Furano & Biei Drive: 2-Day Itinerary (Blue Pond, Secret Onsen, Cheese Workshops)

“I want to see Furano and Biei efficiently by car.”

Here’s my full, first-hand account of two days driving Furano and Biei in April 2026. I’m based in Japan, so this is a real route with real spending — written for overseas visitors renting a car in Hokkaido.

The Blue Pond (Aoi-ike)
Shirahige Falls
A free open-air secret onsen: Fukiage Rotenburo
Fukiage Onsen Hakuginso
The Furano Cheese Factory
Jet Coaster Road
Farm Tomita & Shikisai-no-oka

Scenery, hot springs and food — an efficient loop, with photos and honest notes.

Contents

What you’ll get from this guide
Furano & Biei basics (for overseas visitors)
Route overview (2-day itinerary)
1. Day 1: Asahikawa → Biei → Furano (scenic drive)
2. Day 2: Furano → Biei → secret onsen → Asahikawa
Day 1: Scenic drive & Furano food
Day 2: Blue Pond & secret onsen (highlight day)
Top 3 Furano/Biei onsen
Top 5 Furano/Biei foods
What to watch for in Furano/Biei in April
What to pack
Cost summary (2 days, for two)
Conclusion: in Furano & Biei, a car is everything
1. Related guides

What you’ll get from this guide

The best 2-day Furano–Biei driving route
How to bathe at the free secret onsen, Fukiage Rotenburo
How to enjoy the Blue Pond and Shirahige Falls
The superb food at the Furano Cheese Factory
What to watch for visiting in April (snowmelt season)

Furano & Biei basics (for overseas visitors)

Item	Details
From Sapporo	~2.5 hrs via Asahikawa (limited express + rental car)
From Asahikawa	~1 hr to Furano by car
Recommended stay	2 days (3 to go slow)
Getting around	A rental car is essential
Best season	June–October (flower-field season)
When I visited	Early April (no flowers)
Rental car cost	~¥21,000 for 2 days (Car Times)

Public transport here is weak — a car is essential. To drive in Japan you need an International Driving Permit (Geneva Convention) or, for some countries, an official translation of your license. Car-sharing apps usually need a Japanese account, so a standard rental-car booking is easier for tourists.

In April, flowers are barely out, but the Blue Pond, the onsen and the cheese workshop are all worth it. For flower fields, June–August is best.

Route overview (2-day itinerary)

Day 1: Asahikawa → Biei → Furano (scenic drive)

Pick up car at Asahikawa Station
   ↓ ~30 min
Shin-ei no Oka Observatory
   ↓ ~5 min
Mild Seven Hill
   ↓ ~20 min
Shikisai-no-oka
   ↓ ~30 min
Jet Coaster Road
   ↓ ~10 min
Farm Tomita
   ↓ ~20 min
Furano Delice (lunch)
   ↓ ~15 min
Ningle Terrace (evening)
   ↓ ~10 min
Kumagera (dinner)
   ↓
Overnight in Furano

Day 2: Furano → Biei → secret onsen → Asahikawa

Furano Cheese Factory (lunch & gelato)
   ↓ ~40 min
Blue Pond
   ↓ ~3 min
Shirahige Falls
   ↓ ~30 min
Fukiage Onsen Hakuginso or Fukiage Rotenburo (free!)
   ↓ ~1 hr
Return car at Asahikawa Station

Day 1: Scenic drive & Furano food

9:00 — Pick up the car at Asahikawa Station

I used Car Times (¥21,000 for 2 days). Comparing several sites can save up to 30%.

10:00 — Shin-ei no Oka Observatory

A free viewpoint over Biei’s rolling hills. Free admission; a mysterious straw-doll sculpture marks the spot; parking available. We arrived just as the rain briefly stopped and took in the vast hills.

10:30 — Mild Seven Hill

The lone tree made famous by a cigarette commercial — about 5 minutes from Shin-ei no Oka, and visible from the observatory, so it’s an easy add-on. A single tree standing on a broad Hokkaido hill; striking.

11:00 — Shikisai-no-oka (no flowers in April)

Biei’s signature flower-field spot. Free in April (paid in summer); best June–October. In April the flowers are essentially bare — a “revisit in summer” conclusion. The huge grounds are still walkable.

12:00 — Jet Coaster Road (don’t miss it)

One of the trip’s highlights — a ~2.5 km road in Kamifurano with genuine roller-coaster ups and downs. Driving it really does feel like a ride. Do it both ways; take photos only where it’s safe.

13:00 — Farm Tomita

Furano’s iconic farm. Free admission; lavender peaks in July; in April nothing is blooming. The dried-flower room is lovely, and there’s a fun retro photo spot. I bought a lavender bookmark (¥187) — lavender goods are available year-round.

14:00 — Furano Delice (superb sweets)

The best sweets I had in Furano. The crème brûlée pancake, cheesecake and honey roll were all outstanding (¥2,500 for two). I nearly gave up thinking it was closed — glad it was open.

15:30 — Furano Marché (souvenir hunting)

A roadside-station-style complex of Furano specialties: butter potatoes, Furano wine, melon products, lavender goods. Great for souvenirs. I grabbed a butter potato (¥140).

17:00 — Ningle Terrace (a magical forest terrace)

Best visited at dusk. Free admission; open 12:00–20:45; about 15 log-cabin-style craft shops scattered through the woods. The evening lights are magical and very photogenic — go at dusk to night, not midday.

19:00 — Kumagera (famed Furano local cuisine)

The place for dinner in Furano. Roast beef, “bandit hotpot” and cheese tofu (~¥6,550 for two). Loved by locals — genuine, not overly touristy.

21:00 — Hostel TOMAR (overnight in Furano)

¥7,183/night, near Furano Station; thin walls (you hear the neighbors). Furano has few hotels and runs pricey; TOMAR is relatively reasonable. Fine for 1–2 nights.

🏨 Book your stay in Furano: Find & compare Furano hotels on Agoda →
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Day 2: Blue Pond & secret onsen (highlight day)

9:00 — Furano Cheese Factory (breakfast & all things cheese)

Start the day with cheese.

Lav berry cheese ball (¥440): the stretchy cheese texture is irresistible (inside Furano Marché)
Cheese pizza from the pizza workshop (¥2,650): pepper-topped and delicious; compare it with a margherita
Gelato (¥500): white (milk) and cheese half-and-half, naturally sweet

You could spend half a day here — cheese-lover’s heaven.

11:30 — Blue Pond (cobalt-blue scenery)

Biei’s most famous view. Parking ¥500; free admission; good year-round (including autumn foliage). Genuinely, movingly blue — the cobalt is more vivid in person than in photos. Snow lingers in April, so wear good footwear.

12:30 — Shirahige Falls

A hidden gem ~3 minutes from the Blue Pond by car. Free admission; you look down on the falls from a bridge. The view is superb — but I nearly dropped my phone, so bring a camera/phone strap.

13:00 — Tokachidake Volcano Sabo Information Center

Climb 286 steps in a clear dome for a free viewpoint. Tougher than it looks, but the view is excellent (there’s an elevator too).

15:00 — Fukiage Onsen Hakuginso (snow-mountain open-air bath)

One of the best onsen experiences of the trip.

Item	Details
Bathing fee	¥2,600 for two
Parking	Free
Feature	Open-air bath with a snow-mountain view
Temperature	On the cooler side (soak a long time)

A big detour due to road closures, but an open-air bath facing snowy peaks is unbeatable. There’s a mixed bath too — a fun experience.

Notes:

Many road closures in April — check in advance
Mixed bath (bathing garment / towel wrap OK)
General onsen etiquette: wash and rinse before entering; the indoor baths are nude and gender-separated; small towels don’t go in the water. Tattoos: policies vary — check ahead if that applies to you.

16:30 — Fukiage Rotenburo (a free secret onsen!)

The one spot I most want you to know about.

Item	Details
Bathing fee	Completely free
Location	Near Fukiage Onsen Hakuginso
Vibe	The definition of a “secret onsen”
Temperature	Just right
Changing area	None (swimsuit recommended)

I preferred this to Hakuginso — an open-air bath sitting alone in nature, at a perfect temperature. Because there’s no changing space, the practical move is to wear a swimsuit there.

Notes:

No changing room or toilet
Swimsuit or bathing garment required (note: this is a mixed, swimsuit-friendly wild bath, unlike a standard nude onsen)
Dangerous in winter due to snow

19:00 — Back to Asahikawa: ramen at Horyu

A local Asahikawa ramen shop. Spicy-soy ramen, soy-garlic ramen, and a char-mayo bowl (¥2,450). The spicy-soy ramen is incredible — a locals’ place, so it’s the real Asahikawa ramen, not an over-rich tourist version. Asahikawa ramen means soy sauce — a different charm from Sapporo’s miso.

21:00 — Y’s Hotel Asahikawa (overnight)

¥6,620/night, by Asahikawa Station, with a public bath — best value. We stayed here twice; relaxing in the public bath after the secret onsen was perfect.

🏨 Book your stay in Asahikawa: Find & compare Asahikawa hotels on Agoda →

Top 3 Furano/Biei onsen

#1 Fukiage Rotenburo (free) — a free secret onsen, open to nature; swimsuit recommended
#2 Fukiage Onsen Hakuginso — snow-mountain open-air bath; mixed-bath option
#3 Shirogane Onsen (not visited here) — many ryokan, near the Blue Pond; great for an overnight soak

Top 5 Furano/Biei foods

Rank	Place	Genre	Price
1	Furano Delice	Sweets	¥2,500
2	Furano Cheese Factory (pizza)	Cheese	¥2,650
3	Horyu (Asahikawa)	Ramen	¥2,450
4	Kumagera	Local cuisine	¥6,550
5	Lav berry cheese ball	Sweets	¥440

What to watch for in Furano/Biei in April

Flowers are barely out — for lavender, July is best
Many road closures — snowmelt season closes mountain roads often; check conditions
Cherry blossoms aren’t out yet either — late April to early May here (later than Sapporo)
Dress for winter — even in April it’s cold; down and warm layers
Set your GPS to “Blue Pond parking lot,” not the pond itself

What to pack

Comfortable shoes (snowy paths near the Blue Pond)
Warm layers (can drop below freezing even in April)
Swimsuit / bathing garment (for Fukiage Rotenburo)
A towel (for the onsen)
A power bank (lots of photos)
A camera/phone strap (against drops at Shirahige Falls)

Cost summary (2 days, for two)

Category	Amount
Rental car (2 days)	¥21,000
Gas	~¥3,000
Lodging (1 night)	¥7,183
Food (2 days)	~¥18,000
Sightseeing / onsen	~¥4,000
Souvenirs	~¥3,000
Total	~¥56,000

About ¥28,000 per person for two days of scenery and secret-onsen driving.

Conclusion: in Furano & Biei, a car is everything

Public transport here is weak, so a rental car wins by a mile.

April: Blue Pond, secret onsen, food
July: flower fields and lavender
October: autumn foliage and the Blue Pond
Winter: snow activities

Each season is different — a region you won’t tire of. And the free secret onsen, Fukiage Rotenburo, is a must for any onsen lover — a genuine pilgrimage site.