One of Hokkaido's 179 towns
Hidaka日高町
Rafting river, mountain pass and a racecourse by the sea
Hidaka region · Thoroughbred country, cherry-tree roads and the windswept cape.
Hidaka town is kombu country — the prized dashi kelp — with river rafting on the Saru and racehorse pastures inland.
Hidaka is really two towns in one. The coastal half, Monbetsu, sits at the mouth of the Saru River on the Pacific, where kombu is dried on the beaches and racehorses graze behind the dunes. The inland half, cut off from the coast by neighbouring Biratori, is a mountain settlement on the upper Saru below Nissho Pass, and it is the region's base for whitewater rafting. Come for a river day, a mountain drive to Tokachi, or a night at the races.
- Region
- Hidaka (日高)
- From New Chitose Airport
- ~83 km · 1.3 h summer / 1.5 h winter
- From Sapporo
- ~130 km · 2 h summer / 2.4 h winter
- Best season in Hidaka
- Spring for cherry blossoms and summer for green coastal scenery. Farm access depends on the facility; at Cape Erimo, check wind and weather as well as visibility.
Hidaka 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 Hidaka
Saru River rafting
沙流川のラフティング
The upper Saru around the inland Hidaka district is one of Hokkaido's best-known rafting rivers, with guided runs from spring snowmelt through autumn and gentler stretches suited to families.
Nissho Pass
日勝峠
Route 274 climbs out of the Hidaka valley over the Hidaka range to Shimizu in Tokachi. The lookout near the summit gives a wide view over the Tokachi plain on clear days; in winter it is a serious mountain road.
Monbetsu Racecourse
門別競馬場
The home track of Hokkaido's public horse racing, beside the coastal highway in Monbetsu. Evening races through the warm months are the easiest way to see the region's horses actually run.
Michi-no-Eki Jukai Road Hidaka
道の駅 樹海ロード日高
The roadside station (Michi-no-Eki) where Routes 274 and 237 meet in the inland district, the last proper stop before Nissho Pass and a natural break on the Sapporo-to-Tokachi drive.
Getting to Hidaka
New Chitose Airport is the nearest. The coastal Monbetsu district is about 1.5 hours from Sapporo by car via the Hidaka Expressway and Route 235, with buses from Tomakomai. The inland Hidaka district is a separate trip: about two hours from Sapporo on Route 274, or by Route 237 from the Furano side. No trains serve the town.
Hidaka region: Driving routes along the coast use Routes 235 and 336. Without a car, plan bus connections for your specific destination: the railway between Mukawa and Samani closed in 2021. A bus to Erimo town is not necessarily a bus to Cape Erimo.
When to visit Hidaka
May to October for rafting, when the river is running and the guides are out. Summer for the coast, foals in the pastures and evening racing. Nissho Pass is at its best in early October foliage; from late autumn it becomes a winter road and the inland district turns to skiing.
What to eat in Hidaka
Hidaka kombu, the kelp that gives its name to the whole coast, is dried on the beaches of Monbetsu in summer. The port also lands salmon and shishamo in autumn. Inland, the mountain district is known for wild vegetables in spring and river fish from the Saru.
Hidaka in context: the Hidaka region
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Hidaka is a region on Hokkaido's Pacific side, known for thoroughbred farms, coastal scenery and Cape Erimo. This guide covers the wider region, including Niikappu, Shinhidaka, Urakawa and Erimo; Hidaka town is one municipality within it. Decide whether your priority is a horse-farm visit or a longer coastal journey before choosing where to stay.