Hello everyone! Notice‼ To all users of the Asahidake cross-country ski course from Thursday, April 24 to Friday, April 25 Due to sewer pipe work at the Higashikawa Town Asahidake Youth Campground during the period below, construction vehicles will pass through the cross-country ski course and work will take place in some sections. Date and time: Thursday, April 24 to Friday, April 25, 9:00–15:00 As a result of the work, areas around the site may be temporarily unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience to users and ask that you follow on-site directions and guidance to ensure safety. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and cooperation. Contact Asahidake Visitor Center Address 071-1472: Asahidake Onsen, Higashikawa-cho, Kamikawa District, Hokkaido TEL: 0166-97-2153 OPEN 9:00–17:00

Teshikaga Sea of Clouds A grand panorama filling Lake Kussharo and Lake Mashu In Teshikaga you can see a sea of clouds over Lake Mashu in the early mornings. (Season: around June to October) Different observation decks let you enjoy the sea of clouds from various angles. We recommend staying overnight in Teshikaga and heading to the sea-of-clouds viewing spots at dawn during this season. 🛏️✨ For more details, see Teshikaga Navi. 📝🚗💨 https://masyuko.or.jp/enjoy/unkai/...

To Shintoku Shrine Mountain. I went to check on the cherry blossoms. The buds are plump and their color is deepening. However, it looks like they will not bloom for a while yet. There’s an event at Shintoku Shrine Mountain this weekend, but it may not be possible to hold it amid cherry blossoms. The cherry blossoms may still be some way off, but azaleas and ezō-engosaku (Corydalis japonica) are already giving a hint of spring’s arrival. Shintoku Shrine Mountain is gradually taking on spring’s colors. If you’re nearby, come and observe the wildflowers and the cherry blossom progress.💁‍♀️ Also, the Shintoku Shrine Mountain Spring Festival will be held on Sunday, April 27th, so please come and join us.🌸 Welcome to Shintoku Town #welcomeshintoku Come back to Shintoku Town To Shintoku Shrine Mountain. I went to see the cherry blossoms. The buds are plump and the color is getting deeper. However, it seems that they will not bloom for a while yet. There is an event at Shintoku Shrine Mountain this weekend, but it may not be possible to attend among the cherry blossoms. The cherry blossoms may still be a while away, but the azaleas and Corydalis japonica give us a taste of the arrival of spring a little earlier. Shintoku Shrine Mountain is gradually taking on spring patterns. If you are in the area, please come and observe the wildflowers and the cherry blossoms in bloom. Also, the Shintoku Shrine Mountain Spring Festival will be held on Sunday, April 27th, so please come and visit. Welcome to Shintoku Town #welcomeshintoku Have a nice day, Shintoku Town #Hokkaido #Hokkaido Gourmet #Hokkaido Sightseeing #hokkaido #Tokachi #Tokachi (Tokachi) #Tokachi Sightseeing #Tokachi Gourmet #Shintoku Town #Shintoku #Soba Town Shintoku Town #Jinja-yama #Welcome to Shintoku Town #Come back to Shintoku Town #hokkaido #hokkaido_lovers #hokkaido_love #ilovehokkaido #hokkaidotrip #hokkaidolikers #hokkaidolove #hokkaidosgram #hokkaidofood #hokkaidotravel #tokachi #shintoku #welcomeshintoku

Mt. Odasshu “Tokachi is clear; the Hidaka Mountain Range looks especially beautiful this season with snow still clinging to its peaks.” Sitting at the farthest end of the Hidaka Range on its northern side, Mt. Odasshu stands as a symbol of Shintoku Town. The lowlands have thawed, but the mountains still hold much snow. When the surrounding fields were entirely white, we longed for spring because snow removal was necessary, yet now that time feels nostalgic—the pure, cold whiteness of the snow lingers in memory. This morning the cold eased and it warmed up, reaching nearly 18°C around noon. We are not quite in the warm embrace of spring, but the changing winds and views make the season’s arrival palpable. Welcome to Shintoku Town #welcomeshintoku Welcome home to Shintoku Town #Hokkaido #Tokachi #Shintoku Town #Shintoku Ranger #Shintoku Town Tourism Association #Hidaka Mountain Range #Mt. Odasshu #Tokachi sunny day #remaining snow #landscape The Tokachi is clear, and the snowy landscape of the Hidaka Mountains is very beautiful in this season. #Hokkaido #Tokachi #Shintoku Town #shintoku #Shintoku Town Tourism Association #Hidaka Mountains #Tokachi sunny day #remaining snow #landscape #welcomeshintoku

[Kimu’s GW Festival] Golden Week is just around the corner. We recently announced an event at the Forest Park, and this time we’d like to introduce the Golden Week festival at the forest art museum Kimu. The festival runs for three days from Saturday, May 3 to Monday, May 5. 〇 Saturday, May 3 Singer-songwriter JUN will perform live! He will play both original songs and covers. Performances are from 13:00–13:30 and 15:00–15:30. 〇 Sunday, May 4, 13:00 Join the Mölkky knocking contest, where you throw wooden pins (Mölkky sticks) to topple wooden skittles. The first 10 people to arrive can participate. There are participation prizes, so please join in. 〇 Monday, May 5 Why not try decorating a wooden castanet? This popular workshop is becoming a regular feature. The fee is 200 yen per item. Workshop times are 10:00–11:30 and 13:00–15:00. Each session is limited to 20 groups. Both the Mölkky contest and the castanet decorating workshop take registrations on the day on a first-come, first-served basis. Please enjoy the exhibits inside Kimu as well as the events! ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊ Because a public holiday falls on a Tuesday, the museum’s closed days before and after Golden Week differ from the usual schedule. Please check the opening schedule before visiting. [Forest Art Museum Kimu] Opening hours: 10:00–17:00 Admission: 500 yen for high school students and older / 300 yen for 4th–6th graders and junior high students / 100 yen for ages 3 to 3rd grade elementary / free for under 3 Inquiries: 0158-87-2600 #Nishiokoppe Village #Hokkaido #Event #Forest Art Museum Kimu #GW #JUN #Mölkky #Decorating wooden castanets

From today (April 21), we are also open on Mondays❕ We will remain open every day until October 31. We look forward to welcoming you☺️ We have also installed benches and chairs in the plaza in front of the Roadside Station, so please feel free to rest there♪ *There are no trash bins.

The JA Ashoro direct sales shop Yotte Mina, located in the plaza on the grounds of Roadside Station Ashoro Galaxy Hall 21, has opened for this season starting April 16th! Its regular day off is generally every Tuesday. It offers vegetables grown in Ashoro, strawberries from Nukomori Farm called Sweetiaman (red and white), popular strawberry daifuku made with those berries, Rawan-buki products, beef jerky, and a proud lineup from JA Ashoro. When you stop by the roadside station, be sure to visit Yotte Mina!

Tomakomai Tourist Information Center's Tomachop has been dressed up for Children's Day 🎏

Introduction to a One-Day Experience Tour 😄 —See Tokachi’s signature industry, crop farming, with your own eyes!— A 1‑DAY tour in Kamishihoro and Memuro that will leave you amazed by the taste of fresh vegetables The vast Tokachi Plain stretches wide. More than 150 years have passed since pioneers cleared virgin forest with the strength of people and horses to start crop farming, and the area has become one of Japan’s leading agricultural regions. Tokachi’s delicious vegetables, enjoyed across Japan and around the world, are consistently high quality and full of flavor. Join this 1‑DAY tour to visit real production sites that are normally closed to the public, experience farm life as if you were part of the family, and discover the secrets behind the flavor. Tour Schedule 9:00 Gather at JR Obihiro Station 10:00 Sekiguchi Farm — Visit the bean fields, try farm work, and taste beans Meet the actual beans in the fields and get hands‑on with farm work. After working up a sweat, relax beside the fields. 11:40 Craft Kitchen — Spice blending experience and bean dish lunch Try blending spices that pair with Tokachi vegetables. 14:45 Shin-Arashiyama Sky Park Observation Deck Take in panoramic views of Tokachi’s farms, an area said to have a food self‑sufficiency rate of over 1000%, and feel the region’s vastness. 15:20 Takano Farm — Field walk and seasonal vegetable harvesting experience Explore the fields from a farmer’s perspective, touch the crops, and discover the charms only farmers know. 17:00 Original burger dinner in a popcorn field Create your own burger using Tokachi wheat buns, a Memuro beef patty, and an assortment of Tokachi vegetables. 19:30 Disperse at JR Obihiro Station Operating period: June to early August Time: 9:00–19:30 (about 10 hours 30 minutes) Participant capacity: 2–8 people Price: Per person For double occupancy Adult 159,500 JPY For groups of 3 or more Adult 115,500 JPY, Elementary school student 20,000 JPY per child *With English interpretation, the prices are as follows.* Per person For double occupancy Adult 198,000 JPY For groups of 3 or more Adult 137,500 JPY, Elementary school student 20,000 JPY per child Please make a reservation at least seven days before your desired date of use. (We may not be able to accommodate your preferred date due to guide availability.) Would you like to peek behind the scenes of agriculture and food while hearing directly from producers? This is also a great opportunity to interact with producers up close. We hope that a day of hands‑on experience will bring new discoveries and perspectives, enriching your lifestyle. We’d be happy if your visit to Tokachi becomes a memorable page in your travel story. 😄 If you’re interested, please visit the following URL on our federation’s official website: "BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE — Journeys connecting you to Tokachi, the source of food" Contact Knau Publishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com Add a comment… https://tokachibare.jp/behindthegoodtaste/...

The snow has completely melted. I was looking for Spring. Flowers are blooming on the asphalt, and the cherry blossoms are also slightly budding. Spring is exciting and I like it.

Robatayaki is an excellent cuisine in which seafood and meat are slowly grilled to bring out the aroma and umami. The shops you can enjoy are easily accessed from the Hotel, and you can enjoy the unique taste of the port town! Enjoy the Specialties Furnace Grilling!

The Rekifune River carp streamers have been put up! Today we installed carp streamers along the riverbank of the Rekifune River! They will stretch across the river and flutter until May 6. There are also smaller, low mini carp streamers, so we recommend taking photos with them ✨

Kawayu Ganban Terrace, the origin of Kawayu Onsen. This sightseeing spot features hot water gushing out where it flows down from Mt. Iou. It is also an area that symbolizes Kawayu Onsen and underwent renovations in October 2024, drawing even more attention as a tourist spot. Here we introduce the charming Kawayu Ganban Terrace. For more details, please see Teshikaga Navi. 〈Kawayu Ganban Terrace〉 Location: Kawayu Onsen area, Teshikaga, Kawakami District, Hokkaido Phone: 015-482-2200 (Mashu Lake Tourism Association) Fee: Free Season: Open year-round Hours: 24 hours https://masyuko.or.jp/enjoy/18129/...

Hydrangea Wreath Thursday, April 10 From Onesmanorgarden We invited garden planner Instructor Sato to lead a hydrangea wreath-making lesson. How to make the wreath: Attach dried hydrangeas and other flowers, berries, and leaves to a base. It sounds very simple in words, but dried flowers crumble easily, and the attaching work requires a lot of technique. It’s hard to handle them gently while securing them firmly… Looking at the other participants, they used a unified color palette for their materials and arranged them thoughtfully. They balanced areas with abundant, soft volume and places made sleek and tidy. I just attached things as they came and barely finished, but seeing the completed piece still filled me with joy. I also learned how to make a stylish ribbon. Thank you, Instructor Sato, and everyone who joined the lesson! #Nishiokoppe Village #Hokkaido #Spring #Wreath making #Hydrangea

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 😄 ~A Tour Around Tokachi, the Dairy Kingdom~ A 1-DAY tour to learn about the lives of people who work with cows in Shintoku and Shimizu towns Shintoku and Shimizu, located in the northwest of Tokachi, are largely mountainous areas bordered on the west by the Hidaka Range and on the north by the Daisetsu mountain system. With little flat land, dairy farming thrives here more than crop cultivation. Kitahiro Farm is one of the large farms in Shintoku often called a mega-farm. It raises about 900 cows and works daily to ensure people can reliably enjoy safe, secure milk. In the afternoon we move to Shimizu town to visit Miyaji Farm. There, cows graze naturally around the clock and are fed only pasture, as the farm pursues dairy farming that minimizes the burden on the animals and on nature. Through farm work experiences, cheese making, and a stroll through the grasslands, you can feel the diversity of dairy farming in Tokachi. Please take this chance to encounter the lives of people living alongside other creatures. Tour Schedule 10:00 Gather at Kitahiro Farm 10:05 Kitahiro Farm tour and cheese-making experience Try making mozzarella cheese using fresh milk. 11:30 Kitahiro Farm cheese tasting and pizza lunch With the cooperation of a pizza shop in Shimizu town, you will also try making pizza using the mozzarella cheese you made and a chewy dough made from Hokkaido wheat and natural yeast. 13:00 Depart Kitahiro Farm (travel by private car) 13:45 Kyodo Gakusha Shintoku Farm workshop tour and shopping At Kyodo Gakusha, discover the secrets behind delicious cheese. (Tasting available) 14:45 Depart Kyodo Gakusha Shintoku Farm (travel by private car) 15:30 Miyaji Farm pasture walk and grass-fed milk tasting See cows raised entirely on pasture and fed only grass as you stroll through the grazing land. Taste grass-fed milk. 17:00 Tour ends Operating period: Year-round Time: 10:00–17:00 (about 7 hours) Group size: 2–10 people Price: Per person For 2 people: Adult ¥78,100, Elementary school child ¥14,300 For 3 or more: Adult ¥57,200, Elementary school child ¥14,300 If English interpretation is included, the prices are as follows. Per person For 2 people: Adult ¥110,000, Elementary school child ¥14,300 For 3 or more: Adult ¥72,600, Elementary school child ¥14,300 Please make your reservation at least seven days before your desired date. (Depending on guide availability, we may not be able to accommodate your requested date.) Please note that guests who have been living abroad within seven days prior to entering Japan cannot enter hygiene-controlled areas for quarantine reasons. Depending on the reported global situation of foot-and-mouth disease as determined by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, we may refuse participation in the tour. Please understand in advance. Would you like to take a peek behind the scenes of dairy farming and food while listening to producers' stories? This is also a great opportunity to interact directly with producers. We hope that one day of experience will bring new discoveries and perspectives, enriching your lifestyle. We would be delighted if the Tokachi experience becomes one page of your travel memories. 😄 If you are interested, please visit our federation’s official website page "BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE ~A Journey Connecting to the Source of Food: Tokachi~" from the URL below! Contact Knau Publishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com https://tokachibare.jp/behindthegoodtaste/...

[Taiki Town Today] The weather isn’t great, but here are scenes of Taiki Town gradually taking on a spring feel! The Ezo-yamazakura (Ezo mountain cherry) still looks a while away from blooming. https://visit-taiki.hokkaido.jp//

Announcement of the "Shintoku Shrine Mountain Spring Festival" Date: Sunday, April 27 Time: 10:00–15:00 Location: Shintoku Shrine Mountain An event will take place within the grounds of Shintoku Shrine Mountain🌸 And, after last year’s entertaining performance, you can enjoy Gassy’s magic show and balloon art again this year🎈 Also, visitors who make purchases at the vendor booths will receive lottery tickets, so this is an event you can enjoy from start to finish. There will be music, delicious food, and food stalls, so please stop by while viewing the cherry blossoms🌸 Shops @ueda.meat Koyanagi Foods @ramen_miurashouten @impulse_hokkaido_shintoku Chamber of Commerce Youth Division @yuka_cyoko Kotoise Twilight Showa Diner THE YARD @hokkohmilk Get New Sand Guest gassy0120 We look forward to seeing you💁‍♀️ Announcement of the "Shintoku Shrine Mountain Spring Festival" Date: Sunday, April 27 Time: 10:00-15:00 Location: Shintoku Shrine Mountain The event will be held within the grounds of Shintoku Shrine Mountain🌸 And last year, you can see Gassy's magic show and balloon art again this year🎈 In addition, those who shop at the exhibition booths will win a lottery ticket, so it's an event that you can enjoy to the fullest from start to finish. There will be music, delicious food, and food stalls, so please come and see the cherry blossoms🌸 #Hokkaido #Tokachi #Shintoku Town #Shintoku #Shintoku Shrine Mountain #Spring Festival #hokkaido #hokkaido_lovers #hokkaido_love #ilovehokkaido #hokkaidotrip #hokkaidolikers #hokkaidolove #hokkaidosgram #hokkaidotravel #tokachi #shintoku #welcomeshintoku

Notice from Kimobetsucho Chamber of Commerce and Industry Spring’s savory treat: asparagus! We are now accepting orders for Furusato Package® deliveries! Each year, the Kimobetsucho Chamber of Commerce ships Green Asparagus and White Asparagus nationwide. You can place orders at post offices from Monday, April 14 through Tuesday, May 20. Shipping begins in late May. Please see the flyer for details. Grown with care in the highland area at the foot of MtYotei, where the air is clear, the water is pure, and the large temperature difference between day and night creates ideal fields and climate, these sweet, juicy asparagus are a must-try!

Window Art at KAMU Saturday, April 5 Children and adults gathered at KAMU, picked up crayons, and painted pictures on the windows. Being able to freely draw on the windows of a public building has become a regular event in Nishiokoppe Village, but it may still be a rare opportunity for many. From large panes to narrow ones, the windows filled up with drawings. Some people focused on a single window by themselves, while others created collaborative works with friends next door. One great thing about window art is you can capture both the artwork and the artist’s expression from across the way in a single photo. Photos posted on social media often hide faces, but we still managed to take many lively shots this time. Midway through the event, shadows of the drawings and the artists appeared on the floor, so we snapped a photo. We were also happy that a parent and child who happened to stop by KAMU joined in the drawing. The window art will be on display until around the end of Golden Week in May. If you’re nearby, please come and see the artwork. The five windows beside the mechanical organ are adorned with works by volunteer villagers, so don’t miss them. #Nishiokoppe Village #Hokkaido #Spring #Roadside Station KAMU #Window Art

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/...

Let's go to Okhotsk in Spring! "Okhotsk Flower Migration Markets in HTB On-chan Terrace" Held in on Friday, April 18 and Saturday, April 19 ❢ Two days to experience the charm of Okhotsk in Spring. At the venue, we are ♪ waiting for you with a lot of content such as providing pre-trip Information on Okhotsk centered on "Moss Phlox Takikami Park" and "Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park", sales of Specialty products of each municipality, Workshop, questionnaire gacha, etc Engaru Town will sell specialty products such as "Wintering Shirataki Jaga (Kita Akari)" and "Geo Ice" limited to Roadside Stations, which are difficult to obtain even in the town, as well as "Obsidian Key Chain Making Experience (500 yen charged)" and "Cosmos Garden Overlay Stamp Experience (free)". A large collection of local characters from all over the world! Please come and visit us 🎶 Held in Date: Friday, April 18, 11:00-18:00, Saturday, April 19, 10:00-17:00 Venue: HTBOn-chan Terrace (1-6 Kita 1 Jo Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo City)

The road Dodo 141 (Tarumae-Nishikioka Line) from Maruyama Gate to Nishikioka Gate, which had been closed for the winter, reopened to traffic at 11:00 on April 15. ※However, the section from Maruyama Gate to the trailhead remains closed for the time being due to unstable road conditions. (No date has been set for lifting the restriction.) For more information → Iburi Regional Promotion Bureau Tomakomai Branch Office (0144-32-3171)

〈Lake Kussharo〉 ~The country’s largest caldera lake~ Lake Kussharo, the nation’s largest caldera lake set in rich nature, unfolds a majestic Hokkaido landscape while gently welcoming visitors along its shores with a broad, embracing character that draws many people in. In summer, campers, canoeists and sailors come to enjoy water sports, and in winter many swans—travelers from Siberia—gather on the lake. There is also a free open-air bath anyone can use, so you can stay and relax. Here we present a compact guide to the many charms of Lake Kussharo. If you want to learn more, check out Teshikaga Navi ☺️🚗 https://masyuko.or.jp/enjoy/kussharoko/...

'Chinese Eatery Miura Shoten' Last week they announced that their signature soy sauce ramen🍜 had been renewed, so I went to try it right away! At Miura Shoten you can customize your ramen. This time I customized it as follows… ① Noodle firmness—firm ② Green onions—extra ③ Back fat—normal ④ Special ichimi chili—normal And I ordered a large serving It looked jet black. A pitch-black soy sauce ramen🍜 The owner told me they blend in tamari soy sauce✨ First, the soup. Contrary to its appearance, it had a deep richness and the soy sauce flavor filled my mouth. Next, the straight medium-thick noodles clung to the soup, and I couldn’t stop eating them. The extra green onions cut through the rich mouthfeel with their aroma rising through the nose and the soup, leaving a refreshing finish. With plenty of vegetables and the satisfying weight of the medium-thick noodles, it was very delicious🍜 A new specialty of Shintoku Town! Pitch-black in appearance, richly flavored in the old style Pitch-black soy sauce ramen 'Shintoku Black' Please give it a try🍜 #Hokkaido #Hokkaido gourmet #Hokkaido sightseeing #Hokkaido is huge #Hokkai-do #Tokachi #Tokachi #Tokachi sightseeing #Tokachi gourmet #Shintoku Town #Shintoku #ramen #jet black #Shintoku Black #hokkaido #hokkaido_lovers #hokkaido_love #ilovehokkaido #hokkaidotrip #hokkaidolikers #hokkaidolove #hokkaidosgram #hokkaidofood #hokkaidotravel #tokachi #shintoku

It has been a bit chilly from yesterday through this morning, but the white blooms of the mizubashō (Asian skunk cabbage) are becoming increasingly conspicuous. Along the narrow paths beside the rice paddies, the fukujusō (Adonis amurensis) flowers, wilted by the cold, seem to be waiting for the next warm spell.

✨Event Now Underway✨ Suntory Ichirinka From April 14th, it is open on weekdays only from 10:00 to 15:00. (A collaborative project with JA Higashikawa) Please come and experience the richly aromatic tea 🍵 Carefully selected tea leaves brewed with the spring water of Asahidake—one sip and your heart will unwind…🌸 Enjoy it to the fullest! 😁😁

The huge water mirror is actually the skating rink of the nepia Ice Arena after the ice has melted ✨ The indoor rink fills with water during the period before ice-making. Only at that time does the “water mirror” appear. The ceiling and lights reflect on the water’s surface, creating a dreamlike scene.

The Onneto Road, which had been closed for the winter, opened on Friday, April 11! Snow removal has been completed around the campsite and rest shelter, and preparations are steadily underway for the June opening. From this fiscal year, Onneto Rest Shelter and Campsite will be managed and operated by Hotori LLC, a company led mainly by women from Ashoro, together with the tourism association. Come relax at Onneto’s "hotori" and enjoy its untouched nature at a leisurely pace. *The planned opening date for the Onneto National Campsite and Rest Shelter is June 1.*

Introducing a One-Day Experience Tour 😄 —The people who raise high-quality meat and those who cook it— A luxurious one-day tour to compare Tokachi meats in Ikeda and Ashoro — Tokachi is a region where livestock farming thrives, taking advantage of its vast land. Beef, pork, and chicken are raised and processed into branded meats in various towns. This nature-rich area is also home to many wild animals used for meat, and venison, the most notable, is enjoyed by many locals as game cuisine. On this tour, you will visit the production sites where these meats are raised, learn the secrets behind what makes them delicious, and then savor meat dishes prepared by professional chefs. Please take your time to enjoy the finest fresh meats. Tour Schedule 10:00 Pick-up from JR Obihiro Station or hotels in town 10:30 Visit Obara Farm to see Akaushi “Ikeda Beef” From birth and fattening to slaughter and processing, everything takes place within Ikeda Town. 11:15 EZO LEATHER WORKS — A talk about deer, store visit, and shopping EZO LEATHER WORKS handles deer capture, butchering, leather production, and meat sales. 12:00 Lunch using Tokachi ingredients 15:15 Kaneko Farm — Enjoy the spectacular views from the Wagyu grazing fields. To raise hardy, healthy cattle, they focus on pasture-based rearing. 17:00 Kobito no Daidokoro — A dinner full of Tokachi meats Using the old Aikappu Station building, Kobito no Daidokoro operates as a delicatessen-style shop. The chef will prepare and serve Obara Farm’s “Ikeda Beef,” EZO LEATHER WORKS’ venison, and Kaneko Farm’s “Unkai Wagyu.” 20:30 Drop-off at JR Obihiro Station or hotels in town, tour ends Operating period: Year-round Time: 10:00–20:30 (approximately 10 hours 30 minutes) Group size: 4–8 people Price: Per person 82,500 JPY *With English interpretation, the price is as follows: Per person 99,000 JPY ■ Please make a reservation at least seven days before your desired date. (We may be unable to accommodate your preferred date due to guide availability or other reasons.) ■ For biosecurity reasons, guests who have been residing overseas within seven days prior to arrival in Japan cannot enter hygiene-controlled areas. Please understand. ■ Depending on the “Status of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreaks Worldwide” as determined by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, participation in the tour may be declined. Thank you for your understanding. Why not meet the producers and take a peek behind the scenes of livestock farming and food? We hope that this one-day experience will bring new discoveries and perspectives, enriching your lifestyle. We would be delighted if you could carve a Tokachi experience into a page of your travel memories. 😄 If you are interested, please visit the official website of our federation at the URL below and see “BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE — A Journey Connecting to the Source of Food in Tokachi.” Contact Knao Publishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com