Landscape photographer Shinzo Maeda who showcased the area in his photo books.
Biei is a small town that is surrounded by landscapes of
rolling hills and wide fields. The town is located in the
Kamikawa (Ishikari) District of the Kamikawa
Subprefecture near the center of Hokkaido. Since 1900,
the farmers of Biei have worked hard to plow the land to
produce potatoes, wheat, sugar beet as well as other
vegetables. On the east side of the city, Mount
Tokachidake, Mount Tomuraushi and Mount Chubetsu
are located and known as active volcanoes. Since Mount
Tokachidake’s eruption in December 1988, measures
were taken to prevent damage to Biei. Erosion control
was built to prevent disastrous outcomes, which created
the Blue Pond near the Shirogane Onsen. The Blue
Pond’s color can be attributed to the natural minerals in
the water. The best sightseeing areas can be broken
down to Patchwork Road in the northwest and Panorama
Road in the south of the town center. The names of these
places do not refer to a road, but more in reference to
how their area looks.
Patchwork Road is called as such because if you were to
see the fields from above it would look like square
patches. The reason it looks like that is because farmers
have used different sections to grow specific crops. Like
one patch will be dedicated to growing potatoes while
another is for wheat. Also within this area are famous
trees that were featured in different commercials in the
1970s. Panoramic Road is much wider area than
Patchwork Road and flaunts gentle slopes at the foot of
Mount Tokachidake. There are two observatories you can
go to for gorgeous views of the area. The Shin’ei Hill
Observatory Park is the popular tourist spot, which has a
great view of the area. It is situated on a hill 5km south of
the Biei station. East of Shin’ei is the San’ai Hill
Observatory, which is closer to Mount Tokachidake,
provides more of a panoramic view.
Hokkaido | Biei
Panorama Road
A scenic spot representative of the hillside atmosphere of Biei.
Hokkaido | Biei
Shikisai Hill
The panoramic flower gardens for casual enjoyment of the grand nature of Hokkaido.
Hokkaido | Biei
Takushinkan
Exhibition hall with beautiful landscape photography by Maeda Shinzo and his son Akira.
Hokkaido | Biei
Lavender in Biei
One of the best places to see fields full of Lavender and other flowers.
Hokkaido | Biei
Blue Pond
The Blue Pond is located in the center of Hokkaido near Biei right outside the Shirogane Onsen.