Busshozan Farm – Sunflowers under the sunny day
When you mention Busshozan (仏生山), it is usually the image of a beautiful antique are that comes to mind first; however, while you sat in the Kotoden train crossing the area the amazing sea of the golden flower will surely catch your eyes willing to jump off the train and discover this place. Welcome to the fresh natural and revitalizing golden flower area of Busshozan.
Here was the old agricultural experimental station of Kagawa prefecture. The Busshozan Farm (仏生山ファーム) who manages the south area redevelops the fields with plants accordingly to the season. In summer the sunflowers do not only bring energy and hope to the locals but also create such a picturesque landscape.
This scenery made of about 55,000 sunflowers gazing at the sun is undoubtedly one of the favorite photo spots of the region. The flowers are so taller than the visitors offering an excellent playground for a hide and seek game with friends.
Working bees flying busily around the sunflowers’ heads is also a scene that tourists and locals like to capture with their camera as a precious and beautiful memory.
The great combination of the Kotoden trains and the sunflowers fields is not only beloved by photographers but also quite famous among the railway fan groups.
But summer is not the only season to enjoy flowers at Busshozan. For each season farmers will pick different flowers to plant, like tulips, garden cosmos, or rapeseed flowers, each of them bringing a special atmosphere to the place.
Inside the Busshozan Farm, you will find the Busshozan no Mori (仏生山の森), a small museum which educates people about the secret of agriculture and the eternity of nature. There is also the “Forest Class” (森林教室) where visitors can learn how to cook seasonal vegetables, the “Tabiki terrace” (焚き火テラス) to enjoy BBQ, the “Cafe ISOYA” drink a cup of coffee or tea, and the taste their “Kamayaki Burger ISOYA” (窯焼きバーグ五十八) a special kiln baked hamburger steak.
Besides the Busshozan Farm which combines agriculture, food, and educational entertainments, there are two other famous spots for sunflowers in the Kagawa prefecture.
The Himawari-no-sato Manno (ひまわりの里 まんのう), is the biggest one with 22 hectares of fields and over 1.2 million of sunflowers. When you take the train and pass the JR Shioiri station (JR 塩入駅) nearby the Honoyama public hall (帆山公民館), you can enjoy the gorgeous scenery of the 5-hectare golden sea flowers under the blue sky and a green mountain background. The special countryside atmosphere felt here is totally different from the one at the Busshozan Farm.
In another hand, the sunflower field at Hanzan-cho (飯山町) in Marugame city (丸亀市) is not as wide as the former two fields but is nonetheless worth to visit. The Honoyama highschool’s students design the flower field as a big maze. Visitors coming do not only enjoy gaze at the flower but also got a lot of fun playing in the field.
Of course, the cherry blossom of spring and the red leaves of autumn are charming, but the sunflowers growing under the sun is another view of the seasons passing to often disregarded. So when you come to visit Kagawa do not miss the sunny day to visit Busshozan and enjoy the vitality of the sunflowers!
INFORMATION
Busshozan Farm (仏生山ファーム)
Access: 6-minute walk from Kotoden Busshozan station.
Address: 〒761-8078 香川県高松市仏生山町甲884-2 附近
Business hours: 24/7
Closed on: Open all year round.
Price: free
TEL: +81-87-889-1207
FB: https://www.facebook.com/bussyouzanfarm
Wi-Fi: N/A
Best period of sunflower on average: From middle to late July
Busshozan no Mori (仏生山の森)
Access: 6-minute from Kotoden Busshozan station.
Address: 〒769-8078 香川県高松市仏生山町甲884-2
Business hours: 11:00～21:00（afternoon tea time: 15:00～17:00）
Closed on: Open all year round
TEL: +81-87-952-2544 (Kamayakibaguisoya and Busshozan no Mori office)
WEB: https://busshozan-no-mori.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/五十八イソヤ仏生山の森-2357158831239180/
Wi-Fi: Available
Langue: Japanese
Credit card: Available
Himawarinosato Manno (ひまわりの里 まんのう)
Access:5-minute walk from JR Shioiri station (JR塩入駅).
Address: 〒766-0022 香川県仲多度郡まんのう町帆山地区 （帆山公民館）
Business hours: 24/7
Closed on: Open all year round.
Price: free
TEL: +81-87-773-0106
WEB: https://himawari-chan.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/himawarichan8/
Best period of sunflower on average: The middle of July.
Big sunflower maze in Hanzan high school farm (飯山高校農場ひまわり迷路)
Access: Take the Kotosan Bus (琴参バス) line “Shimada・Okada” ( 島田・岡田線) from JRSakaide station (JR坂出駅), get off at Hanzankoukoumae stop(飯山高校前), then 20-minute walk.
Address: 〒762-0083 香川県丸亀市飯山町下法軍寺664-1（香川県立飯山高等学校）
Business hours: 24/7
Closed on: Open all year round.
Price: free
TEL: +81-87-798-2525 (Kagawa Hanzan high school)
WEB: https://www.kagawa-edu.jp/hanznh01/02/2-5-14.htm
Best period of sunflower on average: Early in July.