Toyotomi Sights: Wetlands, Milk and Japan’s Northernmost Hot Spring Town

What Kind of Town Is Toyotomi?

Toyotomi is a town on the Sea of Japan side of Soya Subprefecture in Hokkaido. It was born in 1940 when it split off from Horonobe Village. Along the western coast spreads the Sarobetsu Plain of Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park, and in the eastern hills pastureland and forest continue. More than half of the town’s area is forest.

Dairy farming thrives here, and the number of dairy cows is said to be about four times the population, making it a town of many cows. This article introduces the sights of the town in order of latitude, from north to south. We start with a pond and an ancient tree, then head south through a wetland and an observation deck to Japan’s northernmost hot spring town.

1. Kototoi no Matsu (言問の松)

Kototoi no Matsu is an old yew tree standing near Kabuto Numa Park, said to be more than 1,200 years old. Although its name contains the word for “pine,” the tree is in fact a yew. In Hokkaido the yew is also called “onko,” and it is known for tolerating cold and growing slowly.

Twelve hundred years takes us back to the Heian period. This tree has gone on watching through the era of the Ainu people’s way of life, the Meiji era when settlers arrived, and the changes that coal mining and dairy farming brought to the town.

The roots of old trees are easily damaged when the ground around them is trampled. When visiting, please do not disturb the area around the tree, and view it quietly. Do not touch the trunk or break the branches.

2. Lake Kabuto (兜沼)

Lake Kabuto is a pond in the north of Toyotomi, known as a gathering place for waterbirds. Next to it stands Kabuto Numa Park, which also has an auto campground. Wetlands and grasslands spread around the pond, changing their look with the seasons.

This area is the northern part of the region that connects to the Sarobetsu Plain. Winters are harsh and the snow is deep, but from spring through autumn migratory birds visit the pond. The town also has the lake group of Lake Penke and Lake Naganuma, and waterside scenery is part of the town’s character.

When observing wild birds and the surrounding nature, please watch quietly from a distance and do not approach nests or chicks. The ground by the water can be muddy, so please wear shoes that are easy to walk in.

3. Miyanodai Observation Deck (宮の台展望台)

The Miyanodai Observation Deck is in the north of Toyotomi and overlooks a large grassland pasture. The sight of cattle let out onto pastureland as far as the eye can see is a view unique to Toyotomi, a dairy town. The pasture is also known as a location used for filming the NHK drama “Saka no Ue no Kumo.”

The town’s dairy farming is described as having about four times as many dairy cows as people, with the amount of milk shipped reaching 72,000 tons a year. The milk is distributed widely within Hokkaido under the “Toyotomi Milk” brand. The view from this deck lets you feel the breadth of the land behind it.

The pasture is also an important workplace where cattle are raised. When visiting, please do not enter the farm’s grounds without permission, and take care not to startle the cattle.

4. Sarobetsu Wetland Center (サロベツ湿原センター)

The Sarobetsu Wetland Center is a facility for learning about the Sarobetsu Plain, which lies within the national park. Built on a former peat-cutting site, it lets visitors learn about the nature of the plain and the history of peat extraction. It is a tourist facility with a boardwalk trail and a rest house, and is said to be the most famous scenic spot on the plain.

The Sarobetsu Plain is a peat wetland stretching along the coast of Toyotomi and Horonobe, and is said to be among the largest raised bogs in Japan. It measures about 8 kilometers east to west and about 27 kilometers north to south, covers 216 square kilometers, and was registered under the Ramsar Convention in November 2005. It was designated as part of a national park in 1974.

On the plain, more than 100 kinds of flowers are said to bloom through the seasons, starting with skunk cabbage in May, then Sakhalin fritillary and cotton grass in June, daylily in July, and Ezo gentian in September. In April 2011 the center moved closer to the Toyotomi town area, for nature conservation and facility renewal. Wetlands take a long time to recover once trampled, so please do not leave the boardwalk and do not pick the plants.

5. Toyotomi Onsen (豊富温泉)

Toyotomi Onsen is known as Japan’s northernmost hot spring town, and lies in the mountains to the southeast of the town. It began in 1926 (Taisho 15), when, during test drilling for oil here, a hot spring gushed out along with natural gas. It is a hot spring with a surprising origin: the drilling for oil struck a spring instead.

The water that wells up is fossil seawater, ancient sea water trapped underground, and the source temperature is relatively low at about 34 degrees. It is a distinctive water that is slightly yellow and cloudy and smells of petroleum, and it is also called “oil bath.” Because the water is strong, it can stain clothing, and some inns deliberately dilute it. It has long been said to help with burns, and since it became known as good for psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, people come from all over Japan for hot spring cures. However, its effects are not promised to everyone, and much is said to remain medically unexplained. If you have health conditions or ongoing illnesses, please consult a doctor or the facility beforehand.

Even now, the water is heated with the natural gas that wells up. In the early Showa period this gas was also used to generate electricity, and in 1957 Japan’s first commercial gas turbine power plant opened. It was Japan’s northernmost hot spring area until a spring was struck in Wakkanai in 1978, and it is still said to draw around 250,000 visitors a year as the “northernmost hot spring town.” In 2015 it was also selected as one of the “100 Famous Hot Springs.”

Local Specialties, Food and Drink

Toyotomi’s specialty is, above all, milk. Besides being distributed within Hokkaido as “Toyotomi Milk,” high-value foods have emerged, such as non-homogenized, low-temperature pasteurized milk, and natural cheese, gelato, sausages and ham made with milk.

Among seafood, the hokki clams landed at Wakkasakanai Fishing Port are famous, and there is also chowder made with them. There is also the pleasure of eating at farm restaurants and cafes alongside dairy scenery. Availability and season change easily, so please check the latest information before you go.

Rare Creatures and Nature

Along the western coast, the Sarobetsu Plain wetland spreads across the basin of the Sarobetsu River. It is said to be the third-largest wetland in Japan and is also designated a national wildlife protection area as a stopover for waterbirds. Near the coast lies the Wakkasakanai coastal dune forest, designated a Hokkaido Natural Monument. The inland hills are pasture and forest.

Among the lakes and ponds are the group of Lake Kabuto, Lake Penke and Lake Naganuma, where waterbirds rest. The mountains include Mt. Etanpak, Mt. Horoshiri, Mt. Inahoshi and Mt. Maruyama. More than half of the town’s area is forest.

In winter there is so much snow that the town is designated a special heavy-snowfall area, and the cold is severe. Please be careful about winter road conditions. In the wetland and dune forest, stay on the path and take care not to damage the plants.

Other Notable Things About This Town

The town’s name comes from the Ainu name of the Ebekorobetsu River that flows through the area, “Ipekorope (the river that has food).” In 1908, when the settlement was divided, it was freely translated as “abundant food” and named “Toyotomi” (abundance). It split from Horonobe Village in 1940 to become Toyotomi Village, and became a town in 1959.

There is also a coal mining history. In 1936 the Tesio mining office of Nisso Coal Mine opened, and in 1947 Mitsubishi Mining began digging in the Tohoro district. When the Nisso Coal Mine closed in 1972, the population fell and the town turned toward tourism. In 1991 it became the first in Japan to declare itself a “Bicycle Health City.”

Seasonal events are also part of the town’s enjoyment, such as the Sarobetsu Flower Festival in early July, the Sarobetsu 100-Mile Road Race in early August, and the Hokkaido-wide Pony Banba Tournament in September.

The Night Side: Ghost Stories and Haunted Places of This Town

So far we have followed the daytime face of Toyotomi from north to south: an ancient tree more than a thousand years old, an internationally important wetland, wide pastures, and a hot spring that oil brought forth. Every one of these places carries layers of time lived by people who built their lives amid the harsh northern nature.

As for the night side, we have not been able to identify any story that stands as a ghost tale or haunted spot. In our view, the quiet mountain valleys where the coal mines closed, and the darkness of the wetland at night, have something of the air of a doorway into a story. Even so, wetlands and pastures are dangerous to walk at night, and are places where you easily meet wild animals. Please avoid going out to search after dark.

On Karasu Channel, we set out true ghost stories and haunted places not to visit them but to record them. Having learned the daytime scenery, please read the stories of the night as well.

Before You Go

Opening hours, fees, closing days and access change easily, so they are not listed in this article. Before you go, please check the latest information on the official website of each facility or local government. Some places may be restricted from entry because of weather or disasters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What kind of hot spring is Toyotomi Onsen?

A. It is Japan’s northernmost hot spring town, where water welled up along with natural gas during test drilling for oil in 1926. The water has the rare property of containing petroleum. Effects vary from person to person, so please check beforehand.

Q. What should I be careful about on the Sarobetsu Plain?

A. Wetlands take a long time to recover once trampled. Please do not leave the boardwalk and do not pick the plants.

Q. What is Toyotomi known for?

A. “Toyotomi Milk,” dairy products and processed foods such as cheese, gelato and sausages, and the hokki clams of Wakkasakanai Fishing Port are well known.

Official sites and references consulted
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/豊富町
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/豊富温泉
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/サロベツ原野