Grand, Beautiful Countryside Views! 8 Must-Visit Tourist Spots in Furano

Grand, Beautiful Countryside Views! 8 Must-Visit Tourist Spots in Furano

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Written by :  GOOD LUCK TRIP

Furano in Hokkaido is a popular destination known for its expansive rural scenery and breathtaking natural landscapes.
With many flower fields, you can enjoy seasonal blooms throughout the year, but the most famous are the lavender fields that are at their best from late June to late July.
The stunning view, like a purple carpet spreading across the entire area, is truly spectacular.
In this article, we’ll introduce Furano’s appeal, the best seasons to visit, and popular sightseeing spots.
If you visit the sightseeing spots introduced here, you’ll be able to fully enjoy Furano’s grand, beautiful natural scenery.
Use this article as a guide and explore Furano for yourself.

What is Furano Like?

Furano is located in central Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost region.
Surrounded by mountains, Furano sits in a basin, so temperatures can vary greatly within a single day and across the year.
Local produce grown with this terrain and climate is popular nationwide, with melons and onions especially well-known.
It’s also famous for cultivating wine grapes, and Furano Wine is highly popular across Japan.
Other local favorites include omu-curry and dairy-based dishes made with cheese and other dairy products, making Furano a great place to enjoy food as well.
In flower-filled Furano, the lavender fields that peak from late June to late July are a must-see.
The breathtaking view of purple stretching across the landscape is something you can only see in Furano.
And don’t forget that Furano is also a ski town.
In winter, consistent, high-quality snow falls, and winter sports are thriving.
You can feel Furano’s nature with your whole body, so why not enjoy skiing too?

Furano is known for its diverse natural landscapes
Furano is known for its diverse natural landscapes

When is the best season to visit Furano?

If you’re visiting Furano for sightseeing, spring through summer is recommended.
That’s because many days are comfortably mild, and beautiful flowers are in full bloom.
In particular, the lavender fields from late June to late July are one of Furano’s signature views.
The purple carpet spreading on a scale beyond imagination is beautiful and vibrant, and with the mountains in view, you’ll also feel Furano’s grand natural landscape.

What to wear in Furano by season

  • Spring (March - May): Down jacket, coat, thick sweater, scarf, gloves
  • Summer (June - August): Short sleeves, long-sleeve shirt, light sweater
  • Fall (September - November): Coat, jacket, sweater
  • Winter (December - February): Down jacket, coat, thick sweater, scarf, gloves

How do you get to Furano?

A recommended route is to fly from Haneda Airport in Tokyo to Asahikawa Airport in Hokkaido, then take a bus from Asahikawa Airport to Furano.
You can get there in around 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours.
From major cities like Osaka and Nagoya, it’s also recommended to fly to Asahikawa Airport.
Asahikawa Airport also has international flights, making it convenient to access from overseas.

Main ways to get around Furano

Some sightseeing spots can be visited on foot, but using buses and other transportation is more convenient and helps you save energy.
If possible, renting a car is recommended.
With flexible transportation, you should be able to visit sightseeing spots more efficiently.
Driving through Furano and Hokkaido’s vast landscapes feels great, so it’s highly recommended.

8 Popular Tourist Spots in Furano

Furano has many flower fields where beautiful blooms appear in every season.
The lavender fields that peak around July are especially famous, with scenery that looks like a purple carpet laid out across the land. This grand, vibrant view can only be seen in Furano.
Of course, Furano offers many other spectacular views besides lavender fields.
If you’re visiting Furano, plan your trip around the popular sightseeing spots introduced below.

1. Farm Tomita

A tourist farm in Nakafurano, Hokkaido, famous for its elegant lavender fields stretching across a vast scale.
In addition to the magnificent lavender fields, its signature “Irodori no Hata (Colorful Fields)” features vivid bands of flowers—purple lavender, white baby’s breath, and red poppies—painted across a gently sloping canvas.

Be moved by a world of colorful flowers that fills your view
Be moved by a world of colorful flowers that fills your view

2. Hokuseiyama Lavender Garden

Hokuseiyama, the symbol of Nakafurano, is popular as a ski resort in winter.
On its mid-slope, a town-run lavender field has been created, and in summer you can enjoy beautiful flowers. Four types of lavender are cultivated, and the best time to see them is from mid-July to early August.
In addition to the standard purple varieties, near the summit observatory you can also see the white lavender “Misato Sekka,” gifted from Misato Town in Akita Prefecture, in bloom.

Ride the sightseeing lift to the summit, where colorful flower fields and sweeping views await
Ride the sightseeing lift to the summit, where colorful flower fields and sweeping views await

3. Hinode Park Lavender Garden

A popular park with lavender fields spread across Approx. 4.2 ha.
From late June to late July, the entire hilly area is covered in lavender, letting you enjoy vibrant purple blooms swaying in the breeze and a refreshing fragrance.
It’s mainly planted with a late-blooming variety called Okamurasaki, so it’s also a plus that you can still enjoy it even if you visit toward the end of the season.

A park known for lavender fields coloring the hills and as a popular spot for couples
A park known for lavender fields coloring the hills and as a popular spot for couples

4. Roller Coaster Road

In an unaddressed area in Furano, Hokkaido, where there are almost no private homes, there is a roller-coaster-like road that gently slopes for Approx. 4 km, then suddenly drops steeply, followed by a steep climb.
With the Tokachidake mountain range in the distance, rural scenery spreads out all around.
It has become a popular sightseeing spot—so much so that many people say it was the best place they visited in Hokkaido.

A beautiful view too! A roller-coaster-like road that continues for Approx. 4 km
A beautiful view too! A roller-coaster-like road that continues for Approx. 4 km

5. Miyama Pass Art Park

Located along National Route at Miyama Pass on the border between Kamifurano and Biei, Miyama Pass Art Park is a multi-purpose facility packed with playful charm.
At its center is the Trick Art Museum, featuring mysterious trick art works—pieces that look like they pop out despite being flat, or change appearance depending on the angle. It’s a hands-on museum where you can do more than just look: touch the works and take photos with them in any way you like.

An interactive multi-purpose facility where you can enjoy trick art and Furano’s sweeping scenery
An interactive multi-purpose facility where you can enjoy trick art and Furano’s sweeping scenery

6. Kanno Farm

National Route 237, which runs from Asahikawa through Biei and Furano to Shimukappu, is a popular spot nicknamed the “Kabin Kaido (Flower People Road),” as many flower fields dot the vast terrain.
Kanno Farm is also located along National Route 237, and it’s a tourist farm with free admission where you can enjoy seasonal flowers.
More than 30 types bloom from mid-June to mid-October, including salvia, cleome, and kochia, but the most popular are the lavender fields planted with several varieties from early- to late-blooming types.

Enjoy seasonal flower views—especially a sea of purple lavender—at this roadside tourist farm
Enjoy seasonal flower views—especially a sea of purple lavender—at this roadside tourist farm

7. Patchwork Road

The vast hilly area stretching northwest of Biei’s town center is called “Patchwork Road,” a scenic spot familiar from Hokkaido tourism brochures and TV commercials.
It got its name because the way various crops are planted in separate plots looks like a patchwork quilt.

A hilly area with a colorful landscape that looks like patchwork
A hilly area with a colorful landscape that looks like patchwork

8. Furano Ski Resort

Furano Ski Resort is a ski resort located a 10-minute drive from downtown Furano City in Hokkaido.
It’s also known as part of the “Hokkaido Powder Belt,” an area famous for some of the world’s best powder snow.
It’s divided into two areas—the “Furano Zone” and the “Kitanomine Zone”—with a total of 28 diverse courses.

Approx. 10 minutes by car from downtown! A snow resort where you can enjoy high-quality powder snow
Approx. 10 minutes by car from downtown! A snow resort where you can enjoy high-quality powder snow

3 Classic Shopping Spots in Furano

Furano has plenty of places where you can buy Hokkaido-style goods and gourmet items.
In particular, Rokkatei’s butter sandwich is so famous and popular that it’s sold at shops and product fairs nationwide.
If you’re sightseeing in Furano, be sure to visit the shopping spots introduced below.

1. Ningle Terrace

A shopping area located a 2-minute walk from the New Furano Prince Hotel in Furano City, Hokkaido.
“Ningle” refers to the “wise people of the forest,” about 15 cm tall, who live in Hokkaido’s woods and appear in the play “Ningle” by playwright So Kuramoto.
In a beautiful forest that feels like a fairy tale, 15 log cabins line up, each selling craft works inspired by nature.

Find one-of-a-kind crafts in the forest where the Ningle live
Find one-of-a-kind crafts in the forest where the Ningle live

2. Campana Rokkatei

Vineyards spread across a 24,000-tsubo hilly area with views of the Daisetsuzan mountain range.
Nestled within them, Campana Rokkatei is a shop and cafe by the confectionery maker Rokkatei, known for treats like the Marusei Butter Sandwich and Choco Marron.
The interior, which also serves as a cafe, features an open, glass-walled design. In an outstanding location with panoramic views of Mt. Tokachi, you can enjoy shopping and tea time.

A shop with a cafe space where you can also enjoy Rokkatei sweets and light meals
A shop with a cafe space where you can also enjoy Rokkatei sweets and light meals

3. Furano Marche 2

Furano is famous for lavender fields and as a drama filming location, but agriculture and livestock farming are also thriving.
Furano Marche, a place where you can eat local gourmet dishes made with vegetables and fruits from Furano—this “treasure trove of ingredients”—expanded to become Furano Marche 2.

Enjoy Furano cuisine—a “treasure trove of ingredients”—to the fullest! Make delicious travel memories
Enjoy Furano cuisine—a “treasure trove of ingredients”—to the fullest! Make delicious travel memories

2 Recommended Places to Stay in Furano

Furano offers a wide variety of accommodations, from hotels where you can savor nature’s bounty to places that feel like staying in an overseas-style condominium.
Here are two accommodations that are perfect for travelers who want to relax and truly refresh on their trip.

1. Ishi-tei Furano

Located in the center of Hokkaido and surrounded by grand nature.
Furano is also famous as the setting for TV dramas.
This accommodation is conveniently located just a 1-minute walk from JR Furano Station, right in front of the station.
Its concept is not “to stay,” but to “live” here in Furano, even if only temporarily.

Stay in a high-sense, two-story space, for a lifestyle that feels like an overseas condominium
Stay in a high-sense, two-story space, for a lifestyle that feels like an overseas condominium

2. Hotel & Condominium Ichika

Opened in December 2018.
A hotel & condominium produced by Group Raison, which owns wineries across Japan.
With the concept of “a villa for guests visiting the winery,” this relaxing hotel offers 33 guest rooms, a lounge, a bistro, and bathing facilities in a soothing space where you can enjoy a luxurious atmosphere without feeling stiff.

A relaxing hotel where you can elegantly enjoy wine and Hokkaido’s bounty
A relaxing hotel where you can elegantly enjoy wine and Hokkaido’s bounty

FAQ about Furano Travel

Q

What are Furano’s famous local foods?

A

Omu-curry, dairy products made with cheese, melons, and more are local specialties.

Q

How long does it take to get from Furano to Biei?

A

It takes around 40 minutes by using the JR Furano Line.

Q

When is the best time to see lavender in Furano?

A

It varies slightly by spot, but it’s from late June to late July.

Summary

In this article, we introduced popular sightseeing spots in Furano, along with the best seasons to visit.
Furano’s charm lies in its delicious produce grown in a basin climate and its beautiful natural scenery, led by its lavender fields.
If you visit the spots introduced in this article, you should be able to fully enjoy the grand nature of Hokkaido—known as the northern land—and Furano.
You can also enjoy Furano specialties like omu-curry and wine through its food scene.
If you’re visiting Hokkaido, the following article also introduces sightseeing spots you’ll want to know about.
Be sure to check it out as well.