A stay in Iwamizawa can put nature observation, exercise, and cultural history at the center. At Taisho Pond, a nature observation trail runs around the pond; more than 100 tree species, as well as various bird species and small mammals, live in Tonebetsu Virgin Forest. Iwamizawa Park offers a Trim Course and barbecue fire pits. The Iwamizawa City Painting Hall and Matsushima Masayuki Memorial Museum adds a historical note, preserving the former Iwamizawa Police Station as a historic cultural heritage site. These different themes give you a concrete starting point for planning your stay.

Nature by the pond and in the forest

At Taisho Pond, Tonebetsu Nature Park has a two-kilometer nature observation trail that runs around the pond. This makes nature observation specific to a particular body of water and a clearly defined circular route. This may interest you if you want to plan your time outdoors around a specific trail.

A different aspect of nature takes center stage in Tonebetsu Virgin Forest: it is home to more than 100 tree species, as well as various bird species and small mammals. This distinguishes the two highlights: at Taisho Pond, the trail circles a pond, while in the forest, the diversity of tree and animal species shapes what you see. If you are weighing nature-related activities for your stay, the park offers both a clearly defined loop and a forest habitat rich in species.

Exercise and barbecues at Iwamizawa Park

The Iwamizawa Park Trim Course comprises two courses named “冒険の河” and “冒険の谷”. They include fitness and health-promoting equipment suitable for different age groups. The Trim Course therefore offers a different focus from the nature observation trail by the pond: here, the emphasis is on exercising with equipment, rather than walking a route through a natural area.

The Iwamizawa Park Trim Course also has ten outdoor fire pits for barbecues. No reservation is required. You must bring your own grill grate, charcoal, and food. These conditions make clear what to plan for a barbecue: the fire pits are available without a reservation, but you need to prepare the listed grilling equipment and food yourself. Barbecuing is therefore a separate option alongside the park’s exercise facilities.

A historic cultural site

The Iwamizawa City Painting Hall and Matsushima Masayuki Memorial Museum preserves the former Iwamizawa Police Station as a historic cultural heritage site. The facility opened as a cultural venue in August 1990. Its historical connection lies not only in the museum’s name, but also in the former police station that is preserved as cultural heritage.

This offers you a distinct way to explore Iwamizawa’s cultural history, different from its nature and exercise activities. If you would like to include a specific historic site alongside nature when choosing places to visit, the former police station offers a clear point of interest.

Plan your stay around your interests

There are several distinct ways to prioritize your time in Iwamizawa: the nature trail offers a walk by the water, while the forest showcases its diversity of tree and animal species. At the park, you can plan to exercise with the equipment or have a barbecue; for the latter, bring the necessary equipment and food yourself. The museum adds the history of a former police station to these options. If you are looking for hotels in Iwamizawa, it helps to first decide which of these interests you want to shape your stay. This lets you plan around what you would like to experience in the city.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Okushiri, Higashikagura, Shakotan District, Tokachi District, Kawakami District, Niikappu, Wakkanai, Furano

Go to the main travel overview: Hokkaido.