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[Onko-no-So Tree in Yagishiri Island] Dome of Japanese Yew Can Be Entered into

July 3rd, 2016

CONTENTS

Onko-no-Sho Tree
Look of Onko-no-Sho Tree
List of Accommodations

Onko-no-Sho Tree

Onko-no-Sho Tree (オンコの荘) is an old tree along a walk path between Uguisudani Vallay (ウグイス谷) and Shirahama Camping Ground (白浜キャンプ場) in the southern part of Yagishiri Island (焼尻島), and is a part of Onko Forest (オンコの森). The Sho (荘) means "A building" in English, for exaple, it is used as a villa (別荘). When I visited here, Marguerite was the best season, and it was full in bloom along the walk path. That was a beautiful view. In addition, a combination of the sea and a sheep ranch is a superb scenery from here. Admission free.

Onko Forest

Onko Forest (オンコの森) is a virgin forest in the eastern part of Yagishiri Island (焼尻島). The Onko means "Japanese yew" in Hokkaido dialect. About 50,000 Japanese yews grow naturally, and those have been designated a natural monument in Japan. Except the Japanese yews, 50 types of coniferous trees and broadleaf trees with over 200 years old such as Japanese oak, scarlet-tinged ivy, Amur cork tree, Japanese linden, magnolia, Japanese rowan and Japanese alder also grow naturally in the forest. A cycling road and walks are built in the forest, and there are graveyard for 2 feudal retainers of Aizu Clan (会津藩士の墓), strangely shaped trees (奇木), Hibarigaoka Park (雲雀ヶ丘公園), Uguisu-dani Valley (うぐいす谷) and Onko-no-Sho Tree (オンコの荘) along the cycling road and the walks. In addition, the forest is adjacent to a sheep ranch. A good typical scenery of the Hokkaido comes into the sight if visitors come out of the forest. Admission free. Article is here

Shokanbetsu Teuri Yagishiri Quasi-National Park — Strange Tree "Harp Shaped Tree"

Onko-no-Sho Tree

Sheep Ranch

Sheep Ranch (めん羊牧場) is a ranch run by Hoshu Farm (萌州ファーム) in the center part of Yagishiri Island (焼尻島), and they raise about 500 suffolk sheep at the grassland of about 80 ha. Those meat are well-known as "Pré Salé Yagishiri (プレ・サレ焼尻)", one of expensive mutton in Japan, and it has a good reputation. The grassland spreads over along Onko Sea Road (オンコ海道), and it is said that the scenery looks like Scottland. I feel a foreign atmosphere indeed, and I think that the scenery is a typical scenery of Hokkaido, too. By the way, outlanders are prohibited from entering the grassland, so visitors should enjoy views along the Onko Sea Road. Article is here

Shokanbetsu Teuri Yagishiri Quasi-National Park

Shokanbetsu Teuri Yagishiri Quasi-National Park (暑寒別天売焼尻国定公園) is a quasi-national park between Ishikari city, Shin-totsukawa town, Uryu town, Hokuryu town and Haboro town in the northern part of Hokkaido along the Sea of Japan (日本海), and extends from the north to the south, and has been designated as the quasi-national park since 1990. The area is 43,559 ha, and the the quasi-national park has the 8th largest area in 57 quasi-national parks (not include national parks) in Japan. It consists of 2 isolated islands, Shokanbetsu Mountain Range (暑寒別山系) and a coast, and beautiful nature such as the sea, the mountains, sea birds, trees, wild flowers and wetlands is highlight. The Shokanbetsu Teuri Yagishiri Quasi-National Park is divided into 4 areas, Teuri Island (天売島), Yagishiri Island (焼尻島), SHokanbetsu Area (暑寒別エリア) and Atsuta and Hamamasu Area (厚田・浜益エリア), and the Teuri Island, the Yagishiri Island and the SHokanbetsu Area mainly have a lot of highlights. Article is here

Look of Onko-no-Sho Tree

The Onko means Japanese yew in Hokkaido dialect, and it is said that a large Japanese yee grows to about the height of 20 m. But the Japanese yew can not grow against strong wind and snow at this place, and shapes of winding branches get complicated. Some Japanese yews of 2 m tall form a dome, and visitors can enter the inside. But please watch out for protecting from branches because the length of the trees is very low.

Atmosphere of Onko Forest Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Onko Forest

Admission fee	Free of charge
Parking lot	Free parking is not provided
Business hours	Open 24 hours
Regular closing day	Open all year round
Telephone number	+81-1648-2-3993
Home page	Home page is here
Mapcode	929 350 524*16

List of Accommodations

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

Ryokan Aoitori(旅館青い鳥)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Ryokan Ororonso(旅館オロロン荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Sakaemaru(民宿栄丸)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Shima-no-Yado(島の宿大一)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Takeuchi(民宿竹内)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Ryokan Nogami(旅館のがみ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Yamada Minshuku(山田民宿)	Only Tel:+81-1648-3-5151
Yorozuya Ryokan(萬谷旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Guest House Teure(ゲストハウス天宇礼)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten

A page of Yagishiri Island is here

Yagishiri Island

Map

Transportation to Onko-no-Sho

New Chitose Airport station (新千歳空港駅) --> (Approximately 35 minutes by Rapid Airport Express (快速エアポート)) --> Sapporo station (札幌駅) --> (Approximately 5 minutes on foot) --> Sapporo-Ekimae Bus Terminal (札幌駅前ターミナル) --> (Approximately 2 hours 12 minutes by Engan Bus [Haboro Express Bus: For Rumoi] (沿岸バス「特急はぼろ号：留萌方面行き」) *An advance reservation is required) --> Haboro Bus Terminal (羽幌ターミナル) --> (Approximately 10 minutes by Engan Bus [Kannonzaki Liner] (沿岸バス「観音崎らいな号」)) --> Haboro Ferry Terminal (羽幌フェリーターミナル) --> (Approximately 35 minutes by High-Speed Craft (高速船)) --> Yagishiri Ferry Terminal (焼尻フェリーターミナル) --> (Approximately 15 minutes by Taxi and approximately 20 minutes on foot)