Okuyama Kogen: A Paradise of Flowers and Nature
Last weekend, I decided to take a break from city life and visit Okuyama Kogen, a sightseeing botanical park that spans Mt. Tonmaku in the mountain ranges north of Hamamatsu city, overlooking the border of Aichi prefecture. I had heard that this place was famous for its seasonal flowers and natural scenery, and I was not disappointed. I arrived at the park around 12 pm, the admission fee of the park is 700 yen (Students are 500 yen, dogs 300 yen, and there are discounts for seniors). The park was spacious and well-maintained, with gentle sloping trails that followed the mountain terrain, and a water garden with a seven-step waterfall as the centerpiece of the park. There were also small walking paths on the mountain slopes for visitors to appreciate the proudly blooming flora as they strolled. As it was late February, the main attraction of the park was the Shoryu Weeping Plum, a unique variety of plum tree that resembles a dragon rising into the heavens. The...