1. Obihiro City Wildflower Garden, where you can see the natural landscape of the Tokachi Plain.

As its name suggests, Obihiro Wildflower Garden is a facility where you can observe plants that grow naturally in the Tokachi Plain.
This facility is home to a wide variety of plants, including wildflowers and trees that make up old-growth forests, and serves not only as a tourist attraction but also as a learning space for local elementary and junior high school students.

The 43,530 square meter grounds are said to be home to 375 species of plants from 82 families, each displaying a beautiful appearance throughout the seasons.

In spring, not only flowers that bloom on Honshu, such as skunk cabbage, anemone, and primrose, but also flowers unique to Hokkaido, such as Corydalis ambigua and Asarum sieboldii, can be seen.

The wildflowers that have endured under the snow for nearly half a year may not be showy, but they possess a brave and resilient beauty.

2. "Rokka no Mori" (Rokka Forest) where you can see the flowers depicted on Rokkatei's wrapping paper.

In Hokkaido, when you hear the name "Rokka," many people probably think of the confectionery company "Rokkatei," right?
This forest is a facility where the flowers of Hokkaido, as depicted on the wrapping paper of Rokkatei confectionery, are primarily planted.

On the 100,000 square meter grounds, the "Tokachi Six Flowers"—Ezo gentian, Japanese rose, large-flowered trillium, dogtooth violet, Ezo marsh marigold, and Japanese anemone—display their beautiful forms in each season every year.

The grounds also contain old houses and an art museum that were relocated from Croatia, so be sure to take a look around.

3.3. Manabe Garden, with its three charming gardens.

This garden is a facility operated by Manabe Garden Nursery, which imports, produces, and sells trees.

Therefore, you can see not only plants from Tokachi and Hokkaido, but also plants collected from all over the world.
Furthermore, the garden, which has been in existence for over 50 years, is said to have changed and grown along with the times.

The facility, spanning 24,000 tsubo (approximately 3 square meters), is comprised of three gardens: a Japanese garden, a Western-style garden, and a landscape garden.

It's a must-visit spot for gardening enthusiasts, as it includes Japan's first conifer garden, a cafeteria where you can enjoy the scenery along with wild birds and Hokkaido squirrels, and a garden center where you can purchase the latest horticultural varieties.

4. Lots of fun! "Tokachi Hills Garden Opening Event"

Tokachi Hills is a theme park based on the concept of "agriculture and food."

The vast grounds, which offer a glimpse into the Tokachi landscape, are planted with a wide variety of flowers and plants.
This facility closes for the winter season in late October each year and reopens in April of the following year. For the first month after reopening, various events are held, such as gifts for visitors and gardening workshops, so please be sure to stop by!

By the way, admission is free during the event, so it's a great deal.

5. The Honbetsu Mountain Valley Azalea Festival: Feeling the arrival of spring with azaleas.

In early May, when the Ezo purple azaleas are in full bloom, many people gather at Honbetsu Park to enjoy taiko drumming performances and comedy shows.

Honbetsu Park has combination play equipment and go-karts, so families with children can have a great time.

Furthermore, at this Honbetsu Sankei Azalea Festival, you can enjoy Genghis Khan (grilled lamb) and barbecue while admiring azaleas and cherry blossoms, just like you would at a flower viewing event in Hokkaido.

There will also be food stalls, so please be sure to enjoy the flavors of Tokachi.

6. "Shintoku Town's 'Soba Bar'" - A specialty of this region.

Shintoku Town in Tokachi is known as one of the leading soba noodle-producing areas in Hokkaido.
Therefore, soba events are held several times a year, and "Soba Bar" is one of them, held in the spring.

This event allows you to enjoy sake and soba noodles as a set, in a bar-hopping style. A set of three tickets costs 2,000 yen, so you can enjoy soba at three different restaurants with one set.

7. What are the temperatures and weather like in the Obihiro/Tokachi area in spring? What should I wear?

Even though it's spring, March in the Obihiro and Tokachi area is still a time when snow remains.

For those of you on Honshu, it's still quite cold, almost like the middle of winter, so please take care.

Even in April and May, the nights can get very cold. If you want to enjoy the cherry blossoms at night, be sure to take adequate precautions against the cold before you go out.

March is the snowmelt season in the Obihiro and Tokachi area.
Since your feet will often get wet, I recommend wearing water-repellent shoes such as rain boots if possible.

Even though it's spring, the cold weather can return unexpectedly. It's a good idea to be prepared with layers that can be adjusted to the temperature, such as a light down jacket, a knit cap, and warm innerwear.

Final thoughts

We've introduced some of the highlights and recommended events in the Obihiro and Tokachi area during springtime.

For those living outside Hokkaido, spring in the Obihiro and Tokachi area may still feel quite cold, but the vibrant energy of nature and people that comes with the arrival of spring after enduring a long winter is something that cannot be experienced in any other season.

The period from the snowmelt to the end of spring passes by in the blink of an eye, but please do try to fully enjoy this precious season.

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