Kitami: Visiting the Home of the Hokkaido’s Oldest Chrysanthemum Festival
The new city of Kitami was formed in 2006 after three towns merged with the old Kitami district. It is found on Hokkaido island under Okhotsk Subprefecture. Kitami, Japan is served by the Okhotsk-Monbetsu Airport, a third class airfield found about an hour and a half away from the city. While you can book your rooms in the hotels surrounding the airport, there are also numerous accommodation choices in the city center of Kitami.
Best Time to Visit
Considering the weather in Kitami, the best times to visit are months between late May to early October. This is just in time for Kitami Kiku (Chrysanthemum) Festival, which is typically held from the 21st of October to the 31st. The event highlights 15,000 chrysanthemum blooms in a grand parade. The festival is the oldest one of its kind in Hokkaido, as well. Kitami, Japan hotels during this time is undoubtedly packed, so plan ahead.
What to Do & Area Attractions
Looking for affordable hotels within Kitami is easy as there is a handful of top hotels within the city center, some of which are Dormy Inn Kitami Natural Hot Spring, Kitami Pierson Hotel, and Hotel Route-Inn Kitami Odori Nishi. They are also within a 15-minute walk to Pierson Memorial Museum, a western-style house, which served as the residence of an American missionary in 1914, and Kitami Mint Memorial Museum, a former research facility showcasing the city’s mint industry. From the hotels, you can also go to Onneyu Hot Spring, which is about 45 minutes away.