Shiga Agricultural Park Blume-no-Oka in Hino Town, Gamō District, Shiga Prefecture, is a hands-on agricultural park where visitors can enjoy flowers, animals, nature activities, and outdoor attractions in a single park.
Located at the foot of the Suzuka Mountains, it lets you spend time according to your interests, whether walking through seasonal flower fields, observing animals, or joining craft and food experiences.
However, flower blooming, animal exhibits, and the availability of playground equipment and activities vary depending on the weather, the animals' condition, and the day of the week.
Check the day's operating information before your visit and decide what you most want to see so that it is easier to explore the spacious grounds.
What Is Shiga Agricultural Park Blume-no-Oka? | A Hands-on Agricultural Park for Enjoying Nature
Blume-no-Oka is a dairy-themed, hands-on agricultural park in Hino Town in the Kotō area of Shiga Prefecture.
Its appeal goes beyond viewing the scenery: visitors can interact with nature and animals, make things themselves, and be active outdoors.
Park Grounds Spreading across the Foot of the Suzuka Mountains
The park is not in central Ōtsu or Kyoto, but in a nature-rich area of eastern Shiga Prefecture.
Because the flower fields, animal areas, activity facilities, playground equipment, and restaurants are spread apart, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
You will spend a long time outdoors, so bring a hat, rain gear, warm clothing, or other items suited to the season.
Combine Flowers, Animals, and Activities
When planning 1 day, combine time for viewing flowers, scheduled animal encounters, activities requiring reservations or registration, and playground equipment that can be used freely.
Rather than mechanically trying to cover everything, check the day's operating status after arrival and choose 2 or 3 areas that interest you for a more comfortable visit.
The relationship between your purpose and where to check information can be organized as follows.
| Purpose | Where to Check | What May Cause Changes |
|---|---|---|
| Flower fields | Bloom information | Climate |
| Animals | Operating information | Condition and weather |
| Activities | Activity page | Event dates |
| Playground equipment | Operating status | Rain and strong winds |
Seasonal Flower Fields | Tulips, Sunflowers, and Cosmos
In the park's large flower fields, different kinds of flowers create changing scenery mainly from spring through autumn.
Because blooming times shift with the climate, do not treat the calendar as a fixed best-viewing schedule; it is important to check the facility's bloom information.
Spring Tulips and Nemophila
The spring flower calendar lists rapeseed blossoms, cherry blossoms, tulips, nemophila, roses, and other flowers.
Because each flower blooms in a different place and at a different time, check the park map at the entrance and head to the field containing the flowers you want to see.
Do not enter flower beds or fields; enjoy the scenery and photography from the designated paths.
Summer Sunflowers and Waterside Play
Summer information includes yellow cosmos, Titanbicus, sunflowers, hydrangeas, and other flowers.
Sunflower bloom forecasts are updated each year, so check the bloom information to see whether they match your travel dates.
Water-play facilities also operate seasonally and may close depending on the weather.
If you need a change of clothes or towels, check the conditions of use in advance.
Enjoy Changing Flowers from Autumn through Winter
The autumn flower calendar lists cosmos, while pansies and violas are listed from winter through spring.
Actual conditions vary from year to year even within the same named season, so do not base your decision to visit only on past photographs.
If flowers are the main purpose of your visit, it is reassuring to consider both the posted photographs and the local weather.
Animal Encounters | Check Event Dates and Conditions on the Day
At Blume-no-Oka, you can observe animals including kangaroos, guinea pigs, horses, sheep, goats, and alpacas.
Encounters and feeding are not necessarily available at all times and may change due to the day of the week, numbered tickets, rain, or the animals' condition.
Meet Kangaroos and Guinea Pigs
Kangaroo and guinea pig encounter events are listed.
Kangaroo encounters may be canceled in rain or subject to admission limits, while numbered tickets may be distributed for guinea pigs when it is crowded.
Check the day's start time and numbered-ticket distribution location, do not chase the animals or make loud noises, and follow staff instructions.
See Horses, Sheep, Goats, and Alpacas
Horse-feeding experiences, sheep and goats in the pasture, and alpaca exhibits are also listed.
Give feed only in the specified manner, and do not give animals food that you brought with you.
Activities may be canceled without notice because of the animals' condition or the climate; if an activity is not being held, observe from a distance.
Hygiene Rules for the Animal Area
To prevent contagious and infectious animal diseases, pets are not permitted in the animal area.
In addition, people who returned from overseas within the past 1 week are generally not allowed to enter the animal encounter area.
If this applies to you or you are unsure, contact the facility before visiting and give priority to the on-site hygiene rules.
Crafts, Food, and Outdoor Play Equipment | Choose an Experience and Join In
The park offers both hands-on making activities and active play, allowing you to choose according to age and weather.
Activity details, fees, and registration methods vary, so the admission fee alone does not necessarily cover every facility.
Craft and Food Experiences
The activity guide lists woodworking crafts, snow globes, clear candles, cooking without bringing equipment, barbecues, and more.
Available menus change with the season, and advance reservations or capacity limits may apply.
If there is an activity you want to try, check its event dates, registration location, and fee on the relevant page before visiting.
Outdoor Play Equipment Such as the Alps Gym
Outdoor facilities include the Alps Gym, where visitors take on multiple challenges such as climbing, as well as various other pieces of play equipment.
Each attraction may have conditions concerning height, age, clothing, and other factors, so not everyone in your group may be able to use it.
Some facilities close during rain, strong winds, or high temperatures.
Check the day's operating list to see what is available.
On Rainy Days, Focus on Facilities That Are Open
For safety, some play equipment and activities are canceled in rainy weather.
Because the operating guide lists the status of each facility, do not judge by the weather alone; check on the day of your visit.
Prepare a second option centered on indoor crafts and dining so you can adjust your schedule more easily.
Admission Fees and Hours | Check the Operating Guide
Admission fees and operating days can be checked on the information page and should be considered separately from paid activities and dining inside the park.
Operating hours and closed days may change, so check not only the fee page but also the operating guide.
General Admission and Dog Admission Fees
According to the fee guide, admission is 1,500 yen per adult of junior-high-school age or older and 800 yen per child from age 4 through elementary school; children age 3 and younger enter free.
Dogs cost 500 yen each, and admission requires certificates showing combined vaccination and rabies vaccination within the past 1 year.
Discounts for people with disabilities and group rates have conditions involving certificates, group size, reservations, and other requirements, so check the details on the relevant page.
Typical Operating Hours and Closed Days
From March 1 through November 30, the park is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed on Wednesdays.
However, operating days may change on public holidays and during long holiday periods.
From December through February, operating hours and days vary by day of the week and illumination events.
Check the operating status for the date of your visit.
Rules for Bringing Items and Re-entry
Commercially prepared boxed lunches may not be brought in, but homemade boxed lunches are allowed.
Kick scooters, bicycles, roller shoes, hard balls, and similar items may not be brought into the park.
Same-day re-entry is permitted, but you must notify staff at the entrance gate when leaving.
| Item to Check | Main Condition | When to Check |
|---|---|---|
| Admission fee | By age | Before purchase |
| Bringing a dog | Certificate | Before departure |
| Playground equipment | Weather and conditions | Same day |
| Re-entry | Notify the gate | When leaving |
Access | Take a Bus from Ōmihachiman Station or Hino Station
By public transportation, you can use an Ōmi Bus; by car, you can use interchanges on the expressways.
Bus frequency and times may change, so research both your outbound and return trips together.
Ōmi Bus from JR Ōmihachiman Station
From the south exit of JR Ōmihachiman Station, take an Ōmi Bus bound for Kitabatakeguchi for about 50 minutes, get off at Habano-chō, and walk about 10 minutes.
The fare from the south exit of Ōmihachiman Station to Habano-chō is 750 yen.
For the return trip, you will use the same route from Habano-chō, so choose possible buses by working backward from the time you plan to leave the park, not just from the last bus.
Boarding points and fares may change, so confirm them in the transport operator's timetable.
Ōmi Bus from Ohmi Railway Hino Station
From Ohmi Railway Hino Station, take an Ōmi Bus bound for Kitabatakeguchi for about 15 minutes, then walk about 10 minutes from Habano-chō.
The fare from Hino Station to Habano-chō is 390 yen.
There may be a wait when connecting between the train and bus, so plan by matching the train's arrival time with the bus's departure time.
Use the Free Parking Lot by Car
By car, it is about 20 minutes from Yōkaichi Interchange on the Meishin Expressway and about 25 minutes from Kōka-Tsuchiyama Interchange on the Shin-Meishin Expressway.
Vehicles equipped with ETC are advised that it is about 20 minutes from Gamō Smart Interchange.
The free parking area has space for about 2,000 passenger cars and about 60 large buses; when it is crowded, follow staff directions.
Summary | Explore Blume-no-Oka with the Day's Information
At Shiga Agricultural Park Blume-no-Oka, you can combine seasonal flower fields, animal encounters, craft and food experiences, and outdoor attractions.
Flower blooming changes with the climate, and animals and playground equipment may be unavailable due to weather, the day of the week, health conditions, and other factors, so checking the operating guide for your visit date is essential.
Confirm the admission fees, certificates required for dogs, rules on bringing items, and round-trip bus times in advance, then prioritize the experiences that interest you and explore the park at a comfortable pace.
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