Hiruzen Kogen, where magnificent nature and a variety of sightseeing spots gather, is known as one of the best highland resorts in western Japan. In addition to seeing cute jersey cows grazing, there are plenty of places to visit, such as Hiruzen Jersey Land, where you can enjoy eating and shopping at restaurants and shops, as well as Hiruzen Winery, where wine is brewed from home-grown wild grapes, and the Hiruzen Herb Garden Herbill, where seasonal plants such as lavender, herbs, and more are cultivated. There are also plenty of activities that you can enjoy in nature, making it ideal for camping and cycling. Hiruzen’s unique gourmet foods, such as sweets and dairy products made with jersey milk, Hiruzen Yakisoba, and Genghis Khan, are also worth paying attention to.
Attractions
Scenic beauty of Hiruzen Plateau
Hiruzen Kogen is a picturesque highland area that is rich in natural scenery. The views are particularly stunning, offering panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.
The Kimendai observatory (鬼女台展望休憩所) is set up as a place where you can overlook the Hiruzen Kogen. There is a pampas grass field on the way to the observatory, and if you go in autumn, you can walk through the glittering pampas grass field.
This photo is the view from the observatory. There are parkings for taking pictures and observatories, so Hiruzen Kogen is the best place to enjoy the beautiful and majestic scenery of nature and take pictures.
Fascinating scenery that changes with the seasons
The trees and mountains of Hiruzen Kogen change color with the seasons.
Scenery in winter
In winter, it is covered with pure white snow. The white mountains and snowfields create a somewhat lonely yet beautiful fantastic landscape. There are also ski resorts nearby, so you can enjoy winter sports.
Scenery in spring
In spring, the snow-melted mountain trees and the green plateau stand out. The climate is comfortable, and it is the best season for mountain climbing and hiking.
You can also see cherry blossoms from the middle to the end of April.
Scenery in summer
In summer, the mountains turn green. The contrast between the green trees, grass, and the deep blue sky is very beautiful.
In August, the sunflowers of rest spot (Michi no eki kaze no ie himawari batake 道の駅 風の家ひまわり畑) and Hiruzen Jersey Land (蒜山ジャージーランド) are in full bloom.
Scenery in autumn
The mountains turn red in autumn. In Hiruzen Kogen, you can enjoy the autumn leaves of various trees such as beech, maple, and maple. Viewing the autumn leaves while driving or cycling is recommended.
In addition, cosmos bloom beautifully around October.
From October to November, a sea of clouds that covers the whole Hiruzen Plateau appears in the early morning. The scenery is very mysterious.
GREENable HIRUZEN
GREENable HIRUZEN is a new landmark of the Hiruzen Kogen that serves as a base facility to spread awareness of the value of sustainability to more people. The facility consists of a visitor center and shop that sells goods that can practice sustainability, the Maniwa City Hiruzen Museum that disseminates art and culture, a cycling center that provides experience programs, and the CLT pavilion “Kaze no Ha”.
CLT pavilion “Kaze no Ha”
360 CLT panels are used for Kaze no Ha, and the design maximizes the beauty of the wood grain.
You can enter the inside of Kaze no Ha, and the inside is decorated with the logo. The space between the panels is designed to let the wind pass through, allowing you to feel nature while you are inside the building.
visitor center and shop
You can buy sustainable products that anyone can easily adopt. Tourist information for Hiruzen Kogen can be obtained here.
Hiruzen Museum
The theme of this museum is culture and art where the coexistence of people and nature can be experienced. With contemporary art by currently active artists as the core of its exhibits, activities are developed in connection with various things such as the community, nature, and education.
Admission fee : 300 yen (adult), free (under junior high students)
Opening hours : 9:00 – 17:00 (last admission is 16:45)
※ Closed on Wednesdays
cycling center
The cycling center rents out electric-assisted bicycles and provides tourist information. The rental cycle is available for one day only (9:00-17:00).
Hiruzen Kogen has a cycling road, so even beginners can enjoy cycling. The distance of the cycling road is about 30km and the required time is about 4 hours.
Hiruzen jersey land
Hiruzen Jersey Land is located in an area surrounded by vast meadows. There is a restaurant where you can enjoy rare Jersey beef, and a shops where you can find a variety of Jersey dairy products such as rich Jersey milk, sweets, Jersey premium soft serve ice cream, and Jersey yogurt. The pastures to the north offer adorable Jersey cows and spectacular pasture and mountain views.
Opening hours : 9:30 – 16:30 (Late March to November)
※ No regular holidays
10:00 – 16:00 (December to mid-March)
※ Closed on January 1, every Tuesday and Wednesday in Jan. and Feb.
There is also a horse park next to Hiruzen Jersey Land, where you can experience horseback riding, feeding and petting the horses. It’s a great spot to visit as well
Opening hours : 9:00 – 16:00
※ Closed on Wednesdays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays during winter.
Hiruzen Kogen Center, Joyful Park
Hiruzen Kogen Center and Joyful Park are an amusement park and facility of shops and restaurants surrounded by prairie. There is an amusement park and restaurants that can be enjoyed by both small children and adults.
Visitors can enjoy various attractions such as a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, and river rafting. For meals, the Hiruzen specialty of Genghis Khan, Hiruzen Yakisoba (buckwheat noodles), and Hiruzen Okowa (rice cooked in a pot) are recommended.
Admission fee : 700 yen (adult), 500 yen (under junior high students)
Opening hours : 9:00 – 17:30 (March 26th to November 25th)
9:00 – 16:30 (November 26th to March 25th)
※ For Hiruzen Kogen Center (Shopping and restaurants)
※ No regular holiday
10:00 – 17:00 (March 26th to November 25th)
11:00 – 15:00 (November 26th to March 25th)
※ For Joyful Park (Amusement Park)
※ May be closed in winter depending on conditions.
Local Food
There are many delicious local food in Hiruzen Kogen.
Hiruzen Yakisoba (ひるぜん焼きそば)
The most distinctive feature of Hiruzen Yakisoba is its unique miso sauce, which is a combination of various ingredients and seasonings, such as garlic, onions, and apples, based on miso. Plenty of parent chicken (kashiwa meat) and cabbage are used for the ingredients. Once you eat the deep taste, you will become like addicted.
Hiruzen Okowa (ひるぜんおこわ)
Hiruzen Okowa is glutinous rice with a variety of ingredients such as chicken, fried tofu, shiitake mushrooms, butterbur, burdock root, carrots, chestnuts, etc. The flavor of the soy sauce tastes elegantly harmonized with the umami of the ingredients, whets the appetite. If you order it at a restaurant, it is usually served with pickles and soup.
Wild Boar Gyoza (イノシシ餃子)
Gyoza made with wild boar meat procured from Hiruzen hunters, fresh Hiruzen cabbage, Chinese cabbage, Chinese chives, and garlic. You can enjoy the taste of wild game meat. Gyoza eaten with vinegar soy sauce, characterized by the spiciness of coarsely ground pepper and miso paste are exquisite. Also, the gyoza has a crispy layer that covers the plate and looks amazing,
Access
Access to Hiruzen Kogen is by bus or car.
If you use bus
① Okayama station Stop → katsuyama high school mae Stop
Time : about 110 min
② katsuyama high school mae Stop → Hiruzen kogen stop
Time : about 85 min
To get from Okayama Station to Hiruzen Kogen, you need to change buses. Also, please note that the frequency of bus services is not high.
Map around Hiruzen Kogen
Hiruzen Kogen is a perfect place for driving and cycling. This map is a recommended course for visiting sightseeing spots while enjoying the beautiful scenery. Of course, you can rent bicycles at various facilities in Hiruzen Kogen.
Time required by car : about 35 minutes
Time required by bicycle : about 2.5 hours
Summary
At Hiruzen Kogen, you can enjoy a variety of nature throughout the four seasons. Spring and autumn are especially recommended. The temperature is mild, flowers and grasses sprout in spring, and the autumn leaves turn red in autumn. Cycling is also a great way to enjoy nature and visit Hiruzen’s specialties.. How about visiting once?
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