To me, Kato Farm in Hidaka is a farm for the foodies, rather than the kiddies! It is a dairy farm that is quite small and, frankly, quite lackluster. But there is a reason their produce has won numerous awards over the years. They produce and sell premium milk and dairy products, under the brand name Baffi, that have even been given the seal of approval from some of Japan’s most finicky food critics. And good news if you can make it to the farm in person – they sell the Baffi produce on their online store.
Kato Farm
The farm is located in the flatlands of Hidaka City in a tranquil area with a view of the mountains in the distance. It is not particularly large, but they do have around 200 Holstein cows. There are also a few goats at the farm. The farm has been in the area for around 50 years. They have won prizes for their cheese in particular, but it is their Baffi pudding that gets the most attention. All their food and products use milk freshly processed on site. If you are buying a lunch and eating in, you get a free milk (or tea / coffee) with your meal! There is seating indoors and outdoors too.
Before the pandemic you could picnic at the park and they had benches dotted around. However, when we last visited in December 2020 the benches were gone. It could just be because of the winter weather though. There are some photo props on the grounds. For kids, there wasn’t much on our last visit, but again as it was winter (and a pandemic) it might have affected the availability. What we saw – two tire swings, a few tires for climbing into, a couple of climbing ropes, three push along rides and a tiny slide! While there may not be much to play on, there are some fun workshops that older kids will no doubt enjoy:
Hands on Experiences
All of these hands on experiences / workshops require an advance reservation and they all have a charge, ranging from 300 yen for cow milking to 1000 yen for ice-cream, pizza and cheese making.
- Cow milking
- Butter making
- Cheese making
- Ice-cream making
- Pizza making
Cornfield Maze
Each year, from about mid July to mid September, there is a cornfield maze at the farm. The corn can grow up to about two meters, making it a fun challenge for adults and kids alike! In 2022, it will be on until Sunday September 11th.
Kato Farm Information
Address: 578 Asahigaoka, Hidaka, Saitama 350-1203
Phone: 0429841414
Hours: 10 am to 5 pm seven days a week
Cost: the food in the restaurant is reasonably priced, for example, a creamy pasta is 830 yen. The ice-cream is a little expensive at 480 yen, but the gelato is cheaper. Gelato prices start from 220 yen.
Online: Official website | Baffi Online shop
Another farm (horses though not cows) in Hidaka here. One of the best dairy farms in Saitama is in Ageo; more information here.
Access
The farm is about a twenty minute walk from Musashi Takahagi Station which is on the infrequent JR Kawagoe line. There is plenty of parking if you come by car.
no doubt a mooooooving (hehe) experience! again japan excels in interactive stuff for kids!