Moving from Sapporo, if you are in Japan in July or during Winter, then this place might be for you. In July, the flowers are blooming, you get the opportunity to see a magnificent lavender farm. Also, you can take part in the cheese factory trying to make your own or go to the Furano winery. If you are here in the Winter, you come to the tourist spot for skiing resorts and one of the most popular amongst others in the region.
If you are coming from Sapporo, there is a direct train that takes you only 2 hours. If you are looking for accommodation, as the town is quite small, I would recommend staying somewhere close by the station unless you are going skiing in which case aim for the resorts further out and closer to the mountain. If you are looking for budget accommodation, then Hostel TOMAR might be your best bet as I think it’s the only hostel in that town. Otherwise feel free to stay amongst one of the other few hotels.
Once you arrive in Furano, you can take the special Norokko-go train that runs only between June - August that will take you close to the farm. Otherwise, there are other trains that take you 1 stop away from it with a 20 – 30 min walk. When you get here, you will get to try everything with lavender in it, whether it be lemonade, ice cream or even coffee. You might get sick of lavender after this visit, just saying… But you will have an amazing time before you do. Unfortunately, when I was there the flowers had not fully bloomed, hopefully when you are there they will be.
Try everything you can as they all have their own flavours, there are also a few restaurants around if you ever feel peckish or hungry. The lavender is very subtle in some of the things, however in others can be very noticeable. It does not change the flavour immensely but is something unique and it’s not like you get to try flavours like this every day.
There will be a lot of vegetarian options there as they also grow those along with some melons, so be sure to try those out if you get the chance.
Do you want to try Japanese Curry? Look no further, this place is where you go. Does not matter if you eat meat or not, this place serves your needs. Go for their curry dishes and you will not be disappointed, if you are also a beer fan try some of their home brews.
All of the pieces came together and were each cooked to perfection. Everything one after the other melted in your mouth, you just wanted to eat more and more. Before you know it, you finished the dish and you feel like your belly will burst with how good that meal was. You top that off with some home brewed beer. At the end you feel satisfied and great.
Remember these places close relatively early compared to normal western times so eat slightly early if you have to. This place can get busy, so they might put you with strangers sometimes for space.
Hours:
Monday: Closed Tuesday– Sunday: 11AM – 8:30PM
Personal Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Average Cost: ¥3,000– ¥5,000 (£23 – £37) per person
The largest national park within the Hokkaido region. If you are a fan of hiking or looking for that beautiful view, then this is a MUST see. You will not be disappointed but expect a challenging hike up the very steep MT. ASAHI-DAKE. This mountain is the tallest in the region at 2,291m high. A lot of Japanese people hike up and down but be warned this would require hiking poles and hiking boots (you may be able to rent these at the bottom) as it can be extremely rough and one bad slip on the edge could cost you your life. I did not know this prior to going up there as I had only decided the day before to go, I had trainers only and they broke while going up and down, slipped a few times and took way longer than it should have for my own safety. Even so, the experience was worth all of it and I would do it again in a heartbeat with better equipment.
You also do not need to go hiking up the mountain, you can take the cable car up to 1,500m before the hike begins which will still give you a magnificent view well worth your money.
There are also different onsens, other easier hikes around the area if you do not want to risk your life, scared, or just want to take it easy. Getting to this park however is not the easiest thing in the world. If you can get a car, then that would be the easiest and fastest way. If you need public transport this can get a bit tricky, if you are going from Furano there are 2 buses you need to take.
First, you need to get up very early for this as it leaves at 6 am from the station, you then need to change at the airport to another bus that comes 2-3 mins later and will take you to the base of the park. When you get on the bus, they will give you a ticket, once you get off you put the ticket in and pay the fare that is shown. You are looking at ¥2000 each way for buses only. There is a tourist booth under Hostel TOMAR if you need more information on how to get there and what you can do.
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