A paradise for sweets lovers! "Ryugetsu Sweetpia Garden" This is an entertainment spot where you can buy sweets, enjoy a café, take hands-on experiences, and tour the factory✨ This shop sells "Sanporoku no Hajikko" at a bargain price every morning, and a line forms before opening. It comes in substantial portions, priced from 550 to 650 yen per kilogram! The shop-only "Kinagoromo Soft" is irresistible for fans of Japanese flavors, with wobbly kinako mochi and sweet red bean paste inside. In the eat-in area, you can enjoy azuki tea and coffee for free! The Sanporoku bench placed around the garden looks so real it almost seems edible 😋 The Roadside Station Otofuke Natsuzora no Furusato is right next door, so you can enjoy both places together!

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.

[Hanakaze Flower Scenery and Hana Road] Every year under the title “Hanakaze Flower Scenery,” a riot of colorful flowers welcomes visitors. Stroll slowly through the beautifully decorated hot spring town and enjoy Tokachigawa Onsen. Period: Saturday, June 24 to Sunday, July 23 Location: Tokachigaoka Park / the Tokachigawa Onsen area

Butahage Roadside Station Otofuke Branch This popular pork bowl shop, with its main location in Obihiro, served me the pork-soup set. Beyond the delicious pork bowl itself, I loved the pork miso soup filled with chunky vegetables served in a bowl larger than the rice bowl. This dish lets you fully enjoy Otofuke Town’s local soybeans and vegetables. The pork-soup set was sold out before noon. Tokachi’s vegetables are truly delicious, so I hope everyone gets to try them 😊

This is the floral clock at Tokachigaoka Park. From June 24th to July 23rd, the area around Tokachigaoka Park welcomes visitors with a colorful flower display titled "Hanak Landscape and Flower Road." The park also hosts events such as early-morning hot air balloon experiences, the summer "Dream Firefly Viewing" and the winter "Sairinka" festival. There is a shop and a free foot bath, making it a perfect spot to relax or enjoy a picnic. (Closed in winter) The tourism association offers bicycle rentals, so cycling around feels wonderful!

Early Morning Hot Air Balloon Experience I took part in the hot air balloon experience run by Tokachi Nature Center! It was an anchored flight of about five minutes. The view from 30 meters up felt like a different world! The crisp early morning air was refreshing, and it felt truly wonderful.✨ The experience runs only in the early morning until December 10. For details, contact Tokachi Nature Center. Contact Tokachi Nature Center 0155-32-6116

Spectacular Views! Perfect for a Drive 🚗 Naitai Highland Ranch Located in KamiShihoro, this is Japan’s largest public ranch, covering about 1,700 ha—equivalent to 358 Tokyo Domes! The scenery is overwhelmingly vast and breathtaking 😲 If you time it well, you can see grazing cows up close 🐄 A stylish terrace serves soft-serve ice cream and dishes made with Naitai Wagyu beef ✨ Highly recommended for a sunny day drive! About a 1-hour drive from Tokachigawa Onsen 128-5 KamiOtofuke, Kamishihoro Town, Kawato-gun, Hokkaido Gate open period: late April to October

The lilies of the valley are now in full bloom at Suzuran Park in Otofuke! Lilies of the valley are also the town flower of Otofuke.✨ But these delicate lilies of the valley are actually poisonous.😲 They are often mistaken for mountain garlic (gyoja ninniku). Please enjoy the viewing safely and take care.♬

Today the weather is beautiful and it’s perfect for a picnic 🌞 Here are scenes from Tokachi Ecology Park. Sunlight filtering through the trees sparkled and looked lovely! Starting today, June 1st, the Soft Serve Rally 2023 is said to begin! Eighty-five shops across the Tokachi area! How many can you try~ 🍦

Today three staff members from the tourist association had their first lunch gathering! The venue was “Daichi no Takumi” A hamburger made from 100% Tokachi brand beef. I had the 300g portion, and it was so delicious it felt drinkable 😂 They also offer many yakiniku and steak dishes using Tokachi beef! The terrace view was lovely ✨ If you visit Tokachigawa Onsen, be sure to stop by!

This evening a sudden downpour left the grass and trees smelling wonderfully fresh. Here is yesterday’s sunset. Speaking of sunsets, the Tokachigaoka Observation Deck is a popular spot, but I also love watching the sun sink low from Tokachigaoka Park.

Otofuke’s power spot Otofuke Shrine This verdant shrine feels like a deep forest. Ezo squirrels live here, and you can watch them eat and dash about energetically. Visiting cleanses the heart, so do consider paying a visit.

Today the high is 28°C, and the warm weather makes short sleeves comfortable during the day! Right now, baby grapes are growing well in the guide center garden vineyard ☺ They say harvest will be around autumn. I wonder if they will become a delicious wine?

Hello! I’m Mōru-chan, the local mascot of TokachigawaOnsen! She’s a girl with a bean-shaped body patterned like a cow, a pig’s nose, and corn-shaped horns♡ She’s packed full of Tokachi’s charms 😍 This one was apparently made by a staff member of Otofuke town hall using small building blocks from a 100-yen shop! There’s also a hot-spring-steam version.

Walking around the Tokachigawa Onsen Guide Center, you’ll find fields full of canola flowers. Their vibrant yellow pops against the blue sky. It’s become a wonderfully pleasant season.

Cycling around the Ecolog Park, I came across a colony of large white Trillium. This flower is one of Hokkaido's emblematic blooms, even featured on Rokkatei packaging. Discovering small things while riding a bike is so much fun! Electric-assist bicycle rentals are now popular and available! We look forward to welcoming everyone.

Fresh green season has arrived 🌳 This is the row of white birch trees at Tokachi Ranch. The observatory, closed during winter, has reopened and offers sweeping views of the vast landscape. I could even spot cows grazing in the distance 🐄

Ainu Traditional Dance: Tokachigawa Sarorunrimse Performance The 5th Tokachigawa Sarorunrimse will take place. Guest masters of traditional dance from the Akan Ainu and the Biratori Ainu will come to Tokachigawa and the Chiyoda area, places connected to the Tokachi Ainu, to perform each community's Sarorunrimse (the crane dance). Date and time: Saturday, May 20, 2023, 5:00 PM – ※Held rain or shine Venue: Tokachigawa Onsen Aqua Park

Recommended cycling course This is Tokachigaoka Park and the Tokachigaoka Observation Deck! A floral clock stands in the park, and a riot of colorful flowers welcomes you. From April 29th, a footbath using the moor hot spring will also open, so warm your tired legs after cycling ☺️ From May, the kiosk will sell soft serve ice cream and other treats. If you pedal a little farther to the Tokachigaoka Observation Deck, you can overlook the Tokachigawa Onsen area, and on clear days you can even see the Hidaka Mountains. By the way, the observation deck is especially beautiful at sunset. Tokachigaoka Park: about 5 minutes by bike from the Guide Center Tokachigaoka Observation Deck: about 10 minutes by bike from Tokachigaoka Park Golden Week looks like it will be warm. We look forward to welcoming you!

This is the scene at Suzuran Park, Otofuke’s cherry blossom spot. It’s almost full bloom, and the nighttime illumination of the blossoms has already begun! The wind is strong and chilly at this seasonal change, but spring is just around the corner.

This is the Tokachigawa Onsen Tourist Association in Otofuke, Hokkaido. Otofuke is pronounced "Otofuke-chō". We plan to share captivating information about hot springs, sightseeing spots, superb local cuisine, access, and weather through Cool Japan videos! Please spend a dreamlike time in Otofuke’s Tokachigawa Onsen, where spectacular natural scenery and blissful hot springs soothe the body and mind. First, an introduction to the hot springs that heal both body and spirit. Tokachigawa Onsen features a rare spring quality and was designated a Hokkaido Heritage site in 2004, ahead of many other hot spring areas in Hokkaido. Tokachigawa Onsen is famous in Japan as a rare moor hot spring. The term "moor" comes from the German word for lignite and refers to springs that flow through lignite layers containing ancient plant-based organic matter; the water has an amber color and a slightly viscous texture. The hotels and ryokan lining the hot spring town offer carefully designed open-air and indoor baths, letting you fully enjoy the beautifying waters, and some facilities also offer day-use hot springs. Otofuke’s sightseeing spots brim with charm that makes you lose track of time. Roadside Station Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen is a treasure trove with a market showcasing local fresh ingredients and specialties, a spa where you can enjoy the Hokkaido Heritage moor hot spring in swimwear, hands-on craft workshops, and four restaurants. At Tokachi Ranch, which spans vast grounds, a viewing platform offers 360-degree views of Tokachi’s grand landscape. From mid-January to the end of February, snow exercise for horse health care is open to the public. At Ryugetsu Sweetpia Garden, you can glimpse the production process of a popular confectionery maker and try your hand at making sweets. Tokachigaoka Park is perfect for families, centered on the large flower clock "Hanakku" with an 18-meter diameter and a 10.10-meter second hand, surrounded by seasonal blooms. Tokachigawa Onsen in Otofuke hosts many attractive events. In early summer, the Moor Hot Spring Firefly Viewing enchants visitors with fireflies lighting up the night at Tokachigawa Onsen. Many tourists come to see the fluttering fireflies, enjoying a special time that feels in harmony with nature. The winter event Sairinka creates a fantastical space of synchronized sound and light with about 600 illuminated objects, including a 5.4-meter symbol tower. Otofuke’s Tokachigawa Onsen holds various appealing events throughout the year, including those mentioned above. Along with the hot springs, sights, and delicious food, we hope you enjoy seasonal events as well. Access to Tokachigawa Onsen in Otofuke, Hokkaido: about 2 hours by car from New Chitose Airport, about 3 hours by train from JR Sapporo Station, and about 20 minutes by car or taxi from Obihiro Station. Otofuke’s Tokachigawa Onsen awaits you with beautiful nature, restorative hot springs for body and mind, and inspiring sightseeing spots!