Mt. Moiwa is a 531 m high mountain in Minami-ku, Sapporo City, Hokkaido. It was once called “Inkarushipe” in the Ainu language, which means “a place to command a view.” From the observatory at the top of the mountain, you can see the grid shape of the city of Sapporo as well as Ishikari Plain and Ishikari Bay. The night view of the city is especially famous. As most of the streetlights in the city of Sapporo have orange shines, the night view of these orange lights is very exotic.

The northeastern side of Mt. Moiwa is covered in thick virgin forest. There are 160 types of trees and plants including varieties of linden, oak, and white birch. The Moiwa Virgin Forest was designated as Hokkaido’s first Natural Monument in 1912.

In winter, the south side becomes a popular ski resort. Located near the center of the city, Mt. Moiwa is visited by a lot of tourists all through the year.