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Top 10 Biei Driving Spots for 2025: Enjoy Breathtaking Natural Scenery in the "Town of Hills"
Biei, known as one of Hokkaido's most popular tourist destinations, is famous as the "Town of Hills." With its gently rolling hills, it's the perfect place for a scenic drive. Here, we introduce recommended spots that will make your drive even more enjoyable, featuring unique landscapes and famous locations in Biei.
- Shirogane Blue Pond: A classic spot popular for its mystical blue water
- Shirahige Falls: The source of the cobalt-blue Shirogane Blue Pond
- Shikisai-no-Oka Panoramic Flower Gardens: Colorful flower fields stretching across vast hills
- Zerubu Hill & Atom Hill: Stroll through seasonal flowers on buggies and carts
- Ken and Mary Tree: A driving spot made famous by a TV commercial
- Biei Shirogane Onsen: A hot spring with free-flowing source water to soothe your driving fatigue
- Shin'ei-no-Oka View Park: Overlooking beautiful sunsets and the hills of Biei
- Roadside Station Biei "Oka no Kura": For delicious local food and exclusive souvenirs
- Biei Farm: The place to go for fresh, straight-from-the-farm milk
- Seven Stars Tree: Standing amidst the Patchwork Road
1. Shirogane Blue Pond: A classic spot popular for its mystical blue water
A popular spot where the mysteriously blue water and withered larch trees create a fantastical landscape. In spring and summer, the pond's blue stands out vividly against the fresh greenery. In autumn, the water's surface is colored by autumn leaves, and in winter, the snow-covered pond and surrounding trees are illuminated. It's a place you'll want to visit again and again to see the mystical scenery that changes with each season.
■ Hours: Open all year
・Light-up: From the times below until 9:00 PM
Oct, Nov: 5:00 PM～ / Dec: 4:30 PM～ / Jan: 5:00 PM～ / Feb: 5:30 PM～ / Mar: 6:00 PM～ / Apr: 6:30 PM～
*From Dec 31 to Jan 3, illumination is extended until 2:00 AM the next day.
■ Location: Shirogane, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun
Click here for details and map of Shirogane Blue Pond
2. Shirahige Falls: The source of the cobalt-blue Shirogane Blue Pond
This 30-meter waterfall is a rare "subsurface flow waterfall" in Japan, where underground water from the Tokachi Mountain Range gushes out from between natural rock formations. It was named Shirahige (White Beard) because the falling water resembles a white beard. It is one of the tourist attractions in the Biei Shirogane Onsen area, and the sight of the cobalt-blue Biei River splashing below is breathtaking. The water of this blue river flowing under the bridge is the source of the Blue Pond.
■ Hours: Open all year
・Light-up hours (from the times below until 9:00 PM)
Oct, Nov: 5:00 PM～ / Dec: 4:30 PM～ / Jan: 5:00 PM～ / Feb: 5:30 PM～ / Mar: 6:00 PM～ / Apr: 6:30 PM～ / May–Sep: 6:00 PM～
■ Location: Shirogane, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun
Click here for details and map of Shirahige Falls
3. Shikisai-no-Oka Panoramic Flower Gardens: Colorful flower fields stretching across vast hills
A popular flower garden where dozens of colorful flower varieties bloom across a vast 15-hectare site. You can enjoy dozens of types of flowers over a long period from spring to autumn, including tulips and pansies in spring, poppies and lupines in early summer, lavender and sunflowers in summer, and cosmos and kochia in autumn. The gently rolling hills with the Tokachi Mountain Range in the background are a sight to behold. The park also has a farm stand, a restaurant, and an alpaca farm, making it a great place for families to enjoy.
■ Hours: Annually
Jan: 8:40 AM–4:30 PM / Feb–Apr: 9:10 AM–5:00 PM / May, Oct: 8:40 AM–5:00 PM / Jun–Sep: 8:40 AM–5:30 PM / Nov–Dec: 9:10 AM–4:30 PM
*Alpaca farm closes 30 minutes before the park's closing time.
■ Admission: Jul–Sep: High school students and older 500 yen / Elementary and middle school students 300 yen / Preschoolers free
*Fees apply for various rides and admission to the alpaca farm.
*Separate fees are required for winter season activities (early Dec to early Apr).
■ Location: Shinsei Daisan, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun
Click here for details and map of Shikisai-no-Oka Panoramic Flower Gardens
4. Zerubu Hill & Atom Hill: Stroll through seasonal flowers on buggies and carts
Located on a gentle hill along National Route 237, with the majestic nature of the Asahidake and Tokachi Mountain Ranges as a backdrop, Zerubu Hill & Atom Hill boasts a variety of flowers such as lavender, sunflowers, and poppies. From the observation deck, you can also see the Ken and Mary Tree, and you can tour the park on a buggy or cart.
■ Hours: April 26 (Sat) – early October, 2025, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
*The restaurant will not be open during the 2025 season.
■ Closed: Irregularly *Closed during winter
■ Fees
・Buggy ride: 1 lap - 500 yen for single-seater / 800 yen for two-seater
・Cart ride: 1 lap - 2,000 yen for 4-5 seater *Available for 2 or more people
*Drivers must be 16 years or older.
■ Location: Taisan, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun
Click here for details and map of Zerubu Hill & Atom Hill
5. Ken and Mary Tree: A driving spot made famous by a TV commercial
One of Biei's iconic landscapes, this tree became famous after appearing in a Nissan Skyline commercial in 1972. The unique name was inspired by the characters in the commercial, "Ken" and "Mary." It is a popular spot for drives and photography.
■ Location: Okubo Kyosei, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun
Click here for details and map of the Ken and Mary Tree
6. Biei Shirogane Onsen: A hot spring with free-flowing source water to soothe your driving fatigue
Located at the foot of the Tokachi Mountain Range, this onsen resort warms both body and soul, offering views of the mountains and the rich natural scenery around them. The road to Shirogane Onsen is the Shirakaba Kaido (White Birch Avenue), a 4km stretch lined with white birch trees. It is also close to the Blue Pond and Shirahige Falls, so you can enjoy the pure, free-flowing spring water while touring Biei's attractions.
■ Hours: Varies by facility. Please check the official website of each facility for details.
■ Fees: Varies by facility. Please check the official website of each facility for details.
■ Location: Shirogane, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun
Click here for details and map of Biei Shirogane Onsen
7. Shin'ei-no-Oka View Park: Overlooking beautiful sunsets and the hills of Biei
A recommended stop for drives and cycling. This observation park offers a 360-degree view of the Biei hills. To the east, you can see the Tokachi Mountain Range and the colorful patchwork hills, while to the west, a magnificent sunset unfolds. From summer to autumn, you can also enjoy salvia and sunflower blossoms.
■ Hours: Sunrise to sunset *Excluding snowy season
■ Location: Mimaushi Shin'ei, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun
Click here for details and map of Shin'ei-no-Oka View Park
8. Roadside Station Biei "Oka no Kura": For delicious local food and exclusive souvenirs
Roadside Station Biei "Oka no Kura" is a 3-minute walk from JR Biei Station. The building is a renovated grain warehouse made of Biei soft stone, built in the early Taisho era, with an interior featuring locally sourced larch wood. Inside, you'll find "Komugi Shokudo," where you can eat the new local specialty, Biei Curry Udon, as well as many exclusive souvenirs like locally made woodwork and pottery.
■ Hours: Mar–May, Sep–Nov: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM / Jun–Aug: 9:00 AM–6:00 PM / Dec–Feb: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
・Komugi Shokudo: 11:00 AM–3:00 PM (Last order 2:30 PM)
■ Closed: Dec 31–Jan 3 *Open only in the morning on Dec 30
■ Location: 1-9-21 Motomachi, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun
Click here for details and map of Roadside Station Biei "Oka no Kura"
9. Biei Farm: The place to go for fresh, straight-from-the-farm milk
A vast grazing farm of about 20 hectares. You can enjoy the leisurely sight of cows grazing in the rich nature and a landscape that is quintessentially Hokkaido with its lush greenery. The production facility attached to the shop sells low-temperature pasteurized milk made from freshly squeezed raw milk, as well as processed products like soft-serve ice cream, pudding, butter, and yogurt.
■ Hours: May–Oct 20 (Mon): 10:00 AM–5:00 PM / Oct 21 (Tue)–Apr: 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
■ Closed: New Year holidays
■ Location: 5235 Shinsei Heiwa, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun
Click here for details and map of Biei Farm
10. Seven Stars Tree: Standing amidst the Patchwork Road
One of Biei's representative spots, this tree got its name after being featured in a promotion for the cigarette brand "Seven Stars." The surrounding area is one of Biei's premier driving spots, known as the "Patchwork Road," where fields spread out like a colorful quilt. The view from June to July, when potato flowers bloom and wheat sways in the wind, is particularly recommended.
■ Location: Hokuei, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun
Click here for details and map of the Seven Stars Tree
*All information is current as of May 2025.
*All information is subject to change. Please check official websites for the latest details.
