Higashimokoto Shibazakura Pink Moss Park & Cape Notoro Cliffs

Category: Spring Flower Park & Coastal Promontory | Location: Hokkaido

Sprawling across the rolling hills of Ozora Town near Memanbetsu Airport, Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park is one of northern Japan's most awe-inspiring floral spectacles. Every year from mid-May to early June, an immense 10-hectare hillside is entirely cloaked in a living tapestry of millions of blooming Shibazakura (moss phlox) in shades of vivid magenta, soft pink, lilac, and pure white. This breathtaking wonder originated from the lifelong devotion of local farmer Suekichi Nakahachiya, who painstakingly planted flowers by hand over decades to create this community treasure. At the crest of the blossom-laden hill stands Yamatsumi Shrine, celebrated for its unique torii gate painted in matching pastel pink. Travelers can ascend the winding stairs to the summit viewing deck for sweeping panoramas of flower carpets patterned with charming regional motifs, including a colossal dairy cow portrait. Visitors can also board comfortable tractor-drawn sightseeing trams, savor signature pink Shibazakura soft-serve ice cream, or race along the scenic go-kart circuit at the foot of the blooming slopes. A short 30-minute drive north brings travelers to Cape Notoro (Notoro Misaki), where dramatic 50-meter-high sheer cliffs thrust boldly into the vast Sea of Okhotsk. Atop emerald grazing meadows where black-and-white cattle roam peacefully stands the historic 1917 black-and-white octagonal lighthouse. Renowned as a cinematic filming location for international feature films, this windswept promontory offers magnificent sunset vistas over the waves and serves as an unmatched vantage point for viewing expansive ocean pack ice in winter.