Furano & Biei from Sapporo: Private Car & Driver, No Guide

When you visit Furano, this is one place you must visit! This is where lavender has been produced since 1958. It is currently a traditional lavender field. This is a place that came to be known through the JR yearly calendar when JR still went by a different name. It is especially beautiful because of the 7 colors of flower that are produced together creating a rainbow. These are the purple lavender, the white baby’s breath, the orange California poppies and others. This is the view that will come to one the most when they remember Furano. 4km away from this farm you will find “Lavender East” where you will find fields of just lavender and it is absolutely beautiful. This only happens in July so be sure to be here at the right time of year. Be sure to stop by the gift shop for lavender to take home with you! We can recommend first thing in the morning to view the flowers in relative peace.

This is a shopping area found in the forest near Shinfurano Prince Hotel. It is made up of 15 log houses and is named after a dwarf in a story book. Enjoy natural goods only available here while walking through the forest shopping. You will find different themes areas such as “Owl’s forest” where you can purchase owl products or“Glass House” where you can purchase different ice or snowflake themed items. You will also find “Chuchu’s House” which is a coffee shop and “Paperwork House” that sells handmade postcards. You can also make your own items. The candles making, instruments making, and paper crafts are the most popular. When the sun goes down the log houses and walkways are lit up to create a whole new beautiful atmosphere. You do not have to spend the night here to enjoy this shopping area however we can highly recommend the hotel as well. Hot springs are included and it is a great place to enjoy after you other excursions.

This is a must visit for cheese lovers! The cheese produced here is made from the milk of cows that live in the great outdoors of Furano. Through the glass you can see the cheese being produced. On the 2nd floor you can see the history of cheese production and the different tools used. You can also experience milking a big mechanical cow! While you enjoy yourself here you are able to learn so much more about cheese. This is an experience you will not want to miss. You can also see the creation of cheese gelato and other homemade gelatos such as pumpkin and sugar cane. You can also find rare cheese varieties such as “Furano wine” and “Onion” and their original butter. You can also experience making your own cheese, ice-cream, or butter when you reserve ahead of time. Enjoy this location with your family or friends.

This is the first class flower gardens of Furano. We can especially recommend June to September as the best time to visit. This is when the lupines, lavender, poppies, lilies, cosmos, marigolds, and sunflowers bloom one after the other. The spacious gardens are wonderful for walking through as well but you can also choose to use the tracker bus used by over 300,000 other people each year. You can also enjoy making pillows with lavender or making flower pressed postcards. This is great with or without kids! The beauty of the land comes in different shades based on the season with asparagus in May to June, melon in July to September, and corn in August to September. Whenever you come there is delicious food of the land. In the fall you can enjoy all-you-can-eat potato and onion. Enjoy the gourmet and flowers of Hokkaido here!

Along with being famous for lavender, Furano is also well known for its wine. In 1972 the “Furano City Grape Research Institute” was put in place and it focuses on making the best variety of grapes and the best wine. The land and weather here is naturally best suited for grape making leading to today when many of the best wine is made here. In the wine factory with red bricks you can see the production and fermentation process. Of course you can also taste what is available. There are also light ups when the grape blossoms are in bloom. In the shop you can enjoy many different types of wine and grape juice as well as other gifts to take home.

Do you wish to enjoy the mysterious “blue world” produced by nature? This “blue lake” appears just as its name indicates. This is due to the aluminum produced by the Shirakane hot springs upstream. When the mixture made is hit by the sun short blue lights spread. It is most beautiful on early sunny morning. The pine trees make the view even more beautiful. More than 1,500,000 people come to see this amazing sight each year. Light ups are also held during the winter time. Come enjoy the nearby hot springs and the night and morning view of the “blue lake”.

There are many different areas of Biei where you can enjoy flower gardens. This is a hill named after the last letters of the words “wind”, “scent”, and “play”. The theme of this hill is “to play surrounded by the lovely scent of the wind”. The blooms begin in May and go through the beginning of October. There are many kinds of flowers to see including lavender, sunflower, poppy and others. Enjoy these gardens by feet or cart. Nearby you can find the “Ken and Mary Tree” that was used in commercials. Please also stop by the restaurant, café, and original gifts found in the shop. Take a break from your driving here!

The name comes from the fact that it looks like a white beard. The waterfall has a drop of approximately 30 m and is one of the tourist attractions in the 'Biei Shirogane Onsen Town', where you can get a close-up look at the underground water seeping out from between the natural rocks and flowing down into the mountain stream with great force, causing the cobalt blue sparkling Biei River to splash. This waterfall is classified as a 'submerged flow explosion', which is rare in Japan. The view from the bridge commonly known as the 'Blue River' is also recommended. In winter, the contrast between the waterfall's streaks, the white of the snow and the rock surface becomes more pronounced, and the spray and steam rising from the waterfall creates fog and ice on the trees, making the scenery even more fantastic.

The panoramic flower gardens of Shikisai-no-oka provide spectacular views across fifteen hectares of land on Oka-no-machi Biei. It is a paradise of seasonal blossoms from spring through to fall, in which several dozen different species of flowers and grasses flourish. Why not come and enjoy the beautiful fragrance of the blossoms amid spectacular panoramic scenery? Entrance Fee (July to September) Elementary school, junior high school students 300yen high school students or more 500yen Elementary school age kids and under are free. June to September 8：40～17：30 Admittance to each ride and the Alpaca Farm all require entrance fees.