Central Circuit
The Central Circuit (道央 Dōō) covers the western and central parts of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.
Cities and towns
Map of Central Circuit
Cities
- 1 Sapporo (札幌市 Sapporo-shi) – Hokkaido's capital and by far its biggest and liveliest town
- 2 Chitose (千歳市 Chitose-shi) – the gateways to Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Lake Shikotsu and Mount Tarumae
- 3 Iwamizawa (岩見沢市 Iwamizawa-shi)
- 4 Muroran (室蘭市 Muroran-shi)
- 5 Noboribetsu (登別市 Noboribetsu-shi) – Hokkaido's best-known hot spring resort
- 6 Otaru (小樽市 Otaru-shi) – port with international flavor
- 7 Takikawa (滝川市 Takikawa-shi)
- 8 Tomakomai (苫小牧市 Tomakomai-shi) – transportation and shipping hub on the south coast
- 9 Yūbari (夕張市 Yūbari-shi)
Towns
- 1 Hidaka (日高町 Hidaka-chō) and 2 Biratori (平取町 Biratori-chō) – also home to the small village of Nibutani where 80% of residents are Ainu
- 3 Kutchan (倶知安町 Kutchan-chō)
- 4 Niikappu (新冠町 Niikappu-chō) – known for horse breeding, cliff artwork, and Deikazan (mud volcano)
Mount Poroshiri
Other destinations
- 1 Shikotsu-Toya National Park (支笏洞爺国立公園 Shikotsu Tōya Kokuritsu Kōen) – two beautiful caldera lakes with rumbling volcanoes and mossy canyons
Understand
Get in
Sapporo is the biggest transportation hub in Hokkaido.
By plane
New Chitose Airport (CTS IATA) and Okadama Airport (OKD IATA).
By train
- JR Hokkaido Hakodate main line
- JR Muroran main line
- JR Hokkaido Hidaka main line
By car
By boat
- Tomakomai port
- Tomakomai East port
Get around
See
Do
Buy
- Hidaka Kombu (日高昆布). Kelp (Kombu), which is harvested in this region, is famous as the "Hidaka Kombu". In summer, harvested kelps can be seen being sun-dried on beaches.