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Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park: In Japan's North, the Floor Comes Alive With Sakura Colors

Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park: In Japan's North, the Floor Comes Alive With Sakura Colors

Last updated: 19 February 2024

Along with the arrival of spring in May, Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park is decorated in a stunning pink, with broad fields of blooming shibazakura flowers (moss phlox). Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park (ひがしもこと芝桜公園) is home to one of Hokkaido's most famous flower fields.

The Shibazakura Festival is timed to coincide with the blossoming of the flowers in the spring, which comes later in Hokkaido than in other areas of Japan.

You'll love every moment here as there is a variety of activities to choose from and places to visit - shops serving local gourmet dishes, a go-kart course, day-visits to hot springs, fishing ponds, an old, historical shrine and more!

Table of Contents
  1. When is the best time to see the Hokkaido shibazakura flowers in spring?
  2. Higashimokoto Shibazakura Festival: Enjoy local foods and fun!
  3. Fishing, Go-Karts & More: Enjoy all sorts of activities
  4. Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park's Fascinating Backstory
  5. Access: How to Get to Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park

When is the best time to see the Hokkaido shibazakura flowers in spring?

▲Shibazakura in full bloom announcing spring’s arrival
▲Shibazakura in full bloom announcing spring’s arrival

Mid-May is the best time to visit to see the delicate red, white, and pink moss phlox flowers in bloom.

▲A panoramic vista of Hokkaido Shibazakura spreading as far as the eye can see!
▲A panoramic vista of Hokkaido Shibazakura spreading as far as the eye can see!

If any scenery could be said to be representative of spring in Hokkaido it would be the lavender-colored fields of Shibazakura stretching out under the broad expanse of the blue sky.

▲Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park is situated in Higashimokoto, Ozora Town, noted for its many dairy farms. Nonki-kun, a local cow character, appears on a western slope and is made entirely with Shibazakura
▲Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park is situated in Higashimokoto, Ozora Town, noted for its many dairy farms. Nonki-kun, a local cow character, appears on a western slope and is made entirely with Shibazakura

The shibazakura flowers planted in the park cover an area of about 10 hectares (25 acres). Carpets of Hokkaido pink moss phlox extend up to the tops of the surrounding hills.

When in full bloom, they present a beautiful scene extending like a velvet carpet, their fragrance filling the air, and further alluring visitors.

Higashimokoto Shibazakura Festival: Enjoy local foods and fun!

▲Every year many people visit the Higashimokoto Shibazakura Festival
▲Every year many people visit the Higashimokoto Shibazakura Festival

The Higashimokoto Shibazakura Festival is annually timed to align with the peak bloom period of the flowers. As of February 2024, the dates for that year's festival remain unannounced. However, the event in 2023, which took place from May 3 to June 5, can provide a guideline.

The festival features a variety of stage performances and offers an array of local gourmet cuisine, incorporating dairy, vegetables, and seafood from the Higashimokoto and Okhotsk areas. The event caters to a wide audience, ensuring that both adults and children find enjoyment in the numerous activities available.

▲The Shibazakura Soft-Serve Ice Cream inspired by the Shibazakura in the park. The cherry flavor and light pink color enhance the feeling of spring
▲The Shibazakura Soft-Serve Ice Cream inspired by the Shibazakura in the park. The cherry flavor and light pink color enhance the feeling of spring

Pathways in the park are well-maintained, allowing for enjoyable 30-minute to one-hour strolls. Also, during the festival period a truck is outfitted with seats for touring the park. This is ideal for those who have trouble walking, such as young children or the elderly. From it the scenery of the park can be enjoyed and it is also possible to go up to the top of the hills.

▲This sightseeing truck makes it possible to enjoy all areas of the park, even the tops of the hills. Fares: 300 yen for adults and 150 yen for elementary school students (tax included in both fares)
▲This sightseeing truck makes it possible to enjoy all areas of the park, even the tops of the hills. Fares: 300 yen for adults and 150 yen for elementary school students (tax included in both fares)
▲Stroll at your own leisure up the hills and enjoy the view of the fields of Shibazakura from above
▲Stroll at your own leisure up the hills and enjoy the view of the fields of Shibazakura from above

There is an observatory on the top of the hill. From here you can get a dynamic view of the whole park. The contrast between the carpet of shibazakura and the broad expanse of blue sky will long remain in your memory.

▲The view from the top of the hill looking down gives a different perspective. You should definitely hike up to the observation deck!
▲The view from the top of the hill looking down gives a different perspective. You should definitely hike up to the observation deck!

Fishing, Go-Karts & More: Enjoy all sorts of activities

▲The go-kart course is 820 meters long. Drive safely while enjoying the scenery. One lap for two people costs 600 yen; 400 yen for one person (tax included for both)
▲The go-kart course is 820 meters long. Drive safely while enjoying the scenery. One lap for two people costs 600 yen; 400 yen for one person (tax included for both)

The Hokkaido shibazakura is not the only attraction in the park! You can spend the entire day with family and friends enjoying the various activities such as the go-kart course and a pond where you can fish for yamame, a kind of trout.

▲Children enjoying the fishing pond. 1,800 yen per hour for adults; 1,200 yen per hour for elementary school children (tax included in both)
▲Children enjoying the fishing pond. 1,800 yen per hour for adults; 1,200 yen per hour for elementary school children (tax included in both)

There are also natural hot spring facilities and foot baths in the park! This is a chloride hot spring that warms you through and through and leaves your skin with a pleasing glow. This is a clear, gravity-fed hot spring.

▲Shibazakura no Yu is a hot spring you can enjoy on a day visit. It is open for business up until the end of September
▲Shibazakura no Yu is a hot spring you can enjoy on a day visit. It is open for business up until the end of September
▲Nothing is so relaxing as enjoying a foot bath while viewing the Shibazakura in full bloom! You can use it for free up through the end of August
▲Nothing is so relaxing as enjoying a foot bath while viewing the Shibazakura in full bloom! You can use it for free up through the end of August
  • Shibazakura-no-Yu
    芝桜の湯
    • Address 393, Higashimokoto Suehiro, Ozora-cho Abashiri-gun, Hokkaido, 099-3232
    • Phone Number 0152-66-3111
    • ・Admission: Adults 480 yen, elementary school children 140 yen, infants 70 yen (all prices include tax) ※ No charge for the foot bath
      ・Hours: Shibazakura Festival: 11 AM - 6 PM (reception closes at 5 PM); Second Monday in June - September 30: 1 PM - 8 PM (reception closes at 7 PM)
      ・Closed: Wednesdays
      * Access is possible from another entrance outside the park's open hours.

There is also a Shinto shrine within the park. Taking the stairs up the hill you will come to a Torii gate the same color as the Hokkaido shibazakura. Passing under it and making your way to the top you’ll come upon a small shrine.

▲The impressive pink Torii halfway up the hill
▲The impressive pink Torii halfway up the hill

The Yamatsumi shrine was erected in 1913 by people who came from the Soma-gun region of Fukushima Prefecture to worship the mountain god Oyamatsumi.

▲Oyamatsumi Shrine, dedicated to the god of the mountain
▲Oyamatsumi Shrine, dedicated to the god of the mountain

People pray to this god for matters relating to agriculture, successful business, bountiful marine catches, hunting, finding a suitable marriage partner, being blessed with children, safe childbirth, safe journeys, and traffic safety.

▲The spirit of Mr. Nakahachi's efforts to create this expansive vista lives on in the flowers he so lovingly planted
▲The spirit of Mr. Nakahachi's efforts to create this expansive vista lives on in the flowers he so lovingly planted

Shibazakura heralds the late arrival of spring in Hokkaido and the blooming of flowers. This landscape is bound to move anyone who sees it and leaves them with unforgettable memories of it. The warm weather of late spring makes it the ideal season for sightseeing in Hokkaido. We certainly hope you will come and enjoy it, too.

(*The Shibazakura Festival dates fluctuate depending on when the flowers are in full bloom. For details, check the official Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park Website.)

Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park's Fascinating Backstory

The story behind the origin of this park is a moving one. Mr. Suekichi Nakahachi (1918 - 2002) was a farmer who grew Hokkaido shibazakura in his garden. The park got its start in 1977 when the Mokotoyama Hot Spring Association asked for his help in creating a place of relaxation for the village using shibazakura.

This prompted Mr. Nakahachi to give up farming and join the association at the age of 58. He began clearing the hillsides by himself and planting seedlings of shibazakura one at a time.

It took about eight years for the hills to be transformed into the pink carpets as they appear today. Mr. Nakahachi continued to care for the shibazakura for 22 years until he retired at 80 in 2001.

One cannot help but be amazed that a single individual planted each plant at a time to create this beautiful landscape.

Access: How to Get to Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park

▲Spectacle of blooming Shibazakura carpeting the grounds of the vast park
▲Spectacle of blooming Shibazakura carpeting the grounds of the vast park

At the foot of Mt. Mokoto, in the charming Higashimokoto area of Ozora Town in the Okhotsk region, Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park is a delightful spot open to visitors every year from May 3 to September 30.

Getting there is a breeze, whether you're coming from a 45-minute scenic drive from downtown Abashiri City or a quick 30-minute trip from Memanbetsu Airport.

As the pink moss phlox flowers burst into bloom, people from all corners of Japan, and increasingly from around the globe, flock to the park in cars and buses. It's become a beloved sightseeing jewel for both locals and international tourists alike, offering a picture-perfect experience you won't want to miss.

*All photos were taken before 2016. Photos provided by the Shibazakura Park Authority and Ozora Town Office Regional Promotion Division Industry Group.

Written by: Etsuro Nagao

*This information is from the time of this article's publication.
*Prices and options mentioned are subject to change.
*Unless stated otherwise, all prices include tax.

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