Okususobana nature park
Click here for an approximate Okususobana map. 2007 version here.
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Usually at the second half of May. But as you know, it all depends on the weather. When it's warmer and snow melts away earlier, they are in bloom earlier. When it's colder and snow stays late, they are in bloom later.

They say 810,000 there.

There's bus services available from Nagano, but unfortunately not available from Hakuba.

Okay, lets see how it looks there in okususobana natural park. All pics here were taken on 17th May 2000. Actually that was a bit early to see scank cabbeges, they said around 70% were in bloom then.

Information board at point 3. Japanese only. Lavatories available nearby.

Go ahead, some snow still left even at paths inspite of the middle May. Sometimes we just need a pair of boots. Lots of birds were singing there, nitingales, check-a-dees. Probably it's a good idea to have a tape recorder to record them if you love it.

There we just were surrounded with tons of trees, can enjoy shower of fresh green. Trees were just getting fresh green at that time. I think cherry blossoms are usually in bloom around late May and early April in Tokyo, but they are really late for bloom in some cold and high altitude place like here. Some people enjoyed Hanami there having some alcohol and other stuff for it though cherry blossom almost got started falling.

*Hanami -- One of Japanese culture. If i dare translate it into English as it was described, it means to enjoy seeing flowers. But usually people enjoy drinking alcohol ( Usually Japanese alcohol ) below cherry blossoms.

There are some explanation boards on the way. An explanation board that says this is the biggest damp ground in the Honsyu island which scank cabbages live in flocks at a remain of the bottom of the ground that are approximately 1,000 meters circumference. Scank cabbeges show up their pretty white flowers as if they can't wait for snow melting away, leaves get really huge later like BASHOU in summer. Go ahead.....

At the Imaike damp groud. Finally skunk cabbeges show up! A small stream flows. Can you see a wood path in the depth? We are to go deep into the forests to explore more skunk cabbages. It's not so hard to keep walking though sometimes there was a bit of up and down. But everything is covered with nature, so we can enjoy them all while we walk.

Skunk cabbeges all over. No traffic, no pollution,no noise. We just can enjoy the scenery and lots of birds singing in peace. Skunk cabbeges change their impression depends on the angle how sunshine reach them.

There are not only skunk cabbeges, birds, trees but also some fishes in water. I saw some ( perhaps IWANA -- don't know what you call it in English ) in water and they caught bugs that got dropped in water!
But i guess it's hard for you to see it in this picture.