (洞爺室蘭線) via Toya Station. After visiting Usu Zenkoji Temple, you can take a bus to Toya Station or Toyako Onsen.
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