Although located just 3 kilometers west of the heart of Sapporo, Maruyama Park is a place where nature lives and breathes. This spacious park, measuring about 70 hectares, stretches out at the foot of the Maruyama mountain, next to the Hokkaido Jingu shrine. With amenities including a zoo, a recreational canal, a public square, and sports facilities such as a baseball diamond and a multi-purpose field, the park is a place where locals come for rest and recreation. It is also much-loved as a destination for cherry blossom viewing.
Trees and Flowers
Around 330 plant varieties grow naturally in Maruyama. The best-known of Maruyama Park's many trees is an enormous katsura that is hundreds of years old. The forest here is a mixed broadleaf and coniferous forest that sustains a diverse range of trees including the Japanese hackberry (the leaves of which are eaten by the national butterfly of Japan, the great purple emperor) and the Japanese sugi pine, which is not native to Hokkaido. Visitors to the park can also see many different flower varieties, including oubayuri (Cardiocrinum cordatum var. glehnii, a smaller, hardier Japanese relative of the giant Himalayan lily), Japanese fairy bells, touch-me-not balsam, and ezoengozaku (Corydalis ambigua).
Wildlife
The old-growth forest of Maruyama has been designated as a wildlife sanctuary. Alongside other small animals such as squirrels, over 100 species of bird live here, making this a convenient destination for birdwatching. Many insect species have also been observed here. The Maruyama forest is treasured as a place that, while adjacent to an urban area, is still home to a thriving natural ecosystem.
Maruyama Zoo
Having opened in 1951 as the first zoo in Hokkaido, the Maruyama Zoo is well-known among local residents. Over 170 animal species can be seen here. The zoo's attractions include: the Africa Zone, a favorite among kids, featuring lions and giraffes; a global bear exhibit that includes polar bears; a Hokkaido brown bear exhibit, where visitors can see brown bears living as they do in their natural Hokkaido habitat; a chimpanzee pavilion, designed to provide a glimpse into the natural behavior of chimpanzees, with a 15-meter-high jungle gym; deer and wolf exhibits, where the animals are raised and can be seen in an environment as close to the wild as possible; and a petting zoo, where kids can meet animals including sheep and chickens. At the Maruyama Zoo, visitors can see animals in all their lively splendor at any time of year.
Public Sports Area
The grounds of Maruyama Park also include Maruyama Field—a sports field with an all-weather surface—and Maruyama Baseball Stadium. These facilities have long played an important role, and continue to serve as one of the most important spaces in the Hokkaido sports scene. Since its inauguration in 1934, Maruyama Field has played host to events such as the World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Men, as well as the ninth annual National Sports Festival of Japan. The facilities here are also used for competitions including school track meets and public athletic meets. The park's other sports facilities include tennis courts and the Sakashita Baseball Field. Local residents can freely make use of the sporting amenities here.
Park Map
Transportation
- Five-minute walk from Maruyama-Koen Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway Tozai Line
- By bus from Maruyama-Koen Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway Tozai Line:
Maru 14: Araiyama Line (JR Bus), Maruyama Line (Bankei Kanko Bus)
Jingumae/Miyanomori 1-jo 10-chome/Sogogurandomae/Araiyama
Maru 15: Dobutsuen Line (JR Bus)
Jingumae/Miyanomori 1-jo 10-chome/Sogogurandomae/Maruyama Nishimachi 2-chome - By bus from Nishi-Nijuhatchome Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway Tozai Line:
Junkan-nishi 20: Yamanote Line Jingumae Sakimawari (JR Bus)
Jingumae/Miyanomori 1-jo 10-chome
For a pleasant experience:
- This park is for everyone. Use its facilities with care.
- Please assist us in efforts to reduce trash by taking it home.
- You cannot gather samples of plant life from the park.
- Pets must be kept on their leashes.
- Clean up and take home their excretions.
- Follow instructions from signs within the park, and park employees.
- Please do not feed the wild animals.
- There is no parking lot.
- Please use public transit.
Contact
Maruyama Park Management Office
3 Miyagaoka, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 064-0959
TEL : 011-621-0453
FAX : 011-621-0515