The flower patches and rolling hills
of flowers make Biei a definite stop when visiting nearby Sapporo and Furano in
the Summer. A short train ride from Furano and an hour or so trip from Sapporo
via Ashikawa, Biei is also a stop of the Norokko Train.
A convenient mode to tour is by the
Twinkle Bus. This sightseeing bus has 2 schedules a morning and afternoon
departure that is timely aligned with the Norokko train. You can buy a ticket
at the tourist office at the left side when you exit the Biei station.
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| Inside the Twinkle Bus |
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| Twinkle Bus Pass |
The Twinkle bus has 2 routes : the
Panorama Course and the Patchwork Course (Y1500) . The Panorama has 2
stops (Takushinkan & Shikisai-no-Oka and 2 spots (Sanai-no-Oka &
Shinei-no-Oka) viewed from the bus.
The first stop is for 20 minutes at the
Takushinkan. A gallery where you can see photos of the different seasons in
Biei.
The next stop is for 30 minutes at the Shikisai-no-Oka. Total tour takes 100 mins and ends back at the Biei station in time to catch the Norokko train.
SHIKISAI-NO-OKA
Here you can see the rolling hills of
flowers. There is a tractor tour you can take that will drive around the fields
which lasts for 15 minutes Y500 (adults). They also have golf carts or buggies
for rent. For us, 30 minutes was a too short to explore enough the site.
Walking the rolling hills of flowers, enjoying the many seasonal local snacks,
and shopping at the gift store would take more than the allotted time. The
flower fields are free to enter. You'll need to be back on the bus before the
allotted time because you can't ride the other schedule. It’s a 25 minute
walk from the Bibaushi Station.
There is also an alpaca farm you can visit for a Y500 (adults) entry fee.
Hours of Operation: 8:30 -6:00 (June
to Sept)
Website:
http://shikisainooka.jp/english/
Another option to get around is the
Biei Gurutto Bus. This local bus travels the Panorama Course or Patchwork
Course but runs on limited dates in August and September. You can also rent
bikes and explore Biei on your own. There are bike rental places just outside
the Biei train station. You can rent a regular or electric bike.
Website:
http://www.biei-hokkaido.jp/en