Region
Hokkaido
Island
Hokkaido
Largest City
Sapporo
Population
5,682,950

Furano

So this is what they mean by frolicking.

  • Lavender season is from July till mid-August!
Hokkaido might conjure images of majestic untamed wilderness, but in Furano, known affectionately as the “bellybutton” of Hokkaido, it’s the tenderly cultivated flower fields that get jaws dropping with just as much drama. Midsummer’s gently rippling lavender rows are the height of loveliness. Go ahead: fulfill your inner flower child’s dreams and frolic a little.

Lavend

Treat yourself to fragrant lavender soft cream.

Lavenders are the bloom that draws admirers year after year. These beauties are at their best when they peak in mid-late July, but an assortment of varieties means that they can usually be appreciated anywhere from late June to mid-August.

Farm Tomita should be the first stop on your itinerary.

Featuring multiple lavender fields alongside bright rainbow rows of other blooms, this idyllic farm is set against the stunning backdrop of the Tokachi mountain ranges.

Nearby, you can ride a rustic tractor-drawn carriage through the massive 14-hectare fields of Lavender East. Lavender cultivation in Furano first began in these former rice paddies, which now make up the area’s largest lavender fields.

Lavender Furano in Hokkaido

Bring some relaxation back to your real life with lavender oils, soaps, face masks, sweets, and sachets of dried lavender that will keep their scent for years.

Flower Land Kamifurano to the north is another prime spot for lavender appreciation, but also a good choice for off-season visitors; the diversity of its blossoms keeps the gardens open from spring to fall.

All the best products from the breadbasket of Japan can be tasted in Furano’s scenic restaurant patios. If corn and potatoes slathered in butter don’t seem like enough, just visit the Melon House outside Tomita Farm, where the things they do with melons will shatter your world (or at least your view on cantaloupes).

Tours are offered at the local winery and cheese factory, along with the samples that you can pretend weren’t the real reason for your trip. At Campana Rokkatei, a creation of the famous Hokkaido sweets shop, you can enjoy dessert while gazing out at a verdant hillside vineyard.

In the winter, the area transforms into a playground for winter sports devotees. Its incredible powder snow conditions have made Furano ski resort a favourite of Japan’s best skiers and boarders, though it still receives much fewer international crowds than Niseko.

How To Get There

Address

Furano, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan

By train

Furano can be accessed via Asahikawa, as well as direct from Sapporo from July to mid-October. But don’t make the mistake of getting off at Furano Station if you’re heading to the flower fields, which are outside the city. Alight instead at Lavender-Batake Station, a temporary station between Furano and Kamifurano open only in the summer, from which you can walk to Farm Tomita in under 10 minutes.

Train enthusiasts should try to catch the seasonally run Furano-Biei Norokko train from Asahikawa, an old-fashioned locomotive that whistles its way through some gorgeous scenery.

By bus

The Lavender-Go Furano Bus offers access from Asahikawa and Asahikawa Airport. When in Furano, the Furano Kururu Bus and JR-linked Twinkle Bus make the rounds to the area’s attractions, but these only operate in the summer. Off-season public transportation is scarce, so rental car is the best option.

Where To Stay

Hotel Sunfuraton
  • 1-1 Wakamatsucho, Furano-shi, Hokkaido, 076-0032 Japan
  • ¥13,000 - ¥13,000
  • 3.14/5 (72 reviews)
  • 0.4 km
Hostel Tomar
  • 2-27 Motomachi, Furano-shi, Hokkaido, 076-0031 Japan
  • ¥4,180 - ¥15,960
  • 4.25/5 (135 reviews)
  • 0.7 km
Furano Natulux Hotel
  • 1-35 Asahimachi, Furano-shi, Hokkaido, 076-0026 Japan
  • ¥17,670 - ¥19,760
  • 4.28/5 (971 reviews)
  • 0.8 km
La Vista Furano Hills
  • 5-14 Asahimachi, Furano-shi, Hokkaido, 076-0026 Japan
  • ¥25,470 - ¥114,248
  • 4.35/5 (531 reviews)
  • 0.9 km
Resort Inn North Country
  • 2002 Shimogoryo, Furano-shi, Hokkaido, 076-0017 Japan
  • ¥8,550 - ¥38,000
  • 3.63/5 (310 reviews)
  • 1.4 km

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