| Dates | Early May to early June |
| Opening Hours | 7:00 am to 6:00 pm (no illumination) |
| Entry fee | ¥500 Adults ¥250 Children |
| Contact | 0158-29-2730 http://takinoue.com/ |
| Notes | Parking available Best viewing time - Mid may Helicopter tour available |
| Location / Getting There | 3 and a half hour drive from Sapporo. 2 hour drive from Asahikawa Takinoue Park, Motomachi, Takinoue, Monbetsu District, Hokkaido 099-5604 |
Moss pink
From the start of May to the start of June, the small town of Takinoue displays its most famous sightseeing spot, the Takinoue Park Shibazakura. Shibazakura, also known as ‘moss pink’, or ‘creeping phlox’ is an evergreen mat that blooms five-petaled flowers in rose, mauve, blue, white, or pink during the spring. This festival began in 1956 and Takinoue, at 100,000 square meters, is literally covered from top to bottom with millions of these beautiful flowers, making the park an extraordinary place to visit in the spring! The best time to visit being in mid May.
[the_ad id=”4264″]
Phlox House
There are many paths in which to wander around the hillside and get some photos. If you are feeling a little more adventurous, then why not view the whole park from the air? At ¥5000 per adult, you can take a six minute helicopter ride that will take you over Takinoue Park. The flowers and festival lasts for a month in which there are stage events and stalls. Also located at the park is the ‘Phlox House’ where you can buy some souvenirs, have a coffee, take a rest, or try a ‘Shibazakura ice cream’. Restrooms are also located here.
Takinoue is a small town, which means there is no train station unfortunately. For those without their own transport, to get to Takinoue it is advised to rent a car from Sapporo or take the train to Asahikawa and rent a car from there. For car rentals in Asahikawa, you can check the Asahikawa rental site by clicking here . It will take some time to drive there and it is recommended to stay at least one day in Takinoue, as there are other things to see!
