[Sarobetsu Wetland Center in Toyotomi] Wild Flowers and Wild Birds Can Be Enjoyed at Sarobetsu Primeval Garden

Sarobetsu Primeval Garden

Sarobetsu Primeval Garden is a wild flower garden in Toyotomi town located in the southern part of Wakkanai city. In the southern part of Kami-sarobetsu Plain (上サロベツ原野) located in the norhern part of Sarobetsu Plain (サロベツ原野), Rishiri‐Rebun‐Sarobetsu National Park (利尻礼文サロベツ国立公園), the Sarobetsu Primeval Garden is relatively near Wakasanai-enchi Park (稚咲内園地) and Miyanodai Observation Deck (宮の台展望台). Wooden paths of about 1.5 km total length are built at the primeval garden, and rest platforms and observation platforms are also built along the wooden paths. Here is a good place to see Magnificent Mt. Rishirifuji. Except the primeval garden, there are Sarobetsu Wetland Center (サロベツ湿原センター), Peat Industry Building (泥炭産業館), A Dredger, Museum Shop (ミュージアムショップ), Resthouse Sarobetsu (レストハウス サロベツ), Water Purification Wetland (水質浄化湿地) and a parking lot at the site. Addmission free. The parking lot is free of charge.

Miyanodai Observation Deck

Miyanodai Observation Deck (宮の台展望台) is a lookout point in Toyotomi town located in the southern part of Wakkanai city. In the eastern part of Sarobetsu Plain, Rishiri‐Rebun‐Sarobetsu National Park, the Miyanodai Observation Deck is relatively near Sarobetsu Wetland Center (サロベツ湿原センター) and Toyotomi Onsen (豊富温泉). An observation deck with about 5 m in height is built on a small hill of about 65 m elevation along National Route 40. Grassland of the Toyotomi that is well-known as a milkshed and Sarobetsu Plain (サロベツ原野) can be viewed. The observation deck used to be originally called Tokumitsu Observation Deck (徳満展望台) or Sarobetsu Observation Deck (サロベツ展望台), but it was renamed as "Miyanodai Observation Deck (Miya means "Imperial" in English)" when His Imperial Highness Prince Masahito Hitachinomiya (常陸宮正仁親王) came here in 1963. Figures of parent-child cows are built as a monument of Toyotomi town "Dairy Farming Birthplace (酪農発祥の地)" at the site. This is why Mr. Matsujiro Ota (太田松次郎) began to milk Shorthorn Cattle at Tokumistu district (徳満地区) for the first time. A public restroom is built beside a parking lot. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Read More

More than 100 types of wild flowers such as Yezo Daylily and Skunk Cabbage from May to September can be seen, and seasonal wild flowers can be enjoyed along the wooden paths. The daylily blooming season from mid June to mid July is the best time to see the wild fowers. Wild birds such as Emberiza Aureola, Yellow Wagtail and Steller's Sea Eagle can be watched, too. Especially, it is said that the Emberiza Aureola facing extinction is watched only here in Japan. It takes about 30 minutes to look around along the wooden paths on foot. By the way, Wooden Path Nature Guided Tour (木道自然ガイド) and Snowshoes Hiking Tour (スノーシューハイク) are held in a summer or a winter. Rubber boots and the snowshoes can be rented at the Sarobetsu Wetland Center.

Movie of Sarobetsu Primeval Garden

The Sarobetsu Plain is a vast plain of 20,000-24,000 ha. The Sarobetsu means "A river flows through reed beds" in Ainu language. Sarobetsu Wetland (サロベツ湿原) of 6,700 ha is in the plain, and is the largest high moor in Japan. In the Sarobetsu Wetland, wetland of 2,560 ha has bee desingated as Ramsar Convention since 2005. The Toyotomomi side of the northern Sarobetsu Plain is called Kami-sarobetsu Plain (上サロベツ原野), and the Horonobe side of southern Sarobetsu Plain is called the Shimo-sarobetsu Plain. * Japanese people often use the Kami or the Shimo as the northern or the southern. Some large swamps and ponds such as Naganuma Swamp (長沼), Pankenuma Swamp (パンケ沼), Penkenuma Swamp (ペンケ沼) and Kabutonuma Swamp (兜沼) are dotted with the Sarobetsu Plain. More than 100 types of wild flowers such as Ledum palustre L. subsp, the Iris and the Yezo Daylily bloom at the plain, and about 90 types of wild birds such as Steller's Sea Eagle, Siberian Rubythroat and the Yellow-breasted Bunting can be watched.

Movie of Sarobetsu Plain

There are some means of transportation for the Sarobetsu Plain tourism, for example, a fixed-route bus, a sightseeing taxi, a rental car and a rental bicycle. I suppose that the best means of transportation is that visitors rent a rental car in the Wakkanai.

List of Means of Transportation for Plain Tourism

Refer to following the means of the transportation in the Sarobetsu Plain. As for car rental comparison websites, you can compare vehicle rental prices on Tabi-Plaza Rental Car Reservation (旅ぷらざレンタカー予約), Jalan Rental Car (じゃらんレンタカー) and Rakutem Travel Rental Car (楽天トラベルレンタカー).

Nippon Rent-a-car(ニッポンレンタカー)	Their offices are near Wakkanai Station and Wakkanai Airport.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Times Car Rental(タイムズカーレンタル)	Their offices are near the Wakkanai Station and Wakkanai Airport.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Toyota Rental Lease(トヨタレンタリース)	Their offices are near the Wakkanai Station and Wakkanai Airport.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Nissan Rent-a-car(日産レンタカー)	Their offices are near the Wakkanai Station and Wakkanai Airport.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Orix Rent-a-car(オリックスレンタカー)	Their offices are near the Wakkanai Station and Wakkanai Airport.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Chiseki Sekiyu Choinori Rent-a-car(チセキ石油・ちょいのりレンタカー)	Their offices are near the Minami-wakkanai Station and Toyotomi Onsen.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Toyotomi Tourist Information Center(豊富町観光情報センター)	They rent a rental bicycle at the Toyotomi Tourist Information Center and Yu-no-Mori Pokke (湯の杜ぽっけ).	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Toyotomi Hier(豊富ハイヤー)	Reservation is required.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Horonobe Town Office(幌延町)	They lend a bicycle for free at Horokaru (ホロカル).	HP	Jalan	Rakuten

Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park

Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park (利尻礼文サロベツ国立公園) located in the northern Hokkaido between Rishiri Island, Rebun Island, Toyotomi Town and Horonobe Town is the northernmost national park in Japan, and has been designated as the national park since 1974. The area is 24,166 ha. It consists of 2 islands, wetlands and the coast, and beautiful nature such as the sea, mountains, wild flowers and wetlands is highlight. Because the Northern Hokkaido has few famous tourist attracsions, the national park is one of the most famous nature tourist attracsions. The Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park is divided into 4 areas, Rishiri Area (利尻), Rebun Area (礼文), Coastal Sand-dune Area (海浜砂丘) and Sarobetsu Area (サロベツ), and the Rishiri Area (利尻), the Rebun Area (礼文) and the Sarobetsu Area have a lot of highlights. Read More

Sarobetsu Wetland Center

The Sarobetsu Wetland Center is the one-storey information center built in 2011. About various plants and animals grown in the Sarobetsu Plain are introduced, and seasonal wild flower information is offered. At the Peat Industry Building beside the Sarobetsu Wetland Center, Peat Factory and the dredger are introduced, and the dredgers called a water separation machine (vessel type) used for reclamation are really displayed. Visitors can learn the history of fight with peat. Dishes can be savored at the Resthouse Sarobetsu, and a soft serve ice cream using Toyotomi Milk (Sarobetsu Milk) has a good reputation. A multipurpose ostomate restroom is provided at the building, too. By the way, Here is well-known as as a shooting place for Japanese movie "A Chorus of Angels (北のカナリア達)" that Ms. Sayuri Yoshinaga (吉永小百合), a famous actress, played a roll used here, too. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge.

Movie of A Chorus of Angels

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Toyotomi, the Horonobe and the Teshio. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

Toyotomi Onsen

Kawashima Ryokan(川島旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
New Onsnekaku Hotel(ニュー温泉閣ホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Toyotomi(ホテル豊富)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Win(ウィン)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Yukaiyado(湯快宿)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Yunohanaso(湯の花荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Share House "Yado"(シェアハウス「宿〜YADO〜」)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Ukasuymosir(湯治の宿「ウカスイモシリ」)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten

Horonobe

Minshuku Ryokan Sarobetsu(民宿旅館サロベツ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Business Hotel Hokutoso(ビジネスホテル北斗荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Business Ryokan Koeiso(ビジネス旅館光栄荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Meizanso(民宿名山荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Furusato-no-Mori Forest Park Campsite(ふるさとの森森林公園キャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten

Teshio

Teshio Onsen Yubae(てしお温泉 夕映)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Sato Minshuku(さとう民宿)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Sun Hotel(サンホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Takahashi Ryokan(高橋旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Nishizawa Ryokan(西澤旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hinomaru Ryokan(日の丸旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Ichihana(ホテルいち花)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Maruse Ryokan(マルセ旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Kagaminuma Seaside Park Campsite(鏡沼海浜公園キャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten