A Fall Foliage Viewing Spot in Hokkaido: Fukuhara under Clear Blue Sky, a Private Garden Open to the Public Only in the Season for Viewing Fall Foliage

Fukuhara Mountain Villa was a private garden of Mr. Jihei Fukuhara, who was an entrepreneur that ran food supermarkets in eastern Hokkaido (Tokachi, Kushiro and Nemuro). As his first supermarket was established at Shikaoi, he had a special affection for that place, and thus chose to build this vast and charming estate there.

Mr. Fukuhara had a gratitude towards the locals and so specially had the garden open to them when leaves were changing color in fall, thus all the locals could enjoy the beauty of the fall foliage for free.

Besides a large pond and a small fall, the garden has an about 1 km long walkway especially built for those coming to view maple leaves.
In the fall, the garden under the clear blue sky is neither crowded nor noisy, and all visitors are appreciating the natural beauty. What ravishing red leaves in fall!

The appeal of the fall foliage gets enhanced day by day, and the whole villa seems to be fully covered by fallen leaves in mid-October, which rendered the villa more and more enchanting.

There is a museum about 20-minute ride away from the villa, and it is Fukuhara Memorial Museum, which exhibits many of Mr. Fukuhara’s art collections and where you can pay a visit on your return from the villa.