| Admission | ¥300 adults ¥200 high school students ¥100 children Free for Toyako townspeople |
| Opening Hours | 10:30 - 16:30 |
| Closed | Mondays November to March |
| Contact | 0142-87-2525 |
| Notes | Local art gallery, parking available, wheelchair access |
| Location / Getting There | Located on the northern side of Lake Toya. 3 minute walk from Toya Mizu-no-eki (Toyasui Station). 35-17 Tōyakoonsen, Toyako, Abuta-gun, Hokkaido 049-5721 |
The Toyako Art Museum is a small art museum that can be found by the northern shores of Lake Toya. The museum predominantly displays works from local artists. They have works from sculptors, painters, photographers, and writers. Inside the lovely rooms, there is a collection of first edition books, plus limited edition books from modern and contemporary writers. There is also works of the Village International Sculpture Biennale on display. Whilst looking at the artworks, viewers can also get nice views from the windows that look out directly across the lake.
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Throughout the year, the Toyako Art Museum holds a variety of events, including special exhibitions and mini concerts. Besides the Toyako Art Museum, you can also find a nice little park across the road. The park is home to a historical landmark, being the monument of Okubo Jinnojo. Okubo Jinnojo was a statesman, born in 1849 in Shikoku. He, among other things, used his money for pioneering Hokkaido, especially in the Toya district. To get to the museum and park, you can take a bus from Toyako Onsen bus terminal bound for Toya Mizu no Eki (Toyasui Station). Get off at Toyasui station and it’s a three minute walk from there.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 17:00 |
| Closed | Winter |
| Contact | 0167-45-9480 https://flower-land.co.jp/ |
| Notes | Flower viewing, small shop, photography spot, parking available, cafe on site |
| Location / Getting There | It's a 7 minute drive from KamiFurano train station. Located between Biei and Furano. Car is needed to get there. 27 号 Nishi 5 Senkita, Kamifurano, Sorachi District, Hokkaido 071-0505 |
Furano, Naka-Furano and Kamifurano really comes alive during the warmer months with beautiful flowers and delicious food. In Kamifurano you can find Flower Land, which has fantastic views over the fields of flowers with Kamifurano as the backdrop! It is here you can get some great photos on your trip. Entry is free, with a large parking area for cars and tour buses. Inside the large barn, you can find souvenirs, small eatery, locally produced goods, and local produce. Here you can find fresh asparagus, high grade Furano melon, delicious corn, steamed potatoes, and onions, depending on the season.
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On the other side of the souvenir and eatery barn, the fields of flowers await you! There are plenty of paths to walk around and take in the sights. The fields overlook the valley of Kamifurano making for great views. For those who want to take a more leisurely approach, there is a popular tractor bus that goes around the grounds. The journey takes ten minutes, and costs ¥500 for adults, and ¥300 for children. To get to Flower Land, take the 237 National Highway. From Asahikawa or Furano, it’s a thirty minute drive, From Chitose airport or Sapporo, it takes about two and a half hours. Flower land is one of many great spots to take in the natural beauty of the Furano districts.
| Admission | Free (¥200 donation is preferred) |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 17:00 |
| Closed | Winter |
| Contact | 0166-95-2758 https://www.shikisainooka.jp// |
| Notes | Flower viewing, small shop, photography spot, parking, alpaca farm inside, buggy rentals available |
| Location / Getting There | It's a 12 minute drive from Biei station or a 30 minute drive from Furano train station 〒071-0473 Hokkaido, Kamikawa District, Biei, Shinsei, 第３ |
Beautiful
Shikisai no Oka (known as Shikisai Hill in English) is famous for its sweeping vistas and beautiful flower arrangements covering the hills on this huge expanse of land. Shikisai is open all year and is a great place to visit not only in the summer months but also during the winter. The flowers here are spectacular and a great place to get some photos. Throughout the year, there are different kinds of flowers that are in full bloom. In June, the poppies are out. In July (which is a great time to go), you can see nadeshiko, salvia, marigold, and stunning fields of sunflowers. September is best time for salvia and dahlia.
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Flowers in July
To get round the fifteen hectares of these panoramic gardens, there are walking paths, but there are other options. You can take the popular tractor bus ride around the fields at a cost of ¥300 for children and ¥500 for adults. Alternatively, you can drive yourself around with a buggy ¥500 per person, or a four person cart hire which costs ¥2000 per fifteen minutes. Shikisai no Oka is also open during the winter from early December to early April. Here you can go on a fun snowmobile ride or tour, plus you can rent out sleds, or tubes and enjoy the slopes! Finally, Shikisai no Oka is also home to an alpaca farm. For ¥500 you can go in and feed and meet the dozen alpacas that make their home here.
| Snowmobile rides | ¥1000 for 1km ride ¥5100 for 30 minute course |
| Snowmobile tour 5km (30 minutes) | ¥7200 |
| Snowmobile tour 10km (1 hour) | ¥18,000 one person ¥14,400 two people ¥12,000 three people |
| Snowmobile tour 20km (2 hours) | ¥30,000 one person ¥24,000 two people ¥21,600 three people |
| Snowmobile tour 30 - 40km (2.5 hours) | ¥42,000 one person ¥38,400 two people ¥33,600 three people |
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot , parking available, photography spot |
| Location / Getting There | 12 minute drive from Kamifurano station on route 237 34 Go Nishi 9 Senkita, Kamifurano, Sorachi District, Hokkaido 071-0509 |
Photo spot and information
The districts of Furano can be divided into three areas, Furano, Nakafurano, and Kamifurano. These areas are made up of beautiful farmlands, with mountain ranges on either side. It is in the northern district of Kamifurano, you can find a great photo spot that overlooks the valley with the Tokachidake mountain range in the background. This area can be found along route 237 on the right hand side. It is only a couple of minutes past a large ferris wheel and the Trick Art Museum. The ferris wheel and Trick Art Museum are also popular tourist attractions. There are also a couple of restaurants and coffee shops nearby.
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Lavender fields
The lookout area has a wooden viewing platform and an information booth that offers local information to tourists. The view is exceptionally beautiful during the summer months from May to July as this is when the lavender is in full bloom. This sightseeing spot overlooks a large lavender field. This sightseeing spot is easily accessible on National Route 237, which runs from Kamifurano to Biei. This road is about eight kilometres from JR Kamifurano Station. If you get on the “Rapid Lavender” bus that connects Furano and Asahikawa, you can get off at the “Fukayama Pass” stop in front of you.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot , parking available, short walking trail |
| Location / Getting There | 12 minute drive from Toyako Onsen on the southern edge of Lake Toya Takinomachi, Machi Sobetsu, Usu District, Hokkaido 052-0101 |
The path up past the shrine.
Sobetsu Waterfall can be found on the southern edge of Lake Toya. It is a beautiful waterfall, where you can take a nice walk to its base. You can get some great photos and experience the waterfall up close. To get to the waterfall you need to follow the road down on route 2 keeping Sobetsu river on your left (coming from Toyako Onsen). At the bottom of the hill, make a U-turn and cross over the river and follow the small road keeping the river on your left. There will be parking on the left hand side. Once parked, simply follow the winding path until you reach the waterfall.
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The flowing stream
The walk to the waterfall is a nice stroll and it takes about 8 minutes to get there. On the way you can enjoy the flowing stream and the surrounding trees creating a picturesque scene. The path crosses over the river twice over small bridges. On the way to the falls you can also find a small Buddhist Shrine on the left. With the falls in the background, this small shrine is also a good spot to get some photos. The path reaches a small wooden viewing platform about 10 metres from the falls. This wooden platform can get slippery so make sure you hold on to the rail. Sobetsu Waterfall is a beautiful spot to visit.
| Admission | - |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot , parking available, rest rooms available, walking trails |
| Location / Getting There | Located along route 452 in the Ashibetsu province, between Yubari and Ashibetsu. 30 minute drive from Furano, 20 minute drive from Ashibetsu. 1 hour 30 minute drive from Sapporo. Ashibetsu, Hokkaido 075-0000 |
The path down to the falls
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The falls during summer
The river in question is the Ashibetsu River. It flows for sixty kilometres, and runs through to the city of Ashibetsu itself. The Sandan Falls can be found around halfway along the Ashibetsu river not far from the park. The falls can range from a small trickle to a raging torrent during spring after the snowmelt. The river is especially beautiful during the spring with a couple of cherry blossoms and in autumn with the foliage along the river. Sandandaki Park has restrooms next to the parking lot, and there are benches to take a seat and enjoy the view.
