Last month we had Ms. Kyoka Sonoda from Urakawa High School come to our office for an internship to learn more about tourism administration.

During her time with us, we asked her to write an introduction of "what you would like to promote to inbound tourists." Below is what she wrote.

Sharing the Beauty of Samani Town

The scenery of Samani Town changes with each season, and one of the fun things about Samani is searching for those changes.

Samani Town is located in the Hidaka district of Hokkaido between the towns of Urakawa and Erimo. It is also known as the Mt. Apoi Geopark which was designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark. Samani has a prosperous fishing industry with an abundance of fresh seafood including salmon and sea whelk. Even though Samani is a small town with a population of around 4,000 people, the people here are kind and the town is packed with amazing sights.

※UNESCO Global Geoparks are designated areas that strive to conserve geological heritage of international value, understand the natural environment and regional culture brought about by the geological heritage, promote scientific research and education, revitalize the region in order to promote sustainable development and nature and humanity living together in harmony.

The one place that I love the most in Samani is the Parent and Child Rocks. I will introduce the fascinating sight of the Parent and Child Rocks throughout the seasons.

As the name states, the Parent and Child Rocks are a set of three differently sized rocks lined up in a row. There is an Ainu legend about how an Ainu chief who after being defeated in battle, went into the sea and became a large rock. The enemy chief shot an arrow at the rock and broke it into three pieces.


In spring, the cherry blossoms begin to bloom and the snow begins to melt. The stark contrast between the rocks and the cherry blossoms is very stunning. As you can see from the photo, it leaves a striking impression when viewed from uphill.

In summer, the Fureai Beach is a lively place and the people along the beach become part of the scenery. The Parent and Child Rocks float beautifully above the sparkling water. Summer is my favorite season here.

The best sunsets occur during autumn. Many people visit this area to photograph the scenery. I highly recommend this view from the viewing platform on Mt. Kannon.

During winter, the snow accumulates on the rocks and gives us the most striking view out of all the seasons. For anyone who loves photography, I hope you will visit during winter and take amazing photos of the scenery that can only be seen during this time of year.

As you can see, the seasonal faces of the Parent and Child Rocks is a major draw.

Located right next to the Fureai Beach and Mt. Kannon is an oyaki shop, a local favorite.

※Oyaki is a grilled dessert made with a flour-based batter and filled with sweet red bean paste.

As shown in the photo, the warm oyaki is stuffed to bursting with sweet red bean paste surrounded by tender cake, giving you a perfectly delicious bite evey time. The owners of the oyaki shop are very kind and make each oyaki with care. One oyaki costs only 110 JPY so I highly recommend you give it a try!

Eating oyaki while watching the sun set across the Parent and Child Rocks is the perfect end to any day.

Please come visit Samani Town and see for your self!