What to Do at Daisetsu Mori Garden
The Universal Playground
Daisetsu Mori Garden is a green space with an adventure playground for kids big and small, a crafts workshop, and a restaurant serving Italian cuisine run by a world-class chef.
Playing Outdoors
Most of the activities designed for kids are available in an area called Asobi no Mori, or “Play Forest.” A highlight is a 40-meter-long wooden xylophone that is “played” by rolling balls down it. The Bird’s Eye Terrace is an elevated wooden deck, built around the trunks of huge trees. Visitors tend to wander at will through the garden and forest.
Forest Arts and Crafts
The glass-walled crafts workshop helps visitors make small toys or artwork using wood and other materials such as pinecones found in the garden. One workshop in particular is likely to appeal to people of all ages. Participants use a small household distillery to make what is referred to as “aroma water.” The workshop starts with everyone going into the woods to collect pine branches and needles and other materials to distill. The aroma water will become an original keepsake of Daisetsu Mori Garden and Hokkaido.
Dining on the Hill
Up on the hill is Fratello di Mikuni, where the Italian dishes served are made to the specifications of its world-renowned owner-chef, Mikuni Kiyomi. Hokkaido-born Chef Mikuni depends on ingredients sourced locally and from elsewhere in Hokkaido. The restaurant has a 180-degree view of the Daisetsuzan mountain range. Adjacent to the restaurant are four luxury cottages.
A specialty at Fratello di Mikuni is amazake. This sweet, cloudy white beverage is made using the lees left over from the production of sake, Japanese rice wine. While the lees contain some residual alcohol, that evaporates when amazake is made, so even children can drink it.
Amazake is highly nutritious, including protein, vitamins, amino acids, and a lot of dietary fiber. This version is made with Mikuni’s secret recipe using lees from a new local sake brewery.
Private Party Spot
Families can also reserve the Forest Living area. The facility includes an outdoor kitchen, bar, and a large wooden deck. The wood-fired oven is suitable for baking pizzas, bread, and other dishes. The garden provides a woodsy setting for a barbecue, like an open-air living room.
Universal Access
The garden embraces the concept of universal access. There are paved paths, most designed without any steps and sloped gently. This allows people in wheelchairs, with baby carriages, and the very young and old to get around easily.
Please follow this link [link to What to Do page] to read the story behind Daisetsu Mori Garden.
