Explera DMC Japan builds Furano and Biei into summer Hokkaido programmes for groups: lavender at Farm Tomita, usually at its peak around mid-July, Biei's patchwork hills and the Blue Pond, and a night at Shirogane Onsen. Asahikawa Airport is the nearest gateway, about 20 minutes from Biei and around an hour from Furano by road.
Hokkaido sells itself on cool summers, wide skies and flowers, and nowhere shows that more clearly than the Furano and Biei area in the middle of the island. Rolling hills are cut into stripes of lavender, potatoes, wheat and flowers, and the Tokachi mountains sit behind. For groups avoiding the humid heat of Honshu in July, it is an easy sell.
When is the lavender in Furano at its best?
Furano is best known for lavender, with Farm Tomita the best-known stop: bands of lavender and mixed flower beds on a hillside, with shops selling lavender sweets and ice cream. The earliest lavender shows colour from late June, the peak usually falls around mid-July, and late varieties hold on into early August. The exact weeks change each year, so we check the farm's bloom updates before fixing dates. Other farms in the area are quieter.
Biei and the patchwork hills
Biei lies a short drive north. Its Patchwork Road is a loop of gentle hills, single trees and farmland that photographers love; groups see it from the coach with a few roadside stops. The Blue Pond, at Shirogane, is a turquoise pond with dead tree trunks standing in the water; it formed after works on the Biei River that followed the 1988 eruption of Mount Tokachi. It is a short stop, busy in high season, and it is lit up on winter evenings.
Other stops around the area
- Shirogane Onsen. A hot-spring area above Biei with open-air baths, for an overnight.
- Asahiyama Zoo. Asahikawa's popular zoo, good for families and school groups.
- Furano food. Melons in summer, Furano wine and local cheese.
How we plan it
Asahikawa Airport is the closest gateway: Biei is about 20 minutes away by road and Furano around an hour. Sapporo is about two hours by train. Peak lavender weeks are crowded and hotels fill, so we book early and keep a morning start to stay ahead of the tour buses. Summer is also cooler than Honshu, and the area pairs well with Sapporo and Otaru. See our Hokkaido group tours guide, our Hokkaido tours guide and our flower seasons guide.
Sources: Farm Tomita (official), Shirogane Blue Pond on JNTO's Japan.travel and Furano Tourism Association.
FAQ
When is the best time for lavender? Usually around mid-July, though bloom varies by year; we confirm close to travel.
Is Furano worth visiting outside summer? Yes. Autumn colour and winter snow are quieter, and the hills look very different without flowers.
How long do groups need? One night covers Furano and Biei; two nights allows Shirogane Onsen and the zoo.
Which airport should a group fly into? Asahikawa is the closest, about 20 minutes from Biei. New Chitose near Sapporo has far more flights, so we often fly groups into New Chitose and build in a road transfer of two hours or more.
Want Furano and Biei in your clients' Japan programme? Write to b2b@explera.jp, message the trade desk on WhatsApp at +66 93 656 8090, or register on the B2B portal. Proposals within 24 hours. IATA TIDS 96215733, ASTA member 900408341.
