Furano has a unique landscape that sits on the Sorachi and Furano rivers and is surrounded by Tokachi Mountains.
It is also well known as the filming site for the famous TV series Kita no Kunikara.

Lavender field may be the first thing that comes to mind in Furano, but there is so much more!
This article will guide you with the standard sightseeing spots to the niche famous activities in town. 

Pair your Furano trip with other beautiful destinations from the popular Biei to a niche favorite Shimukappu, all of which have been verified by the dosankos (people born in Hokkaido) as recommendation spots.

Where is Furano?

Furano along with Biei is often referred to as Furano/Biei area as both cities are located in the central part of Hokkaido and are a 2 hour drive from Sapporo and 1 hour from Asahikawa.

You could definitely rent a car to get around or hop on the train or the bus.
For more information on how to get to Furano from Sapporo, read the article below.

Furano Spring in Full Bloom

Colorful flowers spread across the magnificent land and green hills…
These are the images of what people have of Hokkaido and all of them can be seen in Furano.

It has been said that spring to fall season is the best time to visit Furano and as for spring, the colorful flower field spreading across the horizon is by far the top recommendation. 
Let’s visit some top recommendations in Furano to make your trip a long-lasting memory. 

Endless Flowers – Flower Land Kamifurano

The Flower Land Kamifurano ranks top among Farm Tomita and Shikisai no Oka as the most well-known flower gardens in Furano/Biei area.
150,000 square meters of flower field has quite the view.
It turns into a bed of purple with lavenders in the summer and a colorful flower field in spring.
Also planted are poppies, germans, and cherry blossoms trees for visual pleasure. 

Quoted：フラワーランド かみふらの

Depending on when you visit, vegetable tasting such as melon and corn might be available.
If you come during the spring, asparagus is in season! Simply boil the fresh spears of asparagus for a healthy juicy snack that you’ll love.

Flower Land Kamifurano also offers Furano’s gourmet food so please enjoy the natural flowers along with a nice meal.

Furano Jam Garden

Quoted：ふらのジャム園

Furano Jam Garden has a wide array of jams for everyone to enjoy. The 38 different types all are made without a droplet of water and handmade with Hokkaido sugar. The most popular flavor is the haskap (blue honeysuckle) jam with the perfect balance of the sweet and sour.

There is also the Anpanman shop (popular kids cartoon) within the jam garden and it is the largest size in Japan.
Takashi Yanase, the creator of Anpanman helped with the design of the Anpanman shop and it has become the kids favorite spot to visit!
There is no entrance fee and jam making class is available (hour long class) for those who want to become a jam expert.

Mystery Wonder of Blue Pond – Biei

If you visit the town near Furano called Biei, you’ll most likely come across the famous Blue Pond.
It is widely recognized as a popular sightseeing spot and the water is at its clearest in spring, leaving everyone who comes to see amazed. 
To capture the cobalt blue, we recommend visiting in the early morning when it isn’t windy and the sunlight hits the lake surface.

Parking spots are available for those by car, and also busses that take you here.
For more information regarding the Blue Pond, follow the link below.

What is the Furano City Flower? (Hint: Not Lavender)

Lavender being the most popular sightseeing spot in Furano, it’s only natural to think of it as the official city flower. 
However, Ezo Murasaki-Tsutsuji is the designated flower for the city of Furano.
There are several surrounding cities that have lavender as their official city flower and the TV series Kita no Kunikara left a strong image of Furano = lavender to many people. 

Summer is the season to see fields covered in beautiful lavender, but let’s see what else is going on!

The Original Lavender Field

Farm Tomita, located in Nakafurano, hosts the largest lavender field in Japan and attracts 1 million tourists annually.
They all come to see the “traditional lavender field.”

The lavender field of Farm Tomita was introduced on the Japan Railways calendar and gained its national recognition.
The purple carpet of lavenders spreading across the slope will leave you impressed.

There are other types of flowers depending on the season.
The “Irodori no Hatake” (field of colors) consists of 7 color variations of flowers such as kasumisou, poppy, komachisou, and others. The sight is incredibility pleasant and you’ll forget to keep track of time. 

There are ample souvenirs selections from hand soap to perfume all of which have a nice floral scent.
Don’t forget to try their signature lavender ice cream as well!

If you’re interested in riding a bike through the lavender fields, check out the cycling tour offered in Furano.

There are other cycling activities in Furano as well!

Hokkaido’s Number 1 River Rafting

Mu River located in Shimukappu is well known among summer activity lovers as the site for river rafting.
The names of these places originated from the Ainu language (Hokkaido’s indigenous people) and mean “spring water” and “flow of water.”

Shimukappu is just south of Furano is known for the red and blue megalith, Akaiwa Seigankyo.
However, river rafting is the most popular activity here in summer.

Rafting at Mu River takes roughly 3 hours, so why not enjoy the active water in the morning and take the afternoon to visit the lavender field for relaxation?

Other river rafting activities are available as well.

Breathtaking Colors in Fall

Don’t let anyone tell you that once the summer lavender season is over, there’s nothing more to do in Furano…ever!
There are many attractive sightseeing spots in Furano in the fall as well.

The number of tourists is less in fall compared to summer, so the more Furano you can have to yourself.
The color foliage of the leaves is one of the main events, but please take a look at our other recommendations.

Grape Festival

The unique topography of Furano allows a large difference in temperature between morning and evening along with ample sunlight during the day.
This results in dark-colored grapes with high sugar content which produces the Furano wine, known for its tartness and rich flavor. To celebrate the harvest of grapes, the Furano Wine Grape Festival is held in the fall. 

Enjoy the world-renowned Furano wine and tasteful grape juices or even participate in grape stomping!
Cheese fondue is available at this event, and there is no admission fee so it is recommended to join with your friends and family.

Earliest Viewing of Fall Color Foliage – Tokachi Dake

Tokachi-dake, which is 2,077 meters above sea level, is crowded with mountain lovers looking forward to seeing the earliest fall color foliage in Japan.
Late September is the best time for viewing and don’t worry if you’re an avid mountain climber; Kamihoro Sou is a hot spring inn along Route 291 that has a wonderful view.

There is a large parking lot and the bus stop there is no need for full-on mountain climbing to view the color-changing leaves. Tokachi Bougakudai (observatory) is another great spot, but there are rocky paths so make sure you have a pair of athletic shoes.

Enjoy the View from the Sky?!

Tokachi area located below Furano consist of a famous city, Obihiro.
There is a unique activity that lets you enjoy the view of Hokkaido from the sky via motor powered paragliding.

Fly tandem with an instructor so no prior paragliding experience needed.

Furano is such a city packed with endless fun activities, how about a little relaxed horseback riding to ease your body?

Horseback riding and Hokkaido go hand in hand. Riding on the back of the friendly, people-loving horses for peaceful farm scenery is truly a refreshing experience. 

Winter Recommendations

When it comes to sightseeing in Furano, it is said that “spring and fall are the best times to visit”, and winter does not gain much attention. Despite the less popular, there are sceneries only available during winter.
Don’t let the cold weather stop you from exploring and enjoying the wonderful winter in Furano!

Can’t Miss the Wakasagi (smelt) Fishing

Not going to lie. It snows heavily in Furano, who said we can’t have fun in the snow?
Visit the Lake Kanayama in Minami Furano for your first wakasagi fishing experience. 

Free shuttle pick up/drop off available for wakasagi fishing tour if you’re staging at a hotel in Furano.

Magical Pictures on the Hills of Biei!

Biei, a neighboring town to Furano, is known for the green hills in the summer, but that same hill is just as beautiful in winter covered in snow.
The sight of a Christmas tree in the middle of a snow-covered field is quite the view. 

Many photographers visit the Mild Seven Hills which displays various landscape sceneries in each season.
Whether it’s snowing or not, the scenery is beautiful regardless.

Dog Sledding with Siberian Huskies!

Dog sledding is an activity exclusive to cold wintery areas and not many people know that it is available in Japan, right here in Furano!
Intelligent, strong-willed, and adorable Siberian huskies will take you on a dog sled ride through the snow-coated silver world for an exhilarating experience!

Furano Activity Summary

Furano’s majestic nature never fails to capture the hearts of visitors.
Some people choose Furano as their travel destination repeatedly, and it gets better each visit.
Try to make the best of your visit to Furano by considering our recommended spots!

For Hokkaido activity experiences visit Basho Trip