Journal | 2026.08.29
This journal is about haskap picking in Atsuma, Hokkaido: when you can go, and how to fit it into a night's stay.
Atsuma grows the largest area of haskap berries in Japan. Picking usually runs from late June to the middle of July.
The days each farm opens differ by year and by farm. To save a wasted trip, we share the season and the opening days first, for farms about 15 minutes by car from Mori no Auberge Mitsu.
Atsuma Grows the Most Haskap in Japan
Atsuma is known for its haskap berries. It grows the largest area of them in Japan, and the berries ripen at the start of summer.
Auberge Mitsu sits in that same town. The picking farms are about 15 minutes away by car.
The Season Is Late June to Mid-July
Haskap picking usually runs from late June to the middle of July. It is a short window at the start of summer.
When you set your travel dates, it helps to look at this window first, so the trip lines up with the season.
The days each farm opens change by year and by farm. So even in the same week, some farms are open and others are not.
Check Each Farm's Days Before You Go
To save a wasted trip, it helps to check the farm's opening day before you set out. Atsuma's own guide notes that opening days differ by year and by farm.
The days and conditions for picking change from farm to farm. If there is a farm you want, it is best to check that it is open before you head over.
Auberge Mitsu is about 15 minutes by car from the picking farms. With the inn as your base, it is easy to head out in the morning and be back by the evening.
About 15 Minutes from Mitsu: Fitting It In
Auberge Mitsu is a small inn that takes three groups a night, in three rooms. The picking farms are about 15 minutes away by car.
Check-in is from 15:00 to 19:00, and check-out is at 10:00. You can pick on your way in before check-in, or on your way out after check-out.
There is parking for 10 cars, free for guests and with no reservation needed. There is no shuttle service, so you drive to the farms and to the inn yourself.
Haskap Soft-Serve at Kobushi-no-yu Atsuma
Before or after picking, you can stop at Kobushi-no-yu Atsuma. There you can have pale purple haskap soft-serve ice cream made with Atsuma berries.
Juice, jelly and other local products are on sale too. It is about 15 minutes by car from Auberge Mitsu, easy to add to your picking day.
After Picking: Kaiseki and a Night at the Auberge
Dinner is an omakase kaiseki course that follows the Hokkaido season. You can see more on the Dining page.
From Atsuma and nearby come Mailabuta pork, Nanatsuboshi rice, free-range eggs and the hokki clams the area is known for. How haskap is served as an ingredient is on the Ingredients of Atsuma page.
The rooms are Ki, Mi and Tsuki, and each has its own goemon-style soaking tub in Shigaraki ceramic ware. It is not a natural hot spring but heated water, and there is no shared bathhouse.
For the stay itself see Staying in Atsuma, and for things nearby see Around.
Frequently asked questions
When can you go haskap picking in Atsuma?
Picking usually runs from late June to the middle of July. It is a short window at the start of summer. The days each farm opens change by year and by farm, so it helps to check the season first.
Do all the farms open on the same days?
No, the opening days differ by year and by farm. Atsuma's own guide notes this too. If there is a farm you want, it is best to check that it is open before you set out.
How far is it from Auberge Mitsu to the picking farms?
It is about 15 minutes by car from Auberge Mitsu to the picking farms. That makes it easy to fit picking into the day you arrive or leave. There is no shuttle service, so it helps to come by car.
Where can you get haskap soft-serve ice cream?
At Kobushi-no-yu Atsuma you can have pale purple soft-serve made with Atsuma haskap. Juice, jelly and other local products are on sale too. It is about 15 minutes by car from Auberge Mitsu, easy to add to a picking day.
Related: Ingredients of Atsuma / Around / Staying in Atsuma / Dining | Back to the journal