What to Do at Tokachi Hills
The English Garden’s Wild Country Cousin
Tokachi Hills encompasses flower islands, a large pond called Natural Oasis, and the Sky Mirror, a sea of flowers that echoes the blue above. Visitors will note how English country gardens inspired its look and design. And yet Tokachi Hills retains a wild streak distinct to Hokkaido and Tokachi, found in the wildflowers and abundance of insects and birds.
Just Relax
There are benches and tables in every part of Tokachi Hills. There are also wide lawns, with scattered trees to provide shade, and roses, wildflowers, and water lilies. Many visitors find small, private spaces in the garden to relax, eat lunch, and spend the day. One is the pond called Natural Oasis, which is a haven for dragonflies, butterflies, and other insects.
Garden Centerpiece
In the middle of the garden is the Sky Mirror, a sea of blue flowers such as sage that mimics the color above. Around that are colorful flowerbeds, sculpted and bordered by wide green lawns.
The Sky Mirror is close to the restaurant and the garden café. Farm Restaurant Viz features Tokachi Royal Mangalica pork, originally from Hungary, where it is considered an edible national treasure. Now the company that owns Tokachi Hills, an agricultural trading company called Marukatsu, raises Mangalica pigs here and runs Viz.
Michelin-Level Experience
The head chef at Viz, Adam Garai, is from Hungary. He trained at Michelin-starred restaurants such as Onyx in Budapest. He also represented Hungary twice in a competition known as the Gourmet World Cup. Garai builds his menu around produce and herbs picked fresh from the garden. Lunch and dinner spots are available by reservation only.
The garden café is another option for meals, offering farm-fresh food that includes sandwiches, sweets, and a picnic lunchbox. The Hills Shop, adjacent to the café, offers healthy, tasty farm-based products, including beans, vinegar, and salad dressing marketed under the Tokachi Hills brand.
Easy to Get Around
Although Tokachi Hills is set on a hillside, the main path of the garden is relatively flat, smooth, wide, and easy to navigate. Its layout is simple, so you are unlikely to get lost. There are golf carts available to rent for people with disabilities for a fee, and able-bodied visitors can ride them as well. This is a good option for seeing the garden to get a quick overview of the place, or if time is a factor.
Touring Obihiro
Tokachi Hills is also where a former racehorse called Musashikoma was bred. Nicknamed “Koma-chan,” this gentle horse now has a night job pulling a wooden carriage through the town of Obihiro. The service, called Basha Bar, is a good way to see central Obihiro and discover its venues and shops. Feeding Koma-chan carrots is a highlight of the tour.
Nearby Attractions
Not far from Tokachi Hills are the Tokachi Carmelite Monastery and Makubetsu Onsen. The monastery serves up chocolates and cookies the monks make on the premises. Makubetsu is an onsen town with both indoor and outdoor baths.
Please follow this link [link to What to Do page] to read the story behind Tokachi Hills.