Hotels in Kitami

Kitami: Peppermint Capital and Curling Heartland of Eastern Hokkaido

Kitami sits in the Okhotsk subprefecture of eastern Hokkaido, roughly 240 km east of Sapporo along the JR Sekihoku Main Line. The city of around 115,000 people built its modern identity on two unexpected pillars: peppermint and curling. At its peak in the 1930s, Kitami's farms produced nearly 70% of the world's peppermint oil, and the Kitami Mint Memorial Hall on Nishi 1-jo documents that era with original distillation equipment. The curling connection is equally concrete — the Kitami Curling Hall has trained multiple Japanese Olympic team members, and the city hosts national-level competitions most winters.

Where to Stay and Getting Around

Hotels cluster near Kitami Station on the JR Sekihoku Line, putting guests within walking distance of the central shopping arcade and izakayas along Odori. Visitors heading to Onneyu Onsen, a riverside hot-spring district 30 km north of the city, will find ryokan-style accommodation there. Day trips reach Lake Saroma — Japan's third-largest lake — in about 60 km by car, and Abashiri in roughly 40 km.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: JR Sekihoku Limited Express from Sapporo takes approximately 3.5 hours.
• Best season: February for the Kitami Furusato Fireworks and curling events; late June for peppermint fields in bloom.
• Winter driving: Roads ice heavily from December through March — studded tyres or rental chains are standard.
• Currency: Most smaller restaurants and ryokan outside the station area are cash-only.