Biei & Furano

A Hokkaido postcard of countryside: July lavender fields in Furano, the patchwork hills and Blue Pond of Biei, and powder skiing in winter.

Biei and Furano lie in the Kamikawa region in the very center of Hokkaido, with Asahikawa to the north, the Furano Basin to the south and the Tokachidake mountain range to the east. It is Hokkaido's most iconic area of pastoral scenery. The town of Biei is known for its rolling hills, where fields of wheat, potatoes and flowers form patches of color. In the north, the "Patchwork Road" has trees made famous by advertising, such as the Ken and Mary Tree and the Seven Stars Tree; in the south, the "Panorama Road" has Shinsei Hill, the Christmas Tree and Takushinkan. Farther southeast are Shirogane Onsen, the Blue Pond, Shirahige Falls and the Tokachidake Bogaku-dai viewpoint. Furano (including Naka-Furano and Kami-Furano) is famous for lavender, and Farm Tomita, Hinode Park, Furano Flower Land and Kanno Farm follow one after another. Around Furano city there are cheese workshops, a winery, the Ningle Terrace forest shops and the Furano Ski Resort. The climate is continental, with daytime highs around 25°C in summer and cool mornings and evenings, and winter temperatures often below −15°C. Best seasons: early to mid-July is peak lavender bloom, and from late June to August the flower fields are at their most colorful; in September, after the wheat harvest, the hills turn golden and are dotted with rolled hay bales; December–March is powder ski season, and the winter illumination of the Blue Pond and the snowy Shirahige Falls are very photogenic. Getting there: from Sapporo take a JR limited express to Asahikawa and transfer to the Furano Line (in summer there is the "Furano–Biei Norokko" train, with a temporary Lavender Batake Station), or fly directly to Asahikawa Airport (about 20 minutes by car from Biei). The hill sights are spread out, and buses and sightseeing buses cover only some of them, so we strongly recommend driving or joining a day tour from Sapporo. We suggest 2 days: one in Biei and one in Furano, staying in Furano or Shirogane Onsen. Note: the farmland is private, so do not walk into the fields to take photos; on July weekends the flower fields and Route 237 are congested, so try to set out early in the morning.

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