Hokkaido is a must-see place for nature lovers. I can say that I was really lucky to have lived in this part of Japan. Hokkaido is famous for its harsh and snowy winters, thus it’s a perfect spot for skiing and snow festivals. However, Hokkaido has still a lot to offer during spring, summer and autumn. May it be the tulips in spring, or the lavender fields in summer, or the cosmos in autumn, Hokkaido will surely be a beautiful destination with its floral landscape. So here is a list of flowers and where you can see them in Hokkaido!

1. Tulip

I remember picking up a solo tulip growing at the back of our dormitory at the start of my first spring in Japan. I was so happy to see a single tulip, but much more when I visited the tulip garden at Kamiyubetsu. Another park that we visited to see the tulip is the Takino Suzuran Park in Sapporo. However, this park is also famous for other flowers such as the cosmos in autumn.

Location: Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park. 358-1 Tondenshigaichi, Yubetsu-cho, Monbetsu-gun 099-6501 Hokkaido

Location: Takino Suzuran Hillside National Park. Takino 247, Minami-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido

2. Moss Phlox

Blooming profusely for 3 to 4 weeks in mid to late spring, the moss phlox or shibazakura bright flowers in shades of pink, purple, red and white. It’s a beautiful carpet that can be seen in 2 parks in Eastern Hokkaido.

Location: Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park, 393 Suehiro, Higashi-mokoto, Ozora-cho, Abashiri-gun, Hokkaido.

Takinoue Park, Motomachi, Takinoue-Cho, Mombetsu-gun, Hokkaido

3. Canola Flower

Canola is a Canada-developed plant discovered in 1970s, used to remove the unacceptable components from rapeseeds. Hokkaido also began planting for the national consumption. Between late May and early June, the yellow Canola flowers spreads brilliantly across the fields in Takikawa city, a beautiful sight that attracts many tourists to the city.

Location: Canola Flower Park. Ebeotsucho, Takikawa, Hokkaido 079-0461

4. Lavender

Lavender rules the summer in Hokkaido. The fragrant flower usually starts blooming in late June and reaches its peak from around mid July to early August. Farm Tomita is considered the holy land of lavender in Hokkaido with its world renowned lavender tourism.

Location: Farm Tomita. １５号 Kisenkita, Nakafurano, Sorachi District, Hokkaido 071-0704

5. Lupine

In the hills of Kamifurano lies the colorful, candy looking flowers known as lupine. Lupine starts to bloom in June, a little later than the lavender.

Location: Flowerland Kamifurano. Nishi 5 sen Kita 27 gou, Kamifurano-chou, Hokkaido

6. Sunflower

Other than lavander, what makes Hokkaido summer special is the sunflower field in Hokuryu. Himawari no Sato is seen as the biggest sunflower garden in Japan. Expected months for the sunflowers bloom is from the middle of July until late August.

Location: Himawari No Sato. Itaya 143-2 Hokuryu-cho Uryu-gun, Hokkaido.

7. Roses

About 300 types of roses are planted at the Rose Garden in Chippubetsu. Depending on the rise of temperature, the roses are expected to bloom from early July until early September.

Location: Rose Garden Chippubetsu. 3-jo Higashi 2 Chome Chippubetsu-cho Uryu-gun, Hokkaido

8. Cosmos

When autumn comes, so does the cosmos flower. Blooming in late August to late September, as many as 10 million yellow and mixed cosmos can be seen in Taiyo no Oka Engaru Park in Hokkaido. This is one of the largest cosmos garden in Japan. Takino Suzuran Park is another park famous for cosmos during autumn.

Location: Taiyo no Oka Engaru Park. Marudai, Engaru cho, Monbetsu District, Hokkaido.

9. Iris

Not as famous as the other Hokkaido flowers in this list are the irises. Every July, an iris festival is held at the Memuro Park.

Location: Memuro Park. 西１条８丁目 Memuro, Kasai District, Hokkaido

10. And a lot more!

There are other kinds of flowers you could see in Hokkaido other than the ones mentioned above. The panoramic flower gardens of Shikisai no Oka in Biei offers a breathtaking view of seasonal poppies, marigold, blue sage, dahlia, grape hyacinth, pansy, peony, campanula, gayfeather and blue/red salvia throughout April until mid October. Another similar park in Biei is the less famous Zerubu no Oka.

Location: Shikisai No Oka. 3 Shinsei, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido

Location: Zerubu No Oka. Daisan, Biei, Kamikawagun, Hokkaido