Niikappu: Pacific Views, Thoroughbreds and Vinyl Culture

Niikappu combines impressive views of the Pacific with a remarkable record collection and a strong thoroughbred culture. Nature watching, horses and music history each add their own distinctive touch. If you choose Niikappu as a holiday destination, these different interests can help you plan your trip and find a holiday rental or holiday home that suits you.

Cape, Views and Nature Watching

Hangandate Forest Park covers about 66 hectares and includes Cape Hangandate, which faces the Pacific. Visitors can walk along the paths and observe many species of wildflowers and birds. If you enjoy taking a closer look at the outdoors, you’ll find a different focus here from Niikappu’s cultural collections and exhibitions.

Yuushun Tower offers expansive views. The tower is 36 metres high, and its 360-degree observation deck is 25 metres above the ground. From there, the view extends across the Pacific, the Hidaka Mountains and pastures where thoroughbreds graze. The sea, mountains and horse pastures together make up this panorama. You can include this viewpoint as a distinct nature and landscape highlight in your travel plans.

Records and Music History

Niikappu Record Hall displays historically valuable gramophones and early records as rare cultural artefacts. The collection is a destination for anyone interested in recorded sound and the history of listening. The Hall opened in 1997 as the central facility for the “まちづくり through records and music” project. More than 300,000 records had been sent from all over Japan even before it opened.

The collection reached one million records in May 2017, and donations stopped being accepted in June 2017. These two dates mark different stages in its development: first, the collection’s milestone size, then the end of donations. The early records and gramophones on display make for a different kind of visit from one focused mainly on views or horses.

Thoroughbreds, Riding Experiences and Exhibitions

The Niikappu Horoshiri Riding Club offers riding experiences. Visitors can also feed carrots to the horses there. The Yushun Memorial Hall offers another perspective on horse culture, with exhibits including winner’s sashes from the Arima Kinen, racing silks, commemorative photos and messages from fans. If you’re interested in horses, you can consider both a riding experience and racing memorabilia as different themes to explore in Niikappu.

The Hangandate Procession is also part of local culture. The procession takes place during the Niikappu Furusato Festival, where costumes for Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Benkei and Shizuka Gozen are displayed. The procession and costumes offer another way to experience Niikappu, alongside music history and horse-related attractions.

Visiting Thoroughbred Farms

If you’re planning to visit thoroughbred farms in Niikappu, contact the Racehorse Hometown Information Center. Many farms are closed to visitors to prevent disease and accidents. Some accept visitors on a voluntary basis. Do not contact the farms directly. These restrictions are important to keep in mind if you want to combine your interest in thoroughbreds with a possible farm visit.

A Special Ice Cream Flavour

The Sarabred Road Niikappu roadside station offers Piman soft-serve ice cream, available exclusively there. It adds a local specialty to Niikappu’s nature, music and horse-related attractions. When deciding among the different Niikappu experiences, you can consider whether to focus mainly on the scenery and birdwatching, record history, horses or this special ice cream flavour.

These interests offer different ways to experience Niikappu: the park and observation tower showcase the landscape, Record Hall celebrates rare recordings, and the horse-related facilities offer riding experiences and racing history. If you’re looking for a holiday rental or holiday home in Niikappu, weighing up these themes can be a helpful starting point for planning your trip.

More Destinations

More destinations: Nayoro, Iwamizawa, Jozankei, Muroran, Kameda District, Chitose, Engaru, Shiraoi District.

For the main travel overview: Hokkaido.