My introduction to Shiroi Koibito happened many years ago. Coworkers coming back from a holiday in Japan would often bring a box of this tiny yet delicious cookie. I haven’t been to Japan yet back then. For me, it was love at first bite.
Since then, I made it a point to bring a box of Shiroi Koibito back for my friends and coworkers whenever I was back from visiting Japan. The cookie is always so well-loved by everyone that they’re all gone by the second day.
So when I found out Shiroi Koibito is a Hokkaido product, and that the factory is located close to Sapporo, of course, I had to visit them!
What is Shiroi Koibito?
Shiroi Koibito is translated directly as “white loved one”. The white here refers to the fact that essentially, Shiroi Koibito is a cookie sandwich – it is two langue de chat cookies – with white cream in the middle. The white color also refers to the snow in Hokkaido.
Shiroi Koibito was launched in 1976 by Japanese confectionery maker Ishiya Co. For a while, Shiroi Koibito was only available for purchase in Hokkaido, making it a popular souvenir to bring back. Now, you can find Shiroi Koibito at souvenir shops across Japan. Recently, I was even able to find a box of Shiroi Koibito in Singapore, but at a high markup compared to the price in Japan.
Aside from the version with white cream, there is also a Shiroi Koibito version with chocolate cream.
Admission to Shiroi Koibito Park
As of 2023, admission to the park costs as follows:
| Adults (16 years old and above) | 800 yen |
| Children (4-15 years old) | 400 yen |
| Infants (Below 4 years old) | Free |
You’ll also get a Shiroi Koibito cookie with each ticket!
PS: Do not lose the paper ticket! You’ll be asked to show them every time you enter the paid area of the park.
You don’t need to pay a ticket to enjoy the park – there is still plenty to do in the free area. However, certain attractions can only be seen in the paid area, most notably the factory and the chocolate lounge cafe on the 4th floor.
How to get to Shiroi Koibito Park
It takes around 40 minutes to reach Shiroi Koibito Park from Sapporo station or Odori station.
There are a few ways to get to Shiroi Koibito Park:
By Private Transfer – If you are not able to use public transport, there is an option to do a door-to-door tour. This option includes a private car transfer to the park, the admission fee, and a cookie-making class at the Shiroi Koibito Park.
By Subway (290 yen one way) – From Sapporo Station, Take the Namboku (Green) Line for one stop to Odori Station. Or, you could just walk to Odori station as well! From Odori station, change to the Tozai (Orange) Line and take it all the way to Miyanosawa station, the last station on this line. In Miyanosawa, Take Exit 5 which will allow you a covered underground way through the shopping malls to get to the closest point to Shiroi Koibito Park. Don’t worry, there are plenty of signs. Get to the street level at Sapporo Lifelong Learning Research Center Chieria, and Shiroi Koibito Park is only a 3-minute walk from there.
By Bus (210 yen one way) – From near Sapporo Station, you can take Bus no. 55 or 61 from Sapporo Eki Mae stop and get off at Nishimachi Kita 20th Street. Shiroi Koibito Park is just a 4-minute walk from the stop.
What to do at Shiroi Koibito Park
I had low expectations, but the Shiroi Koibito Park was actually a full-fledged attraction with lots of activities. I ended up spending 5 hours in the park!
Here is what you can do at Shiroi Koibito Park:
1. Marvel at the Shiroi Koibito Factory
This was my favorite part of the park. As soon as you step onto the 3rd floor, you’ll smell the intoxicating aroma of freshly baked cookies.
The entire floor is wrapped with full glass windows where you can peek down and examine the inner workings of the Shiroi Koibito factory – from baking to packaging.
2. Personalize a Shiroi Koibito Cookie Tin Box with Your Own Photo!
I am seriously kicking myself for not getting one of these. At the Shiroi Koibito Park, you can print any picture onto a Shiroi Koibito iconic blue-and-white tin box. The tin box is quite sturdy- it can be kept long after the cookies are gone. I still have one that I got 8 years ago! It makes for such a great personalized souvenir that can last a while.
All you have to do is speak to a staff member and send them a high-quality photo of what you want on the tin box (you can even airdrop it). You can choose from the 36-cookie tin or the 54-cookie one. Then, they will print it out for you on the spot using UV printers. There is a wait of about 30 minutes, so you’ll want to get this done towards the end of your visit (so you don’t have to carry it around the park) but not immediately before you leave the park.
When I visited in 2024, the price was 5,064 yen for a 54-cookie tin and 3,638 yen for a 36-cookie tin. Not too bad of a price as the original non-custom tin boxes go for 4,514 yen and 3,088 yen respectively.
You can read about the UV printing technology used here.
If you didn’t manage to get it from the park, you MIGHT have another chance at the New Chitose Airport if you’re flying out from there. Unfortunately for me, I did not fly out of Sapporo.
3. Join the Chocolate Tasting Session
For 500 yen per person, you’ll get to join a chocolate-tasting session at the Cacao Pod on the first floor. The tasting session is held hourly from 11:15 to 4:15 PM.
Without giving further spoilers, I can’t recommend this session if you’re expecting to taste a variety of chocolate – you only get to taste two types. However, the show was interactive and entertaining for kids.
4. Decorate Your Own Shiroi Koibito Cookie
On the fourth floor, you can decorate your own Shiroi Koibito cookie and take it home at the Sweets Workshop Dream Kitchen. The cookie-making set ranges from 1,200 to 1,500 yen.
5. Catch the Chocolate Carnival Mechanical Tower Show
This show runs every hour for about 10 minutes from 10 AM to 5 PM. While many people watch the carnival show from the main square, the best view of the show is actually from the Chocolate Lounge cafe on the 4th floor.
6. Take Photos with the props at the park!
What’s great about Shiroi Koibito Park is that there are no shortage of photo opportunities. On the 4th floor, there are many props you can take pictures with, including this giant Shiroi Koibito cookies.
In the free area, there are also still many photo props! Here is me as a chocolate angel:
And here is the beautiful hall staircase, where I saw many people take photos as well.
7. Explore the Park Square
Once you’re done with the building, head outside to the park square, where there are plenty of things to do.
One of my favorites is this rooftop heart:
You can take a ladder on the other side and you’ll pop out at this heart cut out, and you can ask someone to take a photo of you.
My son loved the miniature houses, which are built to cater for tiny kids!
8. Buy Shiroi Koibito Park Exclusive Souvenirs
You won’t have any issues buying Shiroi Koibito cookies at souvenir shops, JR stations, or airports all around Japan. But at Picadilly Shop, you will find three items that are exclusive to the park:
There are also many more goodies you can check out at the shop, such as the full range of Ishiya confectionary items, and Shiroi Koibito merch.
9. Chill at the Chocolate Lounge
10. Watch Interactive Shows and Games
11. Check out the Antique Cup Collection
On the second floor, you’ll be able to view the professor’s personal collection of antique cups. One of them is this beautiful Meissen cup from 1860:
Food Options at Shiroi Koibito Park
There are a few food options in the park, but the one we tried is Cafe Butler Wharf on the second floor. I thought the food was decent for the price and location. I especially enjoyed the carbonara pasta for 900 yen. The dessert options (soft serves) go for 400 to 850 yen.
Right below the cafe is Bakeshop Chelsea, where you can get delicious baked goods like croissants, Danish breads, and a Japan favorite – choux cream puff, ranging from 350 to 650 yen.
Okay, that was my experience at Shiroi Koibito Park! Although the park is a little out of the way from Sapporo, I think it’s worth a visit once.
Note: I paid for my visit to Shiroi Koibito Factory out of my pocket. All thoughts and opinions are honest and remain my own.