What to Do at Rokka no Mori
The Intersection of Art and Botany
Rokka no Mori is primarily an immersive experience in the arts, including the horticultural kind. Artworks are scattered throughout the garden, like the metallic sculpture that sits on top of the grassy knoll, created by Bando Yu and inspired by Rodin’s The Thinker. Wild animals created by sculptor Aoki Sanshiro are placed in the forest and along the river. Seeing how many of them you can spot is an interesting exercise.
Everything is in accordance with the vision of Oda Yutaka, the former president of Rokkatei and the founder of Rokka no Mori. The art galleries are located in traditional country houses from Croatia. Built of stone and wide wooden beams, they were imported and reconstructed here.
Each gallery has a theme. One features iconic original artwork by Sakamoto Naoyuki that appears on the packaging of Rokkatei’s biscuits and cakes. Others house Sakamoto’s natural landscapes and are featured in Silo, a children’s poetry magazine featuring works from elementary school students in the Tokachi area. The garden is an integral part of this living art gallery.
The garden café and shop are housed in a part of Rokkatei’s production building, in what was the employee cafeteria. The massive glass wall provides a stunning view. The café’s menu features meals, sweets, and coffee and tea.
One sensory experience that visitors regularly have at Rokka no Mori is catching the special scent of sweet treats being baked. The company’s biscuits and other sweets that are the sources of that aroma are for sale in the factory shop.