[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

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/...

'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.

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

The 2025 season Shintoku Shrine Hill "Night Cherry Blossom Light-Up" has been confirmed. Period: April 25 (Fri) to May 11 (Sun) About 2,300 Ezo-yamazakura cherry trees on Shintoku Shrine Hill will be illuminated, from the area around the shrine office up along the stairs to the precincts and nearby grounds. Shintoku Shrine Hill is one of Hokkaido’s leading cherry blossom spots. @shintokujinja When in full bloom, the view is truly spectacular! We can’t wait for the warm spring weather and the buds to sprout. *The event period may shift slightly earlier or later depending on the timing of the cherry blossoms’ opening and falling.* Please check @welcome_shintoku on social media before you visit. The illumination uses LED floodlights to minimize stress on the flowers and to be environmentally conscious. We look forward to welcoming you all 🌸 #Hokkaido #Hokkaido gourmet #Hokkaido sightseeing #Hokkaido (alternate) #Tokachi #Tokachi (alternate) #Tokachi tourism #Tokachi gourmet #Shintoku Town #Shintoku #Soba Town Shintoku Town #Cherry blossom spot #Night cherry blossoms #Night cherry blossom light-up #hokkaido #hokkaido_lovers #hokkaido_love #ilovehokkaido #hokkaidotrip #hokkaidolikers #hokkaidolove #hokkaidosgram #hokkaidofood #hokkaidotravel #tokachi #shintoku

The address of the Sahoro Resort official website has been changed to strengthen the dissemination of information to overseas audiences. The address of the Sahoro Resort's official website has been changed to enhance the transmission of information to overseas. #Hokkaido #Tokachi #Shintoku Town #Shintoku Town Tourism Association #Sahoro Resort #official website #inbound

Recent Taiki Town Butterbur sprouts have started peeking out along the roadside. Most of the snow in town has melted, and at last there is a hint of spring. https://visit-taiki.hokkaido.jp//

From today, a new oversized photo spot has opened in front of JR Shintoku Station. You can take pictures with Shintoku Ranger Soba Red and the town’s specialty soba noodles 📷 Named the “Soba Red Photo Frame” If you take a photo using this photo frame, #welcomeshintoku #shintokucho #Shintoku Town #Soba Red #Soba Red Photo Frame @welcome_shintoku please tag these and we would be grateful. We look forward to your posts!

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/...

Spring’s Arrival Shintoku Town has been getting warmer over the past few days. Walking along the Poppo-no-Michi trail, on the former Karikachi Line, you can already see the white and yellow of the flowers as mizubashō and fukujusō buds begin to open. At Takutetsu Kinokotan (拓鐡キノコタン), visitors can also try collecting birch sap in a hands-on, springtime activity. Around the end of the month, the Ezo-yamazakura, celebrated as Tokachi's finest, will begin to bloom.

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

Introducing an experiential tour you can enjoy in Tokachi, Hokkaido 😄 —Enjoy with a strawberry farmer— A half-day strawberry-focused plan in Shikaoicho Farm Bell Veggy is a family-run farm where a husband and wife carefully grow and sell their home-grown strawberries. In this program, you’ll pick ripe strawberries grown energetically inside the greenhouse, then use your harvest to try making processed strawberry products and sweets. Farm Bell Veggy also operates a kitchen car selling food and drinks, so they know the best ways to enjoy their strawberries. This tour is a dream for sweet lovers, offering plenty of fresh strawberries to enjoy. Tour Schedule 13:30 Meet at Farm Bell Veggy 13:35 Program briefing and strawberry picking experience Enter the greenhouse where bright red strawberries grow. Harvest strawberries raised safely. 14:00 Strawberry jam-making experience Make jam from the strawberries you picked! 15:00 Pancake-making experience and tasting Make pancakes using fresh strawberries! Adding your own toppings makes the pancakes even more delicious. 16:30 Tour ends Operating period: Around late June to October Time: 13:30–16:30 (about 3 hours) Group size: 2–10 people (minimum 2 adults) Price: For 2 people (per person) Adult JPY 16,500, Elementary school student JPY 4,500 For 3 or more people (per person) Adult JPY 12,100, Elementary school student JPY 4,500 *With English interpretation, prices are as follows.* For 2 people (per person) Adult JPY 23,200, Elementary school student JPY 4,500 For 3 or more people (per person) Adult JPY 17,600, Elementary school student JPY 4,500 Please make a reservation at least 14 days before your desired date. Depending on guide availability, we may not be able to accommodate your preferred date. Thank you for your understanding. This is a great opportunity to meet and talk with the producers and learn about the behind-the-scenes of farming and food!! We hope this experience leads to new discoveries and perspectives, enriching your lifestyle. We would be delighted if a Tokachi experience became one page of your travel memories 😄 If you are interested, please visit the federation’s official website page “BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE —Journeys Connecting to the Roots of Food in Tokachi—” via the URL below! Contact KUNAU Publishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com

Lately, squirrels have been coming to play often in the backyard behind the guide center 😊 When I see them, I can’t help but take pictures! Their cute little looks are so soothing 🥰

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

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

Introducing an experiential tour you can take in Hokkaido’s Tokachi😄 A journey to touch the preciousness of life through gratitude for the food we receive An experiential tour: “Visit Kyoko Endo, a livestock farmer in Shihorocho, and meet her beloved wagyu”!! In the heart of Tokachi, the agricultural and dairy town of Shihorocho, the Endo family raises cattle🐂 Kyoko Endo, who supports the family business as a veterinarian, compiled the story of one particular cow into a video and booklet titled “Beloved Wagyu.” She wants people who eat that beef to see the cow’s journey of overcoming injury and growing strong, and to feel the wonder and energy of receiving life as food!! “Beloved Wagyu,” carrying Kyoko’s feelings, is sent to households across the country🥩 On this occasion, through caring for the cows, you will reflect with Kyoko on the value of taking life to nourish us😄 Tour Schedule 10:00 Gather at Endo Livestock Farm 10:05 Farm introduction and presentation of “Beloved Wagyu” (video screening) Change into work clothes and learn about “Beloved Wagyu” while watching the video! 10:35 Barn tour and hands-on work (brushing, cleaning, etc.) Move to the barn to help with grooming the wagyu and assisting with tasks around the farm! 11:35 Make “Beloved Wagyu” pizza with Ms. Endo Try making pizza using Beloved Wagyu beef and vegetables and cheese produced in Shihorocho 13:00 Tour ends Operating period: Year-round Time: 10:00–13:00 (about 3 hours) Group size: 2–6 people Price: For 2 people, per person Adult 18,700 JPY, Child 3,300 JPY For 3 or more people, per person Adult 12,100 JPY, Child 3,300 JPY If English interpretation is included, the prices are as follows. For 2 people, per person Adult 30,800 JPY, Child 3,300 JPY For 3 or more people, per person Adult 20,900 JPY, Child 3,300 JPY Please make a reservation at least seven days before your desired date of use. (We may be unable to meet your requested date due to guide availability or other reasons.) Please note that visitors who have arrived in Japan within the past seven days and live abroad may not be allowed to enter sanitary areas for quarantine reasons. Depending on the “Global Foot-and-Mouth Disease Situation” as determined by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, we may refuse participation in the tour. Thank you for your understanding. This tour offers a great opportunity to meet producers and learn about livestock farming and the realities behind our food while taking part in hands-on experiences!! We hope you will make an experience in Tokachi a memorable page in your travel memories😄 If you are interested, please visit our federation’s official website section “BEHIND THE GOOD TASTE – Journeys that connect you to Tokachi, the source of food.” Contact Knao Publishing Co., Ltd. Slow Travel HOKKAIDO Email: slh@slow-life-hokkaido.com

The snow in the mountains is thinning now; in a little while you might be able to trek across the snowfields. "Snowfield Horse Journey" availability depends on conditions, so please call us. #Western Village Sahoro www.sahoro.jp

Taiki Town: Spring Is Coming It's the season when many migratory birds come to Taiki Town! The Rekifune River is beginning to thaw as well. https://visit-taiki.hokkaido.jp//

Announcement of the 57th Banei Kinen📣 On Sunday, March 16, the pinnacle race of Banei horse racing, the Norin-Suisan Daijin Shoten—the 57th Banei Kinen—will be held at Banei Tokachi Obihiro Racecourse to decide the strongest Banei horse!!😄 In this event, massive draft horses weighing about one ton pull one-ton sleds as they compete in speed and strength!! At Obihiro Racecourse, the Banei Kinen events will run from March 14 through March 16. Enjoy three days packed with a variety of activities🎵 This year, Tokachi Aozora Ladies will join the Banei Kinen events. Around 2:00 PM on March 14 they will make on-track predictions together with expert tipsters—please come by and join the fun!! Recently, Tokachi Aozora Ladies promoted the Banei Kinen in Sapporo together with Banei racing officials and Banei Tokachi’s mascot, Ricky. They appeared on FM North Wave, then were interviewed by Hokkaido Shimbun, Sports Nippon, and Sports Hochi. Thank you very much!! Come to Obihiro Racecourse and cheer as these giant horses take each powerful step right before your eyes🎵

The Finnish-style sauna “Hokkaido Avanto,” held at Lake Kutcharo in Shintoku Town as a collaboration between Otsuka Pharmaceutical and the Tokachi Sauna Council and Kushiro Sauna Council, is being used as source material for a poster.

Rent a car within Taiki Town You want to sightsee around Taiki Town but don’t have a car, or you’d like to take a short trip during a long stay in Taiki Town… If so, you can rent a car from Hotel Kashiwa in town!

Sairinka 2025 ended on February 16th. There was a period when the event was canceled because of heavy snowfall, but it reopened and many people visited. Thank you to everyone who came to see us 😊 2025 Sairinka ended on February 16th. There was a period when it was canceled due to heavy snow, but we reopened and many people came! Thank you to everyone who came to visit us 😊 2025 Sairinka ended on February 16th. There was a period when it was canceled due to heavy snow, but we reopened and many people came! Thank you to everyone who came to visit us 😊 #Sairinka #Tokachigawa Onsen #Otofuke #event #mall onsen #Tokachi #Hokkaido tourism #snow #sairinka #tokachi #hokkaido

Taiki Town on February 6th The heavy snowfall that fell between February 4th and 5th was followed the next day by clear Tokachi skies, so I went for a drive around town. The familiar scenery had turned into a beautiful snowy landscape!

Sairinka, which had been canceled due to heavy snow, resumed on February 8th! Because the snowfall set a record, we thought it might be impossible to hold the event again, but with the cooperation of many people we carried out snow removal and successfully restarted the event. It's regrettable that attractions like Alley of Light and Tunnel of Light were canceled by the heavy snow, but we are happy to be able to resume them. Although some roads still remain in poor condition, thank you to everyone who came to visit us.

Sairinka, which had been canceled due to heavy snow, will resume today, February 8. We apologize for the inconvenience. All of our staff look forward to your visit. Road conditions are still poor in some areas, so please travel with caution. Please note that the Light Alley is canceled because heavy snow has made it impassable, and snow rafting remains canceled as there is no clear prospect for resuming it. Thank you for your understanding. Sairinka Time 19:00–21:00 Place Tokachigaoka Park Sairinka, which was canceled due to heavy snow, will resume today, February 8. All of our staff look forward to your visit. Road conditions may be poor in some areas, so please take care when traveling. Time 19:00–21:00 Place: Tokachigaoka Park Sairinka, canceled due to heavy snow, will resume today, February 8. All of our staff look forward to your visit. Road conditions may be poor in some areas, so please be careful when traveling. Time 19:00–21:00 Place: Tokachigaoka Park

Due to heavy snowfall, the Sairinka event scheduled for February 5–7 has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your understanding.

Today's Taiki Town Heavy snow fell across the Tokachi region today! In Taiki Town, about 50 cm accumulated from last night until this morning. It was the heaviest snowfall of the season! Tourist information for Taiki Town is here: https://visit-taiki.hokkaido.jp//