Kosetsuen Garden is Hakodate's premier spot for viewing autumn foliage. With numerous trees, including maple trees, scattered throughout its spacious grounds, the garden is extremely popular not only with Hakodate residents but also with tourists.

It is also known as a rare spot in Hokkaido where you can see a Japanese garden.

This time, we'll introduce the popular "Momiji Festa," an event where you can fully enjoy the autumn foliage at Kōsetsuen Garden, as well as the highlights of the facility and the charms of Kōsetsuen Garden beyond just autumn.

<Table of Contents>
What is Kōsetsuen?
"Momiji Festa" - Enjoy the autumn foliage to the fullest.
Highlights of Kōsetsuen Garden
How to enjoy the four seasons at Kōsetsuen
Final thoughts

Kōsetsuen is a facility also known as the former Iwafune family garden. This facility was created in 35 as a villa for the wealthy merchant Iwafune family. As a place where one can see a rare Japanese garden in Hokkaido, it was designated a national scenic spot in 13.

This is the only nationally designated cultural garden in Hokkaido. The facility boasts the largest number of garden trees in Hokkaido, including yew and pine trees.

The abundant garden trees display a rich variety of expressions throughout the seasons, allowing you to enjoy beautiful scenery in every time of year.

In particular, the numerous maple trees in the park display magnificent autumn foliage. The best time to enjoy this autumn scenery is at the Maple Festival, held every year from late October.

During the Momiji Festa, events are held almost every day. These events include craft workshops at the Green Center and mini-concerts held every evening except Thursdays.

The garden pavilion within the facility also hosts weekly events such as kimono strolls and matcha tea ceremonies.

Also, the park is lit up every evening, so you can enjoy a different view of the autumn leaves than during the day.

This is a "maple tree-lined avenue," where maple trees are planted on both sides of the walking path. When the autumn leaves are at their peak, you can see a landscape that looks like a bright red carpet.

Furthermore, covered rest areas are provided at key points throughout the park. You can rest your tired feet while enjoying the surrounding autumn foliage, so people of all ages, from children to the elderly, can enjoy the autumn colors at their own pace.

The Green Center also has benches near large windows, allowing you to enjoy the autumn foliage from inside. There are also vending machines, so you can have a warm drink while you wait for the lights to come on.

1.Entei

Now, let me introduce some of the highlights within Kōsetsuen Garden. The garden pavilion, a rare example of authentic Japanese architecture in Hokkaido, incorporates elements of a tea room. It is a sukiya-style shoin (study room).

You can also tour the interior, allowing you to fully appreciate the atmosphere of the time when it was built as a villa for a wealthy merchant. Apparently, some of the glass windows still use the original glass from the Meiji era. The glass with its wavy surface is a must-see.

2. The garden pavilion's pond and snow-viewing lantern

A pond garden with a strolling path surrounds the garden pavilion. In the pond is a lantern called a "snow-viewing lantern," which further enhances the atmosphere of the Japanese garden.

3. Monument of the Story

Near the entrance to Kōsetsuen Garden stands a stone monument called the "Monument of Origin." This monument commemorates the achievements of Mr. Iwafune, a private citizen, who created a place where not only he and his family but also the citizens could relax.

It's thanks to Mr. Iwafune's landscape design that we can enjoy this scenery today.

4.Stone tower

This tower is located on the east side of a pond called Ichinoike within the park. During the autumn foliage season, you can see the 2.5-meter-tall stone tower surrounded by colorful trees.

5.Greenhouse

This is an old greenhouse that is said to have been completed in 1908 (Meiji 41).

Some of the building materials were specially transported from Honshu for this project. Apparently, they dug deep into the ground to create a foundation so that it wouldn't collapse even in windy Hakodate.

As a surviving example of an old-style greenhouse constructed with brick, it is an extremely valuable building.

While Kōsetsuen Garden is famous for the beauty of its autumn foliage, the trees planted within the garden offer captivating scenery in every season.

With many cherry trees planted throughout the park, it's a popular spot for cherry blossom viewing in the spring, and in the summer, you can enjoy a stroll through the lush greenery. The scenery of the park when covered in snow is also magnificent.

In addition, during the winter, you can enjoy sledding and cross-country skiing at the adjacent Hakodate Golf Club.

That concludes our introduction to Kōsetsuen Garden, a scenic spot that Hakodate is proud of. It's a must-see spot during the autumn foliage season when the maple leaves are ablaze with color.

In addition to the beautiful autumn foliage, the facility offers a variety of attractions, including cherry blossoms in spring, lush greenery in summer, and snow in winter. There's also a playground where children can play ball games, making it enjoyable for families with kids.

Why not pay a visit?

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