Niikappu brings together a variety of discoveries: walking trails with views of the Pacific, a museum dedicated to early sound recordings, and horse-related experiences. These themes appeal to different interests. At Hangandate Forest Park, nature watching and trails take centre stage; the Niikappu Record Hall is devoted to gramophones and records. You can encounter horses both through riding experiences and in memorabilia. When planning, you can focus on what best suits your interests.
Walking Trails, Wildflowers and Views
Hangandate Forest Park covers about 66 hectares and includes Cape Hangandate, which overlooks the Pacific. You can walk along the park’s trails and observe numerous species of wildflowers and birds. Here, nature watching goes hand in hand with views of the Pacific.
The Yuushun Tower offers a different vantage point. It is 36 metres tall, and its 360-degree observation deck is 25 metres above the ground. The view takes in the Pacific, the Hidaka Mountains and pastures where thoroughbreds graze. The two perspectives are distinct: the park focuses on walking and observing plants and birds, while the tower offers a panoramic view of the coast, mountains and pastures.
Record Culture at the Niikappu Record Hall
The Niikappu Record Hall displays historically valuable gramophones and early records as rare cultural treasures. It opened in 1997 as the central facility of the “まちづくり through records and music” project. The history of the collection is one of the hall’s themes.
Before the hall opened, more than 300,000 records had been sent in from across Japan. In May 2017, the collection reached one million records; donations closed in June of the same year. These figures mark separate milestones: the submissions received before the opening and the later achievement of the one-million mark. Visitors interested in sound recordings can find both early records and gramophones here, as well as the story of a collection that reached this scale.
Horse Experiences and Memorabilia
The Niikappu Horoshiri Riding Club offers riding experiences, and visitors can feed carrots to the horses there. The Yushun Memorial Hall presents another side of the horse theme: it displays winning sashes from the Arima Kinen, jockey silks, commemorative photos and messages from fans. Practical experiences and memorabilia sit side by side, without requiring the same kind of interest.
To arrange visits to thoroughbred farms in Niikappu, contact the Racehorse Hometown Information Center; do not contact the farms directly. Many are closed to outside visitors to prevent illness and accidents. Some welcome visitors on a voluntary basis. These conditions are important if you are considering a farm visit: visiting opportunities do not apply to all farms across the board.
Procession and Local Flavours
The Niikappu Furusato Festival features the Hangandate procession. Costumes representing Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Benkei and Shizuka Gozen are displayed in connection with the procession. These figures give the procession its own historical and cultural context.
One culinary highlight is the piman (green pepper) soft-serve flavour at the Sarabred Road Niikappu roadside station, where it is available exclusively. As product offerings may change, check before your visit to see whether the flavour is currently available. Together with the nature, music and horse-related themes, this gives you a range of very different things to focus on during your stay in Niikappu.
Discover more destinations: Shiraoi District, Oshidomari, Sorachi District, Kitahiroshima, Kato District, Teshikaga, Kushiro, Abuta District
For the main travel overview: Hokkaido.
