[Manabe Garden in Obihiro] The Largest Conifer Garden in Japan

Japanese-style Garden

The Japanese-style Garden that is one of the 3 best gardens in the Manabe Garden is the first garden to visit. Carp Pond (鯉の池), Shinshokaku (真正閣), Suishoan (翆松庵), an artificial hill, a stone tower and so on are built at the site. Groundwater that gushes up from about 350 m below flows to the Carp Pond, and around the pond is worth seeing. As its name suggests, a lot of carps swim in the pond, and it engenders a typical atmosphere of the Japanese-style Garden. A Japanese umbrella around the pond is accent color in the view, so a lot of visitors from overseas take a picture here.

The Shinshokaku built in 1911 is a rest station for Emperor Taisho, and has been moved to here since 1969. Unfortunately, common tourists are not allow to enter. The Suishoan, a tea room, is beside the Shinshokaku, and tourists can take a rest at the Suishoan now.

European-style Garden

The European-style Garden that is one of the 3 best gardens in the Manabe Garden is a garden to be the most worth seeing in my opinion. A House with Red Roof (赤屋根の家), KIDS Garden, Rosa Rugosa Path (はまなすの小道), an observation deck (展望デッキ), Lawn Open Space (芝生広場), a smoking area, resting places, a restroom and so on are built at the site. Various tall and short conifers are planted, and shading of green color differs a little, so a non-typical view in the Japan can be enjoyed.

The house with a red roof that is a symbol of the European-style Garden is a wooden building built in 1977, and uses a tyrol house in Austria as a motif. It emphasizes an European atmosphere. Unfortunately, common tourists are not allow to enter it. A bench for a good palce to take a picture is provided, too, so a lot of tourists take a photo there.

The observation deck is built near Olivine Waterfal (オリビンの滝), and its height is about 8 m. A good view like overseas garden can be seen.

The Lawn Open Space is amazing. A lot of tall trees grow, and the height of a white willow is about 20 m. Weeping branches catch people's eyes. The blue sky and different green trees create a good scenery.

Landscape-style Garden

The Landscape-style Garden with difference of elevation and much water is one of the 3 best gardens in the Manabe Garden. The Olivine Waterfall, Rhododendron Colony (シャクナゲ群落), Forest of Eastern White Pine (ストローブ松の森), Rosa Rugosa Hill (はまなすの丘), Rainbow Trout Pond (ニジマスの池), S-shaped Waterfall (S字の滝), resting places, a hut for bird-watching and so on are built at the site. Visitors can enjoy a conbination of water and trees, and I feel that here looks like a park rather than a garden.

The Olivine Waterfall is a man-made falls of about 8 m height. Olivine mined in Mt. Apoi (アポイ岳), Hidaka District is piled up.

At the Forest of Eastern White Pine, art works made by Mr. Nobuo Mitsunashi (三梨伸展) were displayed when I visited here.

Reverse Border Garden

The Reverse Border Garden is a coined word, and means "A formal garden". It is a symmetrical garden, and Squirrel Church (リスの教会) is built at the site. The church has a bell, so I wonder that a wedding ceremony may be held.

Dwarf Garden

The Dwarf Garden with an exit is at the end of the paid zone, and contains the Monster Garden built in 2016. Slow-growing plants are collected here, and small people like the dwarf appears in a fairy tale or a fantasy world, so it means "small". In addition, moster-shaped trees are planted at the Monster Garden.