Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture
A drive through Nanatsukahara Highland Early-summer poplars and butter to take home
Nanatsukahara Highland has wide pastures and rows of poplars. A national cattle breeding farm was established here in 1900, and livestock research continues today. On your drive, get out of the car and take in the view from the roadside.
On an early-summer morning, I walk beneath the green poplars. I’ve already bought Nanatsuka Butter, but I keep it in its bag to take home as a souvenir.
SummerEarly-summer morning
A detour beneath the poplars, and tomorrow’s breakfast
My friend and I headed to Nanatsukahara Highland after buying a souvenir in Shobara. I’d tucked Nanatsuka Butter into a plain insulated bag. Before I’d even seen the view, I already had something to look forward to at home.
I got out of the car and walked along the path beside the poplars. To my right, the row ran on from the tall trees nearby to smaller ones farther away. On my left was a wide pasture, with sky stretching into the distance. I wanted to slow my pace here after the drive.
I straightened the sleeves of my lavender hoodie and adjusted my grip on the bag. My friend suggested a photo with the souvenir and took one of me holding the insulated bag, with the poplars stretching into the distance and the pasture behind me. You can’t see what’s inside, but the photo will still remind me that I bought Nanatsuka Butter and brought it here.
The poplars visible from the road stretch far into the distance. As I looked from the nearest trees across to the pasture on my left, I found myself slowing down. Even after we’d taken the photos, I didn’t want to hurry away.
On the drive back, my friend and I talked about making thick-cut toast the next morning. I’d wait until I got home to open the bag; that was part of the fun. Looking at the photos from our early-summer walk among the poplars, I want today’s trip to carry on through breakfast, when I spread Nanatsuka Butter on toast.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
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Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture · An early-summer walk among the poplars
Local specialty
Nanatsuka Butter
Butter made with raw milk from Hiroshima Prefecture. I bought some in advance as a souvenir; it’ll be lovely spread on bread once I’m home.
Highlights
Poplar rows stretching into the distance
Walk along the row, from the large trees nearby to the smaller ones farther away. I’d love to capture how far the road stretches in the photo, too.
Look out over the wide pasture from the path
The pasture spreads out beside the row of trees. I got out of the car and walked, looking at the poplars stretching into the distance and the wide pasture. I didn’t want to hurry past, so I walked slowly.
Something to look forward to at breakfast
Bring Nanatsuka Butter home and you’ll have something to look forward to on your toast the next morning. The photos will bring the poplar walk back, too.
Route details
Nanatsukahara Ranch Trail and access to the highland
- Total length of the nature trail
- 12.1km
- Drive time from central Shobara
- About 15 minutes
The prefectural nature trail passes through the poplar rows and runs from the boundary between Miyoshi and Shobara to Ueno Park. For the drive, head from central Shobara toward the highland.
12.1 km is the length of the entire prefectural nature trail. The drive from central Shobara to the highland takes about 15 minutes.
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