[Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park in Ozora] Marvelous Pink World Can Be Enjoyed during Higashimokoto Moss Pink Festival

Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park

Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park (東藻琴芝桜公園) is in Higashimokoto, Ozora town located in the southern direction of Abashiri city, and is well-known as one of the largest places famous for moss pink together with Shibazakura Takinoue Park (芝ざくら滝上公園) in Japan, and Higashimokoto Moss Pink Feastival (東藻琴芝桜祭) is famous as one of 3 major Okhotsk Spring Festivals together with Kamiyubetsu Tulip Festival (かみゆうべつチューリップフェスティバル) and Fairy Tale village Takinoue Moss Pink Festival (童話村たきのうえ芝ざくらまつり). The Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park surrounded by fields is developed with containing hillslope along Hokkaido Road 102. It is the origin of the park that Mr. Suekichi Nakabachi (中鉢末吉) planted the moss pink that he grew at his home on the steep slope in 1977. The moss pink is a perennial plant of the family polemoniaceae native of North America, and is a kind of the phlox. He expanded the moss pink field of 1 ha a year, and now the park space is 100,000 m2. I think that visitors must be very impressed by the moss pink over the steep slope. When I drove my car on the road, the pink moss came into my sight, and I was very moved. You will be moved by beautiful red, pink, purple and white color, too. Admission is charged, but a parking lot is free of charge. Except the Higashimokoto Moss Pink Feastival season, admission free.

The park called Non-keyland (ノンキーランド) has various facilities such as a restaurant, food shops, a restroom, a go-kart course, a fishing pond, a hot spring facility “Shibazakura-no-Yu”, a footbath, Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park Campsite. Except moss pink blossom season, tourists can enjoy here, too. The distance is around 10 km far away from the center of the Higashimokoto, restraunts, cafes, souvenir shops and convenience stores are not built around here. Speaking of a tasty restaurant in the Higashimokoto, Higashimokoto Nyurakukan (ひがしもこと乳酪館) is popular in particular. By the way, a shuttle bus runs for free between the center of the Higashimokoto and the Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park from mid May to late May.

Fairy Tale village Takinoue Moss Pink Festival

Shibazakura Takinoue Park (芝ざくら滝上公園) is in Takinoue town located in the northeastern direction of Asahikawa city, and is well-known as one of the largest place famous for moss pink together with Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park (東藻琴芝桜公園), and Fairy Tale village Takinoue Moss Pink Festival (童話村たきのうえ芝ざくらまつり) is famous as one of 3 major Okhotsk Spring Festival together with Kamiyubetsu Tulip Festival (かみゆうべつチューリップフェスティバル) and Higashimokoto Moss Pink Feastival (東藻琴芝桜祭). The park is near the center of the Takinoue, and is developed on a hillslope. It is the origin of the park that Takinoue people planted moss pink from a cardboard box for mandarin oranges in 1958. The moss pink is a perennial plant of the family polemoniaceae native of North America, and is a kind of the phlox. They expanded the moss pink field every year, and now the park space is 100,000 m2. Admission is charged, but a parking lot is free of charge. Except the Fairy Tale village Takinoue Moss Pink Festival season, admission free. Read More

Kamiyubetsu Tulip Fair

Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park (かみゆうべつチューリップ公園) is in in Kamiyubetsu, Yubetsu town located in the northern direction of Kitami city, and is well-known as 2 major places famous for tulips together with Takino Suzuran Hillside National Government Park (滝野すずらん公園), and the Kamiyubetsu Tulip Fair (かみゆうべつチューリップフェア) is famous as one of 3 major Okhotsk Spring Festivals together with Higashimokoto Moss Pink Feastival (東藻琴芝桜祭) and Fairy Tale village Takinoue Moss Pink Festival (童話村たきのうえ芝ざくらまつり). The park surrounded by fields is developed as a flower field along Oketo National Route (National Route 242). It is the origin of the Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park that Mr. Terunori Nishikawa (西川照憲) planted a tulip, and described here as old people’s farm in 1957. About 200 kinds of 1.2 million tulips are planted on the site of 700,000 m2 at present. I think that visitors must be very impressed by colorful tulip lines on the flatland. Admission is charged, but a parking lot is free of charge. Except the Kamiyubetsu Tulip Fair season, admission free. Read More

Highland Koshimizu 725

Mokoto Pass (藻琴峠) is a pass at 648 m above sea level in the northern side of the Lake Kussharo, and Highland Koshimizu 725 (ハイランド小清水725) is built at 725 m above sea level on the hillside of Mt. Mokoto (藻琴山) near the hilltop of Hokkaido Road 102 connecting Koshimizu town and Teshikaga town, and is a popular viewing point with a view of the Lake Kussharo or Mt. Sharidake (斜里岳). Visitors can sometimes see a sea of clouds covered with the lake. In Akan Mashu National Park, there are a resthouse, a lookout, a trailhead to the Mt. Mokoto (Koshimizu Course), a public restroom and a parking lot on the site. Spring water of the Mt. Mokoto named “Chomeisui Spring (長命水)” is gushed beside the parking lot. It is well-known as drinkable famous mineral water, and a lot of the visitors come to draw water. By the way, the resthouse has a restaurant and a souvenir shop, and the visitors can take a rest, too. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Read More

Higashimokoto Moss Pink Feastival

Higashimokoto Moss Pink Festival is held from early May to early June. About 100 thousand tourists come every year. Admission is JPY 500. The time it takes to look around pink carpets on the hillside at about 200 m above sea level is around 2 hours. You may be tired because of a difference of elevation, so you should wear comfortable shoes. Touring cars for a person with weak foot are provided to move to the hilltop. A car fare is JPY 300. In addition, tourists can ride in a helicopter to look over the pink carpets from the sky.

Yamatsumi Shinto Shrine (山津見神社) is built on around hilltop, and both sides of an approach to the shrine are covered with the pink color, and a trii is pink, too. Most trii is vermilion color, so it is unusual. The enshrined deity is Oyamatsumi-no-Kami that is the head shrine in Iidate, Soma districe, Fukushima prefecture. The tourists can pray to the god for help in achieving a goal, too.

The park covered with the pink moss can be seen from an observatory deck beside the Yamatsumi Shinto Shrine. In addition, the tourists can look at Mt. Mokoto (藻琴山), and can enjoy a typical of Hokkaido scenery, too. If it is fine weather, the visitors’s heart will be certainly healed by a fragrance of the moss pink and splendid scenery.

A gazebo is built on a hilltop, and there is a touring car stop, too. Souvenirs and a soft serve ice cream are sold at the building. A kart course with 820 m in total length is built in the moss pink, and a fare is JPY 400 for single. By the way, Ginrei Mineral Water (銀嶺水) that is one of the 100 Exquisite and Well-Conserved Waters is built near the shops, and the visitors can drink it freely. It tasts mellow but not sweet.

Atmosphere of Higashimokoto Moss Pink Feastival Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Higashimokoto Moss Pink Feastival

List of Accommodations

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

Δ

Hotel Higashimokoto(ホテルひがしもこと)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Petit Farm Yui(プチファームゆい)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park Campsite(ひがしもこと芝桜公園キャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten