TOUR PROGRAMS

Deep Local Lifestyle Trip in Hiroo Town

The coastal town of Hiroo in southern Tokachi is blessed with the bounties of the Hidaka mountains as well as the Pacific Ocean. Its main industries include fisheries, dairy farming, forestry, and hunting. This 3D2N tour takes you around Hiroo Town to get an immersive experience of the lives of local farmers, fishermen, forest workers, and hunters. You also get to enjoy the delicious local cuisine that includes fresh seafood and game meat.

On the first day, you will experience the forestry industry of Hiroo Town by going on a guided snowshoe trek into a forest that is a source of lumber. Learn about the work of a forest worker while taking in the sights and sounds of the forest in winter. You will also pick up some scrap lumber in the lumber yard to use as materials for a woodcraft activity. You can try making your very own wooden plate which you can take home as a souvenir.

For dinner, you can indulge in a luxurious dinner that includes plenty of fresh local seafood.

The second day takes you into the local kombu fishing industry. Hirokazu Hoshi, a local kombu kelp fisherman, will show you the kombu harvesting and drying grounds, while telling you all about the local kombu industry. You can also experience some tasks involved in kombu kelp production. For lunch, you can enjoy onigiri rice balls seasoned with kombu and other seafood.

In the afternoon, you can take a peek into the local dairy industry. You will visit Kikuchi Farm, a dairy farm that operates their own cafe. Here you can try making butter that is seasoned with local Hiroo kombu. For dinner, you can savor a full-course dinner made with local ingredients, prepared by a famous local chef.

Finish the second day with a stay at the Seaside House, a multipurpose facility situated by the coast.

Begin the final day of the tour with an activity that lets you get in touch with the hunting industry. Under the guidance of local hunter Maya Nakamura, you can try making your very own ring from deer antlers. You will also learn how to prepare fish and cut up and debone deer meat.

The grand finale of the tour is a special barbecue lunch by the seaside. After preparing the seafood and venison and starting the barbecue fire on your own, you can enjoy a sumptuous feast filled with the local specialties of Hiroo Town.

This immersive 3D2N tour lets you meet the locals and take a deep dive into the industries and food of Hiroo Town.

Note: All images are for illustration purposes only. Your actual experience may vary.

Schedule

Day 1
13:00 Meetup at JR Obihiro Station, transfer to Hiroo Town
14:30

Guided snowshoe trek to a lumber forest

15:30

Wood lantern making using scrap lumber

17:00 Check-in at local hotel
18:30 Local seafood dinner
  Overnight stay at local hotel
Day 2
9:00

Kombu harvesting ground and drying facility tour, work experience

11:00

Onigiri rice ball making with kombu and seafood, lunch 

13:00 Shopping for barbecue food at a local grocery
14:00 Rest at Seaside House
16:00

Kombu butter making at Kikuchi Farm

17:30

Hiroo special dinner course prepared by a famous chef

 

Overnight stay at Seaside House

Day 3
10:00

Deer antler craft making

11:00

Deer meat and seafood cutting, barbecue preparation

12:30

Hiroo special barbecue

14:00 Depart from Seaside House
15:30 Tour finish at JR Obihiro Station
Tour name Deep Local Lifestyle Trip in Hiroo Town
Area OBIHIRO / TOKACHI
Category NATURE SEA/RIVER/LAKE FARM/INDUSTRY FOOD CRAFTS
Season WINTER
Available period 2025 January 29 to 31 / 2025 February 2 to 4
Time 3D2N (From 13:00 on Day 1 to 15:30 on Day 3)
Participants Minimum 4 persons, maximum 12 persons
Fee ¥297,000 per person (tax included)
Optional
Services
Arrangement of transportation to and from the meetup point (separate fee required, please inquire for details)
Included
Services
Transportation during the tour, accommodation (2 nights), activity fees, facility use fees, cost of ingredients and materials, meals, English guide fee, tour insurance, consumption tax
Not included Transportation to and from the meetup point, personal expenses
Things to bring Warm clothing for winter
Meetup Location

JR Obihiro Station
Address: Nishi 2-jo Minami 12-chome, Obihiro-shi, Hokkaido
Mapcode: 124 594 771*23
Notes ・Please reserve at least 21 days in advance.
・If you have any allergies or food restrictions, please write it down in the reservation form.
・The tour may be changed or cancelled due to weather or other circumstances beyond our control.
・If you wish to cancel a confirmed booking, the following cancellation fees will apply:
 - 20 days before the tour date: 20% of the tour fare
 - 7 days before the tour date: 30% of the tour fare
 - 1 day before the tour date: 40% of the tour fare
 - On the tour date prior to the start time: 50% of the tour fare
 - After the start of the tour/No show: 100% of the tour fare
 * Above cancellation fees also apply to changes in tour date, number of persons, etc.
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