When it comes to strawberries, they are fruits that delight us with their bright red color and sweet aroma, such as shortcake and parfait.
In Okayama Prefecture's Soja City, there is a facility called Noumaru Garden Kibiji where you can pick and eat as many of these attractive strawberries as you like.
At Noumaru Garden Kibiji, which attracts many visitors from both inside and outside the prefecture, they hold an annual "strawberry picking" event where you can pick ripe strawberries grown in a greenhouse with your own hands.
Additionally, the garden sells sweets made with freshly picked strawberries, allowing you to enjoy fresh strawberries.
We will introduce in detail the strawberry picking and strawberry sweets that you can enjoy at Noumaru Garden Kibiji.
What is Noumaru Garden Kibiji?
Noumaru Garden Kibiji (hereinafter referred to as "Noumaru Garden") is one of the largest tourist farms in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions, located in Soja City, Okayama Prefecture.
The facility includes a direct sales store for agricultural products and flowers, as well as experiences such as barbecuing and pizza making, making it a place where people of all ages, from children to adults, can enjoy, and it is bustling with many families throughout the year.
Strawberry Picking at Noumaru Garden Kibiji
At Noumaru Garden, strawberries are grown in a vast greenhouse, and you can enjoy strawberry picking from January to May each year. During this period, approximately 40,000 people visit for strawberry picking, making it a popular experience.
The strawberry picking at Noumaru Garden features high-rise cultivation, allowing you to pick and eat strawberries while standing.
The spacing between the strawberries is wide, making it accessible for people in wheelchairs and those with strollers to enjoy safely.
Experience Strawberry Picking at Noumaru Garden Kibiji!
Now, let’s introduce the experience of strawberry picking. The strawberry house is located at the very back of the Noumaru Garden.
First, let’s receive the entry pass for strawberry picking at the general reception located just off the parking lot.
Strawberry picking is prioritized for reservations made by the day before (2 days in advance for online reservations), and you can choose from two time slots: 9 AM and 10:30 AM.
Additionally, on the morning of the event, there may be a chance to guide you to the same-day slots on a first-come, first-served basis (no reservations).
However, the number of same-day slots is limited each day, and they will end once the capacity is reached, so please be aware of this. Especially on weekends and holidays, they may end as soon as the park opens at 9 AM, so for those who want to ensure their enjoyment, reservations are recommended.
Due to the growth conditions of the strawberries, there may be days when there are no same-day slots available, so please check the strawberry picking homepage of Noumaru Garden Kibiji for confirmation.
Once you have completed the reception, let’s walk to the strawberry house.
At the reception in front of the strawberry house, you will pay the fee. At that time, you will receive a paper cup from the staff to put strawberry stems and trash in, and you will hear the rules and explanations for strawberry picking. The all-you-can-eat time limit is 40 minutes.
After completing the reception, it’s finally time for the strawberry picking experience inside the greenhouse.
Types of Strawberries
Inside the strawberry house, it is spacious, and you might find it hard to decide which strawberry to eat first.
There is a board on the ceiling displaying the types of strawberries, so you can easily check which variety you are eating. The strawberry picking at Noumaru Garden is characterized by the cultivation of various types of strawberries.
The types of strawberries available in 2025 are as shown in the garden map below.
In fact, in addition to these varieties, other types of strawberries such as Starnight are also cultivated, so there is a possibility that they may be available depending on the season.
At Noumaru Garden's strawberry picking, you can enjoy various types of strawberries. Among them, let’s introduce the particularly representative strawberries.
Benihoppe
The first strawberry that caught my eye was Benihoppe. It has a glossy and vibrant color. When I took a bite, it had a slight acidity, but the balance with the sweetness felt just right, and it was juicy with a refreshing texture.
Kaorino
This variety, Kaorino, felt like it had more small strawberries compared to others. Although they are small, they are very sweet, and you could easily eat several in one bite. They are said to be popular among children.
Akihime
“Akihime” has many large berries and gives a soft impression of the flesh. The fully ripe parts are particularly sweet, and I enjoyed the texture while stuffing my mouth full. Walking around searching for fully ripe strawberries feels exciting, like treasure hunting.
Hare Strawberry
“Hare Strawberry” was also sweet, firm, and satisfying to eat. It is said to contain more vitamin C than other strawberries.
Although the time limit is 40 minutes, I had a great time walking around, pondering which strawberries to eat and comparing them multiple times until I was full.
At the strawberry picking at Noumaru Garden, you can also buy the strawberries you picked by weight to take out. If you find strawberries you like, they make great souvenirs.
Depending on the growth conditions of the strawberries, takeout may not be available.
After finishing strawberry picking, the facility is spacious, so let's take a stroll around.
Plenty of Large Strawberries: “Strawberry Decoration”
At the “Gardens Cafe” located within Noumaru Garden, there is a wide variety of sweets made with strawberries grown at Noumaru Garden.
This is the “Strawberry Decoration.”
Inside a large waffle cone, there is a generous amount of rich Hokkaido vanilla soft serve ice cream and large strawberries grown at Noumaru Garden. The homemade strawberry sauce seems to enhance the sweetness of the soft serve and strawberries even more.
It has quite a volume, but the price is 598 yen (tax included), making it an affordable dessert. It seems to be very popular among both children and adults.
In addition to the strawberry decoration, the “Gardens Cafe” also offers strawberry crepes and strawberry gelato made with strawberries from Noumaru Garden. Also, at the “Gardens Kitchen,” the specialty strawberry sushi from Noumaru Garden is available for sale.
The facility also has a terrace with about 100 seats (indoor resting area), so you can spend a relaxing time enjoying lunch or sweets with family and friends.
Most Popular! Fully Ripe Strawberry Roll Cake
Within the Noumaru Garden premises, there is a “Cake Workshop” that sells cakes, tarts, and baked goods.
The most popular item at this cake workshop is the “Fully Ripe Strawberry Roll Cake,” made using more than one pack (300g) of strawberries harvested at Noumaru Garden.
The strawberries on top are extra-large strawberries that are so big you might want to bite into them as they are.
Between the fluffy handmade sponge cake, there are chunks of large strawberries mixed in the whipped cream, making it very satisfying to eat. The rich whipped cream is lightly sweetened to allow you to enjoy the flavor of the strawberries, making it very easy to eat.
It’s great for souvenirs or celebration cakes for anniversaries.
Interview with the Deputy Farm Manager
Not only can you enjoy strawberry picking, but also a variety of strawberry sweets at Noumaru Garden Kibiji Farm. I spoke with the deputy farm manager, Ando Yukihiro.
Attractions of Strawberry Picking at Noumaru Garden Kibiji Farm
What are the attractions of strawberry picking at Noumaru Garden?
Ando (no honorifics)
The charm of strawberry picking at Noumaru Garden is that it is elevated cultivation, allowing for a comfortable experience even with wheelchairs and strollers.
Additionally, we cultivate more than four varieties of strawberries, so you can enjoy comparing different types. Please find your favorite variety.
With a generous time limit of 40 minutes, you can enjoy strawberry picking at a leisurely pace.
Please note that bringing in condensed milk and other items is not allowed. We hope you can fully enjoy the natural sweetness and flavor of the strawberries.
How to Enjoy Delicious Strawberries
Please tell us how to enjoy delicious strawberries.
Ando
Fresh and delicious strawberries are those that are red all the way to the stem, with leaves that are curled back.
The sweetness of strawberries is concentrated in the tip, so if you start eating from the stem side, you can enjoy the sweet part at the end.
Gently hold the top of the strawberry and pull it slightly towards yourself while lifting it, and the stem will naturally break off easily, so please give it a try.
Actually, the current season (January and February) is the best season for strawberries. Although it runs until late May, please come early.
Please give a message to those coming to Noumaru Garden.
Ando
At Noumaru Garden, we offer not only strawberry picking but also a variety of ways to enjoy strawberries.
Our sweets made with seasonal strawberries are visually stunning and made with freshly picked strawberries, making them sweet and delicious. I hope you can enjoy them slowly on the terrace in the garden. Additionally, at the direct sales office located within the same facility, we sell fresh strawberries picked that day. They are perfect not only for home use but also as gifts.
Please enjoy the unique charm of strawberries that only Noumaru Garden can offer in various forms!
In Conclusion
Inside the spacious strawberry house at Noumaru Garden, the time spent searching for strawberries while thinking, “Which one should I eat next?” felt like an exciting treasure hunt.
Sweet and juicy strawberries are rich in vitamin C, which not only is expected to have beauty benefits but is also perfect for cold prevention.
Why not experience this special flavor unique to this season at Noumaru Garden, enjoyable for both children and adults?
Noumaru Garden Kibiji Farm Strawberry Picking Data
| Name | Noumaru Garden Kibiji Farm Strawberry Picking |
|---|---|
| Location | 411-1 Nishigun, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 0866-94-6755 |
| Parking | Available |
| Business Hours | 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (until around May) *However, it will end as soon as the red fruits are gone |
| Regular Holidays | None |
| Usage Fee (including tax) | 40 minutes of all-you-can-eat Adults (middle school students and above): Weekdays 1,800 yen (including tax 1,980 yen), weekends and holidays 2,000 yen (including tax 2,200 yen) Children (elementary school students): 1,500 yen (including tax 1,650 yen) every day Toddlers (3 years and older): 900 yen (including tax 990 yen) every day Under 2 years: Free |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Reservation Availability | Yes |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Childcare | Nursing room |
| Website | Noumaru Garden Kibiji Farm Strawberry Picking Reservation Web Calendar |
