Hokkaido
道の駅 うりまく
Meet the horses and pause for soft serve at this roadside station in Urimaku, Tokachi.
Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph
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Eat, shop, play, take in the view or rest. Choose from the station’s strengths to suit your day.
Even if you do not ride, the neighboring riding park gives this station its character. See the horses and visit the shop first.
These sweets and light snacks suit a break in the car better than a long meal.
Riding has age, height, and weight conditions. Tandem riding with an adult or the simulator may suit small children.
Choose between a return toward the town’s museums and Michi-no-Eki Shikaoi or continuing toward Lake Shikaribetsu.
Riding depends on weather and the horses’ health. Follow any on-site signs about disinfection and other precautions.
Urimaku feels less like a place to stock up in a large market and more like a gateway to outdoor time in Tokachi. See the horses, take a short ride if available, then pick up soft serve or nikujaga-man on the way out. Shikaoi’s dairy farming, fields, and horses all fit into a brief stop.
Michi-no-Eki Urimaku is a small roadside station on National Route 274 beside Shikaoi Town Riding Park. Its shop offers Shikaoi specialties, riding goods, soft serve, and nikujaga-man—a steamed bun filled with meat and potatoes. Depending on the season and day of the week, you can add an actual horseback ride. With no large dining facility, it works well for a short stop, a child’s first ride, or a sweet break before or after Lake Shikaribetsu or central Shikaoi.
The neighboring Shikaoi Town Riding Park is as much a draw as the shop. Options range from a 3–4 minute introductory ride to horse brushing, lessons, and short treks, so first-time families can choose just a brief ride. Riding operations vary by weekday, season, weather, and the horses’ condition; check the official information before a horse-focused visit.
This is a place to step out of the car for soft serve, nikujaga-man (a steamed meat-and-potato bun), soba or udon noodles, and local specialties, rather than linger over a meal in a large restaurant. A dairy-town sweet and a potato-based snack make a handy small bite before heading toward Lake Shikaribetsu.
Next door are a park golf course and a multipurpose field. In good weather, you can spend time outdoors with the Daisetsuzan and Hidaka mountains as a backdrop. For a brief travel break, visit the shop and see the horses; with more time, add riding or park golf. Park golf is a Japanese game played on a course with a single club and ball.
Spend your time at the station or add somewhere nearby. These ideas help you plan around your companions and the weather.
Use the toilet, then choose soft serve or nikujaga-man at the shop. Even a brief look at the horses adds a distinctly Shikaoi memory to an ordinary rest stop.
Parking → toilets → shop → see the horses → depart
The station closes earlier during some winter periods. If arriving in the evening, plan mainly for a rest rather than relying on the shop.
If it is an operating day, first check whether introductory rides are accepting riders. Options include a 3–4 minute solo ride, a tandem ride with a parent or guardian, and an indoor simulator, making it easier to choose according to the child’s age and height.
Parking → check reception → introductory ride or simulator → sweet snack at the shop
Riding has a lunch break, a reception cutoff before closing, and age, height, and weight conditions. Allow for changes due to weather or the horses’ condition.
Equipment rental makes it easier to include park golf during a trip. The spacious course has views toward the Daisetsuzan and Hidaka mountains, making it suitable for exercise after eating or outdoor time before Lake Shikaribetsu.
Shop → park golf reception → choose 18–36 holes → soft serve
The season mainly runs from spring through autumn, with Wednesdays normally closed. Check official notices for group use and weather conditions.
See the horses and have a sweet at Urimaku in the morning, then visit Michi-no-Eki Shikaoi and a museum around midday before continuing to Lake Shikaribetsu in the afternoon. The station also makes a convenient break on the return from the lake.
Urimaku → Michi-no-Eki Shikaoi → Fukuhara Memorial Museum or the area around Kanda Nissho Memorial Museum → Lake Shikaribetsu
The road toward Lake Shikaribetsu is affected by mountain weather. In winter, check lake events and road conditions, and leave enough time to return safely.
Stars show the editorial recommendation for each age group on a five-point scale. Read the reasons alongside each rating.
Best for a short rest and look around; use the toilets and shop briefly rather than planning a ride.
A baby changing table is available, but outdoor activities depend on the weather. A brief distant look at the horses is more practical than a long stay.
A tandem ride with a parent or guardian or the simulator may be an option.
For children aged 3 or under, or shorter than 100 cm, tandem rides or the simulator are indicated. If a child is frightened, simply watching and having soft serve is enough.
A good age range for a first introductory ride.
At age 4 or above and at least 100 cm tall, a solo ride or horse brushing may be possible. Avoid the lunch break and reception cutoff to keep plans on track.
Riding, horse brushing, and park golf can extend the visit.
From third grade and at least 130 cm tall, more riding options become available. You can also connect the experience of caring for horses with the town’s dairy culture, much like a school research project.
Permanent spaces and dated events are listed separately. Events can change both the atmosphere and crowds; use the official links for details.
Checking event dates.
In 2026, the competition was held June 27–28 at the riding park and a special course. For an ordinary visit, it is more useful to check the town’s annual event information for future similar events, traffic restrictions, and crowding than to plan around a past competition.
For the 2026 season, the riding park’s park golf course announced an April 25 opening. Its season is mainly spring through autumn; in winter, focus on riding or indoor experiences.
The official Shikaoi Town Riding Park page has posted infection-prevention measures following equine influenza cases in the Tokachi area. Follow on-site handwashing and disinfection notices before and after riding or interacting with horses.
Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.
Official station and tourism information present the roadside station and Shikaoi Town Riding Park as one place to visit. Visitor comments also often value seeing horses up close and riding more than the small shop alone.
Reviews include many visits of under an hour, with the horses, soft serve, and light food making even a small station memorable. It works best as a short detour with one experience added, rather than a large facility visit.
The official site features soft serve made with fresh milk as a popular item. Specialist blog accounts also mention its milky flavor and satisfying portion, making it an appealing sweet stop without a restaurant meal.
Short solo and tandem introductory rides generally do not require reservations, while horse brushing, lessons, and trekking are listed as advance-booking activities. For families, choosing a short ride on the day or planning an activity ahead changes the time needed.
Weekday riding is listed in July and August, and park golf is convenient from spring to autumn. In winter, the roadside station closes earlier; keep outdoor time shorter according to cold and road conditions.
The official page lists handwashing and disinfection, as well as a lime disinfection zone at the parking entrance, as equine influenza measures. Enjoy meeting the horses while following the hygiene instructions on site.
Michi-no-Eki Shikaoi and the areas around Fukuhara Memorial Museum and Kanda Nissho Memorial Museum connect shopping and culture; Lake Shikaribetsu connects nature activities and hot springs. Urimaku works as a midway break linking local food, horses, art, and the lake.
Opening and closure days, individual businesses and facilities for children or dogs can affect your plans.
Specialities, places to eat, sweets and bakeries can all give you a reason to stop. Check individual menus for current prices and availability.
A meal, a sweet treat, market shopping or something to take away: choose a focus for the day instead of trying everything at once.
A popular item made with fresh milk. Even without a sit-down meal, it gives you a Shikaoi-specific reason to stop.
Suited to a quick bite between drives. Check shop hours and which items are being served.
The shop carries more than food, including goods reflecting the area’s connection with horses. Pick up a small travel memento.
On a day with riding or park golf, avoid a heavy meal beforehand and enjoy a sweet afterward so it is easier to stay active.
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Meet the horses and pause for soft serve at this roadside station in Urimaku, Tokachi.
Good for adding horse watching, an introductory ride, or park golf to a roadside-station break.
Good for shopping or museums in central Shikaoi after a short Urimaku stop.
Good for a sweet and a rest at Urimaku before continuing to lake activities or hot springs.
Good for changing from outdoor activities to art when the weather turns or on an adults’ Shikaoi drive.
Send your travel companions a possible stop.
