Event announcement📣 July has arrived, and summer is here in earnest — a season full of festivals and events. If you’re free this weekend, why not drop by one of the events taking place? 🤗 📌Saturday, July 5 — Shirohebi-hime Festival at the shore of Lake Shikaribetsu in Shikaoicho. This theatrical folk performance, created from Ainu traditions, features a 13-meter white snake and a princess dancing in a dreamlike spectacle. ■Time: 17:30–21:15 ■Free shuttle bus to the venue: A free shuttle will operate from Kanda Nissho Memorial Museum in Shikaoicho to the lakeside venue using the regular bus route. 📌Sunday, July 6 — The 52nd Pyotan Falls Yamabe Release Festival at Satsunai River Park in Nakasatsunai Village. The day starts with the release of yamabe (a local trout), followed by a Poroshiri drum performance, hands-on workshops, food trucks, and ends with a stage-side edamame toss featuring the village’s specialty edamame. ■Time: 10:00–14:00 ■Access: About a 60-minute drive from Obihiro Station Find other summer events on the Tokachi HARE website under “Events.” Please check the homepage at the URL below 😊 It’s been hot every day, so please take care to avoid heatstroke and enjoy a pleasant weekend 🎵 https://tokachibare.jp/event/...

At Rokka no Mori, Shirane-aoi, large-flowered Trillium, and anemone are in full bloom 😊 At the attached Rokka’ café (Rokkafe), you can enjoy freshly made Marusei butter sand, so please try one during tea time after strolling through the garden 🎵 📌 Rokka no Mori [Open Period] April 25, 2025 – October 26, 2025 [Opening Hours] ■ April, May, August, September, October 10:00–16:00 Shop: 10:30–16:00, Café: 11:00–16:00 (last order 15:30) ■ June, July 9:00–16:00 Shop: 9:30–16:00 Café: 11:00–16:00 (last order 15:30) [Admission] Adults ¥1,000, elementary and junior high school students ¥500 [Access] 🚗 About 40 minutes by car from Obihiro Station, about 20 minutes by car from Tokachi-Obihiro Airport, 🚌 About 1 hour by bus from Obihiro Station (get off at the nearest stop: Michi-no-Eki Nakasatsunai) From Michi-no-Eki Nakasatsunai it’s about a 15-minute walk, or rent a bicycle at Michi-no-Eki Nakasatsunai and cycle about 5 minutes https://www.rokkatei.co.jp/facilities/%E5%85%AD%E8%8A%B1%E3%81%AE%E6%A3%AE-...

📢Limited time only! A special exhibition at Sakai City Tea Room Shin-an✨ On Sunday, May 18, the tea utensils used at the Teppō Blacksmith Residence’s tea-serving event are now on display at Sakai City Tea Room Shin-an!👀 ✨Featured tea utensils on display… Works by ceramic artist Takahiro Koga, who champions “anti-wabi-sabi”! Flashy × studs × a reinterpretation of tradition = one-of-a-kind tea ceremony pieces🔥 The exhibition runs through Wednesday, May 28! Please drop by and take a look if you’re in the neighborhood!🚶‍➡️

The tulips at Shichiku Garden are reaching their peak bloom 🌷 The garden offers free loaner hats decorated with flowers in a range of colors. Return to your childhood—put on a hat, take photos, and stroll around the grounds. On sunny days they also provide shade!! 👒 📌Good deals If you plan to visit three gardens, the “Tokachi Flower Tour Common Ticket” is a great value!! You can use it at any three of the six eligible gardens in the Tokachi area.♪ [Price] Three-garden admission ticket: ¥2,000 [Validity] April 26, 2025 (Saturday) to October 13, 2025 (Monday, national holiday) [Eligible gardens] Shichiku Garden, Manabe Garden, Tokachi Hills, Tokachi Millennium Forest, Rokka no Mori, Nakasatsunai Art Village Garden [Where to buy] Each garden, Tokachi Tourist Information Center (Obihiro Station ESTA East Building 2F), Tokachi Gardens Hotel, Premier Hotel - CABIN - Obihiro, Hokkaido Hotel, Kangetsuen, Sasai Hotel, Dai-ichi Hotel, Daiheigen, Marimo Hire 📌Shichiku Garden [Open period] April 19 (Saturday) to October 31 (Friday) [Hours] 8:00–17:00 [Closed] Open every day during the season [Admission] Adults (high school and older) ¥1,000, elementary and junior high students ¥200, preschoolers free [Access] About 35 minutes by car from Obihiro Station, about 20 minutes by car from Obihiro Airport, about 15 minutes by car from Roadside Station Nakasatsunai https://shichikugarden.com//

🍶 “Rikyukura” Sake Tasting Event🌸 Come and sample a variety of sake labels from Rikyukura! Whether you love sake or are trying it for the first time, everyone can enjoy this event🌸 Ask our staff about foods that pair well with sake and about the relationship between sake and Sakai’s traditional culture🍶 📅 Sunday, May 25, 11:00–16:00 📍 Sakai Densho-kan 🚃 A 3-minute walk from Hankai Line Myokokuji-mae Station For details, search “Sakai Densho-kan Rikyukura”🔍

🌸 Special Exhibition and Sale of Sakai May Carp Streamers 🎏🌸 ✨The Beauty of Hand-Painted Carp Streamers 🎏✨ A special exhibition and sale featuring hand-painted carp streamers by Takeshi Takada, the sixth-generation artisan of Sakai May Carp Streamers "Takagi"! Take this chance to appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship of hand-painted carp streamers with a history spanning more than a century. 🎵 📅 Friday, May 16 – Thursday, May 22, 10:00–18:00 📍 Sakai Densho-kan 🚃 A 3-minute walk from Hankai Line "Myokokuji-mae" For details, search for "Sakai Densho-kan carp streamers" 🔍

🎪 Ebisujima Côté Rivière ✨ EBISUJIMA CÔTÉ RIVIÈRE 🚩 [Updated May 16] Because rain is forecast for Sunday morning, the event time has been changed to 12:00–17:00. 🌿 Why not relax by the riverbank of Ebisujima, where time flows gently, and enjoy shopping for antique goods 🪑, gourmet food 🍽️, and DJ music 🎶? ✨ 🔍 For details, check @ebisujima.cote.rivi

🌹✨One of Britain’s two leading ballet companies, the Birmingham Royal Ballet, returns to Japan for the first time in seven years!✨🌹 Enjoy a casual dinner at Sakai Terrace Salto, the restaurant adjacent to Fennie Che Sakai, including an appetizer platter, soup, main course, bread, dessert, and one drink, and savor one of the world’s finest ballet companies in this special plan.🩰 📅Performance date: Wednesday, July 2 –🎭 The Sleeping Beauty, full three acts 🎭 📍Fennie Che Sakai Grand Hall ⌚Doors open 18:30 / Ends around 21:30 🎫 S seats (1st floor) with meal: ¥26,000 🎫 A seats (3rd floor) with meal: ¥22,500 📅Application deadline: Friday, June 20 🔍For details, please see the Sakai Tourism Guide website 💡Would you like to enjoy Britain’s beautiful ballet and Sakai cuisine in this special package?

🎶 Rhythm of India 🇮🇳✨🎶 Six traditional instrumentalists have come from the Republic of India to Japan, performing sitar, tabla, santoor, mridangam, sarangi, and sarod 🎶 This is the first time these six instruments will be played together in Sakai! 👀 Opportunities like this will remain rare. Please come and join us. 🎫 Admission is free, but prior registration is required! 🔍 For details, check Fennie Che Sakai’s official website 😀

✨Tea served in contemporary artists' teaware 🍵 – Art Tea Gathering in Sakai🎨– Sakai City will present a tea gathering using contemporary artists' teaware as part of Sakai’s program for the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. We will host tea service events using contemporary artists' teaware at tea ceremony–related venues around the city so visitors can enjoy the Expo experience locally. Please see the Sakai City website for details.

Would you like to come see the carp streamers at the Jordan Pavilion during the Osaka-Kansai Expo? 🎏👀✨ We raised a hand-painted carp streamer over 5 meters long at the Jordan Pavilion, made during the workshop held on Thursday, April 24. The carp streamer carries the workshop participants’ wishes for peace and hopes for the future. 🌈🕊✨ The display is a limited-time exhibit through late May, so please come and see it during this period. 😊 Location: Osaka-Kansai Expo Jordan Pavilion The Sakai May Carp Streamers can be seen at Sakai Denshokan (1-1-30 Zaimokucho Nishi, Sakai Ward, Sakai City), so please also visit Sakai City. 🎶 For event details, search “Sakai City website (collaboration with Jordan).” Also check “Sakai Denshokan (Sakai Traditional Industry Center) (@sakaidensan)”! Be sure to check the Sakai Tourism Guide Expo Special Site (If you come to the Expo, come to Sakai too)! We look forward to seeing you all. 😄

📢 "Futari Demo Sakai" Special Experience✨ "Futari Demo Sakai" Special Experience🍃 A limited-time special program lets you touch Sakai’s history and culture!✨ Would you like to create a memorable experience for a special time spent together?💕 📅Period: March 14 (Friday) – May 31 (Saturday) 🚩Experience Plans 1. Tea ceremony for two – Putting love into matcha (Sakai Risho no Mori) 2. Matcha art for two – It’s matcha, not a latte (Saryo Tsuboichi Seicha Honpo) 3. Wagashi making for two – Let’s have fun and make them together (Sakai Densho-kan) 4. Shrine grounds cleaning for two – Start the day at Otorii Taisha (Otorii Taisha) 5. Romantic experience for two – Sakai Old Port picnic (AOINAPOLI UMISOBA, Sakai Old Port) 🔍For details, search "Futari Demo Sakai" on the Sakai Tourist Guide website!

🫧 A soap-bubble show is coming to “Otohime no Kyujitsu.” 🫧 Guinness World Record for soap bubbles 🏆 Achieved the world record in the "Longest Bubble Garland Wand" category ✨ The Bubble Uncle will be appearing at “Otohime no Kyujitsu” ♪ He is a soap-bubble show specialist who has appeared on numerous media outlets 📺. He will likely fill the old Sakai Port 🌊 with soap bubbles 🫧 On Saturday, May 10th, from 3:30 PM for about 30 minutes. We look forward to seeing you there 🙌

The cherry blossoms on Mt. Shintoku Shrine are reaching their peak bloom 🌸 Evening illumination runs until Sunday, May 11th 🎵 Cherry blossoms fade in the blink of an eye, but their fleeting beauty is wonderful, isn’t it? If you’d like to catch that momentary glow, please come by 🤗 ■ Period: Friday, April 25th, 2025 – Sunday, May 11th, 2025 ■ Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM ■ Location: Mt. Shintoku Shrine *Please note the schedule may change depending on the condition of the blossoms.* ■ Contact Shintoku Town Tourism Association (General Incorporated Association) Phone: 0156-64-0522 Business hours: Weekdays 8:30 AM – 5:15 PM https://shintoku-town.net/%e6%96%b0%e5%be%97%e7%a5%9e%e7%a4%be%e5%b1%b1-%e5%a4%9c%e6%a1%9c%e3%83%a9%e3%82%a4%e3%83%88%e3%82%a2%e3%83%83%e3%83%97/...

It snowed recently, but the cherry blossoms are starting to bloom little by little. Snow still dresses the mountains, and on clear days you can enjoy beautiful mountain views, so here are a few highlights. ■Tokachi Millennium Forest @tokachi_millennium_forest From the vast grounds you can see the Hidaka Mountain Range. During Golden Week, May 3–6, the Spring Garden Festa takes place. ■Tokachigaoka Observatory Located near Tokachigawa Onsen, it offers views of the Tokachigawa River, the hot spring town, and the Hidaka Mountain Range. It’s also a lovely spot for watching the sunset. ■Shinarashiyama Sky Park Observatory The Tokachi Plain spreads below like a patchwork quilt, making it a perfect panorama point, with the Hidaka Mountain Range visible behind. ■Obihiro Shrine @obihirojinja Cherry trees along the approach and within the shrine grounds are beginning to bloom. The hanachozu (flower-filled water basins) are decorated with pink, white, yellow, and other flowers, creating a festive scene. ■Nupuka no Sato @nupukanosato Located within Daisetsuzan National Park at an elevation of 600 meters, Nupuka no Sato offers sweeping views of Tokachi. With cottages and camping areas, it’s a place for outdoor experiences. At night you may be treated to a beautiful moon and starry sky. Events are also held during Golden Week! For event details, please check the URL below. Why not come visit Tokachi? You might even catch the cherry blossoms. https://tokachibare.jp/event/...

Children’s Day! Come play at Kita-Aikoku Exchange Plaza! 2025 Information 😄 This is the annual opening event at Kita-Aikoku Exchange Plaza!! On the vast lawn we provide play areas using equipment to give children a place to play. On the day there will be demonstrations of a model rocket launched with powder and a PET bottle rocket launched with air!! How far will they fly?? Look forward to finding out!! • First show 11:00 • Second show 14:00 We also offer loaner play equipment, so come with your family and run around to your heart’s content! Date: Monday, May 5, 10:00–15:00 (held rain or shine) Location: Kita-Aikoku Exchange Plaza (10-1 Aikoku-cho, Obihiro) Who it’s for: Infants through elementary school students and their guardians Fee: Free admission, free equipment loan Note: Many play items available for free loan, including kite flying, badminton sets, flying discs, and strikeout games Contact ☎️ Data Management Co., Ltd. (designated manager of Kita-Aikoku Exchange Plaza) Phone: 0155-67-7868 (Contact: Yoshida) e-mail: kita-aikoku@data-g.com

Announcement for the Honbetsu Sankeitsutsuji Festival 😍 The Honbetsu Sankeitsutsuji Festival takes place at Honbetsu Park, where Ezo-murasaki azalea and Ezo-yamazakura cherry trees bloom in full. 🎵 The event is packed with activities, including a jumbo Yoshitsune hotpot, a bingo tournament, a performance of the Honbetsu Yoshitsune Taiko drums, and a stage show by Oklahoma. The Tokachi Aozora Ladies will also participate. Bring your family and friends and come enjoy the festival. ■ Date: Sunday, April 27, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM ■ Location: In front of the Yoshitsune-no-Sato Honbetsu Park stage (Higashimachi, Honbetsu) ■ Stage guest: Oklahoma ■ Program 10:00 – Opening announcement; release of stream fish and river fishing Booths by the Chamber of Commerce Women’s and Youth Divisions; inflatable play area Azalea and other plant sales; various vendor booths Local performing arts: performance by the Honbetsu Yoshitsune Taiko drums Smoke experience (Honbetsu Fire Station) 10:30 – Opening ceremony 11:00 – Jumbo Yoshitsune hotpot 11:20 – Introduction of the Tokachi Aozora Ladies 12:00 – Azalea Festival Photo Contest and Model Photo Session Distribution of bingo cards (first 400 people) 12:45 – Stage show “Oklahoma” 13:30 – Bingo tournament 14:00 – Closing ceremony ■ Inquiries Tsutsuji Festival Executive Committee / Honbetsu Town Tourism Association Office: Honbetsu Town Future Creation Division TEL (0156) 22-2141 https://www.town.honbetsu.hokkaido.jp/sightseeing/fes/details/post_1.html...

Ikeda Town Tourism Opening Ceremony Announcement🍷 Every year, Ikeda Town holds the Tourism Opening Ceremony to pray for a successful tourist season. The ceremony for safety prayers and a bountiful flow of visitors is paired with events that residents and tourists can enjoy together. The Tokachi Blue Sky Ladies will also attend to add a touch of elegance to the ceremony. If you have time, please come and join us. Date: Saturday, April 26th, 2025 Time: 10:30 AM–around 2:00 PM Location: In front of JR Ikeda Station * The event may be canceled in case of rain. If canceled, announcements will be posted on the Ikeda Town Tourism Association website and social media. Ikeda Town Tourism Association → @tokachi_ikeda The fountain opening ceremony in front of Ikeda Station begins at 10:30 AM, and vendor events start at 11:00 AM. Program ● Fountain Opening Ceremony in front of the station ● Local food and products corner ● Wine-pouring experience into the fountain ● Children’s festival corner ● TOCORON (Tocoron) Ikeda version Banana Manju Macaron on sale ● Performance by Ikeda High School Wind Ensemble Vendors Super Ryokuen, Hiro Kitchen, Tokachi Ikedaya (Café & Life akao, son of Juraku), Ikeda Town Chamber of Commerce Youth Division, TOCORON Project Team (volunteer high school circle from Tokachi area) Contact Ikeda Town Tourism Association (Tel: 015-572-2286) * Please note that program details may change. https://kankou-ikeda.com//

From Sakai to the Expo site by boat. No traffic, perfect views. Comfortable access via the water route✨ Departing from Sakai Old Port, it’s only 30 minutes to the Expo site. Take this boat and you’ll no longer worry about traffic jams or crowded crowds. No road congestion, no long lines on station platforms. Onboard, just enjoy the water-city scenery of Osaka as the breeze blows🏯 The evening sail is especially recommended. After enjoying the Expo, avoid the rush-hour trains and return to Sakai on a relaxing cruise. It’s travel that feels like a mini getaway even though it’s just transportation. With a slightly different way to get there, make your Expo experience more comfortable and more special. 🎫Search “Universal Cruise” to make a reservation!

📍 “Futari demo Sakai” Heart-Pounding Darts Journey! 🎯🚶‍♂️ Decide destinations with a dart throw and solve challenges about each spot as you tour the city on this fresh travel experience.✨ Rediscover Sakai’s charms and set off on an exciting adventure.💡💛 📅 Event Period: March 14 (Friday) – May 31 (Saturday) ✅ Free to participate 🆓 ✅ No reservation required 📆✖️ ✅ Win prizes 🎁🎯 🔍For details, search “Futari demo Sakai” on the Sakai Tourism Guide website!

The azaleas along Asakayama Greenway are in peak bloom now. Enjoy the vibrant azaleas stretching about 600 meters along Asakayama Greenway. Take in the colorful display of azaleas along this roughly 600-meter stretch.

Announcement of the Appointment of the 31st Tokachi Aozora Ladies 😄 Every year, to mark the start of Ban'ei horse racing, we hold the Tokachi Aozora Ladies certification and handover ceremony at Obihiro Racecourse. 🎵 This year, the certification and handover ceremony took place on Friday, April 18. The 31st Tokachi Aozora Ladies are Nozomi Takahashi and Mayuka Ishizaki. We look forward to your support for them. The two 31st Tokachi Aozora Ladies presented bouquets to Machi Fujita and Kaori Noguchi, the 30th Tokachi Aozora Ladies, in thanks for their year of activities. As their first duties, the 31st Tokachi Aozora Ladies handed out gifts to visitors at the opening of Obihiro Racecourse, took part in the ceremony where the Mayor of Obihiro gave greetings, and appeared on BanSta. Thank you very much! Ban'ei horse racing is a sport where draft horses pull heavy iron sleds, testing speed and strength! Race days are Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. From Saturday, April 26 to Monday, April 28, enjoy the anime Baki Hanma × Ban'ei Tokachi collaboration event! During Golden Week from Saturday, May 3 to Monday, May 5, a packed lineup of family-friendly attractions awaits, including stage events, food and merchandise booths, and a kids’ corner. 😍 Come to Obihiro Racecourse to cheer as the powerful Ban'ei horses take strong steps right before your eyes!! Please visit the official Ban'ei Tokachi website at the URL below. https://www.banei-keiba.or.jp//

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/...

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/...

🌷✨ Seventy thousand tulips in full bloom! A spectacular spring view ✨🌷 At Harvest Hill, the tulips are now at their peak! 💕 A colorful carpet of tulips stretches across the fields, creating a beautiful floral landscape to enjoy 🌈💐 Step into the tulip fields to feel the arrival of spring and capture wonderful memory photos 📸 In addition, baby blue eyes (nemophila), north-pole daisies, and unique tulip varieties are also reaching their best viewing period 🌼 📍 Location: Village area flower field “Sun Hill” (about 3,000 m²) 🎟 Admission: Viewing is included with Harvest Hill park entry fee 🌷 Plus! A spring photo contest is being held ✨ 🌞 Come and enjoy the spring spectacle! 🌞 *The blooming period may vary depending on the weather, so please check the official website before visiting✅

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/...

🔪✨ Knife Factory and Sakai Takayuki Knife Gallery Tour 🏭🔍 ~ Experience Sakai’s blade-making culture, where craftsmen’s skills shine! ~ Held on Thursday, May 29; Thursday, August 28; and Thursday, November 27! ✨ A special public opening of the factory that produces the world-renowned Sakai Takayuki kitchen knives! 🛠️✨ 🔹 May 29 is a special edition! Includes a Sakai Takayuki petty knife 🔥 ▶ Special plan for the JR Destination Campaign (DC)! 🔹 Highlights 🔹 Tour the Sanpou factory to watch knife-making processes (blacksmithing, rough grinding, etc.) 🏭 🔹 Visit the gallery displaying about 500 knives 🔍 🔹 Try a simple knife sharpening experience! ✨ 🔹 May 29 only: receive a Sakai Takayuki petty knife as a gift 🎁 💰 Participation Fee 🔹 May 29: ¥15,000 (includes petty knife 🎁) 🔹 August 28 and November 27: ¥4,000 📌 Application Deadline: Until 3 days before each event date! 🔍 For details and to apply, search for "Knife Factory and Sakai Takayuki Knife Gallery Tour with Simple Knife Sharpening Workshop"

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