What to Do at Wind Garden
Flowers, Hot-Air Balloons and More
The Wind Garden was created well over a decade ago to be the primary set for a television drama called Kaze no Gaaden (The Wind Garden), and the flowers and the set are the main attractions here. Since the garden is part of the extensive Prince Grand Resort Furano complex, activities like hot-air ballooning, Segway tours, “ground golf,” “tree-trekking” adventures, and shopping are close at hand.
In the Garden
This is an English country-style garden that was created by Ueno Sayuki of Ueno Farm. The paths of the Wind Garden take visitors past 450 varieties of flowers. Visitors here on a weekend can also create a memento of their visit to the Wind Garden at a pressed-flower workshop. This usually takes around one hour.
Activities Close By
Every visit to the garden begins and ends at the Prince, with a vehicle shuttling guests to and from the garden entrance. The tree-trekking adventure area can be seen on the way. The tree-trekking course has 19 options. Children must be of primary school age or older for this.
The hot-air balloon ascent is a stationary one from spring through fall. The balloon stays tethered because Furano farms are growing crops, and a free-flying balloon cannot easily find a place to land.
The Segway tour takes riders through what was part of an old golf course. All the vehicles are equipped with off-road wheels. Riding up and down hills on grass is a challenge, and very different from riding on paved roads and indoors. Once the riders are used to it, however, the guide will show everyone how to ride with their arms outstretched.
More Possibilities
A low-key Japanese variation of park golf known as “ground golf” can be played on a 36-hole course. Another possibility is taking the Furano Ropeway up to the top of one of the biggest peaks in the area to get a view of the Prince Resort and the Wind Garden. The resort is a ski area in the winter.
Shopping with Elves
For shopping and eating, head to the Ningle Terrace shopping complex. The terrace features handcrafted goods from around Hokkaido sold in small, individual huts. The area is reportedly inhabited by “ningles,” small elves that come out at night to tidy up the area, including the garden.
Please follow this link [link to What to Do page] to read the story behind the Wind Garden.