Ueno Farm: English Gnome Garden in Central Hokkaido

You would think that Hokkaido is one of the farthest places to be from the UK – and you would be right! However that doesn’t stop the Japanese interest in English gardens and gnomes in particular. In Asahikawa, Ueno Farm is the local example going one step further – it is gnome themed.

Getting there and info

Getting to Ueno Farm is relatively easy. From Asahikawa station, you can take the local Seihoku Line to the Sakuraoka Station. You will then need to walk to the entrance, which is approximately 1.2 km (0.75 miles). This will take 40 minutes in total. Alternatively you can take a rare #666 bus from Asahikawa Station, which will take 55 minutes.

Entrance for adults costs ¥1,000, which allows you to go to all parts of the garden. You can stay for as long as you want but it is a day ticket, so you cannot enter on other days. There is also no re-entry.

The gardens

Ueno Farm is divided into multiple gardens, all of which share the common theme of being inspired by gnomes and English gardens.

I went through the different areas clockwise (which is also the recommended path in the garden map), so that is how I will present them here. I started at the east entrance, closer to the Sakuroka train station.

White Birch Path

The White Birth Path is a line of white birch trees that create a small wooded area. In addition to the birches, tulips and daffodils are common in late spring, creating a beautiful spring wood from fairytales.

Mirror Border Garden

The Mirror Border garden features a path with two strips on either side. These strips mirror each other, hence the name. Walking through the flowers with a gentle breeze feels as refreshing as a butterfly. The flowers that bloom change with the seasons, but there is always something in flower.

Purple Walk

A path where you can enjoy the purple blooms of nepeta (“catnip/catmint”) and salvia (a family containing many types of sage). It leads to a circle border. In spring, the path becomes a “Jewel Lane” dotted with colourful bulb flowers that bloom with small flowers.

Circle Garden

The large circle is divided into four blocks with a different theme colour acted out by multitudes of roses. The plants and roses’ subtle changes in colour and expression are also visible. Visiting in summer (especially June) is a perfect time to experience the roses in full bloom.

Long Garden

The Circle Garden transitions into the Long Garden, which runs behind the café and gift shop. This 50-meter-long border follows a curved path and focuses on roses, dahlias, and other flowers placed rhythmically to create accents. It also produced heavenly scents.

Mother Garden

This is where the first step in creating the garden at Ueno Farm began. We plant various flowers freely and dynamically without being bound by shape. They are allowed to grow more widely than the others – a paradise for plants.

Voices of the Trees Garden

This garden is more forested than the others and surrounds a small pond, making it more tranquil and less visited. Plants with a focus on leaves have been selected to create a calming atmosphere. When the wind blows, the rustling of the leaves of the large cottonwood tree sounds like the rustling of trees.

Unfortunately this part of the garden was closed for maintenance, so I do not have any photos of it.

Shateki Mountain

Overlooking the gardens sits a large hill that is part of the farm’s grounds, Shateki Mountain. Its name means “Shooting Hill”, as it has a history of being used as a shooting training ground for the Tondenhei soldiers. It is also an archaeological site where stone tools have been excavated. At the base of the mountain, there are natural plantations that resemble a field. If you climb to the top, you can look over the tranquil rural landscape and the mountains surrounding the Kamikawa Basin.

There are a couple of major features, including lots of seating and tables as you ascend to leisurely enjoy the view and a series of rainbow chairs at the top.

Gnome’s Foot Path

From Shateki Mountain, the Gnome’s Foot Path takes you back down to the garden areas and is reminiscent of fairytales. The atmosphere of passing through the trees is exciting, almost like a secret passageway – especially with the free-standing door in the path!

Gnome Garden

This garden is the main feature at Ueno Farm – a natural-style garden where the simple beauty of wildflowers and grasses mixes with gorgeous flowers surrounding a gnome house and a small series of ponds. It is said that gnomes that only appear at midnight help with the gardening.

Café and gift shop

The café and gift shop are by the west entrance/exit and feature food, plants and products from Ueno Farm and the surrounding area. The café is large enough and well-equipped to serve lunch, snacks, ice cream and other seasonal desserts.