Japan’s summer season kicks off with a rainy period known as tsuyu, which lasts approximately the entire month of June. After that, the heat and humidity set in and take up permanent residence until the end of August or September. The one benefit of this is that these months are considered off-peak for those looking to rent an apartment so if that’s something that needs to be ticked off your checklist, consider checking out Village House – a real estate organization with over 1,000 properties across Japan’s 47 prefectures.
For those looking to visit or travel around Japan during the summer holidays but want to escape from the blistering heat, consider heading up to Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island that’s been blessed with a drier climate.
In summer, Hokkaido boasts a plethora of nature-filled tourist attractions and activities, and in this article, we’ll be taking a look at the top 5 most beautiful Hokkaido flower fields that attract visitors like flowers would bees.
1. Farm Tomita
Farm Tomita is primarily a lavender farm in Nakafurano, established by Tokuma Tomida in 1903. It gained prominence and popularity with tourists in 1976 when the farm was featured in JR’s calendar and has become a must-see attraction in Hokkaido, drawing in well over a million visitors annually.
The farm grows four main varieties of lavender, which reach their aesthetic peak around mid to late July. This unsurprisingly is when the farm sees a substantial influx of visitors.
The farm also showcases over 80 different varieties of flowers spanning 12 different gardens, which can be viewed from spring to autumn.
Aside from taking in the natural beauty of the lavender fields and flower gardens, visitors can sample and buy a range of lavender-based products including lavender-favored drinks and lavender ice cream.
Admission to the farm is free. You reach it with a 2-hour 30-minute drive from Sapporo city or a 7-minute walk from Lavender Farm Station on the JR Furano Line.
2. Shikisai-No-Oka
Known as 4 Season Hill in English, Shikisai-No-Oka is a panoramic flower garden in the Hokkaido town of Biei. Spanning 15 hectares, the garden attraction can be divided into two categories:
- The “Green Season”, which welcomes visitors from late April to late October.
- The “Winter Season”, which welcomes visitors from early December to early April.
Some flowers in the garden include tulips, poppies, and sunflowers. There is also an alpaca farm on-site.
The price of admission to Shikisai-No-Oka is 500 yen at the time of writing and those wanting to pay a visit can take the train on the JR Furano Line to Bibaushi Station.
3. Hokuryu Sunflower Village
As the name implies, Hokuryu Sunflower Village consists of sunflowers – over 2 million of them across a 23-hectare field. The village attracts over 200,00 visitors a year, with peak visiting time being early August.
The village is also host to the annual Sunflower Festival, which is held from mid-July to mid-August and one of its highlights is the Sunflower World Corner, where visitors are treated to a display of over 30 varieties of sunflowers from around the world.
There is also a giant sunflower maze for those who seek a little bit of adventure, mischief, and sun; and afterward, they can cool down and take a break by trying out some sunflower-themed foods such as roasted sunflower seeds and sunflower soft-serve ice cream.
To get to Hokuryu Sunflower Village, visitors should alight at JR Fukagawa Station and take a bus.
4. Koshimizu Primeval Flower Garden
Located between Okhotsk Sea and Lake Tofutsu on a 275-hectare or 8km long dune, Koshimizu Primeval Flower Garden is made up of over 200 varieties of wildflowers that grow into full bloom during late April to September.
Visitors can reach this tourist destination by taking the train to JR Genseikan Station, followed by a 1-minute walk to the garden.
5. Yurigahara Park
Famed for having one of the largest collections of flowers in Japan, Yurigahara Park features over 6,400 types of flowers and plants including lilies, roses, lilacs, dahlias, and tulips. Three popular highlights of this park that’s popular with visitors are:
- World Lily Gardens, which features 100 types of lilies from all around the world.
- World Gardens, which consists of four different types of gardens built in collaboration with Sapporo’s sister cities: Munich, Portland, and Shen Yang.
- Rock Garden, which features over 600 kinds of showy alpine plants and arctic plants.
Along with the gardens, the park also boasts a golf course and restaurant. There is also the Lily Train, which provides a scenic ride through the park and its gardens for visitors to enjoy.
Freelance writer with over 2 years of experience writing for the Village House Blog, ESL teacher, and digital nomad who has lived in countries including The Czech Republic, The UK, The U.A.E., Japan, and most recently, Georgia. Is constantly on the hunt for the best, most optimal apartment for remote work when not enjoying going to film festivals, concerts, and the theater.