If you want to escape the heat of the city during Japan’s scorching summer, Hokkaido would be your ideal destination to cool down. Moreover, lavender and other delightful blossoms fill a canvas of rainbow fields in Furano and Biei.
Getting to these two wonderful locations has become an exciting adventure by hopping on variable trains of distinct styles and colors. From Sapporo station to Furano station, you can take several route options. The most convenient is the direct purple-colored Furano Lavender Express, which takes less than two hours. Less costly would be the silver Kamui Line and green Lilac Line, with one change at Takikawa station for the Nemuro line or a change at Asahikawa station for the Furano line, both ways taking approximately two to three hours.
Furano Biei Norokko Train
The Furano line continues to Nakafurano, which brings you closer to the flower gardens. However, the special Furano Biei Norokko train passes along an exclusive route that opens your eyes to a patchwork of amazing lavender and other colorful flower fields and pretty red- and brown-roofed farmhouses against the backdrop of the Tokachi mountain range. “Norokko” pertains to the Japanese expression noroi, meaning slow, and torokko ressha indicates a trolley train.
The Furano line opened in 1899, making it one of the country’s most antiquated operating train lines. From Furano station, the train makes stops at Nakafurano, Lavender Farm, Kamifurano, Bibaushi, Biei, and Asahikawa. Lavender Farm station is the closest stop to the popular Farm Tomita.
Train Features
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3 Comments
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falseflagsteve
Looks like a grand old lady that train. Love old trains, trams and buses, always have and luckily so does my son. We travel in some now and then.
starpunk
They're wonderful when the scenery is awesome. This reminds me of an all-day train I once took in 1996 at Sault Ste Marie, Canada. You get to see some splendid terrain and pristine rivers and lakes (Sault Ste Marie is at the junction of three Great Lakes - Superior, Michigan and Huron).
falseflagsteve
Starpunk
Sounds good that trip. Still plenty of old rolling stock here, some with original interior, some refurbished. Took The Thunderbird with my son from Kobe to Kyoto recently when we bought Jr West 3 day passes. Proper old diesel with original rolling stock, wooden interior etc. Like a trip back in time and a smashing time.
These days most trains and buses worldwide seem the same, made to fit in more people, no character, no uniqueness at all.