Makino Pick Land
高島市農業公園マキノピックランド
A farm park in Makino, Takashima (Shiga) with seasonal fruit picking and a dead-straight 2.4km avenue of about 500 metasequoias that turn russet in autumn.
A farm park where you can pick fruit
Makino Pick Land is an agricultural park in the Makino district of Takashima, Shiga Prefecture. It is split into three zones: an orchard zone for fruit picking, a roadside landscape zone that the metasequoia avenue runs through, and a park zone with restaurants and shops.
In the orchard zone you can harvest something different each season. Early summer brings cherry picking, which is fairly rare in the Kansai region, followed by blueberries, grapes, chestnuts and sweet potatoes. Chestnut gathering usually runs from about mid-September to mid-October. What is available depends on the time of year and how well the crops have done, so check the official website or phone before you go.
A 2.4km avenue of metasequoias
The road that runs straight through the park is lined with about 500 metasequoia trees for roughly 2.4km. A local fruit growers' cooperative began planting them in 1981, as part of a project to give children a place to experience farming. In 1994 the avenue was chosen by the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper as one of its "New 100 Best Roadside Tree Landscapes of Japan".
The metasequoia is a deciduous tree native to China; its Japanese name is akebono-sugi, "dawn cedar". It looks different in every season: fresh buds in spring, deep green in summer, autumn colour, then snow-covered branches in winter. The autumn colours are usually at their best from mid-November to early December.
Café, canteen and farm stand
The park zone has a café and a canteen using local ingredients and fruit, a handmade gelato shop, a farm stand selling vegetables and fruit, and a souvenir shop. There is also a lawn and a ground golf course (a Japanese take on golf, played with a club and ball on a short course), so you can take a break after walking the avenue.
Getting there and things to know
Take a bus from JR Makino Station for about 6 minutes and get off at "Makino Pick Land". If you come by car, you can use the park's car park.
The park is closed on Wednesdays (or the following day if Wednesday is a public holiday), but it stays open every day during Golden Week (a cluster of holidays in late April and early May), Obon (the mid-August holiday), the chestnut-gathering period and the autumn leaf season. Opening hours and prices can change, so check the official website.
Tips
- The avenue is a public road with traffic. When taking photos, watch your footing and the passing cars, and do not park on the road.
- The park is normally closed on Wednesdays, but stays open every day in seasons such as chestnut gathering and autumn leaves. Opening can change, though, so check the official website.
- Which fruit you can pick depends on the harvest. The official website itself asks visitors to check by phone or similar before coming.
Sources
Updated 28 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.
