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.
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)
