- July 15th, 2014
- Nature
- FamousSpots
- CentralArea
[Furano and Biei] Hills and Flowers Create Beautiful Scenery
I introduce about the lavender on the first page, and introduce about the hills of the Biei on the second page, and introduce about Shirogane area, From the North Country, other tourist attractions, foods and onsen on the third page.
Hills of Biei
The Biei has a lot of gently curved hills, colorful flowers and impressive silhouettes of trees. A lot of people is impressed by represented simple sceneries of Hokkaido. The hills of the biei tour are roughly divided into 2 parts, the north side and the south side. The north side is called Patchwork Road (パッチワークの路), and the south side is called Panorama Road (パノラマロード), and those attract a lot of the tourists.
The Biei Station and Bibaushi Station are as starting points, and the tourists enjoy the Hills of the Biei tour. If you are going to a lot of the tourist attaractions, propably you must move about 50 km, and roads have many ups and downs, so it is the most effortless way to move by a car. In the Biei Station, the Eki Rent-a-car is provided. * The Biei branch has been closed down since 2020. Tourists can drive a rental car. In addition, the Biyu Bus (美遊バス) is served. The Biyu Bus (Flower Fields and Hills Tour) runs from early June to mid September, and the Biyu Bus (Flower Fields and Hills Tour) runs from mid September to early October. The tourists can be easy to look around.
Rental bicycles are provided at some shops, too. There are Guided Cycling Tour Biei, Terashima Shokai (寺島商会), Matsuura Shokai (松浦商店), Takikawa Cycle (滝川サイクル) and Uno Shoten (宇野商店) near the Biei Station, and there is Guide-no-Yamagoya (ガイドの山小屋) near the Bibaushi Station. Rental motor scooters are provided at Biei Sogo Auto Center (美瑛綜合オートセンター), the Takikawa Cycle and the Terashima Shokai, too.
In addition, the Hills of the Biei are known for a beautiful scenery even in a winter, and a lot of photographers come to take a picture. Please wrap yourself up well, and visit tourist attractions because each facilities are closed without clearing snow sometimes. By the way, as for latest news, the tourists entered farmlands for their best shots, and cases to be in trouble with farm-owners have increased. Please stop entering the farmlands because other tourists might not be able to approach famous tourist attractoins.
Patchwork Road
Because crops and flowers planted in extended farm lands looked like a scenery like patchwork, it was named the Patchwork Road. I think that the patchwork is a good name. For prevention of repeated cultivation failure, different crops are planted in the farm lands every year. The visitors can almost never see the same scenery. That made the Biei scenery popular, too. Just a road named "Patchwork Road" seems to be in the north side of the Biei, but I do not know which is the road, so I call the north side of the Biei the Patchwork Road. Famous tourist attractions are as follows. "Zerubu Hill", "Ken and Mary's Tree", "Sevenstar Tree", "Parent and Child Trees", "Hokusei-no-oka Observatory Park", "Mildseven Hill".
Hokusei-no-Oka Observatory Park
Hokusei-no-Oka Observatory Park (北西の丘展望公園) is a park on a small hill in Biei town located in the southeastern direction of Asahikawa city, and has been established since 1995. Hokusei-no-Oka Pyramid Observation Deck (北西の丘ピラミッド展望台) is built on the site of about 6 ha. Lavender and Sunflower are planted in a summer, too. It takes about 30 minutes to look around the park. There are a public restrrom, Hayatsuma Store (はやつま商会), Hatake-no-Mise Sato (畑の店さとう), Shunichi Abe Photo Gallery (阿部俊一写真ギャラリー), Haruo Kikuchi Photo Gallery (菊地晴夫写真ギャラリー) and a tourist information center on the site, too. Boiled corn sold at the store and the photo galleries have a good reputation among tourists. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge, too. In a winter, the stores and the public restroom are closed, and the parking lot and the observatory deck are available. Read More
Mildseven Hill
Mildseven Hill (マイルドセブンの丘) is a hill in Biei town located in the southeastern direction of Asahikawa city, and Japanese larches are planted as a windbreak forest along the hill ridge, and was named after Mildseven (famous Japanese cigarette). The trees were printed on posters of the cigarette in 1978. A sales copy was "White Best Sellers", and blue sky with a vapor trail and thw winter Mildseven Hill were designed on the poster. The hill has became a famous tourist attraction. A parking space for about 5 cars is provided, But a public restroom is not provided. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Private Fields No Trespassing ! Unfortunately, the two thirds trees have been cut down in 2018. Read More
Sevenstar Tree
Sevenstar Tree (セブンスターの木) is an oak on Patchwork Hill (パッチワークの丘) in Biei town located in the southeastern direction of Asahikawa city, and was named after Sevenstar (famous Japanese cigarette). The tree was printed on a package of the cigarette in 1976, and has became a famous tourist attraction. A parking lot is provided near the tree. But a public restroom is not provided. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Private Fields No Trespassing ! Read More
Parent and Child Trees
3 oaks grow on a hill, and those look like parents that have a good relationship with a child. The trees stand out against the farm. Because the tourists can look just large trees when the tourists look at those closely, I suggest that the tourists will look at the trees at a distance. The tree of the child was broken in 2015, and the Parent and Child Trees (親子の木) became the parent trees. But a farm-owner planted new tree of the child in 2016, and 3 oaks stand at present. Private Fields No Trespassing ! In addition, a narrow road to the Parent and Child Trees is not allowed to drive cars because those may disturb agrimotor.
| Admission fee | Free of charge |
|---|---|
| Parking lot | Parking lot is not provided * Pull over to the shoulder of a road |
| Business hours | 24 hours |
| Regular closing day | Open all year round |
| Telephone number | - |
| Home page | Home page is not provided |
Ken and Mary Tree
Ken and Mary Tree (ケンとメリーの木) is a large poplar tree in Biei town located in the southeastern direction of Asahikawa city, and is easy to find because it grows tall on gentle hillside. Here was choosen as a shooting place for a television commercial, Episode "Journey without a map" of Nissan Skyline "Ken and Mary" CM broadcasted in 1976, and the tree was named after character's names. Pension Ken an Mary and Cafe "Tree Terrace" are built near the tree. The cafe has a photo spot "Kenmeri Panoramic Park" (ケンメリパノラマパーク). A large public parking lot is provided, too. But a public restroom is not provided. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Private Fields No Trespassing ! Read More
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Zerubu Hill
Zerubu Hill (ぜるぶの丘) is a tourist flower garden run by Atom-nouki corporation along Furano National Route (National Route 237) in Biei town located in the southeastern direction of Asahikawa city. Colorful flowers are planted with Mt. Asahidake (旭岳) or Tokachidake Mountain Range (十勝岳連峰) as a backdrop on gentle hillside, and visitors can enjoy a typical view of Hokkaido. There are flower fields, a grass open space, Atomu Hill (亜斗夢の丘), Zerubu-no-Oka Restaurant (ぜるぶの丘レストラン), Zerubu Cafe (カフェゼルブ), Zerubu-no-Oka Atomu Shop (ぜるぶの丘アトムショップ), a parking lot and restrooms on the site. Ken and Mery Tree (ケンとメリーの木) can be seen from Atomu Hill Observation Deck on the 3rd floor. They have 2 hills, Zerubu Hill and Atomu Hill, But the Atomu Hill is not a hill but a building. A souvenir shop opens on the 1st floor, and a gallery is held on the 2nd floor, and the observation deck is built on the 3rd floor. The Zerura Hill is open from late April to early October. * Only the restaurant is open through the year. A soft serve ice cream is popular. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Read More
Panorama Road
Japanese larches planted as windbreak forests are dotted along hill ridges at the foot of Tokachidake Mountain Range, and winding roads pass through fields. The Panorama Road was named in honor of panorama views that make a good picture. I do not know which is the road, so I call the south side of the Biei the Panorama Road. Famous tourist attractions are as follows. "Shinei Hill Observatory Park", "Christmas Tree", "Bibaushi Elementary School", "Shikisai Hill", "Takushinkan", "Mizusawa Dam", "Sanai hill Observatory Park". Except those, Red Roof House in Fields (赤い屋根のある丘), Farms Chiyoda and Chiyoda-no-Oka Observation Deck (千代田の丘見晴らし台) are famous, too. But I have never seen those unfortunately.
Takushikan
Takushikan (拓真館) is a gallery built by Mr. Shinzo Maeda (前田真三), a famous landscape photographer. He created an opportunity to come to be known to world people about the Biei. About 30,000 people visited here. It is closed in a winter. The tourists can look at about 80 seasonal photographs of Biei such as "The contrast between autumn and wheat (麦秋鮮烈)" and "The tower of sunset (夕焼けの塔)". Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge.
| Admission fee | Free of charge |
|---|---|
| Parking lot | Free parking is provided (10 Cars) |
| Business hours | From May to October 09:30-17:00 From November to December 10:00-16:00 |
| Regular closing day | Winter season |
| Telephone number | +81-166-92-3355 |
| Home page | Home page is here |
Bibaushi Elementary School
Bibaushi Elementary School (美馬牛小学校) is an European church-like school building in harmony with a neighboring of hills. It features a tower with triangle roofs. Because the school is opening at present, an entrance to the school is prohibited. The tourists can look it only from the outside.
| Admission fee | Outlanders are prohibited from entering the site |
|---|---|
| Parking lot | A parking facility is not provided * Free parking is provided (20 Cars) in front of elementary school |
| Business hours | - |
| Regular closing day | - |
| Telephone number | - |
| Home page | Home page is not provided |
Shikisai-no-Oka
Shikisai-no-Oka Hill (四季彩の丘) is a tourist farm in Biei town located in the southeastern direction of Asahikawa city, and there are fields and flower fields on hillsides, and it is well-known for enjoying typical views of Hokkaido such as colorful flowers with Tokachidake Mountain Range (十勝岳連峰) as a backdrop. The flower fields can be savored from a spring to an autumn, and a snow tubing or a snowmobile can be played in a winter. There are Restaurant "Flox Hall" that soup curry has a good reputation, a shop, a souvenir shop, a restroom, Alpaca Ranch (アルパカ牧場) and a parking lot on the site. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. * They accept JPY 200, a donation, for flower field maintenance. As for the Alpaca Ranch, the admission is JPY 500. Read More
Shinei-no-Oka Observatory Park
Shinei-no-Oka Obserbatory Park is a park on a small hill in Biei town located in the southeastern direction of Asahikawa city, and is well-known for Roll-Kun (ロールくん) made of hay. The park surrounded by fields is built on the hilltop at about 300 m above sea level, and a 360-degree view can be seen. In addition, People says that the most beautiful setting sun in Japan can be seen, too, so it will be worth visiting. There are a parking lot, a public restroom and Shiei-no-Oka Fumisha (新栄の丘風味舎). Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Those are closed in a winter. Around Private Fields No Trespassing ! Read More
Sanai-no-Oka Observatory Park
Sanai-no-Oka Observatory Park (三愛の丘展望公園) is a park on a small hill in Biei town located in the southeastern direction of Asahikawa city, and a beautiful typical scenery of Hokkaido with gentle ridge of hills in the Biei can be seen. A gazebo, a parking lot and a public restroom are built on the small hill at about 310 m above sea level. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Those are closed in a winter. Read More
Christmas Tree
Christmas Tree (クリスマスツリーの木) is a spruce tree on a gentle hillside in Biei town located in the southeastern direction of Asahikawa city. As for the origin of the name, there are various opinions, for example it resembles a shape of a christmas tree, or the tip of the tree shows the shape of a star. Anyway, the name is related to the christmas tree without decoration. This tree is one of most popular trees in the Biei. Because a direction board is not built, it is hard to find the place, but it is a mark that some tourists often will be there. You will be probably moved if you find it. A parking lot or a restroom are not provided. You should park your car on the shoulder of a road. Admission free. Read More
I introduce about the lavender on the first page, and introduce about the hills of the Biei on the second page, and introduce about Shirogane area, From the North Country, other tourist attractions, foods and onsen on the third page.
List of Accommodations
Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Biei. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.
Biei
Shirogane Onsen
I introduce about the lavender on the first page, and introduce about the hills of the Biei on the second page, and introduce about Shirogane area, From the North Country, other tourist attractions, foods and onsen on the third page.
By the way, Club Tourism (クラブツーリズム), a Japanese tour travel agency, provides various types of tours such as day trip tours or ordinary tours. In the case of bus tours, tourists do not drive their cars themselves, so they can savor alcohol. Choosen tourist attractions are national parks such as Rishiri and Rebun, Shiretoko, and popular tourist places such as Furano and Biei, and some activities such as hiking and fruit picking are also enjoyed depending on seasons. If you are interested in tour trips, you should visit the club tourism's website for details.
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I hope you enjoy yourself!
Thank a lot for your reply, I’m very busy to gather useful info from your site since 18:00 (now is 21:40 already) and thank again for very useful info 😀
still draft (roughly) my itinerary on 4 Sep. Might think about departure time from Obihiro. Since we might have many destination to stop by.
Hi, Krit san,
Welcome to Hokkaido!
If you like flower fields, you may like as follows.
Obihiro (Tokachi)
Shichiku Garden
http://shichikugarden.com/
Tokachi Hills
http://www.tokachi-hills.jp.e.ne.hp.transer.com/
Furano
Kaze-no-Garedn
http://hokkaido-garden.jp.e.ua.hp.transer.com/garden02.shtml
* There is Ningle Terrace (Famous Popular Spot) at the same site, too.
http://www.princehotels.co.jp/furano-area/summer/ningle/
Farm Tomita
http://www.farm-tomita.co.jp/en/
* Lavender is gone.
Biei
Shikisai-no-Oka
http://www.shikisainooka.jp/en/
Zerubi-no-Oka
http://biei.selfip.com/
Kanno Farm
http://www.kanno-farm.com/
Asahikawa
Ueno Farm
http://www.uenofarm.net/index.php
Hi, Greeting from Thailand.
I will be in Obihiro from 1-4 Sep and will follow your trace about food while in Obihiro. Do you happen to know about it worth the time to drive from Obihiro – Furano – Biei -Asahikawa – Sapporo on 4 Sep? is there any place the should stop by. I heard that at that time lavender filed will be gone so not sure that it have any flower filed or any spot should visit?
Thank you very much 😀
Hi, Gonzales san,
Welcome to Hokkaido!
In reply to your inquiry, I think that Hokusei-no-Oka Observatory, Ken and Merry Tree, Zerubu Hill and Mild Seven Hill can be reached on foot. Another spots are a little far away, and you will get tired.
There are some rental bicycle shops in Biei and Bibaushi.
https://www.biei-hokkaido.jp/modelcourse/
You might want to rent a bicycle to go around many spots.
Have a nice trip!
Hi Good Hokkaido!
I will be in Sapporo this July and I plan to go to Biei via the Lavender Express and then transfer to the Norokko train. Are all the spots like the Shikisai Hill, Shinei-no-oka Observatory, Mild Seven, Parent and Child, etc can be reached just by walking?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Hi, Zoraida san!
Thank you for your comment.
Cherry blossoms in Hokkaido are best viewed around early May every year.
Probably the cherry blossoms will still bloom.
The cherry blossoms may begin to fall. But it is very good, too.
Those are famous cherry blossom viewing spots that I have ever been to.
https://good-hokkaido.info/en/hokkaido-cherry-blossom/
Have a nice trip!
Hi I’ll be traveling on mid may
What will I be seen in that time in Hokkaido or hakodate
Will it be still cherry blossom?
Hi, Tiffany san!
Thank you for your comment.
As you wrote, I think it is too early, too.
But cherry blossoms are in full bloom in early May.
A combination of the cherry blossoms and sceneries is good.
In addition, Onsen at Kamifurano is very nice, too.
Hi! Are all these fields and trees listed here worth a visit during early spring (early may)? I’m worried about being too early- nothing to see.