Potato Flower Meadows
“What could these flowers be?”
In Hokkaido, no sooner is it spring before suddenly summer rushes onto the scene.
Once you get into June, days where the temperature rises close to 30oC are not unusual.
In this season, plants being hit by strong sunlight steadily start to grow. Just when you notice that little stems have started to poke up out of the ridges in the fields, all of a sudden they expand out into a carpet of green.
Then, from about halfway through June, you see flower meadows of white and pink.
These flower meadows have a charm that is somewhat different to those planted for tourists—they have the look of natural flower fields. Those seeing them for the first time may wonder just what on earth these flowers are and find them to be quite mysterious but these are in fact the flowers of one of Biei's main products—potatoes.
Depending on the variety of potato the flowers are either white or pink, but quite apart from this they are just so pretty! You would never imagine that such adorable flowers grow out of rough, muddy potatoes.
What's more, individually, Hokkaido potato fields cover enormous areas. When they all bloom simultaneously, flower fields spread out as far as the eye can see. Such scenery really does have overwhelming appeal. It's such a spectacle that when you see a hill with flowers stretching right to the boundary between the earth and sky, without even thinking you'll find yourself gasping.
Potato flowers bloom from around the second half of June to the middle of July and you can see them anywhere you go in the hills. Please do come and see our very best scenery, only in this season!
The colour scheme of yellow on white is so pretty.
You can see pink flowers, too!
At Biei Senka you can enjoy the Japanese food “jaga-butter” made with potatoes and butter made in Biei.