(3) Hokkaido Trip: 3 - 4 June 2015 Furano / Biei / Asahikawa

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3-June-2015

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We checked out of the Otaru hotel in the morning and drove eastwards.

The journey was mostly on expressway and it took us past Sapporo and through mountainous road to Furano.

Our first stop at Furano was Farm Tomita. It was not full bloom season yet as the plants have just been newly planted. Mid summer would be the best time to see all the flowers bloom.

There are numerous flower fields of various sizes all across Furano. The best spot to view the lavender is Farm Tomita, whose lavender and flower fields with the Tokachi mountain range as backdrop are spectacular. The popular farm is free to enter and besides the flower fields has cafes and shops that sell a wide range of lavender related products. The farm naturally gets rather busy during the peak season.

The ladies were enjoying lavender ice cream.

Next, we came to Furano Marche to purchase some snacks and groceries.

In the middle of Furano’s downtown is a spacious cluster of shops called Furano Marche, the ultimate food paradise. Furano Marche is very much catered for foreigners, serving as a one-stop souvenir shop selling items from Farm Tomita and Cheese Factory but locals also frequent Furano Marche for all its yummy food. The spacious surroundings make it an ideal place for children to play together and people to meet and connect, which is indeed the aim of Furano Marche – to create a community vibe for the city of Furano.

We bought a bottle of Furano wine to try.

Next, we visited the Furano Cheese Factory, Pizza Factory and Ice Cream Factory.

We got to see (from the outside) how cheese was being made from milk. And got to sample their cheese as well.

In the next building, we were hungry and we proceeded to the restaurant at the Pizza Factory.

Lunch time. We ordered a few pizzas to share.

We rested a while outside the factories.

Well fed and watered. We proceeded to check in to the Airbnb log house ログ由縁.

We left the log house and proceeded visit Ningle Terrace ニングルテラス.

Ningle Terrace is a beautiful collection of boutique cottages, housing specialty arts and crafts along with their creators. The creators sit there in the shops displaying and making more of their products as you wander around. Located just below the New Furano Prince Hotel, Ningle Terrace has been created using natural materials with timber buildings and a beautiful plank walkway around the waterfalls and trees. The forest gives off a beautiful scent with pine trees and the waterfall creating a wonderful atmosphere for wandering around or stopping in the cafe. The cafe serves a range of products including hot and cold drinks, baked milk, cakes and cheese platter and some delicious ice creams. With winter comes a stunning blanket of soft white snow which lines the walkways and leaves huge snow hats on the cottages and snow mushrooms on the trees. Ningle Terrace is a different experience again at night with the walkways and buildings lined with fairy lights. Ningle Terrace is the perfect place for wandering around and enjoying the sightseeing and beauty, or for getting some perfect souvenirs with a touch of nature and Furano.

It was dinner time soon, we went to a famous local restaurant featuring Japanese curry, Yuiga Doxon Omu Curry 唯我独尊

After our dinner, we decided to enjoy our time in the log house for the rest of the night.

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4-June-2015

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We checked out of the log house and set off in the morning driving up north towards Biei. It was a gloomy morning with drizzle.

Our first stop was Shikisai no Oka 四季彩の丘. It was raining so we didn't get to explore the flower garden. At this time, there was no full bloom either. Later part of the summer would be a better time to visit here. We only visited the local produce shop.

Next destination further north was Hokuseino-oka Observatory Park 北西の丘展望台.

This is a park that overlooks the hills and Tokachi mountain range, a pyramid-shaped observatory is there as well.

We stopped over at Patchwork no Michi (Patchwork Road) パッチワークの路(爱心农场). There was no flower landscaping yet. Still too early to see the flower bloom.

Soon it was lunch time. We had a sumptuous meal at Café Barch Hobbito.

After lunch, we proceeded to visit the Blue Pond 青い池.

Final attraction at Biei was the Zerubunoka Atomunooka ぜるぶの丘

After all the sightseeing trips on a rainy day. It was time to drive into Asahikawa.

We parked our car and checked in to Natural Spa Hotel Paco Asahikawa 天然温泉ホテルパコ旭川 (it is now renamed to Premier Hotel Cabin Asahikawa プレミアホテル-CABIN-旭川)

After we dropped off our stuff in the hotel room. We decided to eat ramen and found this ramen shop (one of the famous shops in Asahikawa) near the hotel. Time for dinner.

After dinner, it was time to walk around the city centre and do shopping.

After shopping, it was time to soak in the hot spring bath at the hotel.