Prepare to be enchanted by Farm Tomita, a fragrant and colorful “Wonder” nestled in the heart of Hokkaido’s scenic countryside.

Name: Farm Tomita (ファーム富田)

Address: Kisenkita 15-go, Nakafurano-cho, Sorachi-gun, Hokkaido 071-0704, Japan

How to get there:
Farm Tomita is located in Furano, Hokkaido, a region famous for its picturesque farmlands.

• By Train:
  • The closest train station is Nakafurano Station (JR Furano Line), which is about a 25-minute walk from Farm Tomita.
  • During the peak lavender season (typically June to September), a special seasonal station called “Lavender Farm Station” (Lavender Batake Station) opens. This station is only serviced by the “Furano-Biei Norokko-go” sightseeing train, and it’s a much shorter walk (around 7 minutes) to Farm Tomita. This train operates between Asahikawa and Furano.
  • From Sapporo, you can take a JR Limited Express train to Furano or Asahikawa, and then transfer to the JR Furano Line to Nakafurano or Lavender Farm Station. The total journey from Sapporo is roughly 2 to 2.5 hours.
• By Car: Driving offers the most flexibility for exploring the wider Furano and Biei area.
  • From Asahikawa Airport, it’s about a 45-minute drive.
  • From New Chitose Airport (Sapporo’s main airport), it’s about a 2.5-hour drive via expressway.
  • From central Sapporo, it’s also about a 2.5-hour drive.
  • Farm Tomita has free parking, but it can get very crowded during peak season.
• By Bus: Various sightseeing buses and local bus services (like Furano Bus’s Rapid Lavender) connect major points in Furano and Biei, including Farm Tomita.

Landscape and Architecture:
Farm Tomita’s “architecture” is primarily its meticulously designed and sprawling flower fields, set against the dramatic backdrop of Hokkaido’s natural landscape.

• Lavender Fields: The most iconic feature, stretching across vast slopes in various shades of purple. Farm Tomita cultivates multiple varieties of lavender, each with slightly different blooming times, ensuring a vibrant display throughout the summer. The “Traditional Lavender Field” is particularly famous, offering a classic view of purple carpets against the Tokachi Mountains.
• Rainbow Fields (Irodori Field): This stunning field features seven different colors of flowers planted in distinct, parallel rows, creating a magnificent “rainbow” effect on the hillside. This visual spectacle has become highly recognizable.
• Diverse Flower Fields: Beyond lavender, Farm Tomita boasts over 80 different varieties of flowers, including poppies, marigolds, salvia, baby’s breath, and more, blooming in various fields throughout spring, summer, and autumn.
• Greenhouses: Even in winter, a “Winter Garden” greenhouse allows visitors to see blooming lavender, offering a year-round floral experience.
• Functional Farm Buildings: The farm also features practical structures like a distillation house (Japan’s only lavender oil extraction factory, where visitors can sometimes observe the process), shops, cafes, and a memorial hall dedicated to the farm’s founder. These are designed to blend harmoniously with the agricultural setting.
• Scenic Backdrop: The fields are beautifully framed by the rolling rural landscapes of the Furano valley and the majestic peaks of the Tokachi Mountain Range, adding depth and grandeur to the floral displays.

What makes it famous:
Farm Tomita’s fame stems from several key aspects:

• Iconic Lavender Fields: It is undoubtedly the most famous and historic lavender farm in Japan, largely responsible for putting Furano on the map as a premier summer destination. Its vast fields of lavender are globally recognized.
• “Rainbow” Flower Fields: The visually stunning Irodori Field, with its distinct multi-colored stripes, is incredibly photogenic and has become a symbol of Hokkaido’s summer beauty, widely shared on social media.
• Pioneering Spirit: Farm Tomita played a crucial role in the development and preservation of lavender cultivation in Japan, even when the industry faced challenges. This history adds to its prestige.
• Immersive Experience: Beyond just viewing flowers, visitors can enjoy various lavender-themed products, including famous lavender soft-serve ice cream, essential oils, soaps, and even participate in workshops.
• Free Admission: Despite its immense popularity and quality, Farm Tomita offers free admission to its fields, making it an accessible attraction for everyone.
• International Recognition: Its breathtaking beauty and unique offerings have garnered international acclaim, drawing millions of visitors annually.

Differences from some other wonders:

• Agricultural “Wonder”: Unlike many natural wonders (like gorges or islands) or architectural wonders (like temples or castles), Farm Tomita is fundamentally a working farm that has become a tourist attraction through the cultivation and artistic arrangement of crops, primarily flowers. Its beauty is largely a result of human agricultural design.
• Seasonal Specialization: While it has other flowers, Farm Tomita’s defining “wonder” is overwhelmingly tied to its lavender bloom in mid-summer (July). While some other gardens might have diverse seasonal displays, Tomita’s peak fame is intrinsically linked to this specific period and flower.
• Sensory Experience (Smell): Beyond visual appeal, Farm Tomita offers a potent olfactory experience due to the vast lavender fields. The sweet, calming fragrance of lavender permeates the air, adding a unique sensory dimension that many other “wonders” lack.
• Product-Oriented Tourism: The farm actively processes its lavender into various products (oils, soaps, foods), which are a significant part of the visitor experience and revenue. This commercial aspect is more integrated into the “wonder” than at many other purely scenic or historical sites.
• Open and Expansive Layout: Rather than being a confined garden or a dramatic natural formation, Farm Tomita’s beauty lies in its vast, open fields spreading across rolling hills, allowing for a sense of freedom and panoramic views that are characteristic of Hokkaido’s grand landscape.