| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 17:00 June to mid August |
| Closed | Winter |
| Contact | 0167-44-4488 |
| Notes | Best viewing times from July to early August Restaurant on site, Kirara Toilets on site Free parking Wi-fi Shops - lavender goods, light snacks, soft creams |
| Location / Getting There | 13 minute drive from Furano station 12 minute walk from Lavender Farm station. JR line 2-1 Miyamachi, Nakafurano, Sorachi District, Hokkaido 071-0753 |
Stunning views
There are plenty of beautiful flower viewing areas in the Nakafurano area, and the Choei Lavender Farm and the Flower Park are no exception. The Choei Lavender Farm is a hill covered in a kaleidoscope of color, as the summer flowers start to bloom, including four kinds of lavender, sunflower, marigold and salvia. The hill also serves as a playground for skiers and snowboarders during the cold winters. There is a single-chair lift ride to the top of the hill offering sweeping views of the carpet of flowers and also down over the Furano valley and the Tokachi mountain range. This hillside is also the venue of the Nakafurano Lavender Festival, the town’s biggest event in mid July. There is parking at the bottom of the fields of flowers plus small stalls selling souvenirs and delicious ice-cream for those warm sunny days.
Ski lift prices
Cost per person ￥400 adults
￥200 children
Opening Hours 9:00 - 17:00
June 23rd to August 31st
Closed -
Notes No pets allowed
Flower park
Directly adjacent to the Choei Lavender Farm, is the Nakafurano Flower Park. The park is a large grass area with walkways and a viewing platform that has nice sights over the park as well as the Choei Lavender Farm. There are some benches to rest your feet and take in the smells and sun during the summer, or just to take a stroll. The flower park has a fountain and you will also find a nice curry restaurant here. The restaurant, Kirara, serves up delicious lunches. Take your pick of vegetable, beef, or chicken curries. They also have sushi available. Perfect meal for a perfect day out!
Pricing Guide
(Avg. cost per person)￥600 - ￥1200
Opening Hours 10:00 - 16:00
Contact 0167-44-4488
Closed -
Notes Non smoking
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 9:30 - 16:30 |
| Closed | November - April |
| Contact | 0158-29-3400 |
| Notes | Fragrance House restaurant Wheelchair access |
| Location / Getting There | 3 and a half hour drive from Sapporo 2 hour drive from Asahikawa 〒099-5600, 19 Kamishokotsugenya, Takinoue, Monbetsu District, Hokkaido 099-5600 |
View from the top of the hill
While in Takinoue, be sure to visit the Kaori no Sato Herb Garden. It is open during the warmer months from June to September. Covering 40,000 square meters, these gardens are filled with subtle fragrances and beautiful colors. An interesting fact about the town of Takinoue is that it’s Japans biggest producer of peppermint, and it is here that it can be found. Besides the peppermint, there are over three hundred kinds of herbs that are grown here! Feel free to wander around, where you can also enjoy the views from the hill.
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A nice spot for lunch
At the top of the gardens, you will find not only the parking, but the Fragrance House restaurant and shop. The building has a very European design to its architecture and it’s a great spot to have some lunch, or relax and enjoy the views while sipping on the many herbal teas sold here. Fragrance House also has a cheese hamburg set, pastas, a herb pizza, fried rice and a delicious homemade herb sausage. During the summer, Fragrance house also has a choice of peppermint or vanilla ice cream. After lunch you can also pop into the adjacent building called the ‘Kew Palace herb craft center’ and make unique herbal goods such as potpourris, wreaths and sachets, to add a little zest to your daily life.
| Lunch menu (Avg. cost per person) | ¥1000 |
| Tea | ¥400 |
| Ice cream | ¥300 |
| Admission Gardens + Farm | ¥1200 Over 16 years old ¥600 Children* ¥1000 Seniors over 60 ¥2400 Annual ticket *up to 5 children can enter free with 1 adult |
| Opening Hours | 9:30 - 17:00 April - September 9:00 - 16:00 October |
| Closed | November - March |
| Contact | 0123-34-7800 http://www.ecorinvillage.com/ |
| Notes | Restaurant on grounds Farm next to gardens Parking available Playground for kids |
| Location / Getting There | 40 minute drive from Sapporo station 20 minute drive from New Chitose Airport 〒061-1421 Hokkaido, Eniwa, Makiba, 277−4 |
Purple & gold garden
If you have the time, Ecorin Village is a must see, for tourists and locals alike! Especially if you enjoy gardening, the outdoors, or architecture. Ecorin Village is divided into three main areas; The Galaxy Gardens, Midori Farm, and the Tomato Forest area. With the experience of international and Japanese world renown garden architects, the landscaping and design of the Galaxy Gardens is absolutely flawless. The attention to detail as you wander around is truly amazing. There are thirty different gardens to explore while at Galaxy Gardens!
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Bear garden
Among the thirty gardens to view, are the award winning ‘Dragon Garden’ and ‘Riverside Gardens’. There are ponds, picnic areas, beautiful cottages that you can enter and enjoy, an underground tunnel & cave, a hobbit home, a maze to wander in, streams, paths, a playground for the kids, grass areas on which to stretch out, and tables and chairs to rest and admire the scenery. Each garden has it’s own unique feel and design. Sculptures are dotted around the park and add to the experience. Ecorin Village is about the appreciation of the environment, and you can find many of the flowers and garden ornaments from the Galaxy Gardens in the garden centre (located at the Tomato Forest).
Rice planting
Also located in the Galaxy Gardens, are rice fields that are open to the public. There is a rice planting activity which is fun for the whole family. Dress up in traditional Japanese farmer clothing, and you can plant rice in one of the many fields. Great time to get some photos! There is information about the rice fields (in Japanese) and planting techniques. After trying out the rice planting, or even just wandering around the gardens, there is a fantastic restaurant on the grounds. Here you can enjoy a buffet style lunch, or hamburg patty set!
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 10:00 - 17:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0123-34-7800 |
| Notes | World's largest tomato plant Garden & flower store Local market Restaurant on site Free parking |
| Location / Getting There | 15 minute bus ride from Eniwa Station Hokkaido, Eniwa, Makiba, 281−1 061-1421 |
Plenty of produce
The Tomato Forest (or Tomato no Mori) is a HUGE tomato plant, that is so big, it was certified on November 13th, 2013 as the “World’s Largest Tomato Plant”. Impressive! Found in the town of Eniwa, this plant is an ordinary variety of tomato plant and is grown from one grain, which is gown through hydroponics. This feet of botanical accomplishment has seen the tomato plant reach dimensions of around 40 square meters, and produces up to 17,000 tomatoes annually! You can buy the tomatoes from the Garden Center Flower Ranch next door.
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Entrance to store, and the tomato forest
If you’re a gardener, or if you looking like to buy fresh, local produce, then the Garden Center Flower Ranch is a great spot! You can find a huge selection of ornaments for the garden and home, furniture, herbs, and a selection of indoor and outdoor plants. During the year, this store has seminars led by herbalists and gardeners to offer advice and information! They also have a wide variety of flowers to choose from. Eniwa is surrounded by many farmlands that produce fruit and vegetables. The Garden Center has a small market of local fruits and vegetables, (especially tomatoes!). These fresh foods are great not only for kitchen, but also as souvenirs! While looking around and shopping you can also stop in at the ‘Camel’ Italian restaurant for some lunch.
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 18:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0123-35-2321 |
| Notes | Garden store Market |
| Location / Getting There | 15 minute bus ride from Eniwa Station Hokkaido, Eniwa, Makiba, 281−1 061-1421 |
| Admission | Adults - ¥410 Children - ¥80 Preschool - free Pensioners - ¥210 |
| Admission (groups of more than 20) | Adults - ¥290 Children - ¥50 Preschool - free Pensioners - ¥210 |
| Opening Hours | Spring 9:00 - 17:00 Summer 9:00 - 18:00 Autumn 9:00 - 17:00 Winter 9:00 - 16:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-592-3333 http://www.takinopark.com.e.bn.hp.transer.com/?go=kaienkikan |
| Notes | Car required to get there Buses available Wheelchair access |
| Location / Getting There | 〒005-0862 Hokkaidō, Sapporo-shi, Minami-ku, Takino, ２４７ Take Bus 106 from Sapporo station or Makomanai station |
Takino Suzuran park is a huge park that is a great place for families and nature lovers. It covers 395.7 hectares, with around 200 hectares are available to the public. There are 2 entrances, the East Gate entrance (higashi guchi), and the Central Gate entrance (chuo guchi). Parking is available and the bus stops are located here. There are 3 main areas that make up the park. There is the Country Garden Area, the Childrens Playground area, and the Forest Area. There is also a camping area and an observatory on the grounds.
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Country Garden Area
This area is famous for its flowers in the spring season. It has the visitors centre here and the country club building. Lockers, bathrooms, bus stop, and rest area is here. Its at the top of the park offering great views. A perfect spot to sit and get views down the hill of the flower pasture. Thousands upon thousands of lilacs are planted here and are truly beautiful in May. There is a path leading down through them to get great photos. The country club has a restaurant, a snack shop and shops selling local vegetables. The country club is home to the herb garden, rock garden, flower master retreat, and the observatory.
Children’s Playground (Kodomo no Tani)
This area is designed for the kids. It has a huge 6.8 hectare sloped lawn area. Kids can take giant red inflatable balls and roll them down the hill. There is a giant ants nest sculpture and tunnels that the kids can crawl through and play in. A cool stream is here, and kids can play and cool down in the summer. This place really captures the imagination with slides, tunnels, and trampolines for the kids to play on. There is a rest area for the parents, and toilets, and a coffee shop is available.
Forest Area (Mori no Sumikawa)
This heavily wooded area is a great place to walk around and take in the pine air. There are walkways that twist and turn through the forest. There is a timber swing for the kids, a woodland craft house, and a suspension bridge all through this area. This area leads to the waterfalls which are a main feature in this park. There are 4 main waterfalls that surround the park, Ashiribetsu Fall, Masumi Fall, Shiraho Fall, and Furo Fall.
| Summer Activities | |
| Camping | There are camping grounds at this park, with access to shower rooms and a laundromat. Cabins are also available to rent but you will need to call in advance. There is a small shop near the camping grounds selling alcohol, cold drinks, snacks, cold meat, frozen foods, toys, camping equipment, and fuel (charcoal, white gasoline, various gas cartridges) |
| Fishing | Rent a fishing pole and bait and try some trout and rainbow trout fishing. Cost is ¥850 for the hour and ¥100 for additional bait. |
| Cycling | Rent a bicycle to get around and see the whole park! There are bicycles for adults, children and tandem bicycles. Prices range from ¥100 for children to ¥310 for adults. A 2 person bicycle is ¥800. Rental is for 2 hours. For an extra 30 minutes the cost is ¥30 for children and ¥80 for adults. |
| Park Golf | Park golf is like mini golf. It involves hitting a billiard size ball around a short course with a wooden club. Fun for everyone! Clubs and balls are available for free from the Country Club |
| Cooking | There are 4 different spots around the park that have BBQ’s and areas to cook. These areas can accommodate 100, 300, and to 1000 people depending on the area. Water supplies, and sinks, log seating is available. |
| Winter Activities | |
| Sled Slope | This slope for tubing is the longest in the country! For kids and adults the straight course is 200 metres! There is a shorter 180 metre S shape course. There is also a kids sled corner. Tubes and sleds are FREE to rent! |
| Skiing & Snowboarding | This 250 metre length course is perfect for beginners at a 7 degree slope. The weekend lift tickets for adults are ¥150 per ride, ¥1030 for 4 hours, or ¥1540 for a day pass. Lift tickets for children are ¥100 per ride, ¥620 for 4 hours, ¥1030 for a day pass. Weekdays have cheaper day passes. ¥820 for adults and ¥510 for children. |
| Skiing Lessons | Skiing lessons are available but only in Japanese, and depending on the conditions. It is advised to call ahead. The cost is ¥200 per person (not including ticket passes). There is a morning class and an afternoon class. Applications for the morning class must be handed in by 10:15. Morning class is from 10:30 – 12:00. Afternoon class applications must be in by 13:45. The lesson goes from 14:00 – 15:30. Skiing gear is available from the Country Club |
| Snowshoeing | There are 3 courses available. 1st is the Forest area (Takino no Mori), a 30 minute to 2 hour trek through the woods. 2nd is the Kawagarasu Course, a 1 hour trek to see the Ashiribetsu Falls frozen over, or “ice falls”. The 3rd is the Akagera Course which is also a 1 hour course. This course is an up and down course which has views over the park. |
| Cross Country Skiing | 6 courses to choose from. You can rent the gear and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the park. There are 2 beginner courses, a 1 km and a 5km course. 2 intermediate courses, 3km and a 5km course. 2 advanced courses, a 10km and a 16km course. Ski rentals are available from the Country Club. |
| Ice Falls | Snowshoe or do cross country skiing to see these amazing waterfalls frozen over. To Ashiribetsu Fall, it is approximately 1.1km from Keiryu Guchi Parking lot. The waterfalls are frozen by the end of December. |
If you don’t have your own transport, there are buses available from Sapporo station and Makomanai station. It is also possible to use a taxi from Makomani station. The ride takes about 20 minutes via taxi. The bus time tables are as follows:
To
Takino Suzuran Park Cost
Times
From
Makomanai Station
Terminal 2 Bus 106
Adults ¥440
Children ¥220
Takes 31 min.8:45
9:45
10:45
11:45
12:45
13:45
14:45
15:50
From
Sapporo Station
Terminal 1 Bus 106
Adults ¥630
Children ¥320
Takes 61 min.9:15
12:15
From
Fukuzumi Station
Terminal 6 Bus 87
Adults ¥620
Children ¥310
Takes 44-50 min.10:20
11:20
12:40
13:42
14:30
| From Takino Suzuran Park | ||
| To Makomanai Station East Exit Bus 106 | Cost Adults ¥440 Children ¥220 Takes 31 min. | Times 9:33 10:33 11:33 12:28 13:28 14:28 15:28 16:33 |
| To Sapporo Station East Exit Bus 106 | Adults ¥440 Children ¥220 Takes 61 min. | 8:45 9:45 10:45 11:45 12:45 13:45 14:45 15:50 |
| To Fukuzumi Station East Exit Bus 87 | Adults ¥620 Children ¥310 Takes 44-50 min. | 12:17 13:37 14:42 15:37 16:42 |