July has arrived in the blink of an eye. Temperatures in Tokachi have risen, and summer is finally here. On the 25th of last month, Hidaka Mountain Range–Erimo–Tokachi National Park was newly designated as Japan’s 35th national park and Hokkaido’s seventh, making it the largest national park by area in the country. On clear days you can see the rugged ridgeline of the Hidaka Mountains from Tokachigaoka Observatory, about a five‑minute drive from the Tokachigawa hot spring district. - Time flies, and it’s already July. The Tokachi area has warmed up, and summer has officially arrived. On the 25th of last month, Hidaka Mountain Range–Erimo–Tokachi National Park was officially designated as Japan’s 35th national park and Hokkaido’s seventh, becoming the largest national park in Japan by area. When the weather is good, you can drive five minutes from the Tokachigawa hot spring town to Tokachigaoka Observatory and clearly see the dramatic ridgeline of the Hidaka Mountains—truly spectacular. Be sure to come and see it!