Hokkaido Summer Rain and Sun: Furano [Trip Day 2] 北海道夏日と雨：富良野

Rain continued from yesterday. It didn’t get better after morning, so we headed out anyway around noon.

Furano is almost a synonym for lavender, and there are many lavender fields in the area. Without a car our options were somewhat limited, but walking is still possible, and we did a route starting from Nakafurano station (中富良野駅), and ending at a special temporary station Lavendar Farm (ラベンダーばたけ), where trains only stop during the peak lavender season. This route went through 3 lavender parks / farms, the last one was Farm Tomita, the most well known one in Furano (and also likely most crowded).

: Fields were green but sky was gray.

: Local train departing from Asahikawa took one hour to reach Furano.

: Nakafurano station.

: Walking up a hill to reach the first lavender farm on our route.

: Saikanosato (彩香の里) / Sasaki Farm (佐々木ファーム)

: There were other flowers too apart from lavender.

: There was one section outside the line where we could pick our own lavender as souvenir for free.

: Lavender-flavoured ice cream.

: Nakafurano City Lavender Park (中富良野市営ラベンダー園)

: In winter, this slope becomes the Hokusei Ski Area.

: Watermelons for sale on the road side. So cheap!

Farm Tomita

Before reaching Farm Tomita’s lavender fields, we first made a stop at the adjacent Tomita Melon House, which has a large covered area selling melons and other food and snacks. We needed a break as rain actually got even heavier. Despite the rain though it was completely packed with tourists – sharp contrast to the earlier Saikanosato farm where we almost owned the place.

Granted that it was almost the end of the lavender peak season, the fields there were also a bit underwhelming, again when compared to the earlier farm which had more in full bloom. Its lavender shop was well-stocked though, and we bought some excellent lavender tea.