A sea of flowers woven by summer – wander through Hokkaido’s lavender purple fields

 

Text / Li Xinyi, compiled and reported by MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network | Source / Moleskine Editorial Department

 

When the lavender in Furano, Hokkaido, blooms in summer, it seems as if even the air turns into a romantic purple with a delicate fragrance. And beyond the lavender, as the weather warms, beautiful wildflowers such as lilies, poppies, lupines, and cosmos begin to bloom along the roadsides of Biei and Furano, and even at street corners and parks in Sapporo, adding vibrant colors full of festive atmosphere to Hokkaido’s short summer.

Almost becoming one of the iconic images of Hokkaido, Biei and Furano are actually not very close to each other despite being considered the same general area; from Biei to Furano, there are roughly about eight JR stations in between. In Biei, the rolling hills and pastoral scenery change with the seasons — the fresh green of late spring, the white potato blossoms of summer, the golden hues of ripe wheat in autumn, and the endless silver-white snowfields of winter. The poetry of the four seasons of the northern land unfolds here.

 

Beyond the summer-exclusive lavender, Furano also showcases various wildflowers cultivated by different farms from mid-June to early September. Additionally, there are attractions such as the Forest Fairy Terrace, filming locations from the north, a cheese workshop, and a wine workshop, all presenting the local lifestyle of Furano.

 

Bike & Stroll – Encounter a Romantic Sea of Flowers in Biei

The undulating fields divided into blocks of beautiful colors, the shadows of trees on the hills, and the giant hay rolls in autumn evoke the pastoral scenery of European small towns. Nature’s unique canvas, through the lens of photographers, has become world-renowned scenery. Every year, many people come specially to fulfill their longing for serene countryside, wandering through the landscape on foot, by car, or—most popularly—by bicycle.

Biei is divided into two main sightseeing routes centered around JR Biei Station: the Quilt Road and the Ultra Wide Angle Road. You can choose your preferred itinerary based on your schedule and preferences. The small restaurants or cafes scattered in the fields are also quite charming.

Quilt Road

Centered around JR Biei Station, the Quilt Road to the north is a popular spot for many advertisements. You can start from the Four Seasons Information Center in front of the station, and make your way around Flower Field Hill, Ken and Mary’s Tree, Seven Star Tree, Parent and Child Tree, Mild Seven Hill, and North West Hill Observation Park, eventually returning to JR Biei Station. This route is 18.3 kilometers long. As it’s mostly hilly terrain, excluding mealtime, walking slowly takes about five hours, while cycling takes about two hours. Among them, the North West Hill Observation Park, represented by its snow-white pyramid-shaped observation deck, covers an area of 5 hectares and is planted with wildflowers such as lavender, sunflowers, and cosmos. From the observation deck, you can overlook the pastoral hills of Biei and the distant Daisetsuzan Mountain Range.