Skip to content
  • home
  • about me
  • my book
  • posts by region
    • sitemap
  • cookie policy

Calendar

April 2016
MTWTFSS
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
« Mar   Jun »

Archives

  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015

Categories

  • books
  • driving
  • food
  • greece
  • hiking
  • italy
  • itineraries
  • Japan
  • travel
  • Uncategorized
Japanese HorizonsTravel tips and stories from the Far East and the world
  • home
  • about me
  • my book
  • posts by region
    • sitemap
  • cookie policy

The lavender fields in Furano

patrickcolgan
Farm Tomita, Furano
Japan, travel Standard

Hokkaido, the wonderful lavender fields in the North of Japan

Furano doesn’t look too welcoming when you step off the train. A place of low, sparse houses and wide perpendicular streets. Empty. I realize once again how the cities and even more the Japanese towns can look soulless, anonymous. But Furano is something more. It has a peculiar atmosphere. Among the houses I catch glimpses of the beautiful mountains that surround the town. There is something in the air, something wild: it’s like a sound.
It’s as if the mountains are calling me.

Furano

Furano, photo by (Patrick Colgan, 2011)

I wish I had a car. Furano is famous for what’s around it: the nearby mountains are known for hiking and skiing, and the Daisetsuzan National Park is not far away. It’s also famous for the beautiful, perfectly shaped hills in the Biei area and well known for the long-running Japanese drama (a soap opera), Kita no kuni Kara (from a northern country); the area is also home to some really interesting products: wine and Camembert-style cheese. Eventually, Furano is also famous for flowers, especially lavender. July is the best month to see the fields in full bloom. This is why I came here.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Patrick Colgan - OrizzontiBlog (@orizzontiblog)

You can read the rest with the Kita no Kuni Kara theme on, if you want.

Farm Tomita

It’s July and Farm Tomita is supposed to be the best spot to see the flower crops in bloom. The lavender fields are a pleasing sight. But what is really special about Farm Tomita is not the sight of the flowers. Don’t get me wrong, they are incredibly beautiful, but not too different from what you can see in Italy or France. It is rather the context, the atmosphere that is special. What I love is the passion of the Japanese for events like these, that last only for a short span of time. The visit is more like a party. It resembles a spring hanami in the wrong season, and you toast with lavender ice cream rather than sake.

Farm Tomita

Farm Tomita, Furano (photo by Patrick Colgan, 2011)

Lavender in Furano at Farm Tomita

Lavender in Furano at Farm Tomita (photo by Patrick Colgan, 2011)

Farm Tomita, Furano

A… strange message. Farm Tomita, Furano (photo by Patrick Colgan, 2011)

Flowers in Farm Tomita, Furano

Flowers in Farm Tomita, Furano (photo by Patrick Colgan, 2012)

Flowers in Farm Tomita, Furano

Flowers in Farm Tomita, Furano (photo by Patrick Colgan, 2012)

Farm Tomita, Furano

Farm Tomita, Furano (photo by Patrick Colgan, 2012)

Lavender fields in Furano, at Farm Tomita

Lavender fields in Furano, at Farm Tomita (photo by Patrick Colgan, 2011)

Lavender in Furano, at Farm Tomita (photo by Patrick Colgan, 2011)

Lavender in Furano, at Farm Tomita (photo by Patrick Colgan, 2011)

Farm Tomita, Furano

Butterfly in Farm Tomita, Furano (photo by Patrick Colgan, 2011)

How to get to Furano and Farm Tomita

Furano can be reached with the express train from Sapporo (about two hours). In summer some trains stop during the weekend at the temporary station Lavender – Batake (230 yen about ten minutes). You will probably have to take the Furano Kururu bus instead, which runs three times a day (25 minutes, 1200 yen pass for two days). The most beautiful lavender fields are said to be those of Lavender east, about five kilometers east of Farm Tomita, unfortunately no bus goes there. In Hokkaido railways are not as developed as in other parts of the country. Therefore, the best way to move around the island is to rent a car.

Lavender in Furano: more info

  • The Farm Tomita website.
  • The page on Japan Guide.
  • Lavender ice cream at Farm Tomita
  • Furano on the offical Jnto page

All the texts are by Patrick Stephen Colgan. All pictures by me, when not otherwise specified, are licensed under the Creative Commons licence by-nc-sa. For commercial uses please contact me. Most posts are translated from my italian blog, Orizzonti.

Condividi:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Tags: hokkaido, japan, lavender

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Archives

  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015

Calendar

April 2016
MTWTFSS
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
« Mar   Jun »

Categories

  • books
  • driving
  • food
  • greece
  • hiking
  • italy
  • itineraries
  • Japan
  • travel
  • Uncategorized

Copyright Japanese Horizons 2023 | Theme by ThemeinProgress | Proudly powered by WordPress

 

Loading Comments...