Yakushiyama, Shiba-zakura, Sanjusan Kannon...a peaceful space

Yakushiyama is a small mountain about 80 meters above sea level, with the city of Kikonai in the background. In May, when the mountain is freshly green, its sides are covered with clumps of pink moss-covered shiba-zakura (moss-covered lawn cherry trees).

You can see them as you enter the city along Route 228. It takes about 15 minutes to reach the top of the mountain, and from the observatory surrounded by lawn cherry blossoms, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the city of Kikonai, the Tsugaru Straits, and the surrounding mountains. There is a well-maintained walking trail in the mountain with the adjacent Hagiyama, which is ideal for forest bathing.

In addition, the 33 Kannon (Goddess of Mercy) is enshrined along the roadside in the mountains, and visitors can experience a relaxing atmosphere. There are baseball fields, tennis courts, and park facilities in the vicinity of Yakushiyama and Hagiyama, and the entire area is known as "Hometown Forest Park," a place of recreation and relaxation for people in and outside the town throughout the four seasons.

*The Hagiyama walking trail is closed due to a landslide.