The red and white plum grove heralds the arrival of spring in Sapporo. Enjoy nature observation in the vast garden.

Hiraoka Park is a 66.4ha park located about 11km southeast of the center of Sapporo. More than half of the park is woodland, and it is home to many wild birds such as great spotted woodpeckers, as well as insects such as stag beetles and giant dragonflies.

In the western area of the park, there is one of the largest plum groves in Sapporo, covering an area of 6.5 hectares, with about 1,200 plum trees planted in a ratio of 4:6 red and white. During the flowering season in May, the area is crowded with 100,000 cherry blossom viewers every year, and the subtle hues of the red and white plum trees create a vivid contrast with the green of the grass and the blue of the sky, attracting many fans who visit every year.

During the flowering period, a temporary shop will be set up selling plum-related products that can only be enjoyed during this period, such as plum soft serve ice cream (300 yen) and plum grove soba (600 yen).

There are also sports facilities such as a baseball field, tennis courts (fee required, reservation required), and park golf course (free), and the area is bustling with people enjoying sports on holidays.