Each winter, a free outdoor ice rink appears right in front of Obihiro Station. Tokachi Ice Park Plus is a community-run winter attraction where anyone — locals and visitors alike — can skate, try curling, and even play on a rink made from hot-spring water. It is one of the most accessible and family-friendly ways to enjoy a Tokachi winter.
What Is Tokachi Ice Park Plus?
Tokachi Ice Park Plus is a winter-only outdoor rink set up in the plaza beside Obihiro Station. It began in 2018 as a volunteer project to give the “skating kingdom” of Tokachi a symbolic rink in the heart of the city. After a pause during the pandemic, it was revived in 2023 with a new curling area added, and it now returns every winter. Admission is free, with only some rentals charged.
A Skating Rink in the Heart of the City
The main attraction is a roughly 650-square-metre skating rink made of natural ice, frozen by Tokachi’s deep winter cold. In true local style there is no perimeter fence, but chairs are provided so beginners can hold on as they find their balance. You can bring your own skates or rent a pair on the spot, and helmets, hats, gloves, and pads are lent out free of charge for safety.
- Admission: free
- Skate rental: free for high-school age and younger; around 1,000 yen for adults
- Rental skates: figure (recommended for beginners), ice hockey, and speed skates in a range of sizes
- Safety gear (helmets, gloves, hats, pads): free to borrow
Try Curling
A dedicated curling rink lets both first-timers and experienced players give the sport a go. The sheet is about 23 metres — roughly half the length of a regulation rink — and both full-weight competition stones and smaller stones for children are available. Brushes and other equipment can be borrowed, and staff are happy to teach the basics. If you are lucky, one of the volunteer curlers may show you the ropes.
The “Moor Rink” and Foot Bath
One of the most unusual highlights is the “moor rink,” thought to be a world first. Created by a local hotel, it is an ice surface frozen from Tokachi’s rare moor (peat) hot-spring water — the same prized water found at Tokachigawa Onsen. Because moor hot-spring water takes far longer to freeze than ordinary water, the rink takes great time and care to make. Visitors can walk across it in their shoes, ride a tub for a round of “human curling,” or simply let small children play, even if they cannot skate. A warming foot bath is also set up on select days.
Lights, Projection Mapping, and the Ice Shrine
After dark the venue takes on a magical glow. Illuminations light up the plaza every evening, and on event days projection mapping is cast onto the ice. There is even a playful “Ice Park Shrine,” where you can wish that your goals never “slip,” along with a curling-shot fortune game. It is a photogenic spot whether or not you lace up a pair of skates.
Admission, Season, and Hours
Tokachi Ice Park Plus runs for a few weeks in midwinter, typically from late December to early February, opening on Fridays, weekends, holidays, and over the New Year period. Hours are usually 11:00–20:00 (Fridays 17:00–20:00). Exact dates and times change each year, so check the official website before you visit.
Getting There
The rink is held at Yume no Kita Hiroba, the plaza on the north side of Obihiro Station (Nishi 2-jo Minami 11-chome, Obihiro). It is just a one-minute walk from the station’s north exit. There is no dedicated parking, so use one of the nearby paid car parks if you drive.
Made by the Community
Tokachi Ice Park Plus is built and maintained entirely by local volunteers — rink specialists, office workers, farmers, students, and more — with the support of sponsoring companies and public bodies. They shape the ice by hand, clear snow after every storm, and keep the surface in good condition throughout the season. It is a heartfelt, grassroots celebration of winter in Tokachi.
For the latest dates, hours, and event schedule, see the official site: tokachi-icepark.com.