The Official Hokkaido Adventure Travel Guide

Experience Hakodate's rich natural environment through CANOEING and HIKING

1 -DAY

DIFFICULTY

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GREEN SEASON

  • JPY85,000

  • 1 day

  • Min. 2, Max. 10

  • Canoe

    River Canoe

  • Hiking

    Hiking

HIGHTLIGHTS
  • Canoeing down the Shiodomari River, which flows through Hakodate City and empties into the Tsugaru Straits, to experience the rich natural environment of Hakodate.
  • Hike Mount Hakodate, which has been repeatedly logged and reforested as the city has grown, and has now regained its rich forests.
  • Finally, enjoy the night view from the top of Mount Hakodate.
LOCATION

Hakodate

OVERVIEW

Hakodate is famous for its diverse cultural landscape, historic sites and places of interest related to the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and dynamic night views created by its topography. However, Hakodate is also a city rich in nature, with approximately 80% of its land area covered by forests. This tour focuses on Hakodate’s natural environment, and through canoeing and hiking, participants will consider coexistence with nature.

The canoeing takes place on the Shiodomari River, which flows through Hakodate City and empties into the Tsugaru Straits. Since the Shiodomari River is a protected river, there are many fish, creatures, wild birds, deer, and other animals. In the fall, you can see the autumn leaves and salmon runs, and you can see the Shiodomari River in different expressions depending on the season. Through the canoeing experience, you can also catch a glimpse of people’s lives in the rich natural environment.

Mount Hakodate, a symbol of Hakodate’s natural beauty, has also been repeatedly logged and reforested, restoring the rich forests of today. Think about living in harmony with nature in Hakodate, a city that continues to protect its rich natural environment while also being an attractive tourist destination.

ITINERARY

Day 1 - Go on a canoeing and hiking adventure to experience abundant nature on HAKODATE

8:15 a.m. Tour Starts
A private vehicle will pick you up at your hotel in Hakodate city with a through guide to start the tour. Please participate in the tour while dressed in clothing suitable for canoeing. Please minimize your change of clothes and luggage to participate in this tour.

8:40 a.m. Meet Up with Activity Guide
Meet your canoe activity guide at the fishing port. The guide will lead you to the starting point of the canoe.

9:00 a.m. Preparation & Briefing
Receive a briefing from the activity guide on canoe operation and safety measures.

9:15 a.m. Canoeing Experience Starts
It takes about 2 hours to canoe down the river to the mouth where it flows into the Tsugaru Straits. The Shiodomari River is a second class protected river that flows through Hakodate City and empties into the Tsugaru Straits, and its current is relatively gentle. Guides will take you to Hakodate’s rich natural environment, which you may not notice in the city. In addition to observing fish, wild birds, flora and fauna, you may be lucky enough to see a wild horse. Although Hakodate’s main tourist attraction is the city, once you get away from the city, you will find a rich natural environment that will sharpen your spirit and open your eyes to things you would not normally pay attention to. During the tour, you can take a coffee break on a sandbar, get out of the canoe and go ashore, and stop by Tochinokizan Shiraki Shrine, which is dedicated to the god of marriage, and a large horse chestnut tree that is over 800 years old. You can also catch a glimpse of the lives of people living with nature.

11:30 a.m. End of Canoeing Experience
The canoeing experience ends when you reach the mouth of the Tsugaru Straits. You will return to the base to change clothes and review the experience.

12:00 p.m. Return to Hotel, Lunch and Rest on Your Own
Return to your hotel by private vehicle and have lunch on your own. Please take a break until the next meeting time.

3:15 p.m. Reassemble
A private vehicle and through guide will pick you up again at your hotel. Departure time can be arranged according to the evening or night view from the top of Mt. Hakodate.

3:30 p.m. Meet Up with Activity Guide
Meet your hike activity guide at the Mt. Hakodate Fureai Center to start your hiking tour. The natural environment of Mt. Hakodate, the symbol of Hakodate, is said to be the result of repeated logging and tree planting that took place throughout the history of development and growth. The rich natural environment of Mt. Hakodate today is the result of protection activities since the late Edo period (1750-1867) and the fact that the area was a military fortress from the Meiji period (1868-1912) until the end of the war, and was off-limits to citizens for about half a century. This tour will take you on a hike to become familiar with the flora and fauna of Mt. Hakodate while listening to a guide talk about activities to protect this rich forest, which has also been opened as a tourist attraction. The view from Mount Hakodate is uniquely beautiful, combining the unique topography of the island with the light of daily life. Here, too, you can feel the rich nature that supports the city of Hakodate, which attracts people to the area.

4:30 p.m. Arrival at the Summit of Mt.Hakodate
Enjoy the evening and night views from the top of Mount Hakodate.

5:15 p.m. Descending by Ropeway

5:30 p.m. Tour Ends
Return to your hotel by private vehicle to complete the one-day tour.

Tour Operator / Contact

Meitetsu World Travel inc.

Address

1-1, kita 3 jo nishi 1 chome, chuo-ku,
Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan 060-0003

TEL

+81 (0)11-241-4986

Official web site

https://www.mwt.co.jp/

Meitetsu World Travel, Inc. is a member of the Meitetsu Group, which is centered on Nagoya Railroad, and has offices throughout Japan. Based on the connections with local stakeholders and businesses cultivated through our travel business, we are committed to meeting your needs and creating opportunities for people to interact both within and outside the region. We welcomed guests to Hokkaido Adventure Travel World Summit ( ATWS2023) in 2023. We will contribute to the development of a symbiotic society through encounters and connections with guests from all over the world, in this fascinating land of Hokkaido.

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