Days Out of the City #1 - Tulips, Gelato and Sera Dream Park

Sometimes when you live in the metropolis, it's easy to feel that everything outside the city limits is too far away or a big hassle when you have small kids. Since I have been "exiled" to Onomichi for the past couple of years, due to my husband's work, I've been meaning to share with you some of the great places that I've found out here in the eastern reaches of Hiroshima Prefecture. We came here when my daughter was 1.5 (she is now a wild and happy 3 year old), and I've had good cause to find out that our move here was a blessing. There are so many great parks, rivers, campsites, and other brilliant spots around here where you can play safely and have fun with toddlers. The frogs which are already chirping furiously outside my window remind me that our time in the countryside, local festivals, rural traditions and attitudes, bugs and all; has enriched my daughter's experience of life in ways she would have missed out on had we stayed in the city.
Moving out here might not be an option for most, so let me tell you of a few places that are well worth a day trip. It may take a few installments, so we'll start with the seasonal:

The Tulip Festival - Sera

Unfortunately, you'll really need a car for this one, as public transport doesn't serve the area well.

There are various flower farms (cherry blossoms, wisteria, lavender to name a few) in the Sera Highland area, and you can pick many fruits when they are in season at the various orchards throughout the year, but at this time of the year the big hit is the tulips. At Kyokuho Noen (きょくほう農園）in Sera-gun, every year over 70,000 tulips of about 250 varieties are on display. You don't have to be a big horticulture fan to enjoy a stroll through the brightly coloured flowers, and you are free to take your own picnic , or enjoy yakiniku or other curry-yakisoba-type fare in the grounds. There is a newly opened herb tea cafe, as well as ice cream and cold drinks on offer around the farm.
My 3 year old had a ball running up and down the rows of tulips (diving headfirst into the dirt is another fave past time so I don't recommend the Sunday best!), climbing up the windmill, and digging up our own tulips to plant in the garden - from the designated area of course!
Go on a sunny day, with lashings of sunscreen, and get this year's nengajo picture in the bag!

Where? Kyokuho Farm, Sera -cho Bessako 1124-11
Tel: ０８４７－２４－００１４　　
Website: http://www.kyokuhofarm.com/index.htm
(Japanese Only but if you click on the car icon under "アクセス”you will see
a map)

When? April 4th til May 21st , 2006
Open 9am to 5pm daily

How Much? Adults ￥500 Kids Aged 4 to 12 ￥300 Up to age 3 Free

Tulips ￥１００　per flower ( including the bulb) plus one free per child
Parking for 1000 cars

Donna Gelato Factory

After a hot morning of tulip viewing, what could be better than a nice freshly made gelato? Follow the hand painted signs starting from the Tulip farm car park for about 7Km and you'll find Donna, another place which gets high marks from my child. Up to 18 flavours to choose from depending on the season, available in cups or cones, with coffee drinks and desserts available with more adult tastes in mind as well. (I love the espresso poured over a vanilla gelato!) All made there on the pretty little farm, where there are also horses available for feeding and or riding according to taste, and a barbecue option in summer. They have some (albeit a tad dilapidated) toys lying around to amuse the kids while you sip your coffee too.

Where? Easiest way is to check out the website: http://www.jelato-donna.com/donna.html
There's a detailed map there.
Again, Japanese only, but it's worth getting someone to translate it for you if you're
in the area.

When? Can't find opening hours, but call （0847）24-0654 to check if you're going specially.

They also have a delicious looking online order form, if you really can't make it out here...

Sera Dream Park

This Golden Week I visited the new Sera dream Park (世羅夢公園）3 times by popular demand.
It is right behind the fledgling Sera Winery, which opened this April, so provides opportunity for pleasing both adult and junior members of the family. As you approach the park it looks colourful and fun, landscaped on the top of a hill. It is primarily a big open recreation space, intended for the taking of picnics and outdoor sports paraphernalia, so older kids who are into that will be satisfied, but there are 3 other main attractions for the younger set.

The first is a large play area to the left as you enter. To be honest, my initial impression was that it was a bit strange. The park is basically a model of Sera county in miniature, celebrating the agricultural and cultural heritage of the area. It was not immediately obvious to the adult eye how one should play there, as a lot of it consists of giant vegetables and animal models, but this seemed to pose no problem for the swarms of kids running wild around the mini streets and diving into the ball "onsen", or riding on the pigs, cattle and horses which inhabit the area (models!) . There is a 2 inch deep model of the rivers between two local dams, which is great for paddling, however small you are, and if you've always longed to climb up a giant asparagus, then this is the place for you!

Almost the first thing you notice as you drive up to the park is a huge green slide which descends the mountaintop. The climb is not as tough as it looks, even carrying a child, and the fun is well worth the effort. There are actually 2 smaller slides as well and a jungle gym, and the slide is not as scary as it looks from the park gate, as it is built into the hillside and therefore never more than about a metre off the ground. My 3 year old could happily be left to climb and slide by herself without injury.


A big hit on the day we went, and most definitely the perfect feature of the park for summer, lies in the middle of the central paved area as you enter. There is a large circular metal grating there, and on the hour, every hour, and sometimes the half hour, cold water mist sprays up from the holes - a blissful antidote to the hot sun! The kids go wild running into and out of the clouds of mist, and a change of clothing is a must for a visit here!


Practical hint for a fun visit: the toilets are modern, clean and well appointed with baby changing and disabled facilities , but there are no drinks or food available on the grounds - not so much as a vending machine! - so be sure to take enough fluids and snacks to keep you hydrated and energetic for as long as you plan to stay. Also, no cell phone signal, so make sound arrangements if meeting people!
If your kids are over about age 5, take your own balls, activities etc.

Where? Again there's a map on the website :
http://www.sera-kankoukyoukai.or.jp/yumekouen.htm

When? The website says open 9am -5pm, but it was definitely open till 6pm when we went
the other day!


Next time I have a moment, I 'll tell you some more places you can play and a few places to spend the night around the Onomichi/Fukuyama area. It seems like a long way, but it's really ony an hour or so by expressway! If you know me personally, I'll be glad to act as tour guide, so come on down!