Wakkanai Park (稚内公園) is a hilltop park with an amazing panoramic view. It is located at１丁目 Chūō, Wakkanai City in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan.
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| Wakkanai Park |
Wakkanai Park details
(WINTER)
Wakkanai Park, locally called Wakkanai Koen (稚内公園) is established in 1961. It has a total land area of 45.2 hectares. The park was also listed as one of Japan's Night View Heritage in 2018.
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| Wakkanai Park - Wakkanai City, Hokkaido Prefecture |
Aside from the amazing night view, Wakkanai Park is also a popular place for locals to head to when they want to jog, rest, and have some picnics. Aside from this, the park is also known for the different memorials found in its vicinity. The most popular of these is the Gate of Ice and Snow which is a memorial to those who died in Karafuto (South Sakhalin). Other memorials are the Nine Maidens of Maoka, the Cenotaph for Sakhalin Huskies, and the Memorial Monument of the visit by Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun.
Some of the memorials and monuments in Wakkanai Park
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| Nine Maidens of Maoka - 九人の乙女の碑 |
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| Gate of Ice and Snow - 氷雪の門 |
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| Monument of Education |
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| Cenotaph for Sakhalin Huskies - 樺太犬供養塔 |
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| Mother and Child Statue |
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| Wakkanai City Rest Observation Facility - 稚内市休憩展望施設 |
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| Memorial Monument of the visit by Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun |
I visited Wakkanai Park for the first time last March 21, 2022. It was my 140th day in Japan as an ALT under the JET Programme. Just to share, the park was actually closed during my visit, however, when my adventurous feet followed a path behind Hokumon Shrine, I was shocked to discover that I was already halfway up to the park, so I proceeded to see what the park looked like in winter.  |
| The road that leads to the Wakkanai Centennial Memorial Tower |
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| The road up to Wakkanai Park in winter |
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| The secret path going to Wakkanai Park from Hokumon Shrine |
The lack of tourists made Wakkanai Park solemn. For some time, I had the park all for myself until several locals showed up to enjoy the view. Overall, the 20-minute hike to Wakkanai Park was worth it as the weather was perfect. The view of Soya Straight and Wakkanai City was one for the books.
Wakkanai Park Entrance Fee:
It is FREE to enter and explore Wakkanai Park.
Wakkanai Park Operating Hours
Wakkanai Park is open 24/7.
Why visit Wakkanai Park?
If you are fond of hiking and if you enjoy panoramic views then Wakkanai Park is for you. You should visit early in the morning or in the afternoon to catch the Golden Hour. However, I highly suggest that you avoid winter unless you want to challenge yourself.
Getting to Wakkanai Park
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