Japan: The Tunnel Walk Nobody Took. Hokkaido’s Empty Tunnel Trail to Hohayikyo Dam.

Japan: The Tunnel Walk Nobody Took. Hokkaido’s Empty Tunnel Trail to Hohayikyo Dam.

For tunnel lovers! It’s supposed to be a nature walk but… Lots of concrete and… lots of concrete. Here it comes. That’s the tunnel. Look!
They took our photo! There we are. Here you are. And here I am. It’s going to be a two-kilometer tunnel walk. The dot on the map that we are exploring 
today is Hoheikyo Dam, an arch dam located in Toya National Park, close to 
Sapporo in Hokkaido. It’s a massive 102 meters high and is surrounded 
by rugged forests and mountains. You can only reach the dam by walking 
or by taking the electric bus. We decided to make our way through the 
two-kilometer-long tunnel leading to the dam on foot. This is what I call a nature 
walk. Yeah, that’s so nature-naturery. They are electric. We met a man who began telling us about Shinto. 
He said that in Shinto, everything is nature. Not just the trees and the flowers and the 
birds and the bees, but concrete, garbage, garbage, lamps, everything—coins—everything that 
you can imagine, that you can touch. It’s part of nature. It was kind of true—and sacred. If 
we look at it this way, then this really is like—the bus is coming—a nature trail. 
Okay, we got to get off the road. It’s not the bus. It’s just  a little 
car. It’s supposed to be a nature walk but it’s just a walk. Now we know why everybody chose the bus. Walking.Still walking. Still walking. 
It’s kind of chilly in here. A little bit. I think there’s going to be another tunnel. Hopefully not. This is so exciting. We’re nearing the end. 
Another one. And there’s another one. Wow. Ooh, nice. Look at this. Oh, it’s so pretty. Watch out. There’s a bus. The bus 
is driving very slowly so that the people inside it can have a look at the 
waterfall. Super nice of the driver. Okay, tunnel number two. 
Can you hear the echo? What? This is it. Out of the darkness and 
into the light. Here we are. We made it. It is windy today. It’s not the most beautiful  hike in the world, 
but we get to walk through tunnels. So if you like tunnels. If you like tunnels—that’s the 
place. Strong four on a scale of 1 to 100. This is the reward that you get at the 
end. And let’s have a little peek here. Oh, look at that. What a funny tree. 
Goes to show that life finds its way anywhere. It’s a birch tree, very, 
very top of that hill. Amazing. This looks interesting, but 
it’s all in Japanese. Oh, that’s a pity. I wish that they 
had this in English as well. We saw some sika deer. And they are still here. Are they still there? Yep. 
Right there. They’re really far away. This is a volcano. Hopefully, 
this does not happen today, ’cause we have a long tunnel to go back through. Going back. Well, this 
attraction was just… just…. Just was. That’s the energy in the beginning. 
Huh? The beginning of the end. It actually doesn’t even feel like two kilometers. I would suggest just not paying for the bus and 
walking, even though we were the only people who actually walked. Not that there were many people 
in general, but it’s maybe even more exciting than the actual end over there. If you like tunnels, 
that’s a must. You have to do it. For tunnel lovers, this is it. This is the place. Otherwise, 
you can skip it. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Hello little one.

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In today’s travel vlog we’re bringing a dot on the map of northern Japan – Hōhaikyō Dam – to life! Get ready for one of the most unusual nature walks in Japan — a 2-kilometer tunnel hike to the breathtaking Hōhaikyō Dam, deep in the heart of Toya National Park near Sapporo, Hokkaido 🇯🇵.

We set out on foot — skipping the electric bus like rebels — and walked through tunnels surrounded by concrete, mountains, and yes… even nature (kind of). We discovered an eye-opening Shinto belief and we were reminded that sometimes the journey really is more interesting than the destination.

If you’re planning a Hokkaido itinerary, looking for unique things to do in Japan, or love offbeat hikes and hidden gems, this tunnel walk might just be your next favorite stop.

📍 Location: Hōhaikyō Dam (豊平峡ダム)
🚶 2 km tunnel walk from the entrance to the dam
🚌 Optional electric bus (we walked, obviously)

✨ Featuring:
A bizarrely “natural” concrete nature trail
Views of Japanese mountains, waterfalls, and forest landscapes
A hidden dam in Hokkaido
Possibly the most concrete you’ve seen on a hike

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