Many rivers near Sapporo on Hokkaido Island are popular for day trips in the summer. While the Barato, a relatively short river on the northern outskirts of Sapporo, offers canoeing, kayaking, and cycling paths along the banks, the best action happens in winter when the river freezes and becomes an ideal spot for a popular local pastime, ice fishing.
The Toyohira River stretches for 45 miles (72 kilometers) through the Japanese island prefecture of Hokkaido, from Mt. Oizari (Oizaridake) through Jozankei to Sapporo before combining with the Ishikari River and emptying into Ishikari bay. In Sapporo, the river’s banks are lined with pathways, which are popular with joggers and walkers.
