Enjoy Hokkaido's popular spots like Asahikawa and Furano on a budget with our "Asahikawa, Furano, & Biei Grand Tour"! We'll introduce a 3-day, 2-night model itinerary starting and ending in Asahikawa that lets you enjoy the zoo, stunning scenery, and delicious food—all by smartly using public transportation. We hope you find it helpful!

The journey begins in Asahikawa. First, download the dedicated app for the "Kamikuru Pass." By purchasing the pass through the app, you get unlimited rides on local buses within the Kamikawa region. Since this is a 3-day, 2-night trip, we'll purchase the "Kamikuru Pass 3-Day Ticket."

If purchased by December 31, 2022, the "Gurutto Hokkaido" campaign discount applied, reducing the price from the usual 5,000 yen (tax incl.) to 3,500 yen (tax incl.)! Please note that passes purchased during the campaign were valid for use until January 31, 2023.

When you think of popular tourist spots in Asahikawa, Asahiyama Zoo always comes to mind! Let's go see the adorable animals. From the Asahikawa Station bus stop, we'll take an Asahikawa Denkikido bus. We can use the Kamikuru Pass right away. You can hop on and off with just your smartphone, making it incredibly convenient and cashless!

[Approx. 39-minute bus ride on the Asahikawa Denkikido Bus from "Asahikawa Station Bus Stop" to "Asahiyama Zoo Bus Stop"]

Asahiyama Zoo became a national sensation for being one of the first to incorporate "behavioral exhibits." Even in 2022, it continues to make headlines with the public debut of a polar bear cub and the opening of the Ezo Brown Bear House.

The behavioral exhibits, which showcase the animals' natural abilities, are full of surprises! Time will fly by. Since we're here, let's have lunch inside the zoo.

At the Asahiyama Zoo Club's main gate shop, you can try the Ezo Deer Genghis Khan Donburi, a dish featuring Ezo venison that's very typical of Hokkaido!

After bidding farewell to the animals, we'll take the Asahikawa Denkikido bus back to JR Asahikawa Station. Don't forget to show your Kamikuru Pass.

[Approx. 40-minute bus ride on the Asahikawa Denkikido Bus from "Asahiyama Zoo Bus Stop" to "Asahikawa Station Bus Stop"]

Let's take a stroll through Asahikawa Heiwa Dori Shopping Park, which stretches from the front of JR Asahikawa Station to 8-jo Dori. Known locally as "Kaimono Koen" (Shopping Park), this street is Japan's first permanent pedestrian-only street. Various shops line the street for about 1 kilometer. In 2022, it celebrated its 50th anniversary.

After enjoying some shopping and walking, we'll head to Biei Town on a Dohoku Bus from the JR Asahikawa Station bus stop. Of course, you can use the Kamikuru Pass on Dohoku Bus as well.

[Approx. 1 hour 17-minute bus ride on the Dohoku Bus from "Asahikawa Ekimae Bus Stop" to "Shirogane Onsen Bus Stop"]

After getting off the Dohoku Bus at the Shirogane Onsen bus stop, it's about a 3-minute walk to Shirahige Falls. The waterfall, which flows down the rocks in countless fine streams, is a rare type in Japan known as an "underflow waterfall" (senryubaku). Together with the cobalt blue Biei River it flows into, it creates a truly magical scene.

After soaking up the revitalizing negative ions from Shirahige Falls, it's time to stay overnight at the nearby Shirogane Onsen village! End the first day of your trip in luxury with a delicious meal and a relaxing hot spring bath at your accommodation.

On the second day of our trip, we'll make full use of the Kamikuru Pass for more sightseeing! From the Shirogane Onsen bus stop, we'll take a Dohoku Bus to see that famous pond in Biei.

[Approx. 2-minute bus ride on the Dohoku Bus from "Shirogane Onsen Bus Stop" to "Shirogane Aoiike Iriguchi Bus Stop"]

You guessed it: the Shirogane Blue Pond, commonly known as the "Blue Pond." Withered larch trees stand tall from the surface of the beautiful blue water, creating a mysterious and mystical scene. The shade of blue subtly changes with the seasons and weather, so be sure to take lots of photos to remember what it looked like during your visit.

After delighting our eyes with beautiful nature in the morning, we'll walk to Michi-no-Eki Biei "Shirogane Biruke." The Biruke Forest along the way is also beautiful, offering delightful scenery in every season.

[Approx. 30-minute walk from the Blue Pond to Michi-no-Eki Biei "Shirogane Biruke"]

With its triangular roofs set against a forest backdrop, Shirogane Biruke makes you feel like you've wandered into a storybook. This new roadside station, which reopened after renovations in 2018, features a sophisticated and stylish interior.

We recommend trying the "Biei Cider" here. Its vivid blue color was inspired by the Blue Pond. You can enjoy it on the spot or buy it as a souvenir. A portion of the sales is apparently donated to the town of Biei for landscape conservation.

Having some soft-serve ice cream might just whet your appetite for more. Let's leave Shirogane Biruke to get some lunch. We'll board a Dohoku Bus from the Michi-no-Eki Shirogane Biruke bus stop. The Kamikuru Pass comes in handy here too!

[Approx. 27-minute bus ride on the Dohoku Bus from "Michi-no-Eki Shirogane Biruke Bus Stop" to "Biei Ekimae Bus Stop"]

Did you know that Biei has its own local comfort food called "Biei Curry Udon"? Made with Biei-produced wheat, pork, and vegetables, this beloved local dish is worthy of being called A-grade. Today, we'll be visiting "KOERU, the Restaurant with a View of the Station."

It's conveniently located behind JR Biei Station, just a 5-minute walk away. The lunch menu includes unique options like Biei Curry Udon (pan-fried noodles) and the original Curry Udon Pizza, but we recommend the "Biei Curry Udon (dipping noodles)."

With a strong commitment to local ingredients, all the extensive menu items are handmade. The dipping-style Biei Curry Udon is packed with vegetables and comes with a salad and Biei milk, making it a very healthy choice! At just 920 yen (tax incl.), it's a wonderful lunch that's a feast for the eyes and easy on the wallet.

[Approx. 12-minute ride on the Furano Bus Rapid Lavender from "Biei Station Bus Stop" to "Miyama Pass Bus Stop"]

With our stomachs full, it's time to head to our next destination. From the Biei Station bus stop, we'll take the Furano Bus Rapid Lavender. Of course, the Kamikuru Pass is valid on this bus too.

Just a short walk from the Miyama Pass bus stop is the Trick Art Museum. The museum is located within the Miyama Pass Art Park. Look for the white Ferris wheel!

Incidentally, the Miyama Pass Art Park held an "Ikoiko Campaign 2022" exclusively in October, where anyone could enjoy the museum, Ferris wheel, and a cheese tart as a set for just 1,000 yen (tax incl.). Normally, the combined price for these three is 1,750 yen for adults, 1,450 yen for junior high/high school students, and 1,150 yen for elementary school students (all tax incl.), so it was a fantastic deal!

First, let's take lots of fun photos at the Trick Art Museum, where you can become part of the art yourself. You're allowed to touch the trick art, so whether you're an art lover or not, everyone can enjoy it freely and equally!

After the museum, we'll ride the "Tokachidake Art View" Ferris wheel, which offers a panoramic view of Kamifurano from 50 meters above the ground. The magnificent view of the Tokachi mountain range spreading out below is a work of art in itself. Let yourself be captivated by the beauty of nature.

And for our long-awaited snack, a cheese tart. It's almost unbelievable that you can have this much fun, be so moved, and enjoy a tasty treat for just 1,000 yen.

[Approx. 52-minute ride on the Furano Bus Rapid Lavender from "Miyama Pass Bus Stop" to "New Furano Prince Hotel Bus Stop"]

From the Miyama Pass bus stop, we'll take the Furano Bus Rapid Lavender to our accommodation for the second night. We'll get off at the New Furano Prince Hotel bus stop, showing our Kamikuru Pass.

After checking in at the New Furano Prince Hotel and taking a short break, let's head out to "Ningle Terrace," located in the forest on the hotel grounds.

Ningle Terrace is a romantic shopping area consisting of 15 log cabins. Each one displays and sells unique craft items.

As you peek into each cabin and stroll around, you'll feel as if you're visiting an artist's workshop. Hopefully, you'll find a special souvenir.

The Furano Wari Plus is a program where you get a lodging discount and coupons when you stay in Furano. The eligible stay period was until November 30, 2022, and the coupon usage period was until December 1, 2022. The discount methods vary by hotel, but at the New Furano Prince Hotel, the accommodation fee was discounted by 2,000 yen per person per night, and you also received coupons worth 2,000 yen per person per night, which could be used for dining, taxis, and activities in Furano. Let's use the coupons on our final day tomorrow.

It's the final day of our trip. After enjoying the hotel's breakfast buffet, we'll check out and take a taxi to the Furano Cheese Factory.

[Approx. 8-minute taxi ride from New Furano Prince Hotel to Furano Cheese Factory]

The Furano Cheese Factory has several buildings scattered across its spacious grounds. In one of them, the Hands-on Workshop, let's try our hand at butter making (900 yen, tax incl.) and cheese making (1,000 yen, tax incl.). Since space is limited, it's a good idea to make a reservation in advance.

The coupons from Furano Wari Plus can be used in 1,000-yen increments and no change is given, so it might be smart to use one to pay for the cheese-making experience! Of course, you can also use it for the taxi fare to get here, but please note that it's only valid for Furano Taxi or Chuo Hire.

After the two workshops, it'll be just about lunchtime. Let's head over to the Pizzeria and have lunch here as well.

You can savor authentic Neapolitan pizza made by a chef who trained in Naples, Italy. The cheese, of course, is the factory's own original mozzarella! Other ingredients are also sourced locally from Furano, so it's guaranteed to be delicious. Using your remaining 1,000-yen Furano Wari Plus coupon here will make it feel like an even better deal.

Now, we'll need to take a taxi again from here. Since this isn't a place where you can easily hail one, you'll need to call for one or arrange a pick-up time with the taxi that dropped you off.

[Approx. 11-minute taxi ride from Furano Cheese Factory to Furano Winery]

After cheese, the next logical stop is wine. We'll visit the Furano Winery. Furano wine is carefully nurtured by the blessed land, favorable climate, and the people of Furano. Here, you can tour the winery and see the barrel and tank aging processes, as well as the bottling line. And of course, you can sample the wine.

After choosing your favorite wine at the shop, it's time to leave the winery. Again, since you can't easily hail a taxi here, you'll need to call for one or arrange a pick-up time in advance.

[Approx. 7-minute taxi ride from Furano Winery to Furano Marche]

Our final destination is Furano Marche. Packed with the flavors of Furano, Furano Marche is filled with so many delicious things that you won't know where to look first! It's also a great place for souvenir shopping, so be sure to enjoy it.

When you get tired from shopping, you'll inevitably crave something sweet. Let's get a treat to blow away our fatigue at "Basu Sutoppu" (Bus Stop), a soft-serve ice cream shop in Furano Marche.

We recommend the "Maze Ice"! It's a unique ice cream you can only get here, made by mixing Furano milk soft-serve with jams and fruits made from local ingredients. Well, our journey is coming to an end. Enjoying this sweet treat might just make you feel a little bittersweet.

[3-minute walk from Furano Marche to Hondori 5-chome Bus Stop]

Once you've made sure you haven't forgotten to buy anything, it's time to leave Furano Marche. The Hondori 5-chome bus stop is a 3-minute walk away, where we'll board the Furano Bus Rapid Lavender.

[Approx. 1 hour 45-minute ride on the Furano Bus Rapid Lavender from "Hondori 5-chome Bus Stop" to "Asahikawa Ekimae Bus Stop"]

Getting off the bus at the Asahikawa Ekimae bus stop will be the last time we use the Kamikuru Pass that served us so well on this trip. The more you ride, the more you save—the Kamikuru Pass was incredibly useful. Now, let's head home from JR Asahikawa Station.

How was our "Asahikawa, Furano, & Biei Grand Tour," exploring one of Hokkaido's most popular tourist areas? Packed with photogenic spots and delicious food, this is a model route we highly recommend!