5 Must-visit Hidden Gems Along the Northern J-Rail Line Hokkaido to Tohoku

Discover Japan's northern prefectures through these five incredible destinations hidden along the Northern JR Line.

 

Japan’s JR train network is one of the most sophisticated in the world for a multitude of reasons. Coming from a country like Malaysia that’s still developing its network, the efficiency, cleanliness, and timeliness of Japanese trains are a joy to experience every time, with the network allowing travelers to experience hidden facades of Japan like we covered in our exploration of the Southern West JR Lines. This time, we look north to find out what the J-Rail journey offers!

 

Exploring Hokkaido by rail is a journey everyone must experience.

 

In this article, we’ll explore five amazing destinations along the JR Lines that run from Hokkaido (Hokkaido Railway Company) to Tohoku (East Japan Railway Company). Add one of these spots to your itinerary, or take a trip down the Northern JR Line for an unforgettable adventure — each destination promises to be a highlight of your trip!

 

 

Shiroi Koibito Park (Sapporo City, Hokkaido)

 

A view of Shiroi Koibito Park from its rose garden. Photo Credit: Shiroi Koibito Park

 

A theme park operated by Japanese confectionery manufacturer Ishiya of the famed Shiroi Koibito sweets, Shiroi Koibito Park merges British and Hokkaido cultures to create an almost Willy Wonka-esque experience, complete with a recreation of a Tudor-era British mansion. The park includes both paid and free areas, with the paid areas offering attractions such as CHOCOTOPIA HOUSE, a projection mapping exhibition showing off the four revolutionary inventions in chocolate making, the DREAM KITCHEN sweets workshop, the Notting Hill amusement arcade, and more.

 

Inside Chocotopia House. Photo Credit: Shiroi Koibito Park

 

As you might expect, sweets are a major theme of the park! A visit wouldn’t be complete without sampling treats available at the Cafe London Bus, such as the Shiroi Koibito crepe, or having a cup of coffee amidst the scent of freshly baked bread at the bake shop Chelsea. The park's free area also includes an English-style rose garden with about 200 blocks of roses in summer and illuminations in winter, plus a mechanical clock tower that boasts an animal automaton parade at the top of every hour.

Check out this Muslim-friendly spot:

Donburi Chaya at Nijo Market is only 37 minutes from Shiroi Koibito Park via the Tozai Line that prides itself on serving the freshest Hokkaido salmon roe, crab, sea urchin, and shrimp. Donburi Chaya uses halal ingredients and does not use alcohol in its recipes.

 

Shiroi Koibito Park features a Muslim prayer space divided for men and women, equipped with a Wudu facility for cleaning hands and feet before worship on the second floor of Tudor House in the park’s free area. It’s open to the public and operates on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

Shiroi Koibito Park (Website)

2-2-11-36 Miyanosawa, Nishi Ward, Sapporo City, Hokkaido 063-0052

How to get there: From Shin Sapporo Station, follow the Tozai Line for 35 minutes to Miyanosawa Station. Then, walk for 9 minutes from the station.

※Cafe London Bus is out of service during the winter season. Please check the official website for more details.

 

Donburi Chaya (Website)

1 Chome−7, Minami 3 Johigashi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo City, Hokkaido 060-0053

How to get there: From Miyanosawa Station near the park, ride the Sapporo Municipal Subway on the Tozai Line for 17 minutes to Bus Center Mae Station. Then, walk for 9 minutes.

 

Sapporo Masjid (Website)

4-1-29, Kita 14-jo Nishi, Kita Ward, Sapporo City, Hokkaido 001-0014

How to get there: From Miyanosawa Station near the park, ride the Local Shinsapporo on the Tozai Line for 16 minutes to Ōdōri Station. Then, board the Sapporo Municipal Subway on the Namboku Line for 4 minutes to Kitajunijo Station. Then, walk 5 minutes from the station.

 

Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses (Hakodate City, Hokkaido)

 

The view from the canal at BAY Hakodate. Photo Credit: Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses

 

Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses, formerly the first commercial warehouse in the international port city of Hakodate, is a commercial complex consisting of four facilities: BAY Hakodate, the Kanamori Yobutsukan, Hakodate History Plaza, and the multipurpose Kanamori Hall. The complex dates back to the late 1800s, when it was established by local businessman Kumashiro Watanabe, and today presents a plethora of experiences from BAY Hakodate’s shopping boulevard alongside a canal to the picturesque cypress pillars of Hakodate History Plaza that attest to the building’s construction in 1909.

 

Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses. Photo Credit: Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses

 

The Kanamori Yobutsukan hosts an array of shops offering confectionaries, jewelry, fashion, arts & crafts, and shoes to name a few. The vast building occupies two warehouses, so you can be sure there is plenty of shopping to enjoy.

Check out this restaurant:

Hakodate Asa Ichi Market also boasts a long history, with its roots dating back to 1945. The market boasts around 250 stores offering not just the freshest catches from the port, but also a cafeteria where you can enjoy fresh seafood bowls, a local specialty of Hakodate.

 

Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses (Website)

14-12 Suehiro-cho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido 040-0053

How to get there: From JR Hakodate Station, walk for 15 minutes or take the Hakodate City Tram for 5 minutes to Yachigashira or Dock-mae and get off at the Jujigai Station.

 

Hakodate Asa Ichi Market (Website)

9-22 Wakamatsu-cho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido 040-0063

How to get there: From JR Hakodate Station, walk for about 1 minute.

 

Nebuta Museum WA RASSE (Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture)

 

Nebuta Museum WA RASSE The Nebuta floats on display at Nebuta Museum WA RASSE. Photo Credit: Nebuta Museum WA RASSE

 

Aomori’s Nebuta Festival is one of Japan’s most famous festivals, a week-long parade that sees five-meter-tall dramatic and colorful floats marching throughout the city at night accompanied by music. The festival is held on the first week of August every year, but you can experience the magic and history behind it at Nebuta Museum WA RASSE in Aomori City all year round!

 

A display in Nebuta Museum WA RASSE. Photo Credit: Nebuta Museum WA RASSE

 

The museum houses four full-sized floats that participated in the festival held on the previous August, alongside elements of the festival experience. Visitors can learn how to dance to local Hayashi music like a Haneto traditional dancer, learn about the techniques behind the creation of the colossal floats, and even get the chance to touch them!

Check out this Muslim-friendly spot: 

Auga Festival City hosts a seafood market offering visitors an authentic Japanese waterfront experience alongside mouth-watering dishes prepared fresh, with no delay from sea to table just six minutes away from Nebuta Museum WA RASSE. Different vendors are available throughout the market offering the freshest seafood, so take your time and explore.

 

Nebuta Museum WA RASSE (Website)

1-1-1 Yasukata, Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture, 030-0803

How to get there: Nebuta Museum Warasse is a 1-minute walk from Aomori Station.

 

Auga Festival City (Website)

1-3-7 Shinmachi, Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture, 030-0801

How to get there: The market is a 6-minute walk from Nebuta Museum WA RASSE.

 

Yokote Castle (Yokote City, Akita Prefecture)

 

Yokote Castle. Photo Credit: Akita Prefecture

 

Originally built by the Onodera Clan in the 16th century, a reconstruction of the Yokote Castle now stands in the middle of Yokote Park after the original was burnt down in the Boshin Civil War of 1868. The castle’s interior has now been transformed into a museum, while the top floor of the four-story building is an observatory offering views of the city and Yokote Park itself in full glory, complete with its pond and rose garden.

 

Visitors to the castle can even choose to bypass the newer established pathways by seeking out the Nanamagari, the original path used by samurai during the castle’s peak. For a 100-yen admission fee, adults receive access not only to the castle but also to the Fureai Center Kamakurakan, where they can view the interior of a kamakura, or snow built hut, year-round, the Yojiro Ishizaka Memorial Hall honouring the famed local writer, and the Gosannen-kassen Kanezawa Archive Museum, which displays a series of exhibits on the history of the Akita Prefecture and Yokote City.

 

Check out this Muslim-friendly spot:

Bishnu Indian Restaurant offers authentic Indian food that Malaysian tourists will be familiar with including naan, tandoori, and various curries including lamb and prawn. Free refills of naan and rice are also available, so be sure to make the most of the offerings here.

 

Yokote Park Observation Deck (Yokote Castle) (Website)

29-1 Shiroyama-machi, Yokote City, Akita Prefecture 013-0012

How to get there: From Yokote Station, go to Yokote bus terminal and take Yokote-Omagari Line bound for Omagari Bus Terminal to Yokote Post Office. Then, walk for 7 minutes.

 

Bishnu Indian Restaurant (Website)

62-14 Nashiki Habashita, Jumonji-cho, Yokote City, Akita Prefecture 013-0012

How to get there: From Yokote Castle, walk for 19 minutes to Yokka-machi Kami-cho bus station and board the Yokote-Yuzawa-Iwaigawa Line bound for Kusa-no-dai. Ride the bus for approximately 18 minutes until the Nashioki Shrine stop. From there, walk for 6 minutes.

 

Matsushima (Matsushima Bay, Miyagi Prefecture)

 

Matsushima Bay.

 

Just 30 minutes northeast of Sendai by train is the iconic Matsushima Bay. Dotted by 260 islets that house thick swathes of pine trees, the bay is known as one of the Three Most Scenic Spots of Japan. Among the highlights of the bay is Fukuura Island, which is connected to the mainland by the 252-meter-long Fukuura Bridge and is home to more than 250 species of plants. Late winter to midsummer is a particularly good time to visit as many types of flowers will be in bloom including camellia, cherry blossoms, and tulips.

 

The mainland overlooking the bay offers its own share of attractions, including sightseeing cruises around the bay, the Oku-Matushima Olle trail showcasing the vista in full glory, and the Matsushima Onsen hotels with hot spring baths. Seafood lovers will be thrilled to learn that Matsushima Bay is known for one of the largest maguro tuna catches in Japan, with sushi restaurants plentiful throughout the bay.

Check out this Muslim-friendly spot:

Kanrantei Teahouse is an establishment with a notable history, having once belonged to the renowned Date family. The teahouse offers a mesmerizing view of Matsushima Bay, with special viewing hours on fall evenings to allow guests to enjoy their matcha tea and sweets under the full moon on the bay.

 

Matsushima Tourism Association (Website)

98-1 Chonai, Matsushima, Matsushima-machi, Miyagi District, Miyagi Prefecture, 981-0213

How to get there: From Matsushima Station, the mouth of the bay area is a 20-minute walk south. You can also take a taxi from Matsushima Station or take the JR Senseki Line to Matsushima-Kaigan Station, and walk for 6 minutes.

 

Kanrantei Teahouse (Website)

56 Chonai, Matsushima-machi, Miyagi District, Miyagi Prefecture 981-0213

How to get there: From Matsushima Station, walk for 22 minutes or take a taxi towards the south. You can also ride the JR Senseki Line to Matsushima-Kaigan Station and walk for 6 minutes.

Conclusion

The J-Rail is truly a gateway to Japan, and we hope these destinations have inspired you to embark on a joyful adventure! Be sure to plan your itinerary for an exciting journey of discovery by train through Japan.