Tokachi & Obihiro After Dark — A Journey Through the Horse-Drawn Bar, Snack Bar Culture, and Craft Beer

As night falls, Obihiro reveals a softer, more mellow side than it does by day. Here, a deeply rooted “nighttime economy” enriches your evening travels—local gourmet food, craft beer, and yatai street-stall culture, among other delights.

Start the night with craft beer, sway along on a horse-drawn bar carriage, meet locals and taste local flavors at yatai stalls and snack bars, then end the day by unwinding in a moor hot spring. The MATOKA editorial team brings you an “adult route” to fully savor Obihiro at night—one you won’t find in ordinary guidebooks.

1. Craft Beer

Great beer depends on great water, barley, and hops. Blessed with these resources, Hokkaido is often described as “a land perfectly suited to brewing.”

Tokachi, known as an agricultural powerhouse, is dotted with barley-producing areas. Its clear water and climate with marked temperature swings have nurtured an environment ideal for brewing. A craft beer culture that draws on this terroir has also been steadily growing.

Recommended Spot: “THE BEER TOKACHI”

A top place to fully enjoy craft beer in Obihiro is “THE BEER TOKACHI.”

Hours are from 2:00 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 12:00 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. Loved by locals as a great place for daytime drinks, it’s also perfect for your “first glass of the night” the moment you arrive in Tokachi via Aero K.

Inside, you’ll find around ten taps of draft craft beer at any given time. One of the highlights is being able to compare a diverse lineup of distinctive beers brewed not only in Tokachi, but all across Japan.

A popular menu item is THE BEER TOKACHI’s original craft beer, “Minori.”

Made with barley from Ogasawara Farm in Toyokoro Town, this fruity, easy-to-drink pint is also recommended for first-time craft beer drinkers. With close friends or your partner, take your time savoring craft beer as you imagine the Obihiro night that’s about to begin.

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2. Horse-Drawn BAR

A night activity unique to Obihiro: “Basha BAR,” where you ride a classic horse-drawn carriage and slowly tour the city at night.
It’s an experience you can find only here in Obihiro, anywhere in Japan. Departures run three times a day at 18:00, 19:00, and 20:00. Time your reservation and head to the departure point, “HOTEL NUPKA.”

Arriving about 30 minutes early is recommended. After checking in, wait in the hotel lobby for the carriage to arrive. Pulling the carriage with power and poise is “Musashikoma,” a horse that once competed in Ban’ei racing.

A draft horse with an imposing build of over one ton, yet a gentle temperament that seems to quietly tune into people’s feelings. Once you board, you’ll find “Tabi no Hajimari Beer” at hand—a craft beer made with 100% Tokachi-grown barley.

One sip, and the rounded aroma of barley spreads softly across your palate. Snacks include Tokachi-grown steamed potatoes, cheese, and edamame—each a gentle flavor that captures the essence of this land.

And then the Basha BAR begins to move, slowly. Savor Tokachi’s bounty as you listen to the steady rhythm of hoofbeats and watch streetlights drift by behind you. A dreamlike time begins—quietly, beautifully.

Along the way, there’s also “interaction time” with Musashikoma. Offer a carrot as a treat, and he’ll happily munch away.

A two-shot photo with Musashikoma at the end of the ride is sure to become a keepsake you’ll remember for a long time.

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十勝・帯広の馬車BARで出会う、やさしい夜ー蹄のリズムが心をほどく、奇跡の時間 – MATOKA

夜の静けさをやさしく揺らすのは帯広の夜の街を歩む馬車BARです。馬車に足をかけた瞬間、ゆるやかに揺れる蹄のリズムが夜の静けさに溶け込んでいく。ここにあるのは、「どこにも似ていない帯広の夜」。その特別な時間を、写真とともにじっくりとお届けします。

3. Kita no Yatai

After the extraordinary time swaying along on the Basha BAR, when both body and mind have loosened up, you’ll naturally start to feel a little hungry. That’s when you’ll want to drop by “Kita no Yatai.”

It’s a two-minute walk from the Basha BAR finish point, “HOTEL NUPKA.” Around 20 yatai stalls line up here—yakitori, izakaya, French, Chinese, and more—each sending savory aromas and steam melting into the night air.

You’re sure to find exactly what you’re craving right now. This is a beloved spot where Tokachi’s “food appeal” is condensed into one place. Sit down at a yatai counter, watch yakitori grilling right in front of you, and breathe in the rising aroma.

Then, as you bite in, you share a casual word or two with the owner. That closeness between people is part of what makes Kita no Yatai special. The warmth you happen to encounter on your travels won’t just satisfy your stomach—it will fill your heart as well.

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4. Snack Bars

Once your stomach and heart are pleasantly satisfied at Kita no Yatai, you might find yourself thinking, “I’d love to have just one more drink somewhere.” That’s when a second round at a snack bar is a great idea.

A snack bar is a small, social spot where you enjoy drinks and conversation. In Obihiro, you’ll find clusters of snack bars in several areas.

For first-timers, easy places to start include the “5th Building,” “Royal Plaza Building,” and “Apollo Building” near Obihiro Station.

With snack bars lined up throughout an entire building and bright signage out front, these are welcoming places for travelers to walk in casually. There’s also the fun of bar-hopping between a few different spots.

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If you want to experience Obihiro’s snack bar culture more deeply, head to “Inari Koji.”

A slightly nostalgic atmosphere where time seems to slow down. This is “another place to belong” at night—one that locals have kept coming back to for years.

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The Appeal of Snack Bars (1): Singing Culture and Human Warmth

Step inside, and the first thing you’ll hear is singing drifting gently through the room. With a drink in hand, people take turns singing karaoke, and even strangers gradually find the distance between them closing. In a way, it overlaps with Korea’s “pocha” culture too—where singing and drinks are enjoyed together.

The Appeal of Snack Bars (2): The “Mama”

The defining feature of a snack bar is the presence of the “Mama,” the person who stands behind the counter.

As you drink, she listens gently to casual conversation—and at times, like a life mentor, gives you a warm, encouraging nudge. You may have dropped in as a traveler, yet you’ll be welcomed as warmly as a regular. Snack bars offer a rare comfort: even in a foreign place, you can enjoy drinks with a sense of ease and belonging.

5. Moor Hot Springs and Sauna

After enjoying Obihiro’s nightlife, warm your chilled body all the way to the core in a hot spring. What you can experience here is the rare, plant-derived “Moor Onsen,” famous worldwide. Rich in organic matter created over time from ancient vegetation, the silky, gentle water relaxes both body and mind. After bathing, your skin feels deeply moisturized—one reason it’s beloved as a “beauty bath.”

Recommended Spot: “Fukui Hotel”

There are several facilities around Obihiro Station where you can enjoy Moor Onsen as a day trip. One standout—where you can soak right in the heart of the city—is Obihiro Natural Hot Spring “Fukui Hotel.”

Despite being just steps from Obihiro Station, you can enjoy an authentic bath with “free-flowing water from the hotel’s own private source.” It’s also open late into the night, which is a welcome perk—meaning you can still soak after a leisurely evening of drinks.

The softly alkaline Moor Onsen seems to wash away not only travel fatigue, but even the lingering afterglow of the night. You can stay overnight, of course—but it’s also easy to drop in for a day visit.

Finish with a Sauna, and Let the Afterglow Settle In

After warming up in Moor Onsen, taking time to sweat gently in the sauna is also highly recommended. Breathe deeply as you’re wrapped in rising steam, then quietly reset your body in the cold bath.

That short rest afterward loosens not just your muscles, but your mind—along with the night’s lingering glow. The kindness of the hot spring, the heat of the sauna, the coolness of the water—the contrast leaves you feeling complete as you close out your day in Obihiro.

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帯広・十勝の日帰り温泉12選｜モール温泉を楽しめる人気スポット紹介 – MATOKA

帯広・十勝は、世界的にも珍しい「モール温泉」の宝庫。自然を望む露天風呂や個性豊かなサウナも充実しており、観光や休日に立ち寄れば、心も体も癒される特別な時間に。選りすぐりの12施設をご紹介しますので、あなたがゆっくり楽しむ温泉を探していきましょう。

With MATOKA, Obihiro’s Nighttime “Hidden Gems” Feel Even Closer

Open the door to the night with craft beer, sway along as you gaze out over the city on the Basha BAR, meet human warmth at yatai stalls and snack bars, and end the day by unwinding in Moor Onsen. We’ve introduced a slightly more grown-up bar-hopping route to savor Obihiro at night with all five senses.

Tokachi tourism media “MATOKA” also offers an itinerary-planning feature that proposes recommended routes tailored to the season and time of day. You can tap into more details for any spot that catches your eye right from the article—so even mid-trip, you can easily build your own Obihiro night course.

City lights, the clink of glasses, the warmth of people you pass by. With “MATOKA,” the quiet luxuries of Obihiro after dark should feel that much closer.