I’m writing this blog post as I watch the snow fall outside. It is November. November.

Some might say it’s too early for winter, but here in Hokkaido it’s normal.

This led me to think about summer days, when the weather was warm and there were lots of flowers with vivid colors. This made me think of Furano.

Every year in June and July, a lot of people from Japan and all over the world come to Hokkaido to see the beautiful lavender and flower fields in Furano. It’s quite a sight. I love going up there, but the heat gets me all the time. (Again, the recurring theme of this blog is how much I am not a summer person.)

In any case, those who have seen the area will probably tell you how beautiful it is. The lavender blossoms also have a distinct floral smell, so you are surrounded by beauty every where you go. There will be lots of lavender all over Hokkaido, of course, since it is the flower in season. But when it’s concentrated into fields, the sight becomes more special.

Tomita Farm is the ultimate destination to see the lavender fields. Most people will drive up to the area, and it takes about three hours from Sapporo to get there. It also depends on traffic. You can also go through a tour to see the fields. But if you prefer going off on your own, buses and special trains give you access to the farm. The station is small and you have to walk about ten minutes to get to Farm Tomita if you take the train, though, so make sure you wear solid walking shoes.

Farm Tomita has a few a couple of restaurants and a few buildings in the area. These buildings are usually rest houses and souvenir shops. The garden is not so big, so you can make a circuit of the whole thing in about an hour and half if you’re pressed for time. However, I recommend going slow so that you can take a lot of photos to your heart’s content. Of course, if you love gardening and flowers, this is the perfect place to while away your time.

There are the lavender fields, of course. But there are also the colorful flower fields of whose varieties and names I don’t know. I don’t know anything about flowers. I just know that Farm Tomita is famous and people always recommend the place. I do know that they are really pretty, though.

If you’re in the area, be sure to try the lavender soft-serve ice cream. I think the plain lavender might be too strong a taste for normal people, so getting the milk and lavender mixed version might be better. If you go on a very hot day, it will melt very quickly. Get your tissues ready.

Getting to Furano takes quite some time. I think it would take about a day to do Farm Tomita. The area is nice and the views of the mountains overlooking the farms is fantastic.

Besides the farm, I don’t know of any other sites to visit in the immediate area, though. In any case, it’s a very nice place to visit in June and July, when the flowers are blooming.