Summer Splendor in Hokkaido, Japan

Entrant Submission for Travel Writing Contest “Freedom to Explore – Your Way” by traveler Phan Thu Nga, sharing her summer journey in Hokkaido.

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Despite numerous visits to Japan, this summer marks my first experience witnessing the beauty of Hokkaido, Japan's finest summer destination.

Spanning from late June to August, the weather here is refreshingly mild, even chilly at night. We cycled through sun-drenched fields, traversing from one hill to another, ascending mountaintops to admire the panoramic views of Patchwork Road beneath the expansive sky, marveling at sunsets, or witnessing Japan's most beautiful nightscapes.

Fields of barley nearing harvest

Our main destinations were the Furano-Biei region and the city of Hakodate.

Since there are no direct flights from Vietnam to Hokkaido, we opted to fly to Osaka with Jetstar, booking tickets on the airline's website and then transferring to Hokkaido by train. For such a long journey, purchasing a JR Pass from Klook was the top choice.

Sun-drenched roads and expansive skies

Public transportation in Hokkaido is quite sparse, with only JR trains and some bus routes available. This is where the JR Pass continues to be invaluable! Visit http://www.hyperdia.com/en/, input your departure and arrival stations, and planned departure time to find suitable train options. Note that trains run 1-2 hours apart, with varying start and end times, so it's essential to check the first and last trains beforehand to avoid needing a taxi.

The scenery outside the window always resembles a painting

For internet access, it's advisable to pre-purchase a 4G SIM from Klook, available for pick-up at the airport, offering fast speeds with 3GB of data over 8 days for just under 300k. For communication needs, using messaging apps or social media is very convenient.

Our arrival in Sapporo was also on the evening of the first day. To rest between legs and to savor the unique cuisine of this city, we stayed here for one night. It was Ghengis Khan – grilled lamb with a special, intensely flavorful sauce that doesn't have the unpleasant smell of lamb. Enjoying it with Sapporo beer completes the experience.

Ghengis Khan Dish

For this trip, we booked accommodations in advance through booking.com. In Sapporo, it was the Untapped Hostel, where each of us had a bed in a dormitory room equipped with blankets, mattresses, lights, curtains... very clean and private. The bathroom had shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and a hairdryer, so we just rolled over and slept after a tiring day of travel.

The next morning, we greeted the new day with fresh seafood dishes. This is a must-try when visiting Hokkaido because this island has a highly developed fishing industry, with various dishes of fish, squid, octopus... especially fresh sea urchin always available, just make sushi, sashimi to enjoy the naturally sweet and fresh taste. We ate while exploring the Curb Market, located right next to JR Soen station, without getting bored. In addition to seafood, the market also has the famous Yubari melon and raw corn dishes worth trying.

Sashimi platter, Kaisendon, and crab soup

As planned, today we were supposed to leave Sapporo at 8:15 am to have ample time in Furano, but due to tempting food, we were over 3 hours late. When we arrived at Sapporo station, the train was about to depart, luckily we had JR Pass so we didn't need to buy individual tickets, just rushed through the ticket gate, showed the pass, and asked the train staff which platform, then ran straight there, we were incredibly lucky to catch the train just before it closed!

In Furano, we rented a room at Tomar Hostel, 200m from Furano station, similar to the dorm beds in Sapporo. After dropping off our belongings, we asked the receptionist how to get to Tomita Farm – Furano's most famous attraction, they advised that although Lavender-Farm station is close to Tomita Farm, there are very few trains there, so it's best to go to Nakafurano station 1.4km away and then walk or take a shuttle bus for 200yen/pax. Asking locals for advice always pays off, and we quickly reached Tomita Farm.

Vibrant lavender fields with an intoxicating aroma

The fully bloomed lavender fields shimmering in the July sun, emitting a gentle and romantic fragrance. Alongside the lavender are fields of poppies, cosmos, lupins... with interwoven shades of red and yellow. Besides admiring the flowers, you can also watch perfume and essential oil making demonstrations, or indulge in uniquely flavored lavender ice cream.

The evening of the second day concluded at the region's most famous eatery: Yuiga Doxon. Renowned for homemade dishes like egg rolls, curry, sausages... with exceptional flavors.

On the third and fourth days, we explored the Biei agricultural region around Bibaushi and Biei in a very romantic way: cycling. There are a few rental points around the station, all with long queues. Bring your passport for procedures, rental prices range from 2000-5000yen/bike for 4 hours depending on the type, with an extra charge for overtime. Opt for electric-assist bikes for uphill pedaling. They also provided us with maps and directions to other famous spots. Remember to prepare lunch, drinks, sunscreen, wear a hat, and off you go!

The Patchwork Road

Biei boasts a hilly terrain, with continuous slopes and hillsides, interspersed with fields of barley, grass, and flowers of various colors, forming incredibly majestic patchwork landscapes. Dubbed the 'Most Beautiful Town in the World', beauty is everywhere, so on the road, we took a step and stopped to take 10 photos, constantly getting distracted by the stunning scenery. To navigate, rely on the distributed map and planned itinerary, you can visit gardens, scenic spots, or famous trees like Ken&Mary Tree, Seven Star Tree, Parents and Child Tree... or just keep going, stop, rest, and snap photos because beauty is everywhere. Note: Do not enter fields as it damages farmers' crops.

Scenery as picturesque as a painting

Some gardens like Shikisai no Oka, Shinei no Oka, Zeburu no Oka are free but it's encouraged to support with 200yen/person so please be conscientious. Each garden has beautifully arranged landscapes, different flower gardens, and also sells fresh produce at very reasonable prices, lavender ice cream, musk melon ice cream, milk ice cream are also delicious.

Lavender ice cream

Cycle close to the left side, avoid riding side by side, and pay attention when turning. The road is quite wide and deserted, but occasionally cars or trucks pass by.

After returning the car, taking advantage of the JR Pass, we headed up to Arashikawa to indulge in the famous Ramen noodles at Ramen Valley near Minama-Nagayama station. There are many shops to choose from and they're all delicious, perfect for a chilly evening. Still not satisfied, we continued with pastries and fresh milk produced on the day at a roadside cafe, also a specialty here.

We jokingly called it 'a pot of Ramen' because the portion was huge

The journey continued to the most challenging destination: Himawari no Sato – Sunflower fields in the backdrop of the movie 'Close Your Eyes and See Summer' located in Hokuryu. Sunflowers bloom in early August, but if you're lucky, you can still see a large area of flowers blooming at the end of July, like us. To get here, early Thursday morning we checked out, took the train to Takikawa station (also using JR Pass) and then caught a bus (740yen/pax/way). The bus schedule is quite sparse so be sure to plan carefully.

Here, there's luggage storage and free umbrella rental. When retrieving your belongings, you can optionally support the garden with at least 100yen/person, they'll give you a sunflower seed pack as a gift, we also took some to try planting at home.

The garden is very spacious and offers bicycle rental for 100yen/hour, but if you happen to exceed the time, they won't charge extra, the kind elderly security guard assured us with a gentle smile. The yellow bikes are really cute, great for checking in and they're beautiful too.

A vibrant summer season

After taking countless photos and enjoying sunflower-flavored ice cream, watermelon, we took the bus back to Takikawa station and then changed trains back to the port city of Hakodate. By now, it was already dark, so we indulged in burgers and omurice at Lucky Pierrot before heading back to rest.

This time, we stayed at a Capsule Hotel, which turned out to be our favorite accommodation of the trip. In addition to basic sleeping pods, they also provided makeup remover, skincare products... and even offered free bicycle rentals.

The next morning, we rode bikes to the Morning Market right next to Hakodate station. This market was even bigger than the one in Sapporo, with numerous stalls selling seafood, pickled goods, and local specialties at very reasonable prices, perfect for buying souvenirs. We decided to splurge on a gigantic Alaskan king crab, grilled oysters, sea urchins... and they were all unforgettable delicacies.

After eating, we cycled through the streets of Hakodate's port area, Motomachi district, the Russian churches, the famous Hachimansaka slope... admiring the scenery, then at lunchtime, we returned to the Kaisendon eatery (a rice dish with fresh seafood toppings).

Hachimansaka slope

In the afternoon, we visited Goryokaku Fortress, ascending to the observation deck atop Goryokaku Tower (admission fee 900 yen). This fortress boasts a unique star-shaped architecture. During cherry blossom season, it transforms into a beautiful pink hue. Constructed during the Edo period, it is renowned for the final battles of Hijikata Toshizo, the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi.

In the evening, we cycled to the foot of Mount Hakodate to take the ropeway (round trip 1240 yen) to its summit, enjoying Japan's most beautiful night view. It's advisable to arrive early to secure a spot and witness the equally stunning sunset. Remember to bring warm clothing and a scarf as the mountain gets chilly and windy at night. As darkness falls, more people gather to witness the city lights gradually illuminate, creating a dazzling spectacle.

One of the best night views in Japan

On Saturday, the last day of our journey and also the last day of the JR Pass validity, we checked out and took the tram to Hakodate station (210 yen). We enjoyed sushi and sashimi for breakfast at the Morning Market before boarding the train back to Osaka, concluding our wonderful summer vacation in Hokkaido with countless beautiful memories and a plethora of photos to upload gradually... until next year.

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