TOKACHI – OBIHIRODestinations
Nature, food, and horse culture inherited from the time of pioneering
Tokachi-Obihiro is located in the eastern part of Hokkaido, surrounded by the Daisetsuzan National Park, the Akan Mashu National Park, the Hidaka-sanmyaku Erimo Quasi-National Park, and the Pacific Ocean. It is a region blessed with a number of ecosystems, such as foothills, forests, plains, rivers, lakes, and marshes, such as the Tokachi River flowing through the area. Full-scale development of the Tokachi area began in 1883, and its development was propelled by agriculture and dairy farming. It has now grown into a treasure trove of food and agriculture that represents all of Japan. Horse culture, which supported the area’s development has also been passed down to the present day.
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Outdoor mecca Tokachi
In Tokachi-Obihiro, you can experience nature through activities stimulating your five senses, including fishing and rafting on the Tokachi River (composed of about 200 tributaries originating in the Taisetsu and Hidaka Mountains), cycling through the straight roads of the Tokachi Plains and the steep mountain course roads, taking in the vast Tokachi scenery from the sky through hot-air ballooning and paragliding, trekking through the primal forests of Tokachi on horseback, and dog sledding through the heavy snowfields of the Tokachi Plain.
Traditional Ainu dance
Traditional Ainu dance consists of songs and dances passed down from the ancestors of the Ainu people living in various parts of Hokkaido. They are often performed at festivals and celebratory banquets, as they are tied to praising Kamui (Gods) and daily life. There are various traditional dances that have been handed down from region to region. One such dance tells the story of the hardships of a locust outbreak during the Tokachi development period in the Meiji era. The locusts caused great damage to crops not only in Tokachi, but across the Hidaka mountains all the way to the vicinity of Sapporo, and they were repelled by the combined efforts of the Ainu and Japanese people. Today, the land of Tokachi is known as one of Japan’s leading agricultural areas, but there are many things that only the Ainu can teach us.
History of horse pioneering
Tokachi’s development started in 1883 and was led by a group of 27 people known as the “Banseisha”, led by Benzo Yoda. During the development period, people engaged in agriculture and dairy farming with the help of agricultural horses. In addition to being known as a treasure trove of food and agriculture representing Japan, this horse culture and the bond between agricultural horses and people has been passed down to the present day. This culture remains in the present day as a unique form of horse racing known as “Banei Horse Racing”.
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