■ A town of Hokkaido's well known hot springs
The hot springs at the foot of the mountain in Japan's largest national park, Daisetsuzan National Park. It is a full-scale mountain resort with 17 hotels and inns in a nature rich gorge.
→ Sounkyo hot spring information

■ Daisetsuzan Mountain Range Kurodake Ropeway
1,984 meters above sea level, it offers a view of Kurodake's treasure house of outstanding Japanese alpine plants. You can take the 101- passenger ropeway by Kurodake Ropeway from the Sounkyo hot-spring resort to the Kurodake fifth stage in seven minutes one way. In winter this area becomes a popular skiing spot.

■ Distinct Colummer Joints, Obako
Both rock faces of the large gorge extend for approximately 24km along the Ishikari River flowing from Daisetsuzan and have slim stick precipices with hexagons, and four cornered points. Obako is a place where you can see nature on a global scale, up close.

■ Ginga no Taki (Milky Way Falls) and Ryusei no Taki (Shooting Stars Falls)
There are waterfalls in Sounkyo from Japan's Top 100 Waterfalls. The point of beauty for the waterfalls in Sounkyo are the colummer joints found on each side of them. The Milky Way Falls (the female waterfall) runs like layers of fine white thread and the Shooting Stars Falls (the male waterfall) runs as one thick thread. The 2 waterfalls are also called the husband and wife waterfalls.

■ Picturesque Autumn Leaves, Earliest in Japan, Ginsendai
The Daisetsuzan mountain range, where the changing of the leaves comes first in Japan. In Ginsendai you can see the colorfully stained mountain sides that create a view that seems like a landscape painting of beautiful nature. It is breath-takingly beautiful.

■ The Colorful Icefall Festival
The ice is molded over a period of 3 months, allowing it to freeze in layers below freezing temperature.
7 colors light up to create a fantastic world.This is one of the leading Hokkaido winter festivals with fireworks launched on the weekend.

■ Daisetsu Mori-no Garden
This is a flower garden of the forest where approximately 500 flower species are displayed under 5 themes. The areas of interest in the garden (mori no engeikan) are built considering the natural landscape and follow 7 themes.
With the slow growth of the forest, you too, can take your time to envelop yourself in the surrounding nature. It was the main venue of the 2015 Daisetsu Hokkaido Garden Show.

■ Kogen Hot Spring Marsh Visit
An approximately 4 hour walking course. In summer there are alpine plants, and in autumn the changing leaves are beautiful.
Begin the course from the entrance at the Higuma Information Center after taking a lecture.