You can see Phalaenopsis orchids and other plants in the big greenhouse at Floriculture Research Institute run by Oita Prefecture. Hot spring steam is utilized as its heating system.
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It has also beautiful botanic gardens filled with various kinds of trees and flowers. The cherry tree in the above picture is a good example. It has yellowish green petals, which is a kind of rare. It can be seen until the end of April.
The exhibition greenhouse and gardens are open to the public for free from 9:00 to 16:00 daily.
Oita Floriculture Research Institute is located in front of Yama Jigoku in Kannawa hot spring area, 20 minutes away from JR Beppu station by local bus. (AW)