MUJI opened in Otofuke on November 8th!! This is the first store in the Tokachi area! More than 300 people formed a line on opening day, and everyone seemed excited for the opening. It's conveniently located right next to Hapio Kino, making shopping easy ✨

Along Mutsumi Park in Otofuke, the ginkgo tree-lined avenue is illuminated! The lights change about every 20 seconds, creating a magical atmosphere to enjoy. From October 21st to 27th, 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM, hosted by the Tokachi Mainichi Newspaper. Tomorrow, the 28th, the Otofuke Ginkgo Festival is scheduled at the same park from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM!

Autumn Festa in TokachigawaOnsen is now underway! Enjoy the autumn of Tokachi at a venue decorated for Halloween! Guests staying in the TokachigawaOnsen area receive complimentary Tokachi wine and raclette cheese! (Available to the general public for 500 yen) A special lottery exclusively for overnight guests is also available 😊 You might win wonderful prizes packed with Tokachi specialties! On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays there are mini concerts, and on this day a harp’s graceful sound provided a soothing performance ✨ Period: Saturday, October 21, 2023 to Saturday, November 11, 2023 Time: 6:00 PM–7:00 PM Venue: Roadside Station Garden Spa TokachigawaOnsen

On October 19, the 75th Hokkaido Firefighters' Convention was held, and the tourism association sold a 20-cm-diameter 'mega anpan'! This was specially commissioned from Tokachigawa Onsen Daiichi Hotel and is not available for regular sale. It's a rare, almost legendary bun that may occasionally make an appearance at events. ✨

This is the scene at Suzuran Park in Otofuke on October 15th! At last the weather has turned cooler, and the autumn leaves have progressed.

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☺️

Three red-crowned cranes came to visit in front of TokachigawaOnsen Daiichi Hotel!

Tokachi Butadan I visited Otofuke’s pork bowl restaurant, Tokachi Butadan!! I ordered the Triple Pork Bowl, which lets you enjoy loin, belly, and premium cuts all at once♪ The smoky aroma from the charcoal grill and the sweet, rich sauce paired perfectly with the white rice — it was delicious!! Tokachi Butadan 6-3-2 Odori, Otofuke

[Tokachigaoka Observatory] A new signboard has been installed at Tokachigaoka Observatory♪ Unfortunately it was cloudy today, but the view on a clear day is truly beautiful!! Please come and see it for yourselves!

It has finally cooled down during the day, and the feeling of autumn has settled in. Today the mountain range looked clear and beautiful. It gets chilly after sunset. Photographed from TokachigawaOnsen Chuo Bridge.

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!*

The grapes in the TokachigawaOnsen Guide Center garden are changing color and will be ready to harvest soon! I picked one and it was sweet 😍 It looks like the hot summer gave this year’s crop a great outcome ✨

What do you think this is, sitting at the entrance of the tourist information center? The answer is a sub-bituminous peat layer that forms the base of the moor hot spring. It was created by the accumulation of reeds and other plants that once grew along the Tokachigawa riverside in ancient times. Plant-based moor hot spring water wells up through this peat layer. The humic substances (humin) in the peat combined with alkalinity create a silky, mild water quality, which is why it’s called a beauty bath. Moor hot springs are also registered as a Hokkaido Heritage; please come and experience them 🥰

I spent a holiday trying river SUP with TokachigawaOnsen’s Tokachi Nature Center!! The weather was great — perfect for SUP♪ It was my first time on a SUP, but the clear, easy-to-follow instruction let me enjoy it to the fullest! Be sure to try a SUP experience at Tokachi Nature Center, everyone♪

Ikeda Wine Castle I visited Ikeda Wine Castle!! The tour route and corridor museum featured exhibits on wine production and grape cultivation, which were very informative. In the first-floor shopping area, it seems some products are sold only at the Wine Castle.👀 On sunny days, I also recommend visiting the rooftop observation terrace.

Autumn salmon are making their upstream run! You can watch them up close at Totoro-do.👀 Salmon are born in rivers, grow in the sea, and eventually return upstream to their natal rivers. The fry that hatch from eggs in the river head to the sea in spring with the snowmelt, spend summers in the Bering Sea, and winter in the Gulf of Alaska. About four years later, the mature salmon migrate southward from the Bering Sea along the Kuril Islands and, around September through November, return to the rivers where they were born to spawn. Fishway Observation Room Totoro-do Address: 127 Aikawa, Makubetsu, Nakagawa District, Hokkaido Open: Late April through around November, 9:00–17:00 (times vary by season)

"TokachigawaOnsen Burachari" This time I rode the nature walking course, one of the six available routes, by bicycle!! This route loops about 14 km and lets you fully enjoy Tokachi's natural scenery! The tourism association offers rental bicycles, so be sure to soak up the great outdoors!!

Thank you very much to everyone who came to the TokachigawaOnsen Summer Festival! With the fine weather, the festival stalls and food booths were bustling, and the main event, the slipper-throwing championship, drew great excitement! We are delighted that everyone could enjoy summer to the fullest. Please come and visit TokachigawaOnsen again!

The Tokachigawa Onsen Summer Festival takes place on August 11th. A luxurious prize is up for grabs in the main slipper-throwing event! Join us! *Registration times for the slipper-throwing championship are Children’s division: from 5:00 PM, Adults’ division: from 5:30 PM.* *Please note that proxy registration is not allowed.*

This is a sunflower field in Otofuke. It stands out against the blue sky. Bees were busily collecting nectar and carrying lots of pollen.

Obihiro Shrine 'Natsu-mode' I visited for worship at dusk. Flower-filled water displays run through August 1. The gathering hall is also said to host a giant flower display through August 15. It takes about 15 minutes by car from the Tokachigawa Onsen district to Obihiro Shrine. ■Natsu-mode Flower Hand-Water ～TOKONATSU～ "Volume 25" Reiwa 5 June 30–July 2 Finished "Volume 26" Reiwa 5 July 15–July 17 Finished "Volume 27" Reiwa 5 July 29–August 1 [Ongoing] "Volume 28" Reiwa 5 August 11–August 15 (Scheduled) ■Reisai Flower Hand-Water ～MIYUKI～ "Volume 29" Reiwa 5 September 22–September 25 (Scheduled)

Kominka cafe 'cafe jorro' I enjoyed pancakes and cold-brew iced coffee. Every menu item is tempting, from curry and cakes made mainly with local ingredients to dishes prepared without chemical seasonings. They use coffee beans from Morihiko in Sapporo, and both the pancakes and the coffee were absolutely delicious. The shop's atmosphere and the food were both superb.✨ Address: 1-11 Kino Shinmachi, Otofuke, Kawato-gun, Hokkaido Hours: 11:00–17:00 Closed: Sunday

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.

Dengaku, a popular ramen shop in Tokachigawa Onsen I enjoyed the spicy miso hot noodles! Although it's often necessary to wait in line to get in, I was lucky this day and sat down right away. The soup is full of toppings too! The noodles are homemade using Tokachi-grown wheat called yumechikara. I chose the thick curly noodles; they have a firm texture and are delicious! They stayed piping hot to the end, and I had the soup wari as well. +310 yen lets you add a zosui (rice porridge) set. Address: 15-1, Tokachigawa Onsen Kita, Otofuke Town, Kawato-gun, Hokkaido Closed: Tuesdays 11:00–21:00 / Last order 20:30

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.

Nice to meet you! This is the Tokachi Tourism Federation. We are pleased to introduce charming information about Tokachi in Hokkaido, blessed with vast plains and beautiful nature. First, here is some basic information about Tokachi. Tokachi is made up of 19 municipalities, including its center, Obihiro City. "The 19 municipalities of Tokachi" Obihiro City, Otofuke, Shihorocho, Kamishihoro Town, Shikaoicho, Shintoku Town, Shimizu-cho, Memuro Town, Nakasatsunaimura, Sarabetsumura, Taiki Town, Hirocho, Makubetsu, Ikeda Town, Toyokorocho, Hombetsucho, Ashorocho, Rikubetsucho, Urahorocho The name Tokachi for Hokkaido comes from the Ainu word "Tokapuchi," which referred to the Tokachi River used by Hokkaido’s indigenous people. Because Tokachi has a continental climate, spring and summer temperatures are relatively warm compared with other parts of Hokkaido. Winters can get as cold as minus 30 degrees Celsius, but snowfall is light and the region often enjoys clear skies. The main access route to Tokachi is by air via Tokachi Obihiro Airport. Flights to Tokachi Obihiro Airport take about 1.5 hours from HanedaKuukou and about 1 hour 45 minutes from Nagoya Chubu. By train, you can travel from Sapporo to JR Obihiro Station in as little as 2 hours 24 minutes. Tokachi is a treasure trove of nature, and each of its 19 municipalities offers diverse attractions. You will find many scenic spots and opportunities to encounter wildlife. In this post, we introduce a selection of popular sightseeing spots. In Obihiro City, Banei Tokachi at Obihiro Racecourse (Banei Tokachi) is the only racecourse in the world that holds Banei horse racing, where draft horses pull sleds in competition. Banei races test strength, speed, and endurance. The powerful sight of horses running a 200-meter course is a must-see. On-site, a petting zoo lets you interact with ponies, rabbits, and other animals, and it is open even on non-race days. Next is Tokachi Hills in Makubetsu. This hilltop complex combines nature and flowers, with themed gardens focused on "agriculture and food." Roses, herbs, and many other flowers bloom here, so you can enjoy floral displays year-round. The garden café on site serves unique menu items you can only taste there, such as a casket-style sandwich made with roasted loin of Mangalica pork, the world’s only edible national treasure (a Hungarian delicacy). Nearby attractions around Tokachi Hills follow. Happiness Station, about a 20-minute drive from Tokachi Hills, became famous in the 1970s with the slogan "From the Land of Love to Happiness." Known as a lovers’ shrine, Kofuku Station remains a popular spot for couples wishing for happiness. From late April through the end of November, the Kofuku Station Happy Ceremony offers a mock wedding experience. Aikoku Station, which sparked a similar boom, lies about 15 minutes by car from Kofuku Station. Now enjoyed as the Traffic Memorial Hall, the ticket monument marked "bound for Happiness" in front of its station building is a great photo spot. About 25 minutes by car from Tokachi Hills is TokachigawaOnsen, a hot spring resort village on the banks of the Tokachi River. The moor hot springs available at TokachigawaOnsen are recognized as a Hokkaido heritage and are one of Japan’s rare plant-based hot springs. Moor hot springs are said to help with neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain, chronic gynecological conditions, and sensitivity to cold. Some nearby hotels offer day-use bathing. Surrounded by beautiful nature, soaking in these hot springs is a great way to refresh and relieve everyday fatigue. The Tokachi area has 15 roadside stations providing local specialties, gourmet food, and tourist information. (As of July 2023) Roadside Station Ashoro Ginga Hall 21, renovated from a railway station in 2011, still retains railway motifs and represents Ashorocho’s roadside station. The shop and bakery use local specialties such as the world’s largest butterbur, Rawan-buki, in breads, and the restaurant serves local treats such as Rawan-buki soft serve. Don’t miss the local pork bowl at Kumano-ko Regional Exchange and Local Products Center. At roadside stations you can enjoy region-specific foods and other local experiences unique to each area. Be sure to stop by as a memory of your trip. Next, we introduce spots where you can experience Hokkaido’s vast nature. One of Hokkaido’s three secret lakes, Lake Onneto, lies at the western edge of Akan-Mashu National Park. Because the lake surface changes color with the seasons and time of day, it is also called the "Five-Colored Pond." An observation deck offers stunning views of Lake Onneto with MtMeakan and Akan Fuji in the background and is a recommended viewpoint. In Kamishihoro Town, the Taushubetsu River Bridge at Lake Nukabira is a 130-meter-long concrete arch bridge built in 1937. About 60 arch bridges of various sizes, once part of the former National Railway Shihoro Line, are preserved as modern industrial heritage. In spring, as snow melts and water levels rise, the arches reflect on the surface and resemble eyeglasses, which is why the bridge is also called the "Spectacles Bridge." Mikuni Pass (in Kamishihoro Town) inside Daisetsuzan National Park stands at 1,139 meters and is the highest pass in Hokkaido. You will be captivated by natural spectacles such as fresh green seas of trees in spring and vivid autumn foliage. At the Mikuni Pass café on the summit, popular specialty items include hand-drip coffee roasted on-site. Finally, Tokachi Ranch in Otofuke covers an expansive 4,092 hectares. The ranch raises Dosanko horses, sheep, and cattle. A popular spot is the 1.3-kilometer row of birch trees that continues from the ranch entrance. Tokachi hosts various events throughout the year. The Tokachi Port Festival’s Tokachi Port Marine Fireworks, held in Hirocho, is the only fireworks festival in the Tokachi area that takes place at a port. Underwater fireworks that spread across the sea surface are one of the highlights. The 2023 event was scheduled for August 5. The summer Obihiro Plain Festival, autumn Obihiro Chrysanthemum Festival, and winter Obihiro Ice Festival are known as the three major Obihiro festivals and are popular events. The Kachimai Fireworks Festival, held on the Tokachi River riverbed, is known for its highly entertaining program. Enjoy a fireworks show woven together with music, lighting, and pyrotechnics. The 2023 event was scheduled for August 13. Hokkaido Tokachi is a region overflowing with charm, where vast nature, gourmet food, hot springs, and attractions come together in harmony. We will continue to bring you more information on Tokachi’s sightseeing spots, events, and gourmet offerings that we could not cover in this post! Please look forward to future updates!

I attended the 15th Ecopa Soba Festival. These hand‑made soba noodles were prepared by the Makubetsu Men’s Cooking Group using locally milled flour! They offered three varieties: special soba (chicken and burdock), mori soba, and kake soba. The event was lively with many visitors! Each time there are only 300 servings available! Next dates: August 6, September 3, October 8, 11:00–13:00 Location: Tokachigawa Ecological Park, “Tsuchi no Fōrī”

Moor Hot Spring Firefly Viewing Event Fireflies raised in the moor hot spring waters will perform a dance of light. In the past, it was possible to see Heike fireflies around Tokachigawa Onsen. However, as the town modernized, habitats suitable for fireflies dwindled, and after the summer of 1990 the Heike fireflies could no longer be seen. The goal of restoring Heike fireflies at Tokachigawa Onsen is to bring back the early-summer scenes that were once common. A distinctive feature of the firefly restoration is the use of hot spring water as the water source. Tokachigawa Onsen’s spring is a rare plant-rich moor hot spring. Because it contains plant-derived components, it is rich in minerals essential for the proliferation of diatoms, which serve as food for pond snails. This is the first successful example in Japan of restoring fireflies using 100% hot spring water. Heike fireflies are distributed from Kyushu to Hokkaido, and into eastern Siberia and Korea, and they once thrived in wetlands and watersides surrounding rice paddies. A characteristic of Hokkaido’s Heike fireflies is that their flashing intervals tend to be longer than those of Heike fireflies on Honshu. Event period: Saturday, July 8 to Sunday, July 23 Event time: 8:00 PM–9:00 PM Location: Tokachigaoka Park

At the Tokapuchi Grand Space Scenic Cafe’s Tokachigaoka Observatory, local volunteer guides offer landscape and sightseeing information on summer Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Today’s weather turned out better than forecast, and I cycled there to see the blue sky! Although clouds were plentiful, I could see the Hidaka Range and the Tokachi Plain in one sweeping view 🤩 You can sometimes see hot air balloons in the early morning, and it’s also a beautiful spot for sunset ✨ From Tokachigawa Onsen town About a 5-minute drive or a 15-minute bike ride. [Volunteer Guides] Period: Saturday, July 1 – Saturday, September 30 Hours: Weekends and public holidays only, 10:00–15:00 *Canceled in rain or on very hot days (30°C or above) *No beverages provided