[Maeda Forest Park in Sapporo] Beautiful Canal, Rows of Poplar Trees and Cherry Blossom Spot

Maeda Forest Park

Maeda Forest Park (前田森林公園) is a comprehensive park of 597,258 m2 in Teine-Maeda, Teine ward, Sapporo city, and has opened since 1987. It is famous as a park with a canal like a pond of a Western-style palace, and has literally rich nature. Here is also well-known as a good place to see cherry blossoms in a spring, wisteria blooms in a summer and fall foliage in an autumn, and is a peaceful place for Sapporo citizens. The best time to see the cherry blossoms is about late April to mid May. The best time to see the wisteria blooms is about late May to early June. The best time to see the fall foliage is about from mid October to late October. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge.
Park Guide Brochure

The vast park is divinded into divided into 2 parts, North Area and South Area by a road. The North Area has the Canal, Wall Fountain, Rows of Poplar Trees, Lawn Area, Sunk Garden, Big Pergola, Flower and Tree Garden, Szekely Square, baseball grounds, a soccer field, a tennis court, Tower of Sprouting Shoot (めばえの塔), Lookout Lounge, Rest Station, public restrooms, a parking lot, Forest of Wild Bird (野鳥の森), Forest of Memorial Tree (記念樹の森), Forest of Hometown (ふるさとの森), Forest for Gatherings (つどいの森) and Forest of Broad-leaved Trees (広葉樹の森), and the South Area has a park golf course, Barbecue Area, Wide Grass Area and Hill for Splendid Views (ひろびろ原っぱ＆ながめの丘), Swampy Biotope (湿地ビオトープ), public restrooms and a parking lot.

Look of Maeda Forest Park

As for the beautiful rows of the Poplar Trees, about 240 poplar trees are planted in 4 rows along the canal. Those make visitors feel a typical scenery of Hokkaido, so famous Japanese television drama series “Massan (マッサン)” in 2014 used here as a shooting place. In addition, a music video of JKT48 So Long! used the canal as a shooting place, too. By the way, some events are held, and Maeda Forest Park Wisteria Festival (前田森林公園ふじまつり) is held between 2days in early June.

SAPPORO

Sapporo (札幌) that about 1,960,000 people live is the largest city in Hokkaido. Although there are various theories, its origin of the name is “Dry Big River (乾いた大きな川)” in Ainu language. A population of the Sapporo is the 4th largest city after Yokohama, Osaka and Nagoya in japan, and the population accounts for 36 % of Hokkaido’s population! So the Sapporo has been flourished as the center of the Hokkaido. The area of the Sapporo is 1,121.26 km2, and is about as big as Hong Kong, and is the 7th largest city in the Hokkaido. The Sapporo is also famous as a tourist city, and about 15 million people come. As for a climate, it is hot that temperature rises to nearly 25 degrees in a summer, but it is easy to live without moisture. I always feel a little cool. It is cold that temperature falls to nearly -10 degrees in a winter, and amount of snowfall sometimes has more than 1 m. Read More

Cherry Blossoms of Hokkaido

Cherry blossoms begin to bloom from late April in Hokkaido. The cherry blossoms in the Southern Hokkaido including Hakodate begin to bloom from late April, and in case of late blooming, the cherry blossoms in the Eastern Hokkaido and the Northern Hokkaido seem to bloom in early June. The cherry blossoms in Honshu (the main island of Japan) begin to bloom from mid March, and tourists can enjoy the cherry blossoms until too late season. If everybody forget to see the cherry blossoms in the Honshu, please visit the Hokkaido to savor the cherry blossoms. Read More

Look of Maeda Forest Park

About 60 types of 7,300 trees are planted at the Forest of Wild Bird, the Forest of Memorial Tree, the Forest of Hometown, the Forest for Gatherings and the Forest of Broad-leaved Trees around the canal. It is said that 70,300 trees are planted at the whole park in total. Although an enormous number of trees are planted, the forests are not dense. The forests with beautiful openness are well-kept. The park is very large, so it takes about 60-120 minutes to look around on foot.

The canal looks like a pond at a mansion of Western sovereign or nobleman. Total length is about 60 m, the width is 15 m, and the water depth is 30 cm. It is almost as large as Grand Canal at the Palace of Versailles. In the summer, resting ducks can be seen. Rows of the Poplar Trees are photogenic, so cosplay photography sessions are sometimes held, and they look fun.

The Lookout Lounge is buit in front of the canal instead of the Palace. The appearance is stone wall, and looks like a castle. A break space and a public restroom are at the 1st floor, and a lookout and a lunchroom are at the 2nd floor. A beautiful canal view with Mt. Teine as a background can be seen here. Admission free.

Cherry Blossoms of Maeda Forest Park

The cherry trees such as Yezo Mountain Cherry Tree (エゾヤマザクラ), Yoshino Cherry Tree (ソメイヨシノ), Chishima Cherry Tree (チシマザクラ) and Double‐flowered Cherry Tree (ヤエザクラ) are planted at the park. Most of the cherry trees are at the Forest of Wild Bird and the Forest of Memorial Tree, so the visitors should go those to appreciate the cherry blossoms first of all. A row of the cherry trees is at the north side of the canal. Pink large cherry trees go well with green grass.

Walking paths are dotted with some pink cherry trees. Those are stand out against green trees.

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Teine ward. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

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Teine Station Hotel(手稲ステーションホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Choine Hotel Sapporo Teine(ちょい寝ホテル札幌手稲)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Guest House Anne(Guest House 庵 Anne)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
SAPPORO TEINE WHITE HOUSE(サッポロ手稲 ホワイトハウス)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten