“Garo” is a word in the Tohoku dialect, meaning “a place where a river runs through cliffs.” Tarumae Garo is a 2 km ravine located at the foot of Mt. Tarumae in Tomakomai City, Hokkaido. It was formed by the long-period erosion of the Tarumae River, which flows out of Mt. Tarumae and runs through the solidified lava flow at the foot of the mountain.

You can enjoy the best view of the whole ravine from any one of the three bridges over the river, or you can also go down to the riverside off the promenade and look up the 5-meter high cliffs covered with green moss. It’s really refreshing to see the clear stream of water just in front of you. Listening to the twittering of wild birds, you will feel as if you were in a different world.

The area was designated as Tomakomai City Natural Environment Preservation District in 1979.