When I reached Asahikawa on my bicycle journey across Japan, it was late October, and autumn had painted the landscape in enchanting shades of red, orange and gold.
Tokiwakoen was established in 1910 as the first public park in Asahikawa and it rests gracefully where the Ishikari and Chubetsu rivers meet.
Tokiwa Park is a place where nature and art intertwine, creating a serene oasis where to relax and reflect in the heart of Asahikawa.
Here, time seems to slow, inviting you to wander through the beauty of nature while immersing yourself in the park’s artistic and cultural atmosphere, where impressive sculptures stand gracefully among the trees.
Dressed in autumn colours, Towika Park is a tranquil oasis for reflection, where art and culture blend harmoniously with nature beneath towering elms, Sakhalin firs and poplar trees.
I was lucky to experience the park in Autumn, as it painted the landscape in warm, vibrant hues, turning the waters of Hakucho and Chidori ponds into watercolour paintings!
My favourite artwork in Towika Park is:
“ People Line - 行列 ” by Miki Toshiharu.
“People Line” offers a profound reflection on our place in the world.
If you look closely, you can notice a chain of human-like figures standing in a strict, orderly line, evoking the tension between societal conformity and individual freedom in the modern world.
If you take a few steps back, you can see a deeper meaning: humanity does not exist in isolation, but shares its existence with Water, Soil, Air, the Earth, and the Universe beyond us.
“People Line” encourages us to look beyond ourselves, inviting us to reflect on our place in the world and envision a future where humanity lives in harmony with the wider universe.
Have you ever visited Tokiwakoen?
Or have you ever visited a park in Japan that has sparked some reflection?
Write it in the comments below!
