Japan, a masterpiece of **Cherry Blossom Carpet** moss phlox, which colors Okhotsk land　＜Takinoue-cho, Higashimokoto-cho, Hokkaido>

Japan's largest Shibazakura place "Shibazakura Takinoue park"

In the Takinoue-cho adjacent to the Monbetsu-city where the drifting ice is facing the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, the mountain surface is completely pinkish at the end of the cherry blossom season. As if everyone celebrated the late spring of the northern country, the moss phlox blooms on one side.

Takinoue-cho is a town with a population of approximately 3,000 people, and Tainoue-park is known as a place where the beautiful Shibazakura (moss phlox) blooms and attracts many tourists from not only domestic but also foreign countries. Moss phlox is a perennial plant of the Jacob's ladder family native in North America, a type of phlox. The place was originally a cherry blossom spot, and it was said that 1,000 cherry blossoms were planted at the peak time. However, beautifully blooming cherry blossoms were gradually damaged by snow, typhoons, pests and so on.

The park manager planted the attracted moss phlox “for one orange box” in one corner of the park, and it became the start of “Takinoue Shibazakura Parki”. The Shibazakura is resistant to diseases and pests, and is proliferated every year by the efforts of the townspeople, and has now become a large area of ​​100,000 square meters. The scale is the largest in Japan.

When I approached Takinoue-cho from Sapporo City via the Doo Expressway for three and a half hours, I was fascinated by the cherry blossoms of the whole mountain from afar. The contrast of the blue sky, the dazzling fresh greens and the one-sided Shibazakura (moss phlox) is so beautiful and overwhelming.

 When I am walking on a slope full of ups and downs, I feel as if I was walking on a pink ocean. I feel the dynamic nature, such as the mountains covered with snow and distant valleys.

 Small and lovely flowers are wrapped not only in the vividness of pink but also in the sweet smell, and invites travelers to the world of fantasy.

Pink and white paintings on the hill, "Higashimokoto Shibakura Park"

Follow Okhotsk's beautiful coastline and head for "Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park", another scenic spot of Shibazakura. From the road along the fresh green mountain, the view suddenly expanded, and we could see the hills that were dyed in a bright pink color that made us awake.

The start was made by local Suekichi Nakahachi planting seedlings one by one and taking about eight years. The hills were so steep that they could not bring in machines for planting seedlings, and Mr. Nakabachi planted them manually by hand every day. After that, many people grew up and supported this "Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park" and now it is a landmark of Higashimokoto-cho in the Okhotsk region.

In the large site there is a gentle hill covered with grass cherry blossoms, and the view from below and the view from above are both spectacular. There are many attractions in the park, such as the observation deck and the pink torii gate of "Yamatsumi shrine". A small Shibazakura flower covers the hilly area, and a pink carpet is laid in the wilderness, and it is a wonderful panoramic view like painting on the hill.

Both “Takinoue Park” and “Higashimokoto Shibazakura park” are crystals of unbridled labor that pursue beauty through trial and error in harsh natural environments. The land of Okhotsk, where the white world spreads in winter, is vividly colored in spring in cherry blossoms. It will be full of colorful early summer flowers and various color patterns will be developed one after another.

Takinoue Shibazakura festival：http://town.takinoue.hokkaido.jp/shibazakura_festival/

Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park：http://www.shibazakura.net/