Esan Prefectural Natural Park

The park spans 41.16 square kilometers across four distinct sections including coastal areas, forests, Mount E, and Mount Yokotsu with numerous hiking trails.

The park, officially designated in 1961, contains Mount Esan, a volcano that experienced its last recorded eruption in June 1874.

The annual Esan Azalea Festival celebrates the blooming of 600,000 azalea trees that cover the base of Mount Esan from late May to early June.

Visitors can access the park by taking bus number 6 from Hakodate train station to Esan Tozanguchi stop, followed by a 15-minute walk.

The combination of volcanic ash, limited sunlight, and fog from Tsugaru Straits creates conditions for alpine plants typically found at 2000-meter elevations.

Location: Hakodate

Location: Nanae

Location: Shikabe

Inception: June 1, 1961

Website: https://pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ks/skn/environ/parks/esan-prefecturali-nationalpark.html

GPS coordinates: 41.81500,141.17333

Latest update: March 7, 2025 23:05