[Shoya Sakura Park in Erimo] Tall Couple Cherry Tree and Short Sargent Cherry Trees Can Be Enjoyed at Cherry Blossom Tourist Attraction

Shoya Sakura Park

Shoya Sakura Park (庶野さくら公園) is a park in Erimo town located in the southeastern direction of Tomakomai city, and is known as a good place to see cherry blossoms. The park used to be chosen as one of Best 100 Hokkaido Tourist Attractions. About 700 sargent cherry trees are planted on a small hill of about 30 m elevation, and Couple Cherry Tree (夫婦桜), one of the best cherry trees in Iburi and Hidaka Subprefectures, of over 300 years old is famous in those cherry trees. About 800 sargent cherry trees and weeping cherry trees grow naturally in mountains such as Mt. Maruyama around the park, and pink trees are dotted with here and there in a cherry blossom season. The best time to see is from early May to mid May. The park is next to Shoya Inari Shrine (庶野稲荷神社). Parking lots and a public restroom are built at the site. Admission free. The parking lots are free of charge.

Seafood Direct Sale Festival (海の幸直売会deしょや～) is held only in a day, mid May. Speaking of the Erimo, Cape Erimo (えりも岬), Hyakuninhama Coast (百人浜) and Lake Toyoni (豊似湖) are famous. As for tasty restaurants in the Erimo, Isami-zushi (いさみ寿し) and Erimomisaki Sighseeing Center (えりも岬観光センタ－) are popular in particular. Unfortunately, hot springs do not gush out in the Erimo, a day trip bathing can be enjoyed at Apoidake Visitor Center (アポイ岳ビジターセンター) in Samani. By the way, a highway bus “Kosoku Erimo-go (高速えりも号)” runs between Sapporo and the Erimo.

Cape Erimo

Cape Erimo (えりも岬) is a cape in Erimo town located in the southeastern direction of Tomakomai city. The Erimo means “A jutting head” or “A mouse” in Ainu language. A rocky shore jutting out from the center of Hokkaido to the south direction into the sea is named as so. The Cape Erimo is famous for strong wind, too, and has about 290 days with wind speeds of over 10 meters per second. There are a few days with maximum wind speed exceeded 40 meters per second. Erimomisaki Sightseeing Center (えりも岬観光センタ－), a parking lot, a public restroom, Cape Erimo Lighthouse (えりも灯台), a pavilion called Wind Hall (風の館) are built at the site, and visitors can enter the Wind Hall for a charge. The parking lot is free of charge. Read More

Hyakuninhama Coast

Hyakuninhama Coast (百人浜) is a sandy coast of about 15 km length in total in Erimo town located in the southeastern direction of Tomakomai city, and is near Cape Erimo (えりも岬). The coast has a very good view, but it has been named after the sad history. A ship of Nanbu Feudal Clan (南部藩) used to be wrecked in the Edo period, and 100 crews died by starvation and drowning on this beach. The Hyakunin means “100 people (百人)” in English. But there are various theories, and 100 people died in all the theories after all. A sad accident was occurred on the background of the typical scenery of Hokkaido. So a lot of Japanese ghost stories are related to around here. Hyakuninhama Observation Tower (百人浜展望台), a public restroom, a parking lot, Hirennuma Pond (悲恋沼), Isseki-Ichijito Monument (一石一字塔), Hyakuninhama Auto Camping Site (百人浜オートキャンプ場) and Hyakuninhama Park Golf Cource (百人浜パークゴルフ場) are built near the coast. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Read More

Lake Toyoni

Lake Toyoni (豊似湖) is a freshwater lake at about 260 m elevation in Erimo town located in the southeastern direction of Tomakomai city, and was named after Mt. Toyonidake (豊似岳) near the lake. The Toyoni means “A place with soil” in Ainu language, and the lake is not related to its name. Ainu people used to call “Kamuito (カムイトウ)” that means “A marsh that a god lives”. The perimeter of the lake is about 1 km. The maximum water depth is about 18 m. The Lake Toyoni is well-known as a heart-shaped lake from the sky, and the another name is “Heart Lake”. Because the lake is thickly surrounded by virgin forests, I think that the herat-shape is even more emphasized. In an autumn, fall foliage is beautiful, too. A public restroom is built beside a parking lot. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. 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 Shoya Sakura Park

I visted here in May 5. That was just cherry blossom season. 5 groups of other tourists came to view cherry blossoms, so I was at the best timing. The Shoya Sakura Park is roughly divided into 3 parts, the both sides of a road through the park and the couple cherry tree area. At the sea side of the park, the Pacific Ocean and the Shoya Fishing Port can be viewed. Japanese red pine trees of over 100 years old grow, and the green plants went well with pink cherry blossoms. Some benches and tables are set on the site, so visitors can take a rest. The good viewe can be seen, so I think that visitors should have a lunch.

The land side of the Shoya Sakura Park is the main of the park. A lots of cherry trees are planted, and visitors can look around. Some benches and tables are set on the site, too, so visitors can take a rest. There are many short cherry trees, and branches are also short. Those looks like Ume trees. I felt as if the branches were pruned, and its shapes were comfortable, and were my preference. The shapes of the branches look like a cherry tree model of Hina doll.

The Couple Cherry Tree grows at the innermost part of the land side. 2 cherry trees of over 300 year old have leaned on each other for many years, and unite into one at present. The origin of the name is like a married couple. I guess that the hight is about 8 m. The trunk of the tree was in decay, but good cherry blossoms were full in bloom. When the wind blew, the cherry blossoms were fallen, and the view was visionary.

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations around the Shoya Sakura Park. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

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Erimo-no-Yado Tanaka Ryokan(えりもの宿 田中旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Erimo Kankokan(えりも観光館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Sansuikaku(さんすいかく)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Kameya Ryokan(亀屋旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Maruha Ryokan(マルハ旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Misaki-so(みさき荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Cliff House Yanagida Ryokan(クリフハウス・柳田旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Arai Ryokan(新井旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Ryokan Erimokan(旅館 えりも館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Ryokan Dondon(旅館どんどん)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Ryokan Boyo-so(旅館望洋荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Maburitto(短角王国 守人（まぶりっと）)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hyakuninhama Automobile Campsite(百人浜オートキャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten