Designated Routes

Shikotsu-Toya-Niseko Park Route
Theme: A byway of encounters with lovely lakes, majestic mountains and smoldering volcanoes

The Shikotsu-Toya-Niseko Park Byway runs through Shikotsu-Toya National Park and Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Quasi-National Park. Lovely lakes and smoldering mountains await you in three distinct areas: Lake Shikotsu, Lake Toya and the Niseko Mountains.

The Taisetsu-Furano Byway runs through the heart of the Taisetsu Mountains, the Tokachi Mountains and other ranges. The area is blessed with scenery that includes rolling hills planted in a patchwork of lavender and other blossoms. The area is a popular location for feature films, prime-time dramas and TV commercials. Visitors enjoy specialties made from locally grown potatoes and wheat. Hot spring resorts provide relaxation at indoor and open-air baths.

Higashi Okhotsk Scenic BywayThe Higashi Okhotsk Scenic Byway runs through the two national parks in Shiretoko and Akan. Throughout the year visitors are awed by the natural splendor and delighted by the seasonal delicacies. The byway runs through areas that epitomize Hokkaido: expansive farms, towering mountains, natural flower gardens and lovely lakes that harbor swans during their migrations. Ice floes blanket the sea in winter. Visitors from within and beyond the prefecture know this is the ideal destination for spectacular scenery.

Soya Scenic Byway
-Theme : A warmly welcoming byway in Japan's frigid northernmost region

The Soya Scenic Byway runs through Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park. Soya is known for a scenic beauty that owes to the frigid climate. On windswept Rebun Island, for instance, flowers that normally grow only at alpine elevations are found at sea level. Soya Hill was sculpted by glacial action. This area, the northernmost in Japan, impresses visitors with its vast dairy farms, abundant catches of seafood, and various other local foods.

Kushiro Shitsugen-Akan-Mashu Scenic Byway
-Theme: Natural diversity and splendor - a mysterious byway that thrills the senses

The Kushiro Shitsugen-Akan-Mashu Scenic Byway runs through world-class tourism spots, including Kushiro Shitsugen National Park and Akan National Park. The byway consists of four sections: Kushiro Marsh, which is listed in The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands; Lake Akan, which boasts majestic mountain landscapes and serves as a habitat for the rare marimo (spherical colonies of algae); Teshikaga, which showcases Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo, two mysterious lakes surrounded by pristine forests; and Nakashibetsu, where vast meadows slope gently and windbreak trees form lovely patchworks.

Hakodate-Onuma-Funkawan Scenic Byway
-Theme: A byway that abounds in local hospitality

The Hakodate-Onuma-Funkawan Scenic Byway runs through an area that has served as something like a "maritime foyer" to Hokkaido. Now it's accessible also by undersea rail and air. Immerse yourself in an exotic atmosphere that's found nowhere else in this prefecture or in the Tohoku district. Scenic features include cityscapes, fishing villages and agricultural landscapes. Marvel at the natural splendor of Lake Onuma, where you can enjoy horseback riding and canoeing. You'll encounter archeological artifacts from the Jomon era that inspire thoughts of ancient times. Local residents promote the "Scenic de Night" Event, "Clean Green Flower" Event" and other festivals to foster exchanges with visitors.

Candidate Routes

• Hakodate-Onuma-Funka Wan Route
• Kushiro Shitsugen-Akan-Mashu Route
• Minamitokachi Yumekaido
• Tokachiheiya-Sanroku Route
• Moeru-Tenpoku-Ororon Route