There are probably many people thinking, “I want to know about Hokkaido’s flowers,”“I want to see the large scale flower fields.”
This article is for someone like you who likes flowers, written with the theme of “Hokkaido’s Attractive Flowers.”
However, there are probably a lot of people thinking, “How do I go about planning a trip to Hokkaido?” “I feel worried as it’s my first time traveling abroad.” If this is you, please consult with Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel Company, a travel company that specializes in Hokkaido tours. More than anything else, we are hospitable and thorough in supporting our customers, which is why we are chosen by many foreign tourists.
・ Travel consultants providing full-time services will help you with your Hokkaido trip
・ Your itinerary will be fully supported from your arrival at the airport to seeing you off at the airport.
・ You can feel at ease as an English interpreter-guide will accompany you during your trip, as well as a full-time driver.
Please trust and use our services even if it’s your first time traveling abroad.
Hokkaido’s Memorable Flower Landscapes
Hokkaido differs from the mainland of Japan as it takes pride in having a large land area with lots of nature. The scale of the flower fields are attractive as they cannot be seen at this size on the mainland.
When it comes to flower fields in Hokkaido, Biei and Furano are famous. However, there are also a lot of other famous flower fields that aren’t really known. For example, Tulips, Sunflowers and Shibazakura at their best season is a highlight and definitely one of the landscapes worth seeing once.
The flowers that will be introduced in this column are all overflowing with attractiveness. The Frost Flower that will be introduced at the end is especially rare with only a 20 percent probability of encountering one. It also goes by the name, “Miracle Flower.” Please read until the end.
A Display of Hokkaido’s Climate and Flowers Appearing Together Like a Dream
Because Hokkaido is part of the subarctic zone, it is known for its flower blooming season to come 1〜2 months later than the mainland. Since winter is long and springtime comes late, you can enjoy flowers appearing together like a dream that can’t be seen on the mainland. For example, on the mainland, Japanese Plums bloom in February, Magnolias bloom in March and Cherry Blossoms bloom in April. The blooming generally takes place in order one after another.
However, in Hokkaido the Japanese Plums, Magnolias and Cherry Blossoms all bloom simultaneously from late April to the beginning of May. There is a remarkable rise in temperature after the severe winter, and this is when you can cherish various flowers blooming simultaneously that don’t usually bloom at the same time. Hokkaido is the place where you can experience the sensation of an entire season taking a leap of sudden change. Also, depending on the place and timming, you may also be able to see Hydrangea and Sunflowers appearing together. On the mainland, Hydrangea and Sunflowers bloom in June and August, making it almost unheard of to see them at the same time. There are also other flowers that appear together in a rare fashion, which might be interesting to look for.
Carefully Selected! Hokkaido’s Fascinating Flowers
Here we will introduce some wonderful carefully selected spots and flowers that represent Hokkaido. Dealing with a wide range from famous to minor, please be sure to read carefully.
Table of Contents：
1. Sunflowers
2. Shibazakura
3. Flower Fields
4. Lavender
5. Cherry Blossoms
6. Tulips
7. Hydrangea
8. Azalea
9. Flower Carpets
10. Frost Flowers
1. Sunflowers
Sunflowers, the big yellow flowers that bloom in the hot summer season. You can see Sunflowers that seem to shine in the summery skies of Hokkaido. Next we will introduce some spots that represent the Sunflower fields of Hokkaido.
・ Hokkaido Prefectural Sun Pillar Park (Nayoro Town)
・ Hokuryu Town Himawari no Sato (Hokuryu Town)
The Sunflowers at Nayoro’s Sun Pillar Park consist of about 5,000,000 flowers covering a vast slanted surface creating a yellow carpet. The scenery is magnificent. You will loose your sense of time while being facinated by the impressive Sunflower fields. Furthermore, after the evening time, the color of the sky starts to change little by little and the collaboration with the sky has a beautiful reputation. The best time to see the flowers is from the middle of July to the middle of August. They also light up the flowers so you can even enjoy them after dark.
Furthermore, Hokuryu Town is a small town with a population of less than 2,000 people. However, Himawari no Sato has around 2,000,000 lovely Sunflowers in full bloom. All of the flowers are facing east on a slanted surface planted in an east direction, a characteristic that allows tourists to enjoy them to the fullest. Around the best season from the beginning of August, moved voices from this way and that way can be heard echoing across the grounds. Furthermore, there is also a maze made with Sunflowers and a tractor pulling tram, that can be enjoyed as a family.
Hokkaido has a short summer period. If you want to efficiently make your way around the places you want to go, we recommend consulting with a travel company that specializes in Hokkaido.
2. Shibazakura
The place of origin of Shibazakura is Africa. They are small pink flowers that look like Cherry Blossoms. Small light pink and purple flowers bloom and have a distinguished feature of covering the ground like lawn, which is where the name came from. When spring comes, the entire surface of mountains and hills are covered in Shibazakura creating a kind of magnificent pink colored carpet. Here are the places in Hokkaido that are remarkably famous.
・ Ozora Town Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park (Ozora Town)
・ Shibazakura Takinoue Park (Takinoue Town) No picture for this?
・ Taiyo-no-Oka Engaru Park (Engaru Town)
Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park, located in Ozora Town in Eastern Hokkaido is especially nice, with a Shibazakura carpet that many tourists look forward to visiting every year. The best season is from the middle to the end of May. Because of Hokkaido’s magnificent grounds, the overwhelmingly large scale of Shibazakura will leave a long lasting impression in your heart and unforgettable memories.
Also, you can look at the coloumn below for more information about Ozora Town’s Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park.
The Northernmost Place in Japan: Beautiful Flowers Blooming in Okhotsk
The scenery of the entire pink surface in full bloom at Shibazakura Takinoue Park was acually started with seedlings from a single box the size of one used for mandarin oranges. Since then, it has increased more and more every year and is now an impressive sight-seeing area. The beautiful large clusters of Shibazakura will leave you in awe. The best time to see Takinoue Park in this way is from the middle to the end of May.
If traveling to Hokkaido in May, please enjoy the highlight of an entire surface covered in Shibazakura. Although it takes time to access from Sapporo, it is worth the cost. Please consult with Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel Company, as we can show you around flower fields and adjust your schedule in a flexible way to design a tour while taking your needs into account.
3. Flower Fields
The flower fields that will be introduced here are not beautiful flower fields that have been managed by the hands of humans. They are beautiful magnificent flower fields that have been raised up by the mighty nature of the Mt. Taisetsu mountain range. The scale of the Mt. Taisetsu mountain range is vast, which will unavoidably cause you to feel small, while the small flowers before your eyes bring an overwhelming presence that will surely move your heart and mind.
The Asahidake flower fields are praised as “Flower Fields of the Heavens,” and is a magnificent spot where alpine plants bloom in profusion. The blooming flowers are lovely and attractive, including small white flowers called “Chinguruma,” purple Ezonotsugazakura, pink Cowberry and more. The season is from the middle of June to the beginning of August. This is when a variety of 20 types of alpine plants can be observed alongside the pathway.
Furthermore, around the vicinity of the 9th station up Mt. Kurodake there are clusters of yellow Weigela Middendorffiana definitely worth seeing. The best time to see these alpine plants is from the beginning of July through the middle of August. If you use the ropeway and lift, you can make your way up to the 7th station of Mt. Kurodake. However, if you would like to go the the summit you will need some proper equipment.
If you feel a bit concerned, it would probably be good to consult with a travel company and make arrangements for a mountain climing guide. Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel Company has connections with tour guides from all over Hokkaido, so we can introduce a guide that suits you best.
The scenery on the Mt. Taisetsu mountain range completely changes depending on the season, which brings many tourists every year wanting to see the various types of scenery. Please come visit sometime.
4. Lavender
Lavender is one of the representative flowers of Hokkaido, and a type of herb purple in color with an attractive refreshing scent. Words can’t describe the Lavender fields that bloom on the vast lands of Hokkaido. The best season is from the middle through the end of July. Although the season is short, it’s definitely one of the landscapes we’d like you to enjoy. Some of the Lavender fields in Hokkaido include:
・ Farm Tomita (Nakafurano Town)
・ Horomitoge Lavender Garden (Sapporo City)
・ Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill (Sapporo City)
・ The Hill of the Buddha (Sapporo City)
One of the more famous ones out of these flower fields is probably Farm Tomita. It takes pride in being top class in the country with a spectacular scenery.
Farm Tomita sells an original Lavender softcream and the refreshing taste and scent will inevitably have you coming back for more. The appearance also has a rare Lavender color, definitely worth trying. Lavender also has:
・ Insect repellent effects
・ Relaxation effects
essential oils and potpourri, which makes for quite popular souvenirs.
We recommend the following colomn for more information about Furano’s Lavender.
Furthermore, you can enjoy a collaboration of Lavender and a city night view at Sapporo’s Horomitoge Lavender Garden. Beyond the 8,000 Lavender plants is a sweeping view of Sapporo’s townscape. The refreshing scent and scenery itself will certainly bring you healing. We recommend visiting around the middle of July. Please try visiting sometime.
5. Cherry Blossoms
Cherry blossoms are lovely flowers that everybody knows, and also the national flower of Japan. Cherry Blossoms are the representative flower of Japan with many famous viewing places all over the country. However, did you know that Hokkaido has beautiful world-class Cherry Blossom sites as well? Here are some representative spots for Cherry Blossoms among famous places around Hokkaido.
・ Goryokaku Park (Hakodate)
・ Sakura Corridor (Hokuto City)
・ Tenguzakura (Otaru City)
・ Nakajima Park (Sapporo)
The most famous would have to be Goryokaku Park’s Cherry Blossoms. When the season comes, tourists from all over Japan make their way to visit the beautiful Cherry Blossom scenery. Even people living in Hokkaido want to visit the place at least once. Hakodate is also close to the mainland and the Cherry Blossom blooming takes place around the middle of April, which is quite early for Hokkaido.
If it’s a bit hard on your schedule to make it all the way to Hakodate, we also recommend Sapporo and Otaru. Nakajima Park in Sapporo is a big park that local residents visit to relax. The Cherry Blossom season here is around the beginning of May, the time when many people go jogging under the refreshing Cherry Blossom trees. The place is well kept making it enjoyable for local residents and tourists as well.
There are also many other spots to enjoy Cherry Blossoms. Please check the column below introducing more information on Cherry Blossoms in
Hokkaido.
6. Tulips
Although surprisingly not well known, Hokkaido has many parks where you can see spectacular Tulip landscapes. The lovely appearance and colorful display is loved by people all around the world and is even the national flower of Turkey. In Hokkaido, there are many places where you can see wonderful Tulip landscapes.
Such as:
・ Takino Suzuran Hillside Park (Sapporo)
・ Kikonai Town Saraki Cape Tulip Garden (Kikonai Town)
・ Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park (Yubetsu Town)
When the Tulip season comes to Takino Suzuran Hillside Park, there are 250,000 Tulips in full bloom that cover an entire hillside surface. Furthermore, the facility is equipped with restaurants and large-sized playground equipment making it an enjoyable place for families of all ages from kids to elderly people.
Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park takes pride in its 700,000 Tulips with a variety of around 200 different types. A great number of people visit every year for the Tulip Fair that takes place from May 1st through May 31st. The scenery is quite like a fairy tale. You may find yourself in delusion as you carelessly wander into the fairy tale-like world.
The best time to see it is from the middle through the end of May. How about making an effort to stop by for healing from the Tulips when sightseeing around eastern Hokkaido?
Please check this column introducing Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park for more information.
7. Hydrangea
Hydrangea is a beautiful native plant of Japan that comes in a variety of gradation colors including purples, pinks and blues. As the flowers bloom in June during the rainy season on the mainland of Japan (a characteristic of eastern Asia when cloudy and rainy days continue for a prolonged period) the flowers have a deep connection with rain and a gentle intimate image. On the other hand, in Hokkaido the blooming season is from July through August. Furthermore, there is no rainy season in Hokkaido so you can enjoy the refreshing Hydrangea blooming under the blue summer sky.
The following are spots where you can enjoy Hokkaido’s Hydrangea to the fullest.
・ Hokkaido Kihinkan, The Old Aoyama Villa (Otaru City)
・ Date City Usu Zenkoji Temple (Date City)
Famous for its canal, Otaru City also has the Otaru Kihinkan Old Aoyama Villa, a luxurious art home and a cultural property of Japan. There are 600 Hydrangea plants including a variety of over 10 types planted in the “Hydrangea Garden,” spread out making a beautiful and magnificent scenery. The best time to see the Hydrangea is from the middle of July through the beginning of August. The collaboration of the grand estate and the magnificent Hydrangea is a must-see.
Furthermore, the Usu Zenkoji Temple in Date City is an old Temple with historical value in Hokkaido. All throughout the year Hydrangea, Cherry Blossoms, Azalea and more, vibrantly bloom, which is why the Temple is known as “the Flower Temple.” The 1,000 Hydrangea plants that color the grounds of the Temple are especially popular and the best time to see them is from the middle of July through the middle of August.
Otaru City and Date City both have a lot of sightseeing spots worth seeing, so it would be best to consult with a tour company to include appreciation of Hydrangea into your itinerary. We especially recommend Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel Company, a travel company that specializes in Hokkaido.
8. Azalea
Azalea is a plant native to Asia with flowers that bloom in colors such as, pink, red and white. Because of its inherent characteristic to withstand cold temperatures, Hokkaido has 7 types of Azalea that grow naturally in the wild. In Hokkaido, there is a wide area from eastern Hokkaido to southern Hokkaido with scattered spots where you can appreciate Azalea.
Here is an introduction to some of the representative parks.
・ Santa Land Daimaruyama Forest Park (Hiroo Town)
・ Esan Azalea Park (Hakodate City)
Every year at Santa Land located at the famous Daimaruyama Forest Park in Hiroo Town, you can see around 12,000 Azalea blooming in profusion from around the middle of May through the beginning of June. The local neighborhood people have given the place the nickname of “Hiroo Azalea” and the vibrant red color has become the flower’s main characteristic.
Esan Azalea Park in Hakodate City is a park where many Azalea grow naturally at the foot of Mt. Esan. There are around 600,000 Azalea and Fuurintsutsuji growing naturally at the foot of the mountain and with such rapid growth, this area with Fuurintsutsuji is considered the only breeding ground of its kind in Hokkaido. The best time to see it is from the end of May through the beginning of June.There is also a well maintained promenade, so please consider including this spot into your tour to appreciate Azalea when traveling to Hakodate.
9. Flower Carpets
Flower Carpets are a kind of public art. The artists use rose and carnation pedals, as well as other natural materials to make one large flat picture. The flower festival originated in Brussels in Belgium and is held once every two years. Sapporo began holding a similar event in 2014. The main site is located at Kita 3jo in a public square, where local citizens and volunteers combine their efforts to make one giant design.
The Flower Carpet event is held at the end of June for just a few days, which makes for quite a rare experience if you’re able to catch a glimpse. The Flower Carpet in 2024 was the largest one yet with a length of 30 meters and a width of 7.5 meters. The theme of the design was traditional Ainu patterns, and the attractive lovely color tones included various shades of red, pink and yellow. The special point about the Flower Carpet event is that anyone can participate regardless of age, gender or nationality. If sightseeing in Sapporo during the month of June, you might be able to observe the actual spot where a large group of people cooperate together to make one giant Flower Carpet.
10. Frost Flowers
Do you know about Frost Flowers? It is not what you would consider as a “flower” plant with roots and a stem. It’s a natural phenomenon that takes place in cold regions during severe cold periods and can only be seen when specific conditions come together in perfect timing. From this extreme rarity comes the name, “Miracle Flower.” The 4 conditions that must take place in order to see Frost Flowers are:
・ The temperature must be below -15 degrees Celcius
・ No wind at all or a very gentle breeze
・ The water temperature must be higher than the air temperature
・ The ice must not be too thick
Lake Akan in Hokkaido can fulfill these requirements. The reason is because Lake Akan has characteristics such as:
・ The temperature during the coldest period is extremely low
・ Hot springs gush forth creating pools of hot water
・ It’s easy for the area to maintain conditions with no wind as it is surrounded by mountains
Lake Akan is a valuable spot where you can observe Frost Flower fields, and there are also tours being held along with nature guides. If your luck is good, you might be able to see an entire miracle field of Frost Flowers, a sight that will surely be breathtaking. It’s a scenery you’ll want to see at least once in a lifetime. However, keep in mind that it is extremely dangerous to go out and observe Frost Flowers on your own, so please be sure to join a specialized guided tour.
Please contact Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel Company if you’re thinking, “I want to see Frost Flowers with my own eyes!” We will support you through the whole process from tour guide arrangements to adjusting your itinerary and schedule.
Please check the following column introducing Frost Flowers for more information.
In this column, we introduced Hokkaido’s magnificent flower landscapes. Although we carefully selected beautiful photos, there is still a lot that photos cannot capture. As Hokkaido takes pride in its vast lands, the impressive flower fields are something that can’t be experienced on the mainland of Japan. Please be sure to experience the lovely flowers of Hokkaido for yourself.
Around the flower fields and recommended spots mentioned, there are also lots of tourist facilities, gourmet food and various activities related to flowers. If your itinerary is planned well, you’ll be able to take a flower themed trip while also enjoying Hokkaido’s gourmet seafood and nature activities to the fullest.
If you are having trouble creating a plan to travel Hokkaido, please leave it up to Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel Company.
Our staff is well informed about Hokkaido and will design the most suitable plan while taking your requests into account.
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