Nice to meet you. This is the Otoineppu Village Tourism Association. Our Otoineppu Village is the smallest village in Hokkaido, located in the northern part of Hokkaido. From now on, through this Account, I hope that many people will know the charm of Otoikofu, including the scenery of the Village, the Specialty products of the Village, the Information of the Events, and even the small events of daily life. Thank you very much.

Introducing a One-Day Experience Tour 😄 — Where Local Sake Is Made — A one-day tour from Obihiro to Urahoro to enjoy fine drinks and delicious food In Tokachi, a region rich in nature and known for its strong agriculture, producers use the bounty of the land to craft a wide variety of alcoholic beverages. This program takes you to the production sites of wine, sake, and craft beer to uncover the secrets behind their great flavors. The more you hear from passionate makers, the more their products taste remarkable. For dinner, we prepare special dishes paired with each drink! Savor them together with Tokachi’s local ingredients. Tour Schedule 9:00 Pickup from JR Obihiro Station, Tokachi-Obihiro Airport, or city hotels 10:00 Aizawa Farm Vineyard tour and wine tasting Visit Aizawa Farm, where grapes are grown naturally without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. 11:30 Kamikawa Taisetsu Sake Brewery Heiun-gura Brewery tour and sake tasting Using the moderately hard spring water from the Satsunai River system, which originates in the Hidaka Mountains and is celebrated as one of Japan’s purest streams, this brewery makes sake that pairs well with Tokachi’s cuisine. 12:30 Rancho El Paso Lunch featuring pasture-raised “dorobuta” pork and local craft beer “Obihiro Beer” 14:45 RIKKA Barley field visit At RIKKA, a brewery established in 2025, join field work in a barley crop. 16:45 RIKKA Brewery tour and beer tasting Take time to taste beers nurtured by Tokachi’s fertile land. 18:00 Torino-me Shop Special dinner by culinary researcher Kanako Sasaki, paired with drinks Enjoy a special dinner designed to complement Tokachi’s wines, sake, and beers. 21:00 Drop-off at JR Obihiro Station, Tokachi-Obihiro Airport, or city hotels — Tour ends Operating period: Year-round Time: 9:00–21:00 (approx. 12 hours) Group size: 3–8 people Price: Per person: JPY 132,000 ※With English interpretation the price is as follows: Per person: JPY 154,000 ■Please make a reservation at least seven days before your desired date. ■Please note that we may not be able to accommodate your preferred date due to guide availability or other circumstances. Would you like to peek behind the scenes of beverage production, agriculture, and food while meeting the producers? We hope that through this one-day experience you will discover new insights and values that enrich your lifestyle. We would be delighted if this Tokachi experience becomes one memorable page in your travel story 😄 If you are interested, please visit the federation’s official website page “BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE — Journeys Connecting to Tokachi, the Source of Food” on our official site (access the federation’s official site from the profile link tree). Contact Knaue Publishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com https://tokachibare.jp/behindthegoodtaste/...

Introducing an experiential tour you can enjoy in Tokachi, Hokkaido 😄 Harvest experience on the fields of the Tokachi Plain At Okamoto Farm in Nakasatsunai Village, taste freshly harvested vegetables with a Jingisukan lunch Located in the southwestern part of the Tokachi Plain in Nakasatsunai Village, Okamoto Farm works to reduce environmental impact while supplying safer, more reliable produce that consumers want. After harvesting potatoes and onions by hand, you’ll take a special ride on a harvesting machine for an added harvest experience. The vegetables you harvest are washed immediately and enjoyed alongside Jingisukan. Okamoto Farm also processes and sells the vegetables it grows. After the meal, enjoy a tomato berry cream puff at the shop where products are sold and tour the processing facility to learn what makes it so delicious. Tour Schedule 10:00 Meet at Okamoto Farm 10:05 Farm introduction, harvest experience in the field, and harvesting machine ride Experience harvesting potatoes and onions with your own hands in the field, then ride a harvesting machine not usually open to visitors and observe harvesting across the vast fields. 11:30 Jingisukan lunch made with the harvested vegetables and ingredients from Nakasatsunai 13:00 Cream puff tasting at Okamoto Farm’s shop and processing facility tour Taste a tomato berry cream puff and tour the processing facility while hearing about tomato production and processing. 13:30 Tour ends Operating period: mid-August to September Time: 10:00–13:30 (about 3 hours 30 minutes) Group size: 2–12 people Price: Per person ・For 2 people: Adult ¥24,200 ・For 3 or more: Adult ¥17,600 *With English interpretation, prices are as follows. Per person ・For 2 people: Adult ¥13,200 ・For 3 or more: Adult ¥9,900 ■Please make a reservation at least seven days before your desired date. ■Please note that we may not be able to accommodate your preferred date due to guide availability or other circumstances. Okamoto Farm uses local ingredients to create more natural, pure products that you can enjoy with confidence. The tomato berry they grow is a cute mini tomato known for its sweetness and high sugar content! This is a great opportunity to meet farmers and learn about the behind-the-scenes of agriculture and food production!! We hope that through this experience you will discover new insights and values that enrich your lifestyle. We would be delighted if a Tokachi experience could become a memorable page in your travel story 😄 If you’re interested, please visit the following URL on our association’s official website: "BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE – A Journey Connecting to the Source of Food in Tokachi" Contact KUNAU Publishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com https://tokachibare.jp/behindthegoodtaste/...

Introducing hands-on tours you can enjoy in Tokachi, Hokkaido 😄 — Ride across vast pastureland — Tokachi Toyokoro: Leisurely Bicycle Journey Toyokoro, located in the eastern Tokachi plain, is a nature-rich town with mountains, rivers, and the sea. You’ll join guided cycling tours led by local cyclists who will take you along scenic routes for nature and history exploration, plus forest roads (gravel roads) that offer magnificent views. For lunch, deepen your connection with producers through a soba-making experience using ingredients from local farms. The basic course covers 40 km. Electric-assist rental bikes are available, so beginners can enjoy the ride. You can also switch to an 80 km course or tailor the route to your available time. Tour Schedule 9:00 Meet at Kokoro Terrace 9:05 Bike preparation and course briefing For rental bikes, you can choose from five cross bikes or three mountain bikes with electric assist. 9:30 Cycling tour across pastures and forest roads Once ready, we leave Toyokoro town and head out to a spectacular road lined with wide pastureland. 12:30 Soba-making experience using local ingredients After cycling, take part in a soba-making session and then taste the noodles you made. 14:00 Tour ends Operating season: July–October Time: 9:00–14:00 (about 5 hours) Group size: 2–10 people Price: 26,400 yen per adult ■ Please make your reservation at least 14 days before your planned date. ■ Due to guide availability and other factors, we may not be able to accommodate your preferred date. Thank you for your understanding. Why not take in the expansive scenery while cycling and enjoy a refreshing break from everyday life? After the exercise, the soba-making experience offers a great chance to meet locals and learn more about the town’s charm, agriculture, and food culture. The soba you make yourself will taste even more special. We hope the Tokachi experience will become a memorable page in your travel diary 😄 If you’re interested, please visit the federation’s official website page “BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE — A Journey Connecting to Tokachi’s Food Origins” via the URL below. Contact KUNAU Publishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com https://tokachibare.jp/behindthegoodtaste/...

Introducing an experiential tour you can take in Tokachi, Hokkaido😄 —The Nation’s Top Bean Town— Tofu-making Experience with Local Farm Wives in Honbetsu Town Located in Tokachi’s upland and mid-mountain area, Honbetsu Town enjoys large temperature swings and long hours of sunshine, making it Japan’s premier town for growing high-quality beans. To share the charm of these proud beans, the group called the Bean-Proud Farm Wives Association formed, bringing together farm wives who process and sell their harvest as tofu, deep-fried tofu, miso, and more. You will tour the production sites of soybeans, an indispensable ingredient in Japanese cuisine, and try traditional tofu-making alongside the farm wives. You will also try making farmer-style meals using okara (soy pulp) and local vegetables, guided by the mothers’ time-honored recipes. [Tour Schedule] 10:00 Meet at Ms. Yamada’s home, Bean-Proud Farm Wives Association 10:05 Visit the soybean field See the soybeans grown in a home garden plot and learn about growing tasty beans from Ms. Yamada’s many years of experience. 10:30 Move to Senbiricho Community Center for tofu-making experience Try the tofu-making methods the farm wives have passed down through generations. 12:00 Cooking experience: bean rice and okara salad Make miso soup with freshly made tofu and use the leftover okara to make an okara salad. 12:30 Lunch Enjoy lunch featuring bean rice made generously with Honbetsu beans. 13:30 Tour ends Operating period: July–October Time: 10:00–13:30 (about 3 hours 30 minutes) Group size: 3–12 people Price: Per person Adult JPY 8,800 *If English interpretation is requested, the fees are as follows. Per person Adult JPY 16,500 ■ Please make a reservation at least 14 days before your preferred date. ■ Due to guide availability and other reasons, we may not be able to accommodate your preferred date. Thank you for your understanding. This is a great opportunity to learn about agriculture and food production firsthand through traditional tofu-making with farm wives in a region known for excellent beans!! We hope this experience will spark new discoveries and values, enriching your lifestyle. We would be delighted if you could add a Tokachi experience to the pages of your travel memories😄 If you are interested, please visit the federation’s official website page "BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE — Journeys Connecting to Tokachi, the Source of Food"! Contact Kuna Publishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com

Introducing hands-on tours you can enjoy in Hokkaido’s Tokachi region 😄 ~Enjoyed on a wooden deck at the farm~ Savor Matsuhashi Beef BBQ at Matsuhashi Farm in Sarabetsu Village Matsuhashi Farm has run livestock operations in Sarabetsu Village for over 90 years. The farm manages every stage from breeding and fattening to sales, and also grows wheat and soybeans. Yasuhiro Matsuhashi, the fourth-generation owner, is rethinking Tokachi agriculture, shifting from yield- and income-focused farming to sustainable, self-sufficient practices. His current theme is stockpiling and seed preservation so the next generation will not go hungry. The cattle raised by Mr. Matsuhashi are called Matsuhashi Beef. They focus on preserving the beef’s natural lean flavor with minimal marbling. This plan lets you taste that proud beef on a BBQ terrace built on the farm grounds. From the wooden deck you can see vast fields. Eating locally raised beef amid a panorama that seems to blend into the fields makes the flavor especially memorable. Tour Schedule 11:30 Gather at Matsuhashi Farm 11:35 Farm introduction and walk / Introduction to Matsuhashi Beef Learn from Mr. Matsuhashi about the care he takes in raising Matsuhashi Beef. 12:00 BBQ with Tokachi fields spread before you Enjoy the lean flavor of Matsuhashi Beef and the taste of locally grown vegetables on a perfect BBQ deck with sweeping field views. 13:30 Commemorative photos in the fields Put on shoe covers and take commemorative photos against the spectacular backdrop. 14:00 Tour ends Operating season: June–August Time: 11:30–14:00 (about 2 hours 30 minutes) Participants: 4–100 people Price: ◎ Vegetable Course / A BBQ course focused on freshly harvested vegetables with less meat (mid-July–end of August) ・Without English interpretation: 9,900 yen per person ・With English interpretation: 14,300 yen per person ◎ Matsuhashi Beef Standard Course / Standard plan to enjoy Matsuhashi Beef ・Without English interpretation: 13,200 yen per person ・With English interpretation: 17,600 yen per person ◎ Matsuhashi Beef Premium Course / A luxury plan featuring rare cuts of Matsuhashi Beef ・Without English interpretation: 20,900 yen per person ・With English interpretation: 25,300 yen per person ※As an option, an all-you-can-drink plan is available for 2,000 yen (tax included) for each course. Please make a reservation at least seven days before your desired date of use. (We may not be able to accommodate your requested date due to guide availability or other reasons.) Visitors who have been living abroad within seven days before entering Japan cannot enter hygiene-controlled areas for quarantine reasons, so please understand. Depending on the World Organization for the Animal Health’s reported global outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, participation in the tour may be refused. Please be aware of this in advance. This experience offers a great opportunity to meet producers, learn about Matsuhashi Beef and Mr. Matsuhashi’s philosophy, and discover the behind-the-scenes of livestock farming and food production!! We hope this Tokachi experience will become a memorable page in your travel story 😄 If you are interested, please visit the relevant page on our official website, "BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE – A Journey Connecting to Tokachi, the Source of Food." Contact Knau Publishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com

Introducing experience tours you can take in Hokkaido’s Tokachi region 😄 ~A journey to glimpse the second life of pharmaceutical scientists~ An experiential tour titled “Visiting the medicinal herb fields of Rikubetsu, Japan’s coldest town”!! Rikubetsu is known as Japan’s coldest town. In a place where winter temperatures can drop below minus 20°C, a couple tends their own medicinal herb fields and develops products gentle on people’s everyday lives. The couple, Mr. Yu Hinata and Ms. Mikie Hinata, originally worked for a major pharmaceutical company in the Kansai region. Mr. Hinata also holds a doctorate in pharmaceutical sciences. With abundant knowledge and experience, the Hinatas moved to Rikubetsu in 2017. Living in the remote, mountainous Rikubetsu area, they visit the herb fields every day and pursue cultivation methods suited to cold climates while developing products at the same time. This retreat program invites you into the Hinatas’ daily life in Rikubetsu to learn about life there, the herb fields, and medicinal herbs. You will touch herbs and plants and enjoy a relaxing program for the mind and body. After working in the fields, you will try blending an original herbal tea using the herbs the Hinatas cultivate. Beside the fields, sip your own herbal tea and enjoy herb-based sweets while sharing a quiet, peaceful time with the Hinatas. Tour Schedule 13:00 Gather at Jotoma Exchange Center and travel to the herb field In the fields surrounded by rich nature, about 20 kinds of medicinal herbs are cultivated. 13:15 Farm work and herb harvesting experience Surrounded by fragrant plants, you will harvest herbs and try weeding and other farm tasks. 14:00 Move to the seed-growing research facility 14:20 Original herbal tea blending experience Using dried herbs, you will blend your own original herbal tea. 14:50 Tea time with the herbal tea you made Finally, relax with the herbal tea you made and herb-based sweets made by the Hinatas. 15:30 Tour ends Operated: June to September Time: 13:00–15:30 (about 2 hours 30 minutes) Group size: 2–12 people Price: For 2 people: 13,200 yen per person For 3 or more people: 11,000 yen per person *With English interpretation, prices are as follows. For 2 people: 24,200 yen per person For 3 or more people: 18,700 yen per person ■Please make your reservation at least three days before your desired date. ■Please note that we may not be able to accommodate your requested date due to guide availability or other circumstances. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet producers through hands-on experiences and learn about their lives, medicinal herbs, and the behind-the-scenes of farming and food production!! Why not make a Tokachi experience part of a page in your travel memories? We would be delighted if you did 😄 If you are interested, please visit the official website of our federation and see “BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE – A journey connecting to Tokachi, the source of food.” Contact KUNAUPublishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email address: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com

Making Miso The other day, I attended a miso-making gathering. It was a small event where people who make miso for their own table met with local adults and children from the nursery school. At the nursery in Nishiokoppe Village they grow vegetables in a field, and one of the crops they raised this year was soybeans. "Miso is made from soybeans, isn’t it?" "What else is made from soybeans?" While reading a picture book, they connected the story to their own experiences and thought about soybeans and miso. The first task was to crush the soybeans that had been cooked in advance. They put the soybeans into a mincer, and when they turned the handle, the beans became a paste. Both the person holding the mincer base and the person turning the handle needed a lot of strength. The little makers worked hard, crushing the beans with steady force. They mixed salt and koji with the soybeans, formed miso balls, and tossed them into a barrel. The beans that had gleamed and shone gradually smoothed out over about an hour and a half. Miso takes more than six months from making to being ready to eat. As the gentle, mellow scent of soybeans filled the air, we thought we would have to wait until next year… but then— One of the group brought miso they had made last year, so we all enjoyed miso soup together. For me, miso had become something I just bought. This showed me that making it myself is an option too. The miso we made this year will sleep soundly until next year. #Nishiokoppe Village #Hokkaido #miso making #miso #handmade #nursery school #soybeans #field #mokuiiku (wood learning) #miso soup

Okinawa Winter Tradition "Kikumination" / In various parts of Okinawa, the chrysanthemum fields are illuminated from 11 p.m. ~ 3 p.m. every year from December ~ March. It is "electric chrysanthemum". Cultivation of chrysanthemums has become popular in conjunction with the New Year and the New Year, and the flowering time of chrysanthemums is adjusted by lighting at night. There are electric chrysanthemums on the mainland, but I hear that they are mainly House cultivation and cannot be seen from the outside. The warm Okinawan scenery and fantastic scenery will Unfolds! In Okinawa, it is called "Kikumination", which is a combination of chrysanthemums and illumination^^ Actually, I went to see it for the first time. (-_-;) The location is in the Obazura district of Itoman City. As you walk through the darkness, you will suddenly see a light. How many chrysanthemums are growing? It seems that the lighting time is different, and I was surprised when the light bulb in the next field suddenly turned on. ^^; When you come to Visiting the site, don't Squid into the field because it's private land...

【 A town where you can meet the red-crowned crane, Taiki Town 】 Taiki Town is home to many red-crowned cranes, a species designated as a Special Natural Monument of Japan. The season when they are especially numerous is autumn, right around now. You can often see them searching for food in fields after the crops have been harvested. The cranes tend to appear more often on the seaside side than the mountain side. Give it a try and see if you can find them! By the way, the small bird in the center of the first photo is not a red-crowned crane but a hooded crane. Taiki Town is appealing because you can spot many different kinds of wildlife together ✨

Vegetable Harvest Experience Guests enjoyed harvesting sweet potatoes, bell peppers, eggplants, and peanuts 😊 At the vegetable harvest experience, you can fill a bag with seasonal vegetables to your heart’s content! Reservations are recommended, but same-day registration is also available! As of October 14, sweet potatoes, burdock, radishes, and komatsuna are available for harvest. For details about the experience, please check the Toyooka Tabijikan website!

Sweet Potato Dig in the Next Town By chance we had the opportunity to go to Takinoue to dig sweet potatoes! At the elementary school in Nishiokoppe this school year they have one half-day of morning classes each month. With the afternoons free, the Pomme members planned something to make the children excited. Together with elementary students and a few preschoolers, we boarded the village bus and set off for Takinoue. Riding the bus together felt like a field trip, and everyone already looked happy. When we arrived at the field and saw the sweet potatoes, both children and adults were surprised by their size! Each child could dig up two plants to take home, so after choosing their spots, the digging began. I snapped a photo of a first grader and a sixth grader straining in the same posture as they tried to pull a potato from the soil. Using tools like shovels where needed, the bags we brought filled up in no time. Some sweet potatoes were too big for one person to pull out, and there were moments when four people had to pull together. Thank you for the sweet potato digging experience and for providing the sweet potatoes! There may be a bonfire event in the village in October, so we look forward to enjoying warm, fluffy sweet potatoes. #Nishiokoppe Village #Harvest experience #Sweet potatoes #Takinoue #Bus field trip #Sweet potato digging #Pomme #Handmade candied sweet potatoes were a big hit

In Hokkaido, rape flowers are in full bloom from the middle of May. It's early summer in Honshu around this time! A farming tractor pulls a wagon with tourists in the rape fields that spread all over the hill, disappears once over the hill, and then returns to this side. The sheer size of this scale is what sells.

It is still snowing in April in Hokkaido. It's almost time to play in T_T the snow, which I love Play until ^^ the sun goes down

This is Mt. Yotei this morning. At this time of year, a little snow makeup and autumn leaves collaborate ^^

I helped with the grape harvest in the vineyards of TokachigawaOnsen! This year the temperatures were warm, and the grapes that soaked up plenty of sun turned out very sweet☺️

It is the morning glow from Rusutsu Resort on an autumn morning, ^^ and the color changes ^^ every moment.

Potato digging A potato field tended as a hobby. After October began, about seven of us gathered on a holiday and went to dig potatoes! First we removed the weeds and leaves lying on the soil, then used digging forks to unearth the potatoes carefully without piercing them. After digging them up, we left them in the sun for a while to dry their skins, then sorted the potatoes by size—large and small—and put them into bags before loading them onto the truck. My leg muscles still ache even after two or three days (laughs). It felt great to work up a good sweat after such a long time!

[A Giant Pumpkin Appears!?] I found giant pumpkins growing just beyond Setogyu Pass, past the center of Nishiokoppe. Apparently, some of them had been eaten by deer... I'd like to use them as Halloween decorations! The last photo shows a mini pumpkin someone shared with me.

The first snowfall on Mt. Yotei! !️ I could ^^ see it from my house. The daughter who is in the Alpine Boys' Club is overjoyed ✨ It's snow shoveling season for adults... However, the first snowfall is ✨ exciting every year.

You can see Mt. Yotei in front of our house! Mt. Yotei tells us about the change of seasons from summer to autumn. The sky is still summer clouds, but in the fields at the foot of the mountain, farmers are working from early in the morning during the autumn harvest. "It's going to snow soon!" said my daughter, who is in the Alpine Boys' Club, and is excited now!

The sunflowers at Mito Farm in Otofuke are in full bloom! This is a sunflower field sown as a green manure on the field after the wheat harvest. The sunflowers stretching across the vast grounds are a spectacular sight! You can see them here until the end of September. For location details, please check the notices on the TokachigawaOnsen Tourism Association website. *Please do not enter the field to prevent the introduction of pathogens!*

Wheat harvesting has begun, and straw rolls can now be seen across the fields. These round bales will become beds for the cows! A landscape typical of Tokachi in Hokkaido stretches out. ※This is a farmer’s precious field. Please do not enter it.

The 10th Mugi-Kan Festival will take place! You can enjoy freshly harvested wheat with all five senses. There will be plenty of fun events, including freshly baked wheat bread for sale, a Mugi-Kan roll-rolling contest, and tractor rides! Date and time: Saturday, August 19, 2023, 10:00–14:00 Location: Takenaka Farm wheat fields Admission: Adults 1,500 yen, elementary and junior high students 500 yen *Canceled in case of rain

At the beginning of June the wheat fields that were still green turn golden, and harvest is about to begin. Otofuke, Japan’s top wheat-producing town. After the harvest, straw rolls rise up in the fields to become beds for cows. The harvested wheat is reborn as delicious bread and udon. Tokachi is full of excellent bakeries and pastry shops. Prices are very reasonable, with bread in the 100-yen range and cakes in the 200-yen range. Seeing the crops being grown like this naturally brings a feeling of gratitude for the food we eat.

I rode along the Otofuke Melody Line! That doesn’t mean music plays along the road. (I thought so at first too 😊) The name belongs to a town road connecting TokachigawaOnsen and central Otofuke, and it was named after the “Oto” in Otofuke Town. You’ll find rural scenery typical of Otofuke, a straight road leading toward the mountain range, and sunflower fields in autumn—many lovely views. At about 15 km long, it’s a wonderful road for driving or cycling! Because there are ups and downs, an electric-assist bicycle is recommended for cycling. The tourism association provides assist bicycles! Be sure to try riding the Otofuke Melody Line♬ ⛔Please do not enter the fields.

Across the street from the amanatto sweet bean shop introduced earlier stands a public bathhouse famous in Hachioji. That bathhouse offers unattended vegetable sales. This stall sells rare vegetables from the Tama area and displays a wide variety, so it’s fun just to browse 😊 International students often use these unmanned vegetable stalls. The principal of our school also keeps a farm in Hachioji City, and foreigners often ask him to sell produce. When I asked the students, they said these vegetables look fresher and tastier than those sold in supermarkets. I encourage everyone to try these rare vegetables that you can only find in the Tama area.

Early morning on January 8, 2023 Sunny -1°C Daily records of the copse Thanks for watching. It records the changes in nature and trees. #Forest #Autumn Leaves #Photography #Nature #Morning #Light #Shadow #Color #Four Seasons

January 7, 2023 Sunny 1°C Daily records of the copse Thanks for watching. It records the changes in nature and trees. #Forest #Autumn Leaves #Photography #Nature #Morning #Light #Shadow #Color #Four Seasons