In the Tokachi countryside of eastern Hokkaido, a confectionery wrapper becomes a landscape. Rokka Forest, or Rokka no Mori, is the place where flowers painted by the artist Naoyuki Sakamoto have been given room to grow. Paths cross a garden and woodland in Nakasatsunai village, beside a stream and small galleries made from old Croatian houses. The effect is quieter than a conventional museum: the paintings have walls, but the walk between them is part of the experience.
The garden belongs to Rokkatei, a confectionery company known for its floral packaging. Its setting links the company's identity with Tokachi's native plants and the work of Sakamoto, a farmer and mountain painter who lived in Hokkaido. A visit rewards curiosity about both the pictures and their subjects: a flower encountered in a gallery can reappear outdoors, depending on the season.
