Biei / HokkaidoBlue Water, Rolling Hills, and a Patchwork of Color: Biei in Hokkaido

One of the best ways to appreciate Biei’s remarkable and unique scenery is on a bicycle. Though the hills are not overly steep, their undulating shape means you’ll soon be very grateful to have the electronic assistance that comes with a rental e-bike. These bicycles have adjustable seats, so even taller, long-legged guests need not worry.

Going out with a local English-speaking guide gives you an opportunity to explore some of the lesser-known spots.

The guide will show you around access roads that are not traveled by rental cars, taxis, or buses, enabling you to enjoy the beautiful scenery free of traffic and to appreciate the fresh, clean air.

You’ll pass many scenic spots during the cycling tour, but one of Biei’s most famous is the Shinei-no-Oka Observatory Park, established atop a small hill. If the weather is cooperative, you’ll be able to catch a 360-degree view that includes the famous patchwork fields overshadowed by the dramatic Tokachi Mountains looming in the background.

While most of the fields in Biei are privately owned and thus off-limits to visitors, this park features one flower field that is open especially to the public. If your visit to Biei takes place during the summer months (particularly July through late September), look for the distinctive, round hay-bale character known as Roll-kun, and you’ll find an entrance to stroll amidst the flowers and immerse yourself in Biei’s beauty.

Just a short drive toward those Tokachi Mountains from Biei lies the pleasant hot-springs town of Shirogane. There are a variety of places at which to stay, but the largest of these is Shirogane Park Hills, located in the town center.

The hotel restaurant offers a mix of Japanese and Western dishes made with Hokkaido ingredients, including fresh Biei vegetables.

In true Japanese ryokan (traditional inn) style, dine while wearing a comfortable, loose-fitting yukata and then soak in their indoor or outdoor hot-spring baths to ease your muscles after the day’s cycling.

Just behind Shirogane Park Hills is Shirahige Falls, one of Hokkaido's most famous and unusual waterfalls. These are called Shirahige (white beard) because white curtains of water that resemble an old man’s beard cascade down from gaps in the rocky cliff—the source of the water is an underground river rather than a typical stream flowing from above.

The falls feed into the Biei River, streaming down from the mountains, and from a high vantage point the distinctive blue color of the water is all the more apparent. The waterfall is particularly stunning in the winter, when frost-encrusted trees and shimmering icicles showcase the ravine below.

In Biei, eating corn on the cob takes on an entirely new meaning when tasting freshly husked corn. The Fujiwara family farm grows both familiar yellow corn and also a variety known as “Pure White,” which can be eaten raw! True to the name, the kernels are gleaming white, and the corn is incredibly sweet.

During this activity, your guide will help you harvest the best corn to taste—and share some trivia as well, such as why you won’t find any yellow corn growing nearby. Speaking of yellow corn, though, you’ll have a chance to try that too—after it’s been boiled, of course. You’ll be surprised at how different the two types of corn taste!

Farm Restaurant Chiyoda serves up the ultimate in local produce since they manage their own pastureland with both Jersey dairy cows and Japanese wagyu cattle ranging freely. The wagyu cattle consume feed mixed with sake kasu (the lees left over from producing sake), making for marbled beef with a very tender texture.

The restaurant menu includes hearty Western fare, such as cuts of juicy sirloin steak, and Japanese-style dishes, such as beef rice bowls, as well as Hokkaido’s signature soup curry made with Biei vegetables. Their fluffy bread is made from additive-free Biei wheat, rich Jersey-cow milk, and butter from the farm.

After lunch, head up the hill behind the restaurant and take in a lovely view of the patchwork hills and the cattle roaming the grassy pastures down below.

Having already gained a broad view of Biei’s farmland, now it’s time to get out in the field—literally! However, given that farmland is private property and there is a risk of inadvertently causing damage to crops, the only option is to head out on a guided tour.

The friendly and knowledgeable guide will explain various aspects of Biei agriculture, such as why the white sandy soil sparkles, how crop rotation is implemented, and the ways farmers have adapted to the unique conditions of Biei with techniques like crop arrangement.