[Shizukuishi Town, Iwate Prefecture] Koiwai Farm: Enjoy cows, ice cream, and play! Also featuring the ever-popular, spectacular single cherry blossom!

Koiwai Farm has a total area of ​​3,000 hectares, making it one of the largest in Japan. The vast farm, covering an area of ​​33 million square meters, is equivalent to the size of approximately 640 Tokyo Domes. Home to 2,000 cows, it's a must-visit spot for anyone visiting Iwate.
In addition to animals like cows and sheep, you can also enjoy gourmet food like soft serve ice cream and Genghis Khan. There are also amusement spots, allowing you to enjoy the magnificent natural surroundings while having fun. This time, we'll introduce some of Koiwai Farm's most attractive features.
Incidentally, the name Koiwai Farm was derived from the initials of the three founders (Ono, Iwasaki, and Inoue). While many people believe it's a place name, it's not.

You can see cows at Kamimaru Cowshed

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Only 40 hectares of Koiwai Farm's 3,000 hectares are open to the public. This is divided into two zones. The Kamimaru Cowshed, where you can see the cows, and the Makiba Garden, where there are amusement facilities and restaurants. The
Kamimaru Cowshed is where you can see the cows up close. In particular, in the grazing area, you can see the cows' realistic movements up close.
Please note that in the summer, it is hot, so the cows are allowed to graze in the morning. In the afternoon, they are in the cowshed with the giant electric fan. Cowshed No. 1 and Cowshed No. 3 can be visited. When the cows are not grazing, you should visit the cowshed.

Miyazawa Kenji, a famous poet from Iwate, is the author of a 600-line poem called "Koiwai Farm." At the back of the cowshed stands a monument to this poem. A passage from "Koiwai Farm" is engraved on it. This is a hidden tourist spot that we highly recommend

After the cowshed, we had 100% raw milk soft serve ice cream

The long-awaited soft serve ice cream can be found at Makibaen. Makibaen is located across the road from the Kamimaru Cowshed. Long lines are common at the soft serve ice cream house at Makibaen. However, it is said to be well worth the wait.
The soft serve ice cream made from 100% raw milk tastes even better if you have it after touring the cowshed. Many people consider the soft serve ice cream here to be the best.

You can also enjoy Genghis Khan after the sheep show

Makibaen also has a Genghis Khan house. The lamb from Koiwai Farm is said to be exquisite. It is so fresh that it has no odor at all. Even people who don't like Genghis Khan can enjoy it.
Makibaen also hosts the Koiwai Sheep Show (starting on April 21st in 2017, twice a day from 11am and 2pm). You can see sheepdogs and shepherds working together to drive a flock of sheep into a small enclosure. It is said to be quite entertaining. It might be a good idea to watch this before eating Genghis Khan.

Makibaen has many amusements and attractions. The scenic spot of the single cherry blossom is also a highlight

Makiba Park is also packed with amusement spots. The water hamster activity (open from 9am to 5pm, 500 yen for 4 minutes) is especially popular. You can get into a large sphere and run around on the water

Another popular attraction is the Armadillo Ball (open from 10am to 4:30pm, 1,000 yen for a pair), which is like a land-based version of the Water Hamster. You slide down a slope inside a giant sphere

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The solitary cherry tree that was featured in the NHK drama "Donto Hare" is located at Koiwai Farm. The solitary cherry tree with Mt. Iwate in the background is a very beautiful sight. If you visit Koiwai Farm, it is a place you definitely want to see

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sugar

A web writer who loves sightseeing. He is dedicated to exploring local gourmet food. Recently, I've been researching famous Japanese sweets shops such as manju and dango. Going around the basements of department stores is my daily routine.