Otofuke, Hokkaido
Tokachi Ranch Birch Avenue I stretch out my arm and look all the way down the birch avenue
On a June morning, I stopped for a quiet break at the entrance to Tokachi Ranch and took in the birch avenue. I’ll tell you about the sun-dappled gravel road and the Sanpōroku treat I’d like to pick up in Otofuke.
On a June morning, I stretched my back out beside the car and listened to the birch leaves rustle. Come along as I take a break and look all the way down the straight avenue.
SummerJune morning
I stretch out my arm and look all the way down the birch avenue
On a June morning, my friend and I drove through Otofuke to the birch avenue at Tokachi Ranch. I pulled into the parking space at the entrance, and a straight gravel road stretched out ahead. The white trunks on either side seemed to grow thinner and smaller as they receded into the distance, overlapping one another. I knew it was a tree-lined avenue, but seeing it stretch so far right in front of me still took me by surprise.
I raised one arm beside the car and slowly stretched my back. The breeze slipped under the hem of my cropped sweatshirt, and I could feel how different the air was from inside the car. I left the jacket tied around my waist and listened to the leaves rustling in the morning.
Tree shadows fell across even the fine gravel beneath my feet. Each time the leaves swayed, patches of light shifted across the ground. I’d been drawn to the white trunks, but I started enjoying the road itself, too. My friend said, “They’re so evenly spaced all the way down,” and I looked down the avenue once more.
The avenue runs 1.3 km from Hokkaido Prefectural Road 133 into the ranch. It’s also been designated a scenic woodland by Otofuke Town. It’s simply a straight road lined with trees, yet I never tire of comparing the trunks nearby with those farther away. I love the glimpses of sky between the leaves on either side, too. I’m so glad I came in early summer.
Even while my friend and I chatted beside the car, the leaves kept whispering in the breeze. I found myself more curious about the avenue ahead than about how far we’d driven to get here. I hadn’t packed the morning with plans, so I could stay a little longer. I’m glad I started the day with a break to listen to the trees.
Ryugetsu’s Sanpōroku is the treat I’d like to pick up later in Otofuke. Its birch pattern should bring this morning’s trees to mind. I’m looking forward to stopping at Sweetpia Garden, too. When I eat it after I get home, I hope I can picture the gravel road stretching into the distance.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local specialty
Sanpōroku
I’d like to pick up Sanpōroku at Ryugetsu’s Sweetpia Garden in Otofuke. Its birch-tree pattern should bring this morning’s avenue back to mind.
Highlights
A 1.3 km birch avenue
The white trunks overlap as the straight gravel road runs into the distance.
Early-summer light through the leaves
As the leaves sway, shadows shift across the road. I’d love to see this on a quiet morning break.
Road and location details
Tokachi Ranch Birch Avenue
- Avenue length
- 1.3km
- Road to the entrance
- Hokkaido Prefectural Road 133
This is a view from the entrance along the tree-lined avenue that runs from the prefectural road into the ranch.
Once I stepped out of the car and stretched, I wanted to take my time looking all the way down the avenue.
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