One of Hokkaido's 14 regions
Hidakaζ₯ι«
Thoroughbred country, cherry-tree roads and the windswept cape.
Along the Hidaka coast, the pastures do something found almost nowhere else in Japan: they raise racehorses. The majority of Japan's thoroughbreds are born on these ranches between the mountains and the sea, and driving the coast road past grazing mares and foals is an experience in itself.
In spring, the Nijukken Road in Shinhidaka lines up cherry trees for kilometers on end. At the peninsula's tip, Cape Erimo juts into the Pacific in near-constant wind, with harbor seals on the rocks below β and the kombu harvested on this coast flavors soup stock all over Japan.
π§ A car region: follow Route 235 down the coast from the Sapporo side. Cape Erimo is the far, rewarding end.
Hidaka highlights
Thoroughbred ranches
Most of Japan's racehorses are born on these coastal pastures β mares and foals graze right by the road.
Nijukken Road cherry blossoms
Kilometers of cherry trees in a dead-straight line β one of Hokkaido's great spring sights.
Cape Erimo
A windswept cape where the Hidaka range dives into the Pacific, with wild harbor seals below.
Hidaka kombu
The kelp from this coast underpins dashi across Japan β taste it at the source.
The 7 towns of Hidaka
Click a town to jump to its entry
Hidakaζ₯ι«ηΊ
Hidaka town is kombu country β the prized dashi kelp β with river rafting on the Saru and racehorse pastures inland.
BiratoriεΉ³εηΊ
Biratori keeps Ainu culture alive in the Nibutani valley β museums, craft masters, sacred lands β and grows the 'Nishipa' brand tomatoes.
Niikappuζ°ε ηΊ
Niikappu's hills raise thoroughbred royalty; its Record Hall spins 1970s vinyl in a town that chose music as its calling card.
Urakawa桦河ηΊ
Urakawa is the heart of Japan's racehorse country β mare-and-foal pastures to the horizon, plus summer strawberries.
Samaniζ§δΌΌηΊ
Samani's Mt. Apoi is a UNESCO Global Geopark β rare peridotite geology with alpine flowers blooming near sea level.
ErimoγγγηΊ
Erimo is the wind-blasted tip of the Hidaka range β a cape of harbor seals, kombu fishermen and weather with real opinions.
Shinhidakaζ°γ²γ γηΊ
Shinhidaka's Nijukken Road is a seven-kilometer corridor of cherry blossoms through horse country β one of Japan's grandest sakura drives.