Flower Road Hanakaiyu is a scenic route that threads its way through eastern Hokkaido’s Okhotsk region, linking flower-filled towns such as Takinoue, Monbetsu, Yubetsu, and Engaru, including the Maruseppu and Shirataki areas. Together, these communities form one of Hokkaido’s most rewarding springtime drives.

Stretching roughly 200 kilometers, the route is dotted with around ten large and small flower-viewing spots. Visit in spring, and you can hop from park to park as fields of moss phlox, tulips, and other seasonal blooms come into their own, creating a landscape that feels distinctly Hokkaido.

Along the Hanakaiyu Flower Road, the scenery changes with the seasons. Spring brings carpets of moss phlox and rows of tulips, summer shifts to lavender and lilies, and autumn finishes with cosmos and vivid coral grass. Each visit offers a completely different palette.

This article focuses on the sweet spot between May and June, when spring flowers are at their peak. We highlight the best stops along the Hanakaiyu Flower Road to enjoy this short but colorful season.

The route begins at Ukishima IC on the Asahikawa–Monbetsu Expressway, about an 80-minute drive from Asahikawa City. From there, we follow a relaxed, clockwise drive through the Okhotsk region, designed for unhurried flower viewing and easy road-trip pacing.

The first stop along the Hanakaiyu Flower Road is Takinoue Town, reached by driving about 45 minutes north on Route 273 from Ukishima IC. This quiet town is home to one of Hokkaido’s most iconic spring scenes.

From early May to early June in a typical year, Shibazakura Takinoue Park bursts into bloom as moss phlox blankets the hillside in shades of soft and vivid pink. Spreading across roughly 10 hectares (25 acres), the sheer scale of the display is unmatched anywhere else in Japan, creating a view that feels almost unreal.

This spectacular view can trace its beginning back to 1957 when a single orange crate of moss phlox seedlings was planted which then continued to grow and proliferate in the more than sixty years since. Those who visit are especially moved by the tireless efforts and loving care provided by local residents.

The Shibazakura Festival takes place each year when the moss phlox reaches full bloom. In 2025, the festival runs from May 1 to June 1, with stage events mainly held on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, adding a lively atmosphere to the flower-filled park.

For a truly memorable perspective, helicopter tours operate for a limited time from May 17 to May 25. Fares are 6,600 yen for adults and 4,400 yen for children ages 3 to 12, with tax included. Flights are operated by HKK Hokkaido Aviation, and availability should be confirmed in advance. Seeing the vast pink hillside from the air is an experience few visitors forget.

After a scenic drive of about 70 minutes from Takinoue along the Okhotsk coastline, you reach Yubetsu Town. The town’s standout spring attraction is Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park, a spacious park that comes alive with color as tulips bloom.

Set across roughly 70,000 square meters (17 acres), the park showcases more than 200 tulip varieties imported from the Netherlands. At its center stands a windmill-style observation deck, offering an elevated view over the neatly arranged beds and letting visitors fully appreciate the scale and symmetry of this vibrant spring display.

Cultivation of tulips started as a specialty product in the mid-1950s in Yubetsu Town and although at one time it had the greatest production and export volume in Hokkaido, production declined due to a fall in transaction prices. However, due to the fervent wishes of the townspeople to “leave tulips for later generations”, the town created this park which opened in 1987.

Every year a Tulip Fair is held between May and June to coincide with the flowers when they are fully in bloom. During this period, you can dig out the bulbs you like from a corner of the garden and buy them, or tour the garden on the Tuppit excursion bus (300 yen for adults, 100 yen for elementary and junior high school students; tax included in both prices).

There are also many spots for taking pictures throughout the park, such as in front of the mini observatory and in the huge wooden shoe.

Taiyo-no-Oka Engaru Park is located on the outskirts of neighboring Engaru Town which is 20 minutes away from Yubetsu Town. Here every year from the middle of May to the beginning of June moss phlox, tulips, and azaleas all bloom in a profusion of color at the same time.

Not only spring flowers, but many other kinds that bloom every year between the middle of August and end of September, such as cosmos, also explode in a riot of colors drawing visitors to the park then, too. The scale is unrivaled in Japan with more than 10 million plants carpeting the 10 hectares (25 acres)! All of the famous flower places in Okhotsk are on a grand scale.

This is a flower spot you can visit not only in spring but at other times, too, to see peonies (late June to early July) and zinnias (early August to late September).

Our final destination is the Maruseppu Fujien located about thirty minutes outside of Engaru Town. Between early and late June extending for about one kilometer from Heiwayama Park to the precincts of Koseiji Temple the soft lavender and pink colors of about 200 wisteria trees in bloom are a spectacular sight.

Fujien Wisteria Garden began with a single act of care in 1945, when the head priest of Koseiji Temple planted just one wisteria tree. Over the decades, the garden quietly grew through careful grafting and the addition of trees brought from Kyoto.

Those steady efforts transformed Fujien into one of the area’s most admired spring sights. When the wisteria comes into bloom, cascading blossoms fill the garden with color and fragrance, drawing visitors who come specifically to see this elegant scene in full flower.

Every year at the Fuji [Wisteria] Festival, which is held in early June, many visitors flock to attend such events as stage shows and enjoying the tea ceremony beneath the wisteria. Why not come and experience it yourself?

About 40 minutes after leaving Maruseppu Fujien, the drive loops back to Ukishima IC, bringing the journey full circle. From start to finish, the Hanakaiyu Flower Road offers an easygoing way to experience the wide-open landscapes of the Okhotsk region.

While spring is famous for its flowers, this route rewards travelers well beyond that season. Summer brings fresh greenery and clear skies, while autumn adds warm colors and a quieter, more reflective mood. Taking your time on this drive turns a simple loop into a satisfying introduction to eastern Hokkaido’s slower, more spacious side.

A leisurely drive along the Hanakaiyu Flower Road offers many wonderful sights, so when you visit Hokkaido and have the time, we definitely recommend it! Travel distance is about 200 km and can be done in about three hours.

Along the way, there are the places we introduced where you can view beautiful flowers as well as rest areas and hot spring inns eager to welcome you! If time permits you might even plan your drive to include spending a night or two along the way.

* Events and their contents may vary according to the condition of the flowers.
* Please telephone each tourism association for more details.

Text: Etsuro Nagao