Watermelon Picking
This Tobetsu experience is perhaps the most unique activity in Hokkaido. Along the lines of berry picking, a local friendly melon farmer lets visitors see the melon fields for themselves, pick out, take and weigh their own melon. They can then buy said melon and take it home. The melons/watermelons are best and sweetest between July and September. You can pick both Watermelons and Honeydew melons.
This is a great way to get involved with real agricultural life in rural Japan and meet some of the farmers who make the town the place it is. If you want a unique hands-on experience in Hokkaido, Watermelon Picking in Tobetsu is the way to go.
If interested, please email: shutarotsujino@gmail.com
Friendly Farm
From picking seasonal vegetables to tofu making, this local farm offers visitors the chance to experience Hokkaido farm life for themselves. Surrounded by Tobetsu's natural beauty, it is a short drive away from town and makes for a great way to experience for yourself the agricultural world that makes Tobetsu the town it is.
Address: 〒061-3772 北海道石狩郡当別町獅子内１２８１
Horse Trekking
Ishikari Horse Trek is a nearby stables which offers the chance to ride on horseback, catering from all levels, from beginner to advanced. After being given the necessary equipment, riders are led on treks on horseback around the area by the Ishikari river. The scenery is stunning. The price varies depending on the length of trek you would like to do, with the cheapest being a 30 minute trek at 7,200 yen per head.
Address: 〒002-8054北海道札幌市北区篠路町拓北5266 （石狩郡当別町ビトエ5266）
Golf
Tobetsu is regarded as having some of the best golf in all of Hokkaido. The courses are right in the heart of the prefectures most majestic nature. Sweden Hills Golf Club is probably the most popular with its sprawling, well-maintained grounds, as well as the offer of accomodation in the iconic Sweden Hills Area, with its unique Swedish architectural style. (https://www.swedenhills-gc.com/)
Happy Valley Golf Club is another local favourite with courses dotted with tranquil lakes and surrounded by forest. It also has a great hotel and restaurant on site. (https://www.happyvalley-gcs.jp/)
Ishikari Heigen Country Club is our third recommendation for Golf in Tobetsu, though there are lots of other great options we haven't mentioned. Ishikari Heigen's appeal is its stunning scenery and verdent nature. It also has a cafe, restaurant and a bathing area with hot baths for post-golf relaxation. (https://www.ishikari-heigen-golf.net/)
Skiing
Whilst summer and autumn are great for a range of activities - golf, horse riding, enjoying local festivals - when winter comes around, Tobetsu is transformed into a skiing hotspot. The nearby Ishikari Heigen Ski resort is very popular locally, accessible by a brief drive or by the regular free bus services that shuttle back and forth from the town centre to the slopes during ski season. (https://www.snowjapan.com/japan-ski-resorts/hokkaido/tobetsu/ishikari-heigen)
Additionally, Tobetsu is a only short drive away from most Ski/Snowboarding slopes in Hokkaido so can be a great base for those looking to try out a few different locations.
Tobetsu Maru-Yama offers a beginner-friendly ski touring experience in central Hokkaido. It is around half an hour from Tobetsu by car, but offers stunning scenery. Ski touring is a great way to experience Hokkaido's gorgeous winter scenery firsthand in nature. (https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/tobetsu-maru-yama)
Royce' Cacao and Chocolate Town
Royce is one of the biggest chocolate manufacturers in Japan, with several outlets in the USA also. Its most famous product is its Nama Chocolate line, meaning something like "Pure Chocolate." .
Established in Sapporo, it is now based out of Royce' Cacao and Chocolate Town, a chocolate factory near Tobetsu open to the public to learn about their chocolate making process and sample some of their products. Royce Town is at once a museum, an experience and an insight into how chocolate is made, from the bean to the bar.
Royce' Town is a great fun day out in Hokkaido, and it is only 15 minutes from Tobetsu by train or car.