Furano
Lavender fields and rolling hills at Hokkaidō's heart
Go because in high summer its hills turn into rolling bands of purple lavender and rainbow flowers — one of the most beautiful and unexpected landscapes in Japan.
Come in summer for the famous lavender fields of Farm Tomita, the patchwork farmland and the surreal Blue Pond of neighbouring Biei; come in winter for quiet, high-quality skiing on dry powder snow. A gentle, photogenic corner of central Hokkaidō, and a complete change of pace.
In the middle of Hokkaidō, ringed by mountains, lie the gently rolling farmlands of Furano and neighbouring Biei — and for a few weeks each summer they become something extraordinary. The hills stripe themselves with lavender and wildflowers in bands of purple, red and gold, drawing photographers and flower-lovers from across Japan. It's a soft, pastoral, almost European landscape unlike anywhere else in the country, and it comes with sweeping mountain views, melon ice cream, and — when the snow falls — some genuinely excellent, uncrowded skiing.
A little background
Furano and Biei are farming country, and it was farming that made them famous: the lavender originally grown for perfume oil found a second life as a visitor attraction when Farm Tomita kept its fields going and the blooms became a sensation. Today the flower farms are the summer draw, while the surrounding hills — the "Patchwork Road" and "Panorama Road" around Biei, and the vivid, mysterious Blue Pond — have become some of the most photographed scenery in Japan.
What to see
Farm Tomita. The most famous of the lavender farms, its hillside bands of purple and multicoloured flowers at their peak in mid-to-late July. Free to enter; go early to beat the crowds. Don't miss the lavender ice cream.
Biei's hills. The rolling patchwork farmland around neighbouring Biei — the Patchwork Road and Panorama Road — is postcard-perfect, and lovely explored by rental car or bicycle.
The Blue Pond (Aoiike). A startlingly turquoise-blue pond studded with bare tree trunks near Biei — eerily beautiful, and world-famous since it appeared as an Apple desktop image. Lit up on winter evenings.
Winter skiing. Furano Ski Resort offers excellent, dry-powder skiing and tree runs, far quieter than Niseko.
How to get there
Furano sits in central Hokkaidō, about 2 to 2.5 hours from Sapporo by train or car. Having your own car is a real advantage here, as the flower farms, Biei's hills and the Blue Pond are spread across the countryside and awkward to link by public transport — though seasonal buses and tours run in summer. Asahikawa (and its airport) is the nearest large city and another gateway.
When to go & practical notes
Timing is everything for the flowers: the lavender peaks mid-to-late July, with other blooms from June into August — come outside that window and the famous purple hills simply aren't there. Summer days are warm but far more comfortable than mainland Japan. Winter brings the skiing and the illuminated Blue Pond. Early morning is best at Farm Tomita to avoid the summer crowds, and a car makes the whole area far easier and more rewarding to explore.