Day Trips from SapporoOrofure Pass: Mt. Yotei from the Road Between Noboribetsu and Lake Toya
By Chaporo, a Sapporo local Published Visited 
Quick answers
- A Mt. Yotei view about 30 minutes up from Noboribetsu-higashi IC, past Karurusu Onsen
- The road monument stop is open all year; the observatory road only from early June to late October
- From mid-November to mid-April the road over the pass closes at night (17:00–9:00)
The Orofure Pass is on Route 2, the mountain road from Noboribetsu Onsen to Lake Toya. About 30 minutes up from Noboribetsu-higashi IC, past the small spa village of Karurusu Onsen, a parking space by the pass's road monument looks out over the mountains to Mt. Yotei. You can stop there all year (in winter only in daytime), so it is an easy Mt. Yotei view to add to a Noboribetsu day trip.
What can you see from the Orofure Pass?
The easy place to stop is the Orofure Pass road monument, a stone marking the history of the road. Coming up from Karurusu Onsen, it is on your right just after the Orofure Tunnel; coming from Lake Toya, it is on your left just before the tunnel. There is a parking space by the monument. When I stopped in winter, on March 8, 2024, I saw Mt. Yotei standing white above layer after layer of snowy mountains.
What does it look like in autumn?
When I stopped on October 10, 2026, the mountains around the monument had turned red and gold, with Mt. Yotei behind them.
What can you see from the Orofure observatory?
Past the monument toward Lake Toya, an old road branches off Route 2 and climbs to the Orofure observatory. When I drove up on September 16, 2026, I looked down on green mountains with the road winding along their slopes. According to the tourism association of Sobetsu, the town on the Lake Toya side of the pass, on a clear day you can see the Pacific, Lake Kuttara, Lake Toya and Mt. Yotei from the top (Sobetsu Tourism Association, as of November 2026).
Road monument or observatory?
Which one you can visit depends on the season. The old road up to the observatory is closed from late autumn to early summer, so in winter the road monument is the only stop.
| What | Road monument | Orofure observatory |
|---|---|---|
| Where | On Route 2, just past the Orofure Tunnel coming from Karurusu Onsen | 2.5 km up an old road that branches off Route 2 toward Lake Toya |
| Open | All year. From mid-November to mid-April, Route 2 over the pass is closed at night (17:00–9:00) | Early June to late October; the old road is closed from October 30 to June 4 (2026–27 season) |
| What I saw | Mt. Yotei behind the mountains (winter and October) | The mountains around the pass and the winding road (September) |
The closure dates are from the list published by the Iburi Subprefecture, the Hokkaido government office for this region, of winter road closures for the 2026–27 season: the old road to the observatory is closed from 10:00 on October 30, 2026 to 10:00 on June 4, 2027, and Route 2 is closed every night from November 13, 2026 to April 16, 2027 (Iburi Subprefecture winter closures (PDF, Japanese), as of November 2026).
How to get there
From Sapporo: about 2 hours 10 minutes to the road monument, including one stop at a service area. Take the Do-o Expressway toward Muroran and Tomakomai, leave at Noboribetsu-higashi IC (interchange), and follow Route 2 toward Noboribetsu Onsen. Just before the fire station (Noboribetsu Fire Department, East Branch), the road splits: the road to the onsen town goes one way, and Route 2 turns left toward Karurusu Onsen. Turn left. Karurusu is about 20 minutes from the IC, and the road monument about 10 minutes beyond it.
From New Chitose Airport: about 1 hour 10 minutes to the road monument, on the same expressway.
From Noboribetsu Onsen: about 20 minutes to the road monument (10 minutes to Karurusu Onsen, then 10 more). Lake Toya is about an hour from Noboribetsu Onsen over the pass, so it also works as the scenic way between the two.
Winter driving
From mid-November to mid-April, the 17.3 km of Route 2 over the pass, including the road monument, is closed from 17:00 to 9:00 the next morning, between the gate above Karurusu Onsen and the gate on the Lake Toya side. Even if you only drive up to the monument and turn back, make sure you are back through the Karurusu gate before 17:00. If you drive on to Lake Toya, you need to be past the gate on the Lake Toya side by 17:00 instead.
Hours and parking
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Address | Bengei, Sobetsu, Usu District, Hokkaido (Route 2, Toyako-Noboribetsu Line) |
| Open | All year; from mid-November to mid-April, closed at night (17:00–9:00). The observatory road is closed October 30 to June 4 |
| Parking | A parking space at the road monument; about 10 to 20 cars at the observatory. Toilets at both, but closed in winter |
Closure dates change slightly every year and are as of November 2026. Check the Iburi Subprefecture list before going in late autumn or winter.
Near the Orofure Pass
Ten minutes back down toward Noboribetsu, Karurusu Onsen is a quiet old spa village with a simple day bath.
Karurusu Onsen Day Bath at Yumoto Orofure-so, near NoboribetsuA local's guide to Yumoto Orofure-so in Karurusu Onsen, the quiet spa village above Noboribetsu: 100% source-flowing water, baths at three temperatures, a free rest room, price (600 yen), hours and parking.
The pass makes an easy detour on a day trip to Noboribetsu Onsen and Hell Valley.
Noboribetsu Day Trip from Sapporo by Car: Hell Valley, Onsen and Where to ParkA local's day trip from Sapporo to Noboribetsu by car: Hell Valley, Oyunuma, the bear park and a day bath at Takimotokan, with tolls, parking and winter driving tips.
FAQ about the Orofure Pass
Q1. Can I visit the Orofure Pass in winter?
Yes, in daytime. The road monument stays open, but Route 2 over the pass is closed from 17:00 to 9:00 from mid-November to mid-April, so be back through the gate before 17:00. The toilets at the pass are closed in winter, so use the ones at Karurusu Onsen or Noboribetsu Onsen.
Q2. When is the Orofure observatory open?
From early June to late October. In the 2026–27 season, the road up is closed from October 30, 2026 to June 4, 2027 (as of November 2026).
Q3. Can you see Mt. Yotei from the Orofure Pass?
Yes. I saw it from the road monument in both winter and October.
Q4. How far is the Orofure Pass from Sapporo?
About 2 hours 10 minutes by car including a break, via Noboribetsu-higashi IC.