The blood-red maple leaves are at their most beautiful now – Hakodate’s famous maple-viewing spot, “Kōsetsuen Garden”

▲ Walking along paths woven with yellow and red hues is incredibly romantic.

Reported and photographed by Yú t
rú / Hokkaido

One of Hakodate’s most renowned maple-viewing spots is undoubtedly “Kōsetsuen Garden (formerly known as Mitsumine Park).” As a beloved destination among locals for autumn foliage, Kōsetsuen is currently in the peak of its most stunning season, with leaves turned a deep crimson scattered throughout the garden. Strolling along paths woven with yellow and red hues is incredibly romantic.


▲ The deep crimson leaves are the epitome of the season’s charm.


“Kōsetsuen Garden (formerly known as Mitsumine Park)” spans 43,000 pyeong (approximately 141,830 square meters) and is the only nationally designated cultural property garden in Hokkaido, featuring over 150 species of plants. This large-scale garden was originally built in Meiji 31 (1898) by a local wealthy merchant, Imafuné Jirō, and was known as the former Imafuné-style garden. According to local guides, it later became famously known as “Kōsetsuen” because when the abbot of Chion-in Temple visited, he was so moved by the beauty of the garden that he called it “the garden where the fragrance of plum blossoms drifts through the snow,” hence the name Kōsetsuen (literally “Fragrant Snow Garden”).

From late October to early November each year, Kōsetsuen Garden is at its most magnificent for maple viewing, as many of the plants within transition from green to red. When the wind blows, yellow leaves scatter across the ground, filling the entire garden with a romantic atmosphere. Venturing deeper into the garden, the rich blood-red maple leaves set against traditional Japanese garden architecture create a uniquely breathtaking view.

▲ Every visit offers a memorable scene.


Kōsetsuen Garden (formerly known as Mitsumine Park)
Address: 56 Mitsumine-chō, Hakodate-shi, Hokkaido