Higashimokoto Moss Phlox Park (東藻琴芝桜公園, Higashimokoto Shibazakura Koen) was started and mostly built by one man named Chubachi Sueyoshi. His sister obtained a single moss phlox plant shortly after the end of World War II and brought it from Rubeshibe to Higashimokoto. The moss phlox is a perennial plant from the polemoniaceae family, which is native to North America. In 1947, after falling in love with the plant, Chubachi Sueyoshi wanted to create a field full of them and began working on it in his hometown of Higashimokoto. The creation of the field started with only a box full of the seeds. After 8 years of hard work the Higashimokoto Park was founded in 1956. Since the planting of the seeds more have been added to flower park and now it covers over 100,000 square meters on a hillside overlooking Takinoue. At the top of the 287 steps of the Higashimokoto Moss Phlox Park is the Yamazumi Shrine. The shrine was first built in 1051 during the Eishou Era. During the Higashimokoto Moss Phlox Festival, which is from early May to early June, the fields are illuminated at night.
