One of Hokkaido's 179 towns
Eniwa恵庭市
The garden city between the airport and Sapporo
Ishikari region · Sapporo's city life, plus Lake Shikotsu, Jozankei Onsen and the Ishikari City coast.
Eniwa styles itself a garden city — flower-lined streets, farm parks and roadside greenhouses on the way from the airport to Sapporo.
Eniwa lies on the Chitose Line corridor between New Chitose Airport and Sapporo, and calls itself the garden city with good reason: flower beds line the streets, nurseries and open gardens dot the farmland, and the roadside station on Route 36 is built around them. West of the plain the town climbs into the hills of Shikotsu-Toya National Park, where the Eniwa Gorge hides three waterfalls along a single forest road and Mt. Eniwa stands over Lake Shikotsu. It suits gardeners, families and anyone wanting a green stop on the way in or out.
- Region
- Ishikari (石狩)
- From New Chitose Airport
- ~29 km · 24 min summer / 30 min winter
- From Sapporo
- ~32 km · 30 min summer / 36 min winter
- Best season in Ishikari
- City food in every season, beer gardens in summer and the Snow Festival in winter. Check event dates before planning.
Eniwa at a glance
Drive estimates: straight-line × 1.35, at 65 km/h (summer) / 55 km/h (winter). How we calculate
What to see in Eniwa
Eniwa Gorge waterfalls
恵庭渓谷の三つの滝
Shiraogi, Rarumanai and Sandan falls sit a few minutes apart along the road up the Rarumanai River, each with a short walk from its car park. Autumn colour here is among the best close to Sapporo.
Michi-no-Eki Hana Road Eniwa
道の駅 花ロードえにわ
The roadside station (Michi-no-Eki) on Route 36, with flower gardens outside, a big farmers' market of local vegetables inside, and a park behind it. A natural first stop after landing.
Mt. Eniwa and Lake Shikotsu's north shore
恵庭岳と支笏湖北岸
The town's namesake volcano rises steeply above Lake Shikotsu, its summit visible from across the plain. Route 453 skirts the north shore below it, with lake viewpoints on the way to the pass.
Lake Eniwa
恵庭湖
A reservoir behind Eniwa Dam in the hills west of town, with a quiet lakeside road, picnic spots and mountain reflections. Few tourists find it, which is much of the appeal.
Getting to Eniwa
JR Chitose Line trains stop at Eniwa, Megumino, Shimamatsu and Sapporo-Beer-Teien stations, about 30 minutes from Sapporo and under 15 from Minami-Chitose. Route 36 and the Dō-ō Expressway run the length of the town, so from New Chitose Airport it is roughly 20 minutes by car. The gorge and the lake need a car.
Ishikari region: New Chitose Airport and JR Sapporo Station are the main gateways. Lake Shikotsu, Jozankei and the Ishikari City coast each need their own onward bus or car journey.
When to visit Eniwa
June to August for the gardens, when open-garden events and flower beds are at their fullest and the farmers' market is stacked with vegetables. October for the gorge waterfalls under autumn leaves. The forest road to the falls is closed by snow in winter.
What to eat in Eniwa
Pumpkins are Eniwa's best-known crop, sweet enough to be sold as gifts, and the roadside market fills with local corn, potatoes and greens in summer. Rice and wheat grow on the plain, and a major brewery near the station has made the town a place to drink beer with grilled lamb.
Eniwa in context: the Ishikari region
Click a town to open its page
This guide covers the wider Ishikari region, which includes Sapporo and Chitose, home to New Chitose Airport. Ishikari City, on the northern coast, is one of its eight municipalities; if that is where you are heading, use the Ishikari City page.