About Tokachi Hills
Paradise in the Hills
Tokachi Hills has the pastoral look of an English country garden, and offers sweeping views of farmland, the plains, and the town of Obihiro below. Most of the gardens are right beside the path, with the Sky Mirror and Rose Garden in the middle. Tokachi Hills is compact, so an hour-long stroll around its perimeter will give visitors a sense of the layout and points of interest.
Wild at Heart
The garden is organized with immaculate care, clearly partitioned, and has cobblestone walkways and expanses of green lawn. A closer look will reveal a deep, wild relationship with the land. Many insects and bees contribute to the vitality of both the farm and garden. Dragonflies, bumblebees, grasshoppers, butterflies, and countless other insects are everywhere, as are many birds.
There are a multitude of quiet and secluded spaces throughout the garden with benches, tables, and chairs. They are surrounded by trees, roses, wildflowers, and water lilies. Many visitors buy a sandwich or boxed lunch and make one of these spots their own.
Natural and Whimsical
One corner on the far side of the garden is called Natural Oasis. Willow trees and a pond filled with water lilies dominate this area, with dragonflies hovering over it all. In another corner is Annie Ker’s Garden, named for the garden fairy of Tokachi Hills. This is filled with many kinds of pink flowers.
The Rose Garden has varieties selected for their color and scent. A deep breath will draw in a variety of sweet scents, including wine, fruit, tea, and vanilla. And in the center of Tokachi Hills is the Sky Mirror: a pool of blue flowers such as sage meant to reflect the color of the sky on a clear day.
Dining Near the Source
Farm Restaurant Viz serves up locally sourced ingredients and features Tokachi Royal Mangalica pork, which is reportedly high in omega-3 fatty acids and natural antioxidants. Originally from Hungary, where their meat is considered an edible national treasure, these pigs are now being raised here. The head chef at Viz, Adam Garai, trained at Michelin-starred restaurants such as Onyx in Budapest.
Partially hidden behind Farm Restaurant Viz is a garden. This patch produces fruits, vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers. Both Viz and the garden’s café use what is grown here in classic farm-to-table fashion. Tokachi Hills also has strong ties with the many farms in the Tokachi area that produce fruit, vegetables, milk, and livestock.
Behind Tokachi Hills
The parent company of Tokachi Hills, Marukatsu, is an agricultural trading company. In addition to the garden, it raises the pigs that are the source of the Royal Mangalica pork served at Viz. The company also produces beans, salad dressings, vinegar, and many other foodstuffs that are on the menu, served in the café, and sold in the shop under the Tokachi Hills brand.
When to Visit
Tokachi Hills is open every day during the green season between the end of April and October during daylight hours, and in winter with the exception of Mondays and the year-end and New Year’s holiday period. Farm Restaurant Viz is closed on Tuesdays in the summer and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the winter.
Please follow this link [link to What to Do page] to find out what you can do at Tokachi Hills.
