10 Things to Do in Toyako

10 Things to Do in Toyako

Toyako (洞爺湖町) is a town in the Iburi Subprefecture of Hokkaido, Japan. The town was formed after Abuta Town and Toya Village merged on March 27, 2006. The town was named after Lake Toya. Japanese settlers gave Lake Toya its name during the Meiji period after the Ainu word to ya, which means "lakeshore, the land around a lake."

For those planning to visit Toyako to check what it has to offer, here are the 10 Things to Do in Toyako:


Toyako Manhole Cover

1. Take a picture of the manhole cover of Toyako. So far, I have seen one unique manhole cover. These are common and can be seen around Toyako Onsen.


Roadside Rest Area "Aputa”

2. Visit the Roadside Rest Area "Aputa” and buy products that are produced or made in the town. It is one of the two roadside stations of Toyako. You can also get the roadside station stamp here for the Hokkaido Stamp rally booklet. It is popular for the sea urchin dishes.


Roadside Rest Area "Lake Toya”

3. Visit the Roadside Rest Area "Lake Toya” and buy products that are produced or made in the town. It is one of the two roadside stations of Toyako. You can also get the roadside station stamp here for the Hokkaido Stamp rally booklet. This roadside station has an observation deck to view Lake Toya.


Toyako Shrine

4. Visit the Toyako Shrine. You can pay your respects and offer prayers here any time of the day. You can also get a goshuin here.


Toyako Pokemon Manhole Cover

5. Take a picture of the Toyako Pokemon Manhole Cover featuring Vulpix and three Swinubs. It is located at Lake Toya Gurutto Sculpture Park near Toron Foot Spa.


Lake Toya Gurutto Sculpture Park

6. Stroll around Lake Toya Gurutto Sculpture Park and take pictures of the unique art installations in it. If you get tired, you can use the Toron Foot Spa for free. Aside from that, the park also offers one of the stunning views of Lake Toya.


Toyako Onsen Resort has numerous hotels with Onsen.

7. Take a dip at one of the onsens of Toyako. Some of these accept day trip bathers and the price is very affordable. Others are in the hotels and require you to book a room to use them. Most of these onsen are located in the southern area of Lake Toya.


Lake Toya Cruise

8. Avail of the Lake Toya cruise. There are options where you can just enjoy a scenic ride in the lake or visit Nakajima Island. I highly suggest that you board the Espoir.


Nakajima Island

9. Visit Nakajima Island. The island is shared by the municipalities of Toyako and Sobetsu and is one of the highlights of the Lake Toya Cruise. You may trek some of its mountains or simply wander along its paths. You will undoubtedly love its magnificent scenery.

Lake Toya

10. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of Lake Toya. There are several scenic spots all around the lakeside of Toyako but my favorite is at Lake Toya Gurutto Sculpture Park. If you visit from April 28th to October 31st you can enjoy the Lake Toya Long-Run Fireworks Festival.


I hope my list of the 10 Things to Do in Toyako gave you an idea and inspiration to visit one of the most beautiful lakeside towns of Hokkaido in the future.

Read more:

Japan Diaries 4: Summary


Location: Toyako, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 11, 2024 at 8:23 AM

    Lake Toya is in my bucketlist.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Neil Alvin NicerioMarch 16, 2024 at 4:36 PM

      Please visit Toya when you get the opportunity. =)

      Delete

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