[Lake Nukabira in Kamishihoro] Taushubetsu River Bridge and Onsen Can Be Enjoyed around 2nd Largest Man-Made Lake in Hokkaido

Horoka Onsen

Horoka Onsen (幌加温泉) is a hot spring place in Kamishihoro town located in the northern direction of Obihiro city. A blue signboard of the Horoka Onsen is a mark along Nukabira National Route (糠平国道 * National Route 273), and visitors turn and go straight for around 1.5 km, and the end of the road is the Horoka Onsen. Only Kanoya Onsen Ryokan (鹿の谷温泉旅館) is built at around 700 m above sea level at the foot of Mt. Horoka in the Higashi-Daisetsu region, Daisetsuzan Natioanl Park (大雪山国立公園 東大雪地区), and is well-known as a secret onsen. It is out of signal area. There is a trailhead for Mt. Nipesotsu, but restraunts, cafes, souvenir shops and convenience stores are not built around here. Lake Nukabira (糠平湖) is near here, and there are Concrete Arches of Former Shihorosen Railway (旧国鉄士幌線廃線跡コンクリートアーチ橋梁群) including Taushubetsugawa Bridge (タウシュベツ川橋梁), and Nukabira Onsen, Nukabira Dam, Forest Truck Railway Eco Rail (森のトロッコ・エコレール), Mikuni Pass (三国峠) and Naitai Highland Farm (ナイタイ高原牧場) are relatively near here, too. Read More

Daisetsuzan National Park

Daisetsuzan National Park (大雪山国立公園) in the center of Hokkaido is the largest national park in Japan, the size of 226,764 ha, and has been designed as the national park since 1934, and is the oldest national park in the Hokkaido along with Akan Mashu National Park (阿寒摩周国立公園). A mountain named Daisetsuzan does not exist, and the whole area including the mountains with over 2,000 m above sea level such as Mt. Asahidake (旭岳), the highest mountain in Hokkaido, Mt. Kurodake (黒岳), Mt. Aibestudake (愛別岳), Mt. Tomuraushi (トムラウシ山) is collectively called “Daisetsuzan”, and those are called “A roof of the Hokkaido” ,too. Rare nature such as active volcanoes, Lare Columnar joints, a sea of trees and permafrost even in the Hokkaido can be seen. About 250 types of alpine plants grow naturally, and various forms of life such as brown bear, blakiston’s fish owl, dolly varden and pine grosbeak inhabit here. By the way, A right notation is “Daisetsuzan”, but local people often call “Taisetsuzan”. Read More

Nukabira Onsen

Nukabira Onsen (糠平温泉) is a hot-spring place at the south side of Lake Nukabira in Kamishihoro town located in the northern part of Obihiro city. The hot-spring place is formed along Nukabira National Route (National Route 273), and is a base for sightseeing of Higashi-Daisetsu region, Daisetsuzan Natioanl Park (大雪山国立公園 東大雪地区), and there are 9 hot spring accommodations, restaurants, a shop, souvenir shops, footbaths, handbaths, Nukabiragensenkyo Ski Resort (ぬかびら源泉郷スキー場), Higashi-Daisetsu Nature Building (東大雪自然館), Kamishihoro Railway Museum (上士幌鉄道資料館), Higashi-Daisetsu Nature Guide Center (ひがし大雪自然ガイドセンター), Nukabira Campsite (国設ぬかびらキャンプ場). Unfortunately, there is not a convenience store. There are Concrete Arches of Former Shihorosen Railway (旧国鉄士幌線廃線跡コンクリートアーチ橋梁群) including Taushubetsu River Bridge (タウシュベツ川橋梁), Nukabira Dam, Forest Truck Railway Eco Rail (森のトロッコ・エコレール), Mikuni Pass (三国峠) and Naitai Highland Farm (ナイタイ高原牧場) around the Nukabira Onsen. Read More

Taushubetsu River Bridge

Taushubetsu River Bridge (タウシュベツ川橋梁) is a former concrete arch bridge along Former Japan National Railway Shihoro Line (旧日本国有鉄道士幌線) in Kamishihoro town located in the north part of Obihiro city, and is one of Japan National Railways Shihoro Line Concrete Arch Bridge Group (旧国鉄士幌線コンクリートアーチ橋梁群) desingated as Hokkaido Heritage. It length is 130 m, and its width is 3 m, and its height is 10 m. The bridge has 11 continuous arches. In a winter, Lake Nukabira (糠平湖) is frozen, and the bridge begins to appear in the lake water. The bridge is sinking under the lake water from a spring to a summer. In an autumn, the bridge goes below the surface of lake water. The timing for that varies from year to year, but it is said that the bset time to see the bridge is from September to October, and the sunk bridge reflects image of itself on the water of the lake. There are 2 ways to see the Taushubetsu River Bridge. One is to see the bridge from Taushubetsu Lookout (タウシュベツ展望台) in the opposite lakeshore, and the other one is to see the bridge near the bridge. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. Read More

Nukabira Dam

Nukabira Dam (糠平ダム) is a concrete gravity power dam, about 76 m height and about 293 m width, in the south side of the Lake Nukabira, and is the 4th largest storage capacity dam after Yubari Shuparo Dam (夕張シューパロダム), Uryu Daiichi Dam (雨竜第一ダム) and Uryudoentei (雨竜土堰堤) in Hokkaido. It was built for the purpose of power generation in 1956, and the Lake Nukabira was born as a man-made lake. A dam card is distributed at the Higashi-taisetsu Nature Center.

Atmosphere of the Nukabira Dam Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Discharge Water from the Nukabira Dam

Nukabirako Lookout

Nukabirako Lookout (糠平湖展望台) is built on a hillside at about 550 m above sea level near the Nukabira Dam and Nukabira Dengen Shrine (糠平電源神社), and it takes about 15 minutes on foot from a parking lot to the lookout. You had better wear comfortable shoes because a trail has a difference of elevation. There is no facility except a bench. Some trees and plants obstruct pepople’s views, but my view is comfortable because I can view the north side of the Lake Nukabira. A few visitors come, so here is a little-known good spot. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge.

Taushubetsu Lookout

Taushubetsu Lookout (タウシュベツ展望台) is a lookout in the west side of the Lake Nukabira, and is famous for looking at the Taushubetsu River Bridge. The Taushubetsu River Bridge with 130 m in total length was built in 1937. It is completely buried in the water in October. You should bring a telephoto lens or a binocular to look at the Taushubets River Bridge. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge.

It takes about 5 minutes from the parking lot along Nukabira National Route (National Rooute 273) to the Taushubetsu Lookout on foot. Visitors must walk through a forest, so attention is necessary for bears. The lookout that about 10 people enter is sorounded by trees, and there are no facilities. By the way, attention is necessary for parking your car because the parking lot on the shoulder of the National Route is very small, too.

San-no-Sawa Bridge

San-no-Sawa Bridge (三の沢橋梁) is an arch bridge of fomer Japanese National Railway Sihoro Line in the west side of the Lake Nukabira, and was built at 40 m in height from the ground in 1955. Three arched bridge looks very good, so bridge fans or railway fans come to see. Visitors can walk on the bridge at present, and reach to the shore of the lake. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. Forest of Truck Eco rail (森のトロッコエコレール) is near the parking lot.

Nukabira Onsen

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Ganso Yumotokan(元祖 湯元館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Nukabira Onsen Hotel(糠平温泉ホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Nukabirakan Kanko Hotel(糠平館観光ホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Nakamuraya(中村屋)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Sanko-so(山湖荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Higashitaisetsu Nukabira Youth Hostel(東大雪ぬかびら ユースホステル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Onsen Pension Mori-no-Fukuro(ペンション 森のふくろう)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Primalstage(プライマルステージ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
National Nukabira Campsite(国設 ぬかびら野営場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten

Horoka Onsen

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