Furano and Biei Lavender Fields — Hokkaido Dyed Purple in Summer

The Furano and Biei area, located almost in the center of Hokkaido, is a popular destination known throughout Japan for the lavender fields that bloom across the whole landscape in summer. The contrast between the purple carpet spreading over gentle rolling hills and the blue sky continues to captivate travelers as one of the signature grand views of a Hokkaido summer. The fragrance alone is enough to draw visitors from across Japan and around the world, but the visual spectacle of purple, pink, and white blooms covering the hillsides is truly unforgettable.

The History of Lavender Growing in Furano and Biei

Lavender cultivation in this region began in the early Showa era, once as a raw material for perfume. It declined for a time as synthetic fragrances spread, but the beautiful sight of the flowers covering the hills drew attention as a tourism resource, and the flower fields spread once again. Today it has become the landscape that symbolizes Furano, and many tourists visit every year.

Farm Tomita and Shikisai-no-Oka

The center of lavender sightseeing is "Farm Tomita," where colorful flower fields spread across the whole hillside. Limited-edition products such as lavender soft-serve ice cream and potpourri are also popular. The flower fields are farmland tended by farmers. Farm Tomita also asks visitors to refrain from parking on the road or in the bus-only car park; do not step into the fields, and view them from the designated paths. At "Shikisai-no-Oka" in Biei, the highlight is a patchwork-like landscape woven from lavender and a wide variety of other flowers, and you can enjoy a grand view that makes the most of the undulating hills.

The farm's lavender ice cream, soap, and essential oils have become beloved souvenirs.

Driving through Biei, the Town of Hills

Biei has hill country known as the "Patchwork Road" and the "Panorama Road," dotted with photogenic sights such as the clear blue "Blue Pond." Part of the appeal of the gently undulating hills is that the colors of the crops change with the season, so the scenery shows a different face each time you visit. Cycling through these hills on a sunny morning, with the mountains ahead and flowers on either side, is one of Hokkaido's great simple pleasures.

Furano town itself offers year-round appeal: renowned cheese and wine production, the popular drama filming location of Kita no Kuni Kara, and world-class skiing in winter. The region embodies a relaxed, agricultural Hokkaido lifestyle far from the urban bustle of Sapporo. From Sapporo, take the limited express toward Furano (about 2 hours); rental cars or bicycles are ideal for exploring the dispersed farm locations.

Shirogane Blue Pond and Shirahige Falls: Worth Combining with the Lavender

The place to visit together with the lavender fields is the Shirogane area of Biei Town. According to the Biei Town Tourism Association, the "Shirogane Blue Pond" is a mysterious pond whose surface looks blue: when disaster-prevention works were carried out on Mount Tokachi, the water that collected behind the embankment took on an unbelievably blue color, and together with the standing dead larch trees it became a dreamlike landscape, so at some point it came to be called the "Blue Pond." The silhouettes of dead trees jutting from the blue water will leave you with a shot that hardly looks like Japan.

A short drive from there, "Shirahige Falls" takes its name from looking like a white beard, and has a drop of about 30 meters. Groundwater seeping out from between the natural rocks pours vigorously down into the mountain stream, and you can watch from close range as the cobalt-blue Biei River throws up spray — one of the sights of the Biei Shirogane Onsen area. When visiting the falls you may use the car park at the Shirogane Tourist Center, and the toilets are available 24 hours. Note that the parking fee at the Blue Pond changed from July 1, 2026. Please check official information for the latest rates.

"Ken and Mary's Tree," a Symbol of the Hills

Known as a landscape that symbolizes the hills of Biei is "Ken and Mary's Tree." It is a poplar that appeared in a Nissan Skyline television commercial in 1972, and its unusual name comes from the characters in the "Ken and Mary" commercial. It is popular as a driving stop, but the surroundings are farmland. The Biei Town Tourism Association also posts requests to visitors during the tourist season, so be sure to follow the rules: do not enter the fields, and do not park on the farm roads.

The Hills through the Four Seasons

The hills of Biei show a completely different face in each season. The Biei Town Tourism Association explains that in summer potato flowers and wheat swaying in the wind add color, in autumn the highlight is the golden autumn foliage of the larch woods, and in winter a world of silver spreads across the whole landscape.

July, when the lavender reaches its peak, is at the same time the period when the wheat is taking on color, so purple, green and gold form layers over the hills. The sight of straw rolls dotted across the fields after harvest is another scene typical of Biei in summer. In autumn the larches turn golden, and in winter you can shoot minimal compositions with a single tree standing in a snowfield. It tends to be thought of as "a place only for the lavender season," but in reality it is an area you will want to return to all year round.

Tips for Photographing the Lavender Fields

With lavender, the way the light falls changes how the purple comes out enormously. Strong direct sunlight in the middle of the day tends to blow out the color, so aiming for the early morning or the soft light of evening lets the deep purple record honestly. Shooting slightly into the light so that the light passes through the flower spikes gives the whole row a soft, glowing atmosphere.

For composition, the basics are to hold the camera low, move in close to the flowers in the foreground, and let the line of the rows run away into the distance. Arranging the rows so they run diagonally leads the eye into the frame and creates depth. On a clear day, including the Tokachi mountain range in the background adds a sense of scale that feels distinctly like Hokkaido.

And the most important thing is where you stand. The fields are farmland tended by farmers, and you cannot go in among the flowers to shoot. If you use the telephoto end from the designated paths and walkways to compress the flowers, you can still get a shot that looks as though you are "surrounded by flowers" without entering the field at all.

What to Check before You Visit

The Shirogane area lies at the foot of Mount Tokachi. The Biei Town Tourism Association has issued notices about raised eruption warning levels for Mount Tokachi, so if you plan to head toward the mountain, check the Japan Meteorological Agency's eruption warnings and forecasts and the local government's restriction information in advance. In addition, car parks at the main sights get crowded during the summer tourist season. Biei Town operates a system that visualizes how crowded tourist spots are, and also provides information on regular sightseeing buses that go efficiently around the popular spots, so planning with plenty of time to spare will put your mind at ease.

Best Season and Access

The Furano Tourism Association gives the lavender viewing season as July to August. Flowering times differ by variety — early-blooming "Yotei," mid-blooming "Okamurasaki" and others — so check the flowering status at each farm before visiting. For access, the bases are Lavender Farm Station on the JR Furano Line (a temporary station opened only in summer) and JR Biei Station. From Lavender Farm Station it is about a 7-minute walk to Farm Tomita, and about a 25-minute walk from Naka-Furano Station. From Asahikawa Airport to Farm Tomita is about 45 minutes by car via National Route 237 (per Farm Tomita's official site). Note that the summer sightseeing train "Furano-Biei Norokko-go" will end operation on September 23, 2026 (Wednesday, a public holiday) (JR Hokkaido). Since the sights are scattered over a wide area, touring by rental car is recommended.

Practical Information

• Peak and best season: the Furano Tourism Association gives the lavender viewing season as "July to August." Flowering times differ by variety, including early-blooming "Yotei," mid-blooming "Okamurasaki," "Hanamoiwa" and the ornamental "Noshimurasaki Hayazaki No. 3." Check the flowering status at each farm before visiting.
• Access: about a 7-minute walk from Lavender Farm Station on the JR Furano Line (a temporary station opened only in summer) to Farm Tomita, and about a 25-minute walk from Naka-Furano Station. From Asahikawa Airport to Farm Tomita is about 45 minutes by car via National Route 237. The area is large and the sights are scattered, so touring by rental car is convenient.
• Parking: Farm Tomita asks visitors to refrain from parking on the road or in the bus-only car park. Please use the designated car parks.
• Clothing and gear: on clear days the sunlight is strong and there is little shade in the hill country, so bring a hat, sunscreen and drinks. Mornings and evenings can be chilly, so having something to throw on gives peace of mind.

*[Manners] The lavender fields are farmland tended by farmers. Do not step into the fields or between the rows; view them from the designated paths. Please do not enter without permission for photographs, and do not park or stop on the farm roads.*

*[Important] The summer sightseeing train "Furano-Biei Norokko-go" will end operation on September 23, 2026 (Wednesday, a public holiday). Lavender Farm Station (a temporary station) has been opened in line with the Norokko-go's operating period, so check JR Hokkaido's latest announcements regarding whether it will open from 2027 onward.*

(Sources: Furano Tourism Association official site "Lavender," Farm Tomita official site "Access" and "Park Guide," JR Hokkaido "Furano and Biei by JR / Introducing the Sightseeing Trains")