Located about 50 minutes by car from central Sapporo, Takino Suzuran Hillside National Park is situated roughly halfway between Chitose Airport, Lake Shikotsu, and central Sapporo.

The park is broadly divided into four zones: the "Stream Zone," the "Central Zone," the "Takino Forest West Area Zone," and the "Takino Forest East Area Zone."

This time, we'll be focusing on the "Central Zone," a popular area for families!

<Table of Contents>
1. Admission fee is 80 yen for children!!
2. Country Garden
3. Children's Valley
3-1. Playground equipment. Lawn stadium
3-2. Playground Equipment: Fluffy Egg
3-3. Playground equipment. Ant mound tower
3-4. Playground Equipment: Rainbow Nest Dome
3-5. Playground equipment: Lava slide
3-6. Playground Equipment. Mount Conide
3-7. Playground Equipment: Orange Egg
4. Forest Dwelling
Final thoughts

After paying the parking fee (410 yen for a regular car), there are several gates through which you can enter the vast 400-hectare grounds, but this is the central gate.

You purchase admission tickets at the ticket machine. Amazingly, the price for children up to junior high school age is only 80 yen! Infants are admitted free of charge. Adult admission is 410 yen.

Strollers, wheelchairs, electric carts, and other similar items are available for free rental.
This is a very welcome service for travelers who have given up on bringing their strollers on board.

Just to your right after passing through the central gate, you'll be greeted by a water plaza where you can enjoy the sound of a waterfall.
If you listen carefully, you can hear the sound of frogs croaking.

Now, let's finally begin exploring the park!

As you pass through the gate, the first thing that catches your eye is "Flower Pasture," a flower field that spreads across an entire hillside, a representative feature of Takino.
In spring, there are tulips; in summer, lavender; and in autumn, cosmos. The hills are covered in seasonal flowers, and the breeze blowing across them is incredibly pleasant.

And at the top of the hill stands this "Country House." If you want to take a break, you can rest here. It's a warm and inviting log cabin-style building.

Inside, you'll find "Restaurant Country House," which has a very extensive children's menu.
The high, open ceiling gives a sense of spaciousness.

From the table seats, you can enjoy your meal while overlooking the "Country House Garden" (behind the Country House).

"The Flower Lover's Hideaway" is located on the way from the country house to "Children's Valley".
Passing through this wooden archway leads to the path to the "Mountain Pass Garden" (a rock garden of alpine plants).

At the Flower Lover's Hideaway, you can observe a wide variety of flowers and plants, different from those found in the "Flower Pasture."

Even the wildflowers peeking out from between the cobblestones are lovely. This planting, unified with foliage plants, is truly wonderful!

"Dad! Over here!"
Everyone, you're being rushed here by your children to "Children's Valley."

A large playground facility themed around animal nests and the earth.
This theme park lets you fully enjoy the great outdoors!

3-1. Playground equipment. Lawn stadium

The "Lawn Stadium," where children can enjoy rolling a 120cm diameter red ball down a gentle slope, is always bustling with kids.

This "Surprise Ball" is available for free rental.

Rental hours are from 9:00 to 17:30. The toys are made of soft material so they are safe even if bumped into, but young children can still have unexpected accidents, so please make sure they are playing within the sight of a guardian!

Please be especially careful on windy days!

3-2. Playground Equipment: Fluffy Egg

Located north of "Lawn Stadium" is "Fuwa Fuwa Egg".

A bouncy play structure designed to resemble a giant egg suddenly appearing in a green meadow.
This is also made of a soft material, and the children are bouncing on it like a trampoline.

Everyone has taken off their socks to prevent slipping. They're full of enthusiasm!!

3-3. Playground equipment. Ant mound tower

The "Ant Mound Tower," the symbolic tower of the Valley of Children, is said to be home to spirits of light, water, and wind.
From the top of the tower, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Children's Valley.

We climb the tower, searching for the ants that live there.

A fantastical space unfolds before you.

Looking down from the top of the tower.

3-4. Playground Equipment: Rainbow Nest Dome

This area, covered in colorful netting, is called the "Rainbow Nest Dome."
This large indoor playground is perfect even on rainy days. Walking on nets can be challenging, and the fact that it's not always easy to navigate is part of its appeal.

The children screamed with joy, like butterflies caught in a spider's web.
How high can you climb? This playground equipment is for elementary school children and younger.

3-5. Playground equipment: Lava slide

This large slide is designed to resemble lava flowing from a volcano. The way the slide moves changes depending on the course, which is a fun feature!

Here, we provide complete safety measures, including helmets for children. This gives parents peace of mind.

3-6. Playground Equipment. Mount Conide

This is "Mount Conide," where giant horns sprout from the ground. Barefoot children are working hard to reach the top. The ground is covered with a rubber material that reduces impact, so it's safe.

3-7. Playground Equipment: Orange Egg

Right next to Mount Conide is "Orange Egg".
Just like the Fluffy Egg, this can also be used as a trampoline. Everyone is drenched in sweat!

In addition to these, "Children's Valley" offers a variety of other play areas that we can't even begin to introduce, such as "Forest Stream" (summer only) where children can play in the water, "Ant Nest Tunnel" that runs beneath the Ant Mound Tower, the maze-like "Wandering Cave," and "Earth Square," a stage made of stacked stones!

Your child is sure to have a memorable and fulfilling day.

After getting plenty of exercise in "Children's Valley," why not go on an exploration of "Forest Dwellings"?
Once you cross this bridge, you'll find plenty of playground equipment that takes advantage of the natural surroundings!

You can play on slides that utilize the elevation changes of the forest, or on rock climbing-style play equipment that even small children can try. The giant mushroom swing that suddenly appears is also very fairytale-like and adorable!

And the forest is full of natural playground equipment, such as a jungle gym that you can climb towards the top of a large tree.

Some visitors bring insect cages and nets, and everyone can be seen enjoying the park in their own way.

Why not try playing together seriously as a family?

Final thoughts

How did you like Takino Suzuran Hillside Park, a place where parents and children can play together amidst nature?
In addition to these, there are many other attractions such as camping facilities, cycling, and fishing, and there are still so many more things to enjoy that we haven't been able to cover yet.

Furthermore, the "Mountain Stream Zone" is the only zone with no admission fee (parking fees are separate).
You can enjoy waterfall tours, including Ashiribetsu Falls, which has been selected as one of Japan's Top 100 Waterfalls, and there's also a cooking area where you can enjoy a BBQ.

Please come with your whole family!

In addition, there are also extremely popular limited-time events!

≪Forest Yoga≫

You can enjoy yoga while taking in the scenery of Takino Forest!
An event where you can enjoy a luxurious moment.

Beginners are very welcome, and there will be a snack time after the session.
This is a very popular event, so it may reach its capacity and you may be put on a waiting list! The participation fee is a very reasonable 500 yen!

For more details, please visit the official Takino Suzuran Hillside Park website!

Applications can be made by phone starting two months before the event date!
Takino Management Center: 011-594-2222 (9:00 AM - 17:00 PM)

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■ Takino Suzuran Hillside National Park Basic Data

Address: 247 Takino, Minami-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido
Phone: 011-592-3333
URL: http://www.takinopark.com/

Parking: 410 yen per car, 150 yen per motorcycle (capacity: 2,200 vehicles)
entrance fee:
Adult (15 years old and over) 410 yen
Children (elementary and junior high school students): 80 yen
Seniors (65 years and older): 210 yen
*Free admission for children under elementary school age. Free admission for persons with disabilities and one accompanying person (proof of disability required).
Admission is free from December 23rd to March 31st. Admission to the stream zone is also free.

Opening hours:
Every year from April 20th to May 31st, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
December 1rd to March 31st, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
December 1rd to March 10st, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
December 23rd to March 31st, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Closed days:
4月1日～19日、11月11日～12月22日(4月19日と12月22日が日曜の場合開園)

Traffic access:
[By Train] Take a bus from Makomanai Subway Station and get off at Suzuran Park East Entrance.
[By car] Approximately 50 minutes from JR Sapporo Station

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