By ANL | UPDATED: 25 Sep 2026

All photographs in this article were taken by Travel In Culture.

The lavender season in Furano, Hokkaido Japan peaks in July, when the countryside transforms into vast purple fields stretching across soft hills and farmland. Located in central Hokkaido, Furano is one of Japan’s most famous summer destinations, known for its lavender fields, flower farms such as Farm Tomita, and scenic rural landscapes.

From Sapporo, Furano is a popular day trip, and the journey itself is part of the experience. Travellers can take the Furano Lavender Train or connect via Asahikawa, passing through rice fields, rivers, and mountain scenery along the way. The journey itself reflects the slower rhythm of rural Hokkaido and the kind of immersive experiences described in Travel in Culture’s cultural travel method.

In summer, Furano and nearby Biei become a colourful patchwork of lavender, poppies, and sunflowers, attracting visitors from across Japan and abroad. The region is also known for the Heso Matsuri (Belly Button Festival), a unique local celebration held in July that marks Furano as the symbolic “navel of Hokkaido”. Furano is often visited together with nearby Biei, which is known for its rolling hills and open panoramic landscapes.

1. Furano, Hokkaido Japan – Overview

Scenic countryside landscape in Furano, Hokkaido, viewed from the lavender train as it passes through rural fields and mountains | Photo: Travel In Culture

Furano is one of the most popular summer destinations in Hokkaido, alongside nearby Otaru and Sapporo, offering some of Japan’s most famous lavender fields and rural landscapes.

In winter, Furano becomes a popular skiing destination, while the warmer months bring flower fields, agricultural landscapes, and hiking opportunities.

The Furano region combines seasonal flower fields, rural train journeys, and small agricultural towns, creating a landscape that changes dramatically between seasons.

2. When to Visit Furano (Lavender Season)

The main lavender season in Furano runs from late June into early August, although the timing varies by variety and location. July is generally the key month for seeing the lavender fields at their peak. Each season in Furano offers a very different landscape experience, from colourful summer blooms to snowy winter scenery.

While summer is the most famous period, the region’s appeal extends well beyond the lavender season.

The scenery gradually shifts as the train moves deeper into the Furano countryside, revealing wider views of flower fields and farmland. This changing landscape becomes especially visible when travelling through the region by train, where the fields unfold gradually outside the window.

Hokkaido’s flower fields, Japan, in full bloom during the summer season.

3. How to Get from Sapporo to Furano

If you are staying in Sapporo, Furano makes an easy and popular day trip during the lavender season. There are several ways to reach the flower fields around Furano and Biei, including train, bus, or organised tours. Travelling by rail is particularly scenic, passing through rivers, rice fields, and mountain landscapes in central Hokkaido. If you have a Japan Rail Pass, the journey may be covered.

A Furano day trip from Sapporo is possible, but combining Furano, Farm Tomita, and Biei by public transport requires careful planning. During the flower season, seasonal trains make the route easier, but services operate only on selected dates. If you want to visit several flower farms and Biei viewpoints, an overnight stay gives you considerably more flexibility.

View from the lavender train in Furano, Hokkaido, looking out towards distant lavender fields across the rural countryside.

Travelling by train is one of the best ways to explore Hokkaido, and a rail pass can be useful if you plan to combine Furano with other destinations.

Where to Stay in Sapporo

If you are planning a base in Sapporo, Furano is an easy and popular day trip during the summer season.

4. The Lavender Train Experience

If you travel from Sapporo during the summer flower season, the Furano Lavender Express provides a direct Sapporo–Furano service on selected dates. Another option is to travel via Asahikawa and continue on the JR Furano Line, which slowly meanders through the countryside.

Travelling by rail allows you to experience the landscape at a slower pace, with uninterrupted views of rural Hokkaido. During summer, special tourist trains make the route even more scenic, often featuring seasonal decorations.

The Lavender Express is faster and direct – probably ideal for returning to Sapporo in the evening – and lets you explore the valley next to the Takisato Lake, following the course of the Sorachi River between the mountains before joining the north-south-bound Hakodate Line. Whichever train you take, you will pass through flat rice fields and lush mountainous landscapes.

Each section of the journey reveals a slightly different view of rural Furano, from rice fields to distant flower farms.

Lavender train passing through rural Furano, Hokkaido, with rice fields, a canal, and distant lavender fields in the summer countryside | Photo: Travel In Culture

Nevertheless, if you choose to travel via Asahikawa on the local JR Furano Line, you will get the chance to discover more of rural Hokkaido from a train that runs at low speed through the scenic landscape, rice fields, and villages. In summer, a special tourist train, the Furano-Biei Norokko, operates with several departures a day. This train is sometimes decorated with lavender garland hanging from the ceiling. In 2026, the Furano-Biei Norokko operates on selected dates from June to September. JR Hokkaido has announced that 2026 is the final year of operation for the Norokko train, so travellers planning a future visit should check the latest timetable and replacement services before travelling.

In some of the trains, there are panoramic seats along the wide-open windows where you sit on wooden benches facing the landscape to enjoy the gorgeous views. It is recommended to make reservations in advance, as the seats sell out very quickly in the lavender peak season!

From the train window, the landscape opens up into a patchwork of colour that defines central Hokkaido in summer.

Lavender fields in the hills of Furano, Hokkaido, Japan during peak summer bloom | Photo: Travel In Culture

Guided tours are a popular option in peak lavender season, especially for visitors who want a simple day trip from Sapporo.

5. Farm Tomita, Furano & Nearby Biei

Biei lies north-east of Furano and is known for its rolling agricultural landscapes, flower fields, and scenic viewpoints. Farm Tomita, meanwhile, is in Nakafurano, south-west of Biei, and is one of the region’s best-known lavender farms. The park features a variety of flowers, including beautiful lavender. Near Biei, the Blue Pond (Aoiike) is another popular attraction, known for its striking blue colour.

Lavender field in Furano, Hokkaido, with colourful summer flowers blooming in the background.

Farm Tomita is one of Furano’s most famous lavender farms, with several themed flower fields, walking paths, cafés, shops, and a lavender distillery.

The contrast between Furano and nearby Biei is especially noticeable when travelling through the region.

Beyond lavender, the farm also showcases a wide range of seasonal flowers that create a layered landscape of colour. The best way to experience Furano is by moving between its flower fields, scenic viewpoints, and small rural stops. The following images capture different moments across the landscape.

Poppy fields blooming in Furano, Hokkaido, Japan during the summer flower season.

A few kilometres south of Biei, you will arrive at Nakafurano and Furano. Since the 1940s, lavender has been cultivated here. In the beginning, it was a pure agricultural product. However, over the years (beginning in the 1960s), due to Japan’s import of lower-priced lavender, lavender cultivation has shifted to focussing on agricultural tourism. In addition to the many Hokkaido lavender fields, other flowers such as poppies, lilies, sunflowers, and lupins also cover the areas between June and August.

Colourful lavender landscapes of Furano, Hokkaido, with rows of blooms stretching across the countryside in summer.

Illustrative map of Farm Tomita flower fields in Furano, Hokkaido, showing the layout of lavender fields, gardens, and visitor areas.

When you take the Furano-Biei Norokko train from Asahikawa or Biei in the direction of Furano, you pass several lavender farms and flower fields along the way. The seasonal Lavender Farm Station is located on the JR Furano Line between Kamifurano and Nakafurano. From the station, Farm Tomita is about a seven-minute walk. In summer, there is even a temporary stop Lavender-Farm Station just off Farm Tomita, shortly before arriving at Nakafurano.

Walking through Farm Tomita gives a closer perspective on the scale and variety of the flower fields.

Strolling through the Furano countryside in bloom at Farm Tomita in Hokkaido, Japan.

Farm Tomita in Hokkaido is a perfect place to see the lavender fields with all shades of purple. Many kinds of flowers are cultivated here. Lavender dominates, but other flowers also add to the beauty of the rolling fields, e.g., thousands of pretty poppies.

The experience at Farm Tomita is as much about wandering through the fields as it is about viewing them from a distance. Not all of Furano’s beauty is lavender; other seasonal flowers add striking contrast across the landscape.

Poppy field in Furano, Hokkaido, with white birch trees forming a striking natural backdrop in summer | Photo: Travel In Culture

However, lavender is the focus at Farm Tomita. In addition to the flowers themselves, one can buy various lavender products in the shop, including the remarkable lavender soft ice cream! Farm Tomita also turns its lavender harvest into local specialities that have become part of the visitor experience.

Lavender soft ice cream served at Farm Tomita in Furano, Hokkaido, a popular summer treat among visitors to the flower fields.

You can catch a glimpse of the production facilities for lavender production near one of the farm restaurants. Behind the visitor areas, lavender is also processed on-site, linking agriculture with tourism.

Lavender production facilities at Farm Tomita in Furano, Hokkaido, showing the processing and distillation of lavender products during the harvest season.

A few kilometres east of the main Farm Tomita, another farm appears, Lavender East, occupies a large former rice-growing area and offers wide views towards the Tokachi Mountains. Its 2026 operating season is scheduled for 20 June to 20 July, although dates and opening hours may change depending on weather conditions. The fields here are larger than at Farm Tomita, and thus more impressive. Other farms around Furano include Nakafurano Flower Park, next to NakaFurano Lavender Fields Chair Lift, and Flower Land Kamifurano with tractor-pulled carts.

Nakafurano is a small town with a few restaurants, schools, temples, and a town hall with attached park.

6. Furano Town & the Belly Button Festival

Furano is not only about nature and flowers, but also about its unique local culture and traditions. The Hokkai Heso Matsuri adds a playful and distinctive cultural layer to the town’s identity.

The festival’s playful theme is reflected throughout the town, including statues, public spaces, and seasonal displays.

Small statues representing dancers from the Hokkai Heso Matsuri Belly Button Festival in Furano, Hokkaido, Japan.

Continuing down to the principal city of Furano, you will come to the heart and navel of Hokkaido – famous in Japan for its ‘Belly Button Festival’. The Hokkai Heso Matsuri, or Belly Button Festival, takes place annually on 28 and 29 July. The festival has existed for more than 50 years and is known for its distinctive belly-painted dancing.

Colourful Belly Button Festival statue displayed among flower pots in Furano, Hokkaido, adding a playful cultural touch to the flower gardens

The theme of the festival is everything related to ‘belly button’. The festival centres on the ‘belly’ as a symbol of Furano’s location at the heart of Hokkaido. During the Heso Odori, performers paint faces on their stomachs and dance through the streets, creating one of Furano’s most recognisable summer traditions. Belly button statues and festival elements reflect Furano’s self-proclaimed identity as the ‘navel of Hokkaido’.

Traditionally dressed statue representing a performer from the Hokkai Heso Matsuri Belly Button Festival in Furano, Hokkaido, Japan

One of the highlights of the festival is the Heso Odori, a dance where the dancers wear straw hats to conceal their real faces. They perform with the ‘zubara’ face paintings around their navels as fabulous funny faces for the dance.

Two traditionally dressed statues at a local train station in Furano, Hokkaido, celebrating the town’s identity as the “navel of Hokkaido” and the Hokkai Heso Matsuri.

All around Furano, you can spot small statues of the belly button dancers – and even a monument of the central latitude and longitude reference point of Hokkaido (the navel).

Frequently Asked Questions about Furano

When is the best time to visit Furano?

For lavender, aim for early to mid-July, although flowering varies by farm, variety, and weather. Late June to early August can still offer lavender, while other summer flowers extend the colour season beyond the main lavender bloom.

Can you visit Furano as a day trip from Sapporo?

Yes, Furano is a popular day trip from Sapporo during summer. Trains, buses, and organised tours connect Sapporo with Furano and Biei, although staying overnight allows more time to explore the countryside.

What is the most famous lavender farm in Furano?

Farm Tomita is the most famous lavender farm in Furano and one of the best-known flower farms in Japan. It is especially popular during the peak lavender bloom in July.

How do you get to Furano from Sapporo?

Travellers can reach Furano from Sapporo by train, bus, rental car, or organised tour. During summer, the Furano Lavender Express and the Furano-Biei Norokko train are among the most scenic ways to travel.

Is Furano worth visiting outside lavender season?

Yes, Furano is also popular in winter for skiing and snowy landscapes. The surrounding hills become a well-known ski destination in Hokkaido during the colder months.

What is Furano known for?

Furano is famous for its lavender fields, flower farms, scenic countryside, and the annual Belly Button Festival held in July. The region is also known for rural landscapes and seasonal farm produce in central Hokkaido.

What is the easiest way to explore Furano and Biei?

A convenient way to explore Furano and Biei is by combining train travel with local buses or guided tours, as this allows access to both flower farms and scenic viewpoints without needing a car.

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