Farm Tomita: When the Lavender Blooms, Parking and Getting There

Farm Tomita in Nakafurano is the lavender farm that made Furano famous: rows of purple lavender and bands of other flowers running across a slope, with the mountains behind. Admission and parking are free. The lavender peaks in early to mid July, and other flowers keep the fields in color through the summer.

1What is Farm Tomita like?

The farm has several flower fields, and different flowers bloom through the season, so the colors change from early summer to autumn. The highlight is the lavender in July, when purple fills whole slopes and you can smell it from the paths. Later in summer, other flowers keep the fields in stripes of red, yellow and white, as in my photos, which were taken after the lavender season.

The shops sell lavender products, from dried flowers to cosmetics made with lavender essence.

2When is the lavender in bloom?

The lavender usually peaks in early to mid July. Into August, other flowers such as celosia keep the fields in stripes of red and yellow. Farm Tomita is open all year, but the flower fields are the reason to come, so plan for June to September. Opening hours change through the year (in mid-October, for example, it opens 9:30 to 16:30); the official site shows the day's hours on its front page.

Lavender East, a separate and much larger lavender field run by the farm in Kamifurano, opens only during the lavender season, from about late June to late July.

3Lavender soft-serve and things to look for

Try the lavender soft-serve: it is made with lavender extract and tastes light and refreshing on a hot day. Look out, too, for the lavender-colored postbox and scooter.

4How to avoid the crowds

Farm Tomita is the busiest stop in Biei and Furano, and in the lavender season the main road, Route 237, gets very congested. Arriving early is the safest plan. Between Farm Tomita and Biei, take the quieter roads on the mountain side instead of Route 237; my Biei and Furano guide has the route.

5How to get to Farm Tomita by car

From Asahikawa: about an hour to an hour and a quarter. Take Route 237 south through Biei and Kamifurano, turn right just before the JR Furano Line as you leave Kamifurano, and the farm is about 5 kilometers on.

From Sapporo: about two and a half hours. Head to Iwamizawa or Mikasa on Route 12 or the Do-o Expressway, then cross the mountains to Furano on Prefectural Road 116, Route 452 and Prefectural Road 135. The pass is a mountain road, so drive carefully. When you reach the JR Furano Line, turn left and follow it northeast for about 6 kilometers.

The free car park holds about 500 cars. In peak season, arriving early is the best way to get straight in.

6Near Farm Tomita

Farm Tomita is one stop on a loop through the hills and flower farms of Biei and Furano, with Shikisai no Oka, the Blue Pond, Shirahige Falls and viewpoints such as Senbo Pass and the Jet Coaster Road. My guide shows the order that avoids the crowded main road.

Biei and Furano by Car: A Local's Route Around the Summer CrowdsA local's driving loop through Biei and Furano that avoids the summer traffic on Route 237, from Asahikawa or as a day trip from Sapporo: Farm Tomita, the Blue Pond, Tokachidake and the hills of Biei.

7FAQ about Farm Tomita

Q1. When is the best time to see lavender at Farm Tomita?

Early to mid July. Other flowers keep the fields colorful into August.

Q2. Is Farm Tomita free?

Yes. Admission and parking are both free.

Q3. How long should I spend at Farm Tomita?

Allow about an hour to walk the fields, have a soft-serve and look around the shops; longer at the peak of the lavender.

Q4. How do you get to Farm Tomita from Sapporo?

About two and a half hours by car over the mountains via Mikasa, or about an hour to an hour and a quarter from Asahikawa on Route 237.

Q5. Is Farm Tomita open in winter?

The farm is open all year, but the flower fields are bare outside summer, so it is worth the trip from June to September.