A Ladder Trip to Mitsumata & Iwauchiwa Colonies

Tochigi Prefecture has many colonies of flowers that herald the arrival of spring. This time, I walked through the Mitsumata colony in Motegi Town and the Iwauchiwa colony in Nakagawa Town. Since both places are visited by many people on weekends, I walked on a weekday when I could enjoy them at a leisurely pace.

Mitsumata Colony

First, I headed to the Mitsumata colony in Motegi Town. I parked my car and started walking along an unpaved forest road. In the refreshing air, the calls of Japanese bush warblers echoed from trees here and there. As I approached the entrance to the colony, a sweet scent drifted in the air. It was the scent of Mitsumata.

Finally, I entered the Mitsumata walking path. The ground was covered with wood chips, making it easy to walk on. As I climbed the gentle slope, one or two round, yellow Mitsumata flowers caught my eye. Thinking, 'So this is Mitsumata,' I followed the path as it curved gently to the right and encountered a sight that made me say, 'Wow! This is it!' The entire slope across a small stream looked yellow. I truly felt the impact of the colony.

A tunnel of Mitsumata branches hanging over the path. I was enveloped in their sweet scent while admiring the flowers up close. I enjoyed a leisurely 30-minute stroll along the path. For those who want to hike in the mountains, it is also fun to continue on the trail that loops around Mt. Keisoku and Mt. Yakimori.

Management cooperation entrance fee: 500 yen. Portable toilets are available at the parking lot.

Iwauchiwa Colony

Next, I headed to the Iwauchiwa colony. Driving along the Naka River from the town of Karasuyama and entering Nakagawa Town, I soon arrived at the Tomiyama Funato Iwauchiwa colony. I followed the unpaved forest road to the end and reached a parking lot that holds about 30 cars. Following the signs, I climbed the slope to the entrance reception. The Iwauchiwa I was looking for were further up the mountain slope. It seems the blooming is a bit delayed this year, and it will likely take a few more days until they are in full bloom. However, as I climbed the slope, cute pink flowers greeted me.

You can take your time walking along the gentle viewing route, or you can challenge yourself on the strenuous route that goes to the top of the slope. Today, I chose the strenuous route for a reason. I heard that you can also enjoy the Oriental orchid (Shunran) there. As the name literally suggests, it is a flower that heralds spring. It is not flashy, but it provides a nice contrast to the Iwauchiwa.

I climbed the stairs cut into the steep slope. Gradually, the Iwauchiwa on the slope began to open their flowers. It felt like they were blooming more fully higher up than at the base. Admiring the Iwauchiwa and the Oriental orchids, I finished climbing the stairs. Near the ridge, I joined the viewing route while still admiring the Iwauchiwa. Since there are still many buds visible, it must be a magnificent sight when they are all in full bloom.

I went back down to the base and walked around the field of Japanese swamp lantern (Shojohakama) flowers. Here, you can enjoy flowers with a different atmosphere. A significant number of flowers were blooming in a row, making for a magnificent view. Unexpectedly, the Iwauchiwa colony allowed me to enjoy several types of flowers.

Entrance fee: 400 yen. Portable toilets are available at the parking lot.