Hokkaido

Hidakasanmyaku-Erimo-Tokachi National Park

Hidaka Sanmyaku Erimo Tokachi National Park is located in the south-central part of Hokkaido, and is the largest (terrestrial) national park in Japan, centering on the Hidaka Mountain Range, which stretches approximately 140 km from north to south, from sea to mountains. The park is home to the highest peak in the Hidaka Mountains, Horoshiri Poroshiroshi (2,052 m above sea level), as well as a series of mountains over 1,900 m high, making it the most pristine natural environment in Japan. The coastal area also features marine terraces, sea cliffs, and reefs, and the coastal scenery, including Cape Erimo located in the southern part of the park, is also characteristic of the park. The vast Tokachi Plain offers magnificent views of the mountains. (Source: Ministry of the Environment website　https://www.env.go.jp/nature/nationalparks/list/)

Access

How to get there

Hidakasanmyaku-Erimo-Tokachi National Park is located in south central Hokkaido. Its rugged mountain range stretches through the park about 140 km from north to south, with Cape Erimo at the southernmost tip. Only a few roads cross the park, including the Tenma Kaido (National Route 236). It can also be accessed by roads on the periphery of the mountain range and by a railway running along its northern side. Public transportation options are limited in many areas, so renting a car from an airport or major train station will provide more efficient access.

From Tokyo

Fly from Haneda Airport to Tokachi Obihiro Airport. From Tokachi Obihiro Airport, it is approximately 40 minutes by car to the Hidaka Mountain Range Mountain Center. Fly from Haneda Airport to New Chitose Airport. From New Chitose Airport, it is approximately 180 minutes by car to the Mount Apoi Geopark Visitor Center.

From Sapporo

There is an express bus (about 4 hours 15 minutes) that goes directly from Sapporo to Cape Erimo. However, there is only one bus each way per day. A better option is to take the JR Limited Express to Tomakomai (about 50 minutes) or Obihiro (about 2 hours and 40 minutes), and then get a rental car from the station. If you are relying on public transportation, from Tomakomai Station, take a local bus to Shizunai (about 2 hours 30 minutes). From there you can transfer to a bus for Mount Apoi Geopark Visitor Center (about 2 hours 45 minutes) or the Erimo town area (about 3 hours 30 minutes), but the number of buses is limited. Otherwise, there are also buses from Obihiro Station that pass through Nakasatsunai Village (about 1 hour) on the way to Hiroo (about 2 hours 20 minutes) every 1 to 3 hours. From Hiroo, there are buses to Cape Erimo (about 1 hour) and Mount Apoi Geopark Visitor Center (about 1 hour 40 minutes). Here too, there are very few busses, so transfer options are limited.

Getting Around

Renting a car is also the best way to get around the national park. It is about a 2-hour drive from the Mount Apoi Geopark Visitor Center in the southwestern part of the park to the Hidaka Mountains Information Center in the northeast. The Tenma Kaido crosses the Hidaka Mountains, passing through deep valleys on both sides. There will be great views of the southern Hidaka peaks as you drive. The route along the coast via Cape Erimo is also beautiful. Cape Erimo is about 50 minutes from the Mount Apoi Geopark Visitor Center. From Cape Erimo to the Hidaka Mountains Information Center takes a little over 2 hours. There is lots to see along the way, including Funbe Falls, where spring water pours down from the top of coastal cliffs and the view of the majestic Hidaka Mountains towering over the agricultural fields.