Betsukai & Notsuke Peninsula Campervan Trip: Dairy Country Views and a Look Toward Kunashiri Island (2026 Guide)

Betsukai Town has a population of roughly 14,000 — and 105,274 dairy cattle (out of 111,693 cattle in total) living alongside them, with raw milk production of 487,158 tons in fiscal 2023, both figures ranking first among all municipalities in Japan (Official Betsukai Town website, confirmed 2026-08-25). Nearly eight dairy cows for every resident — a scale that’s hard to picture until you’ve driven through pastureland stretching to the horizon yourself. This guide covers a driving route through this “dairy kingdom,” a viewpoint on the neighboring Notsuke Peninsula looking toward Kunashiri Island, local farms and Michi-no-Eki worth stopping at, and practical information on overnight parking and water refills.

For a trip centered on Todowara and the hot springs around the Notsuke Peninsula, see our Shibetsu & Nakashibetsu Eastern Hokkaido Nature Campervan Guide, and for Hanasaki crab and Nosappu Cape dining in central Nemuro, see our Notsuke Peninsula & Nemuro Campervan Drive Guide. This article focuses on Betsukai Town’s dairy farmland itself — territory the other two guides barely touch — and the route from there to the Kunashiri-viewing spots on the Notsuke Peninsula.

What kind of town is Betsukai? Why it’s called Japan’s dairy kingdom

According to the official Betsukai Town website, the town has 625 farming households in total (545 of which ship raw milk), and its cattle population totals 111,693 head — 105,274 dairy cows and 6,419 beef cattle (Official Betsukai Town website, Betsukai’s Agriculture, confirmed 2026-08-25). Raw milk production reached 487,158 tons in fiscal 2023, and the site describes the town as “Japan’s food base, boasting the nation’s top raw milk output” and “Japan’s dairy kingdom in name and in fact.” The town-run cattle-raising ranch, established in fiscal 1970, covers 1,153 hectares and can raise up to 2,200 head (same source, confirmed 2026-08-25).

Numbers alone don’t quite capture it. Driving through the town in person, you’ll pass pastureland that stretches to the horizon without a break, dotted at regular intervals with silos and cattle barns, under a sky with nothing to interrupt it. The Shinrakuno Observation Deck, introduced next, offers a sweeping view of exactly that landscape.

Your starting point depends on where you’re arriving from

The nearest airport to Betsukai Town is Nakashibetsu Airport. As our Shibetsu & Nakashibetsu Eastern Hokkaido Nature Campervan Guide notes, it’s the shortest and most convenient gateway to Betsukai within eastern Hokkaido. Coming from the Okhotsk side, you could instead start from renting a campervan at Memanbetsu Airport and work Betsukai into a broader eastern Hokkaido route. If you’re planning a longer loop through the region, our Eastern Hokkaido Campervan Model Route is also worth checking.

Whichever airport you start from, rental campervan companies set their own rules on driving areas and one-way drop-offs. Before building a long drive to Betsukai or the Notsuke Peninsula into your plan, confirm the driving area and drop-off options on the company’s official site. To compare companies across Hokkaido side by side, our Complete Hokkaido Campervan Rental Company Comparison Guide links to each company’s official site.

Shinrakuno Observation Deck: Betsukai’s panorama of grazing cattle and a straight road to the horizon

Located at Betsukai 396-7, the Shinrakuno Observation Deck stands 10 meters tall and was relocated to its current site in 1979 (Official Betsukai Town website, Shinrakuno Observation Deck, confirmed 2026-08-25). Climb the deck and a vast green plain where cattle graze opens up before you, a road running ruler-straight to the horizon filling the view. According to the site, on a clear day you can also see Lake Furen, the mountains of Akan, and even the Shiretoko mountain range in the distance. Admission is free and parking is available.

The deck also preserves the view from the government’s 1973 “Shin-Rakuno-mura” (New Dairy Farming Village) pilot project, a large-scale grassland dairy farming model. Each household was allotted 50 hectares of pasture and around 60 head of cattle — a large operation for its time. It sits closer to the center of Betsukai, in the opposite direction from the Notsuke Peninsula and its Michi-no-Eki, so it’s worth building into your route if the dairy landscape itself is your goal. Note that the official page makes no mention of Kunashiri Island being visible from here — for that view, see the Notsuke Peninsula spot introduced next.

The Notsuke Peninsula is part of Betsukai: Narawara or Todowara — which should you see?

The Notsuke Peninsula is a roughly 26km sand spit, the largest of its kind in Japan, and administratively belongs to Betsukai Town in Notsuke District. Todowara, the stand of dead Sakhalin fir near the tip, is covered in detail in both our Shibetsu & Nakashibetsu Eastern Hokkaido Nature Campervan Guide and our Notsuke Peninsula & Nemuro Campervan Drive Guide, so this article instead focuses on Narawara, located north of Todowara.

Narawara is a landscape of dead Mongolian oak trees; compared to Todowara, the dead trees retain more of their original shape, and live Mongolian oak, Erman’s birch, Japanese rowan, and Acer mono grow around the area (Betsukai Town Tourism Association, Narawara, confirmed 2026-08-25). The site states, “You cannot walk through Narawara itself — please enjoy the view from the parking area,” a different visiting style from the boardwalk at Todowara. It advises contacting the Notsuke Peninsula Nature Center for detailed access, so check with them before visiting.

The Nature Center itself houses “Restaurant NOTSUKE,” known for boiled Hokkai shrimp (sometimes served live during the fishing season) and a Betsukai scallop burger. It’s open 10:00–15:00 and closed for winter from December 1 through March 31, so check before you go (Notsuke Peninsula Nature Center restaurant, confirmed 2026-08-26). It makes a natural base for combining with your Narawara visit.

• Todowara: Near the tip of the peninsula; a boardwalk (about 40 minutes round trip) lets you walk right up to the view. See our Notsuke Peninsula & Nemuro Campervan Drive Guide for details
• Narawara: North of (before) Todowara; viewing is from the parking area only. Dead Mongolian oak trees that retain more of their original shape than Todowara
• Notsuke Peninsula Wildflower Garden: One of the official “Ten Scenic Views of Betsukai,” with seasonal flowers

Betsukai Hoppo Observation Tower: a view toward Kunashiri Island

At the base of the Notsuke Peninsula, at Odaito 5-27 in Betsukai Town, the Betsukai Hoppo (Northern Territories) Observation Tower sits inside the Michi-no-Eki “Odaito.” According to the official Betsukai Town website, it’s open 9:00–17:00 from May through October (7:30–17:00 on weekends in July and August) and 9:00–16:00 from November through April, with free admission (Official Betsukai Town website, About the Betsukai Hoppo Observation Tower, confirmed 2026-08-25). Inside are exhibits on the Northern Territories, a VR tablet experience of the four northern islands, an observation room, a light snack corner, and a shop, with free parking for 71 vehicles. The site states the distance from the Notsuke Peninsula to Kunashiri Island is 16km.

On a clear day with good visibility, you can make out the ridgeline of Kunashiri Island clearly from the observation room. The shop sells Betsukai dairy products and seafood, making it a good place to restock after touring the dairy area. Since visibility of Kunashiri Island depends heavily on the weather, your best chances are early morning or the day after rain has cleared the air.

The Michi-no-Eki Odaito, in the same building, sells soft-serve made with “Betsukai no Gyunyu-ya-san” milk that you can eat on the terrace looking out over Notsuke Bay toward Kunashiri Island (Official Betsukai Town website, confirmed 2026-08-26). A fitting reward after driving all the way here from the dairy country.

Michi-no-Eki stops: shopping and checking overnight parking rules

Betsukai Town has two Michi-no-Eki: “Odaito” (home to the Betsukai Hoppo Observation Tower mentioned above) and “Swan 44 Nemuro,” near the border with Nemuro City. Swan 44 Nemuro sits along Lake Furen and Shunkunitai, and is known for the whooper swans that winter there from late October through March; its restaurant “Bird Pal” is known for Hanasaki crab kamameshi (rice cooked in a small pot, ¥2,500, 15–20 minutes to prepare) (Swan 44 Nemuro official site, confirmed 2026-08-26). Both Michi-no-Eki have shops selling Betsukai dairy products, but whether overnight parking is allowed and how long you can stay vary by facility. Check the posted rules or official information before your visit, and confirm the section allows long-term parking before you stop. For general Michi-no-Eki overnight parking manners, see our Hokkaido Campervan Michi-no-Eki Overnight Parking Guide.

For water refills and shopping, besides the Michi-no-Eki there are supermarkets in central Betsukai (around Betsukai-honcho). If you’re coming from the Nakashibetsu direction, it helps to stock up in central Nakashibetsu first, cutting down on driving within Betsukai Town.

Betsukai food: milk and cheese worth tasting

As Japan’s top raw-milk-producing town, dairy options here are hard to beat. Beyond the Michi-no-Eki shops, the direct store run by Betsukai Dairy Industry Cooperative (Betsukai 132-2, open 9:00–17:00, closed weekends/holidays/New Year, confirmed 2026-08-26) sells its classic triangular-pack milk and other staples on the spot, and you can order online from anywhere through its official shop. In central Betsukai, “Milk House” is a summer-only stand (open late April through late September, Betsukai Town Tourism Association, confirmed 2026-08-26) known for soft-serve made with 100% Betsukai milk, and “Nakayama Milk Kobo” is a farm-run cheese workshop making “Square Gouda,” named after Betsukai’s winter phenomenon “the square sun” (same source, confirmed 2026-08-26). Most campervans come with a standard refrigerator, so you can chill your purchases right away and use them for coffee or breakfast the next morning. Seafood like Hanasaki crab around Nemuro is covered in our Notsuke Peninsula & Nemuro Campervan Drive Guide, so building your Betsukai trip around dairy food is the way to go here.

Bathing and water refill spots

Both Betsukai Town and Nakashibetsu Town have day-use bathing facilities, though not many. The secluded Yoroushi Onsen, covered in our Shibetsu & Nakashibetsu Eastern Hokkaido Nature Campervan Guide, is known for its open-air bath and autumn foliage. Getting there from Betsukai means routing through Nakashibetsu Town, so it’s worth adding to your itinerary if you have the time. Hours and closing days vary by facility, so check each official site before visiting.

Watch for Ezo deer: extra caution from evening into the night

The Betsukai and Notsuke Peninsula area is a mix of pastureland and old-growth forest with a high density of Ezo deer. Deer are more likely to dart onto the road around dusk and after dark, so avoid driving in this area during those hours if you can; if you must, slow down and watch the roadside brush closely. If you spot one deer, assume more may be moving with it and stay ready for another to appear.

Betsukai’s scenery changes with the seasons

Betsukai’s dairy farmland looks different every season. In summer the pastures turn lush green, and you may catch the sight of round hay bales dotted across the fields after the grass is cut. Winter brings a landscape blanketed in snow, with steam rising from the cattle barns — a striking contrast, and some years bring “the square sun,” the phenomenon behind the “Square Gouda” cheese mentioned above. What you’ll see also shifts with the wildflower season at the Notsuke Peninsula Wildflower Garden and the whooper swans at Michi-no-Eki Swan 44 Nemuro (late October through March), so timing your visit to what you want to see will make the trip more rewarding.

Betsukai & Notsuke campervan model routes

Betsukai alone can be covered in a 1-night, 2-day trip, but if you extend to Yoroushi Onsen or central Nemuro, a 2-night, 3-day itinerary fits better.

For details on extending to Hanasaki crab and Nosappu Cape in central Nemuro, see our Notsuke Peninsula & Nemuro Campervan Drive Guide; for a longer route covering all of eastern Hokkaido, see our Eastern Hokkaido Campervan Model Route.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many dairy cattle does Betsukai have, and how much raw milk does it produce?

According to the official Betsukai Town website, the town’s cattle population totals 111,693 head (105,274 of them dairy cows), with raw milk production of 487,158 tons in fiscal 2023 — both No. 1 among Japan’s municipalities. There are 625 farming households in total, 545 of which ship raw milk (Official Betsukai Town website, Betsukai’s Agriculture, confirmed 2026-08-25).

Q: Where in Betsukai can you see Kunashiri Island?

From the Betsukai Hoppo Observation Tower inside Michi-no-Eki “Odaito.” The distance from the Notsuke Peninsula to Kunashiri Island is given as 16km, and on a clear day you can make out the ridgeline. Admission is free, open 9:00–17:00 from May through October and 9:00–16:00 from November through April (Official Betsukai Town website, About the Betsukai Hoppo Observation Tower, confirmed 2026-08-25). The official Shinrakuno Observation Deck page makes no mention of Kunashiri Island being visible from there, so head to the Betsukai Hoppo Observation Tower if that view is your goal.

Q: What’s the difference between Todowara and Narawara?

Todowara is a stand of dead Sakhalin fir; Narawara is a stand of dead Mongolian oak. Narawara lies north of Todowara and its dead trees retain more of their original shape. You can walk right up to Todowara on a boardwalk (about 40 minutes round trip), but Narawara is viewing-only from the parking area — “you cannot walk through it,” as the official site puts it — a different style of visit (Betsukai Town Tourism Association, Narawara, confirmed 2026-08-25).

Q: How is this different from your guides to neighboring Nakashibetsu and Nemuro?

This article centers on Betsukai’s dairy farmland itself — the Shinrakuno Observation Deck, cattle population statistics, and Betsukai dairy food. A trip built around Todowara on the Notsuke Peninsula and Yoroushi Onsen is covered in our Shibetsu & Nakashibetsu Eastern Hokkaido Nature Campervan Guide, and Hanasaki crab and Nosappu Cape dining in central Nemuro is covered in our Notsuke Peninsula & Nemuro Campervan Drive Guide — use whichever fits your purpose.

Q: How many nights should I plan for?

Betsukai’s main spots (Shinrakuno Observation Deck, Betsukai Hoppo Observation Tower, Narawara on the Notsuke Peninsula) can be covered in 1 night, 2 days. If you’re extending to Yoroushi Onsen or central Nemuro, plan for 2 nights, 3 days.

Q: When should I watch out for Ezo deer?

Deer are more likely to dart onto the road around dusk and after dark. Avoid driving in this window if you can; if you do drive, slow down, and if you see one deer, watch for others that may follow.

Q: Can I park overnight at Michi-no-Eki Odaito or Swan 44 Nemuro?

Whether overnight parking is allowed and how long you can stay varies by facility, so this can’t be stated definitively. Check the posted rules or official information before your visit, and confirm the section allows long-term parking before you stop. See our Hokkaido Campervan Michi-no-Eki Overnight Parking Guide for general manners.