Furano
Lavender And Flower Farms Of Central Hokkaido; A Ski Resort In Winter · Nakafurano, Hokkaido
A farming valley in the middle of Hokkaido, famous for the purple stripes of lavender that cover its hillsides in July, with the Tokachi volcanoes rising behind. The best-known farm, Farm Tomita in Nakafurano, has grown lavender since the 1950s and is free to enter, with fields of lavender, poppies and other flowers planted in rainbow bands, greenhouses and stalls selling lavender soft-serve and melon. Lavender peaks roughly from early to late July, depending on the year. Next door, the rolling hills of Biei are known for patchwork fields of wheat, potatoes and flowers, lone trees made famous by advertising, the Shikisai-no-Oka flower hill and the eerie Blue Pond at Shirogane. These fields are working farms, and farmers ask visitors not to walk into them. In winter Furano turns into a ski resort with dry powder snow. The area is also known for cheese, wine and melons, and for a popular television drama set here. It is about an hour from Asahikawa airport, and in summer seasonal trains, including the Lavender Express, run from Sapporo, with a slow sightseeing train through the fields.
Farm Tomita, Kisen Kita 15, Nakafurano, Hokkaido, 071-0704, Japan
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: Farm Tomita opens daily, roughly 8:30 am to 6 pm in summer and shorter hours outside it, with some shops and cafes open only in the flower season. Shikisai-no-Oka opens roughly 9 am to 5 pm, longer in summer and shorter in winter. The Blue Pond is outdoors and open, but the road may close in heavy snow and night lighting runs only on some winter dates. The Norokko train and Lavender Express run only on set summer dates. Ski lifts run roughly December to March. Confirm current times before relying on them.