In Hokkaido, there are sights that can be encountered only in Hokkaido. Being in contact with nature in all its variety is one of the best parts of traveling in the northern lands. Furthermore, on the islands of Rishiri and Rebun, there are many flowers that can only be seen here! Isn't it a wonderful reason to visit the islands to see such flowers?

Let us introduce some of the typical flowers that welcome you to Rishiri Island.

Let's start with the flowers found on Rishiri Island. Mt. Rishiri is the symbol of Rishiri Island, and as you climb the mountain, you will see a variety of flowers. Since the mountain is located at a high latitude, there are some precious flowers that are not easily seen in Honshu.

There are also many flowers "endemic to Rishiri Island" that are found only on Rishiri Island, so it would be a shame to miss them by accident! After all, a flower you see blooming near your feet on the way to the top of a mountain may be a flower that grows only here in Japan. Please learn about them beforehand so that you will not miss a single encounter with these flowers.

Butsubotan kinpaiso (Lentinus edodes)

For example, this bright yellow flower. It is a species endemic to Rishiri Island that blooms in the meadows above the 8th station of Mt. The name "button grass" is derived from its many sepals (9 to 16 in number), which look like petals, and the red stamen in the middle is also red. It is also characterized by its red stamen in the center. The best time to see it is from late June to early August.

Rissiri daisy

The Rissiri prickly poppy is also endemic to Rishiri Island, and can be seen at the 8th station and above on Mt. It is paler yellow in color and 10 to 20 cm tall. It is the only Japanese native species of linden, and is listed as an endangered species (EN) in the Red Data of the Ministry of the Environment. The best time to see it is from late June to early August.

Risirigenge

Risirigenge can be seen near the summit of Mt. It is surprising to see such pretty flowers blooming in a windy area where even trees have a hard time growing, in a gravelly area covered with sand and small stones. The flowers are white with a light yellow tinge. The best time to see them is from late June to July.

Risshirio-ugi

Like the rishirioge, the rishiriogi also blooms in the sandy gravel areas near mountain peaks. It is 15 to 30 cm tall. It looks a bit similar to the Risirigenge, but the key to distinguishing the two is that the flowers of the Risirigenge bloom upward, while those of the Risirioogi bloom downward. The best time to see them is from July to August.

Risiribushi

In the meadow near the ninth station of Mt. Although it is a variety of the Karafutobushi, the Rishiribushi has large and numerous flowers, giving it a spectacular impression. However, please note that it is a member of the monkshood family and is poisonous. The best time to see them is from July to August.

These flowers can be seen at the Alpine Plants Exhibition Garden in Rishirifuji Town.