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[Buckwheat Field in Horokanai] Japan's Largest Buckwheat Fields of 3,200 ha Are Exhaustively Covered with About 6 mm Small White Flowers

August 21st, 2014

CONTENTS

Horokanai Buckwheat Fields
List of Buckwheat Fields
List of Events
List of Activities
- Buckwheat Boodles Making Experience
List of Accommodations

Horokanai Buckwheat Fields

Horokanai town in the northwestern part of Asahikawa city is the best buckwheat town in Japan. Total buckwheat planted area is 3,200 ha, and the amount of buckwheat production is over 2,900 ton, and those are the largest area and production in the Japan. Its quality is the best grade in the Japan, too, and Horokanai Buckwheat Noodles (幌加内そば) has a good reputation. In a summer, the buckwheat fields are covered with white flowers, and I think that visitors are moved by the views. The best time to see is from late July to mid August. The Horokanai has 4 famous viewing spots, and white buckwheat flowers can be enjoyed at Soba-no-Hana Observation Deck (ソバの花展望台), Hakugin-no-Oka (Silver) Hills (白銀の丘), Junpaku-no-Oka(Snow-white) Hills (純白の丘) and Shirojutan-no-Hatake (白絨毯の畑 * Fields of the White Carpet).

Movie of Horokanai Buckwheat Fields

Horokanai Seiichi — Handemade Horokanai Buckwheat Noodles

It is said that the growing Buckwheat is suitable for cool climate, a large temperature gap between the daytime and the evening and morning fog that mildens temperature rise in the daytime. It is certain that the Horokanai is one of the coldest places in the Japan. In Moshiri (母子里) nearby Lake Shumarinai, -41.2 degrees Celsius, the Japan's lowest temperature, was recorded in 1977, and a monument named Crystal Peaks was built. The Horoknai has also heavy snow. The maximum snow deposit was over 313 cm in 2018, and broke the Hokkaido record of Kucchan. The winter is amazing in the Horokanai.

Lake Shumarinai in Horokanai — Crystal Peaks in Moshiri

As for tasty restaurants in the Horokanai, most of those are restaurants related to buckwheat noodles, and Hachiemon (八右ヱ門), Kiritachitei (霧立亭) and Soba-no-Sato (そばの里) are popular in particular. I ate the buckwheat noodles at the Hachiemon, and it was tasty. As for onsen, a day trip bathing can be enjoyed at Seiwa Onsen Ruonto (せいわ温泉ルオント). By the way, Horokanai Town New Soba Festival (幌加内町新そば祭り) is held between 2days in early September.

Hachiemon

Hachiemon (八右ヱ門) is a popular buckwheat noodles restraunt in Horokanai town located in the northwest part of Asahikawa city. There is a building near Horokanai town office. Horokanai is famous as a major production area of the highest-grade buckwheat flour. The buckwheat noodles using buckwheat flour produced in Horokanai can be eaten. They got the Bib Gourmand in MICHELIN GUIDE Hokkaido 2012 Special Edition. I visited the Hachiemon several times before, but the business was closed around 13:00 and I was not able to enter it. It is a popular after all. However, it opened a business and I visited here when I happened to pass around 13:30 on weekdays. Article is here

Lake Shumarinai

Lake Shumarinai (朱鞠内湖) is a man-made lake in Horokanai town located in the northern part of Asahikawa city, and is well-known for the largest man-made lake in Japan. 13 big and small islands float on the surface of the lake, and a feature of the lake is complicated topography like a fjord. The perimeter of the lake is about 40 km. The maximum water depth is 40 m. 1st Uryu Dam (雨竜第一ダム) was built in 1943, and the lake was born. The water surface is 23.73 km2. The height of the concrete gravity dam is about 45.5 m. The Horokanai is one of the coldest places in the Japan, and In Moshiri (母子里) nearby the lake, -41.2 degrees Celsius, the Japan's lowest temperature, was recorded in 1977, and a monument named Crystal Peaks was built. The Horoknai has also heavy snow, and my father told me that Horokanai people used to go in or out their houses via the 2nd floor because an entrance of the 1st floor was surrounded by snow in a winter. The winter is amazing in the Horokani. Article is here

Buckwheat Noodles of Hokkaido

Hokkaido occupies about 40% of buckwheat production of Japan, and is the largest buckwheat production in the Japan, and Nagano prefecture, Ibaraki prefecture, Fukushima prefecture and so on follow the Hokkaido. The climate is cool in a summer, and a large temperature gap is great for good buckwheat, and the buckwheat production of the Hokkaido is increasing. Horokanai (幌加内), Fukagawa (深川) and Otoineppu (音威子府) are the 3 largest production places. Especially, the Horokanai is the best buckwheat production and the largest planted area in the Japan, and is well-known as a buckwheat town, and uses buckwheat fields as tourist attractions well. In Fukushima town, Sengen Soba Buckwheat Flowers Viewing Party (千軒そばの花鑑賞会) is held in buckwheat fields, and a fantastic conbination of the buckwheat fields and Matsumae Kagura (松前神楽) can be enjoyed. Article is here

List of Buckwheat Fields

Views with white flowers can be savored at the Soba-no-Hana Observation Deck, the Hakugin-no-Oka (Silver) Hills, the Junpaku-no-Oka(Snow-white) Hills and the Shirojutan-no-Hatake. My visited places are as follows.

Shirojutan-no-Hatake(Silver White Carpet Fields) in Horokanai — Buckwheat Fields

Soba-no-Hana Observation Deck

The Soba-no-Hana Observation Deck is a viewing spot along National Route 275 in the central part of the Horokanai. Only this place has sightseeing facilities in the 4 viewing spots. Soba Museum (そば博物館), Soba Shrine (そば神社), a buckwheat noodles restraunt, a gaezebo, a parking lot and a restroom are built at the site, and the Horokanai buckwheat noodles or a soft serve icecream can be eaten at Kitamura Buckwheat Noodles restraunt (きたむらそば). The buckwheat noodles using buckwheat in fornt of visitor's eyes has a good reputation. The visitors can look over the buckwheat flowers in Seiwa dictrict. A walk is built in the buckwheat field, and the gazebo is also built in the buckwheat field. Here is the only viewing spot that tourists can enter the buckwheat fields. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. They open a business from mid July to August.

Atmosphere of Soba-no-Hana Observation Deck Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Soba-no-Hana Observation Deck

Admission fee	Free of charge
Parking lot	Free parking is provided (20 Cars)
Business hours	Open 24 hours * Buckwheat noodles restraunt 11:00-14:00
Regular closing day	Open all year round * Buckwheat noodles restraunt From late August to mid July
Telephone number	+81-165-35-2380
Home page	Home page is here
Mapcode	701 858 851*36

Hakugin-no-Oka (Silver) Hills

Hakugin-no-Oka (Silver) Hills is a viewing spot in Shinnariue district located in the southern part of the Horokanai. There is no sightseeing facility. Visitors can view the buckwheat flowers on a gentle hill in a short distance away from the National Route 275. A parking lot is not offered, so the visitors stop their cars on a shoulder of a farm road. The visitors can view the buckwheat flowers along the National Route 275. But the view from the farm road is better than the National Route 275. The buckwheat fields is not allowed to enter, so please savor the view only from the road.

Atmosphere of Hakugin-no-Oka (Silver) Hills Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Hakugin-no-Oka (Silver) Hills

Admission fee	Free of charge
Parking lot	parking lot is not provided
Business hours	Open 24 hours
Regular closing day	Open all year round
Telephone number	+81-165-35-2380
Home page	Home page is here
Mapcode	701 226 440*28

Shirojutan-no-Hatake (Silver White Carpet Fields)

The Shirojutan-no-Hatake (Silver White Carpet Fields) is a viewing point in Shinnariue district located in the southern part of the Horokanai. It is along the National Route 275, but a view from the route is not good. A comfortable view is at a short distance away on a side road. After going ahead along the side road, and a cemetery comes into sight, and a paved road turns into a gravel road there, and a view is good at a short distance away from there. But a lot of bees fly, beware of the bees. There is no sightseeing facility. Visitors stop their cars on a shoulder of the road, and see the buckwheat flowers blooming. The buckwheat fields is not allowed to enter, so please savor the view only from the road.

Admission fee	Free of charge
Parking lot	Free parking is not provided
Business hours	Open 24 hours
Regular closing day	Open all year round
Telephone number	+81-165-35-2380
Home page	Home page is here
Mapcode	701 167 677*86

Junpaku-no-Oka(Snow-white) Hills

The Junpaku-no-Oka(Snow-white) Hills are a viewing point located in the southern part of the Horokanai. A parking lot is built along the National Route 275, and it looks like a parking park. Visitors can view the buckwheat flowers on a gentle hill. There are only the parking lot and a bench. The parking lot is free of charge. The buckwheat fields is not allowed to enter, so please savor the view only from the parking lot.

Admission fee	Free of charge
Parking lot	Free parking is provided (5 Cars)
Business hours	Open 24 hours
Regular closing day	Open all year round
Telephone number	+81-165-35-2380
Home page	Home page is here
Mapcode	701 168 555*25

List of Events

The Horokanai Town New Soba Festival is held in the Horokanai.

Movie of Horokanai Town New Soba Festival

List of Activities

Buckwheat Boodles Making can be experienced in the Horokanai. Refer to following websites for the activities. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

Buckwheat Boodles Making Experience

Movie of Buckwheat Boodles Making Experience

Horokanai Soba Dojo(幌加内そば道場)	HP	ASOVIEW	Jalan

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Horokanai. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

Yoshinoya Ryokan(吉野家旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Chirorinmura(チロリン村)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Lakeside Camping Ground Log Cabin(湖畔キャンプ場ログキャビン)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Teuchisoba-no-Yado Soba-no-Hana(手打ち蕎麦の宿そばの花)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Lake House Shumarinai(レークハウスしゅまりない)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten