Hokkaido has sights that can only be found in Hokkaido. Being exposed to a variety of nature is one of the joys of traveling in the northern lands. Furthermore, on Rishiri Island and Rebun Island, there are many flowers that can only be seen "here"! Don't you think visiting the islands to see these flowers is a wonderful reason to travel?

What kind of flowers will actually greet you? Let's take a look at some of the most representative ones.

Let's start with the flowers that can be seen on Rishiri Island. Rishiri Island is home to Mount Rishiri, which could be called the symbol of the island, and as you climb the mountain, various flowers appear. As it is a high mountain at a high latitude, there are some rare flowers that are rarely seen on Honshu.

There are many flowers that are endemic to Rishiri Island, so it would be a shame to miss them! After all, the flowers you happen to see at your feet while hiking may be the only ones that bloom here in all of Japan. Be sure to do your research beforehand so you don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime encounter with flowers.

Button Globetroth

For example, take this bright golden yellow flower. It is a species endemic to Rishiri Island called the "peony-colored glomeratus" that blooms in the grasslands above the 8th station of Mt. Rishiri. It was named after the peony-like shape of the flower, as it has 9 to 16 sepals that look like petals. Another distinctive feature is the red stamen in the middle. The best time to see it is from late June to early August.

Poppy

This "Rishiri Corn Poppy" is also endemic to Rishiri Island and can be seen from the 8th station onwards on Mt. Rishiri. It is a paler yellow than the button tumbleweed and is about 10-20cm tall. It is the only Corn Poppy that grows wild in Japan and is also listed as endangered (EN) by the Ministry of the Environment in the Red Data. The best time to see it is from late June to early August.

Rishiri Genge

The Rishirigenge can be found near the summit of Mount Rishiri. It is surprising that such a lovely flower can bloom in a gravel field covered with sand and small stones in a windy area where even trees have difficulty growing. The flowers are a pale yellowish white color. The best time to see them is from late June to July.

Rishiri Membranaceus

Like the Rishirigenge, this "Rishiri Membranaceae" also blooms in the gravel areas near the summit. It grows to about 15-30cm in height. It looks a bit similar to the Rishirigenge, but the way to tell them apart is that while the Rishirigenge flowers bloom upwards, the Rishiri Membranaceae flowers bloom downwards. The best time to see them is from July to August.

Rishiribushi

In the grasslands near the 9th station of Mount Rishiri, you can see the blue-purple flowers of the Rishiribushi. Although it is a variant of the Siberian monkshood, the Rishiribushi has large flowers and many flowers, giving it a gorgeous impression. However, it is a member of the monkshood family and is poisonous, so please be careful. The best time to see it is from July to August.

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