Nakafurano Hokuseiyama Lavender Garden and Sightseeing Chairlift
A municipal hillside flower garden combining lavender with elevated views across the Furano basin. Summer operations were published for 2026; the 2027 chairlift schedule remains unconfirmed. [S1][S2]
Photos
2007-07-30 18:05 · Yoshiki · CC BY 2.0
File:中富良野町営ラベンダー園 2007 (1028188017).jpg · Local photo
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2011-08-13 · 米田賢一 · CC BY 3.0
File:中富良野町営ラベンダー園 - panoramio.jpg · Local photo
Location map
Nakafurano Hokuseiyama Lavender Garden; municipality-linked venue pin
Use the map links below if the interactive map is unavailable.
43.34193, 142.391785Nakafurano Hokuseiyama Lavender Garden; municipality-linked venue pin
43.4112999, 142.4211647
Where to eat
Kitamachi, Nakafurano · Brewery taproom
NAKAFURANO BREWERY — Taproom THE DAY
A genuine local brewery taproom serving its own draught beer with small regional snacks.
Order: Try Nostalgia, the lemon-and-lavender ale, with local cheese or smoked sausage; venison jerky is another listed accompaniment.
On-site draught beer is confirmed; choose an announced afternoon opening rather than assuming daily hours or guaranteed seating.
Hours: Seasonal schedule posted by the operator on Instagram and Google Maps.
Nearby · About 10-15 min walk from the lower garden/lift area
The closest dedicated craft-beer choice, useful when its changing calendar includes an afternoon opening.
Farm Tomita main farm, Nakafurano · Cafe
Café René at Farm Tomita
A bright, temperature-controlled seated café for a straightforward lunch or lavender-flavoured drink without leaving the farm.
Order: At lunch, choose seasonal Hokkaido vegetable-and-sausage curry or Furano potato gratin; iced lavender tea or lavender coffee suits a later pause.
Indoor café seating is confirmed; most substantial food is lunch-only, with drinks continuing afterward.
Hours: Mid-June-August 09:00-16:30; lunch 10:30-14:30; final orders 16:00. Seasonal hours can change.
Booking: Farm Tomita does not accept café-seat reservations.
Nearby · About 5-10 min drive to Farm Tomita, then walk inside
Combine two nearby flower gardens with a seated lunch rather than relying on the lift area's seasonal snack shop.
Southern Nakafurano, Route 237 near Gakuden · Cafe
Taberasaru Furano — café at Domaine Raison
The winery's current visitor café offers local-food lunches, goat-milk desserts and indoor or terrace seating.
Order: Before 14:00, choose beef stew, seasonal vegetable curry or potato gratin; afterward, choose goat-milk cheesecake or goat-milk soft-serve.
Seated summer café service is verified through 17:00, but ordinary by-the-glass wine service is not.
Hours: May-October 10:00-17:00; lunch 11:00-14:00; café menu 14:00-16:30 last order. Closure dates are posted on Google Maps.
Booking: Special Dutch-oven lunches require advance booking; ordinary summer café visits are listed separately.
En route · About 10-15 min drive south toward Furano
A quieter café-style alternative for a later dessert stop, with current seating and afternoon hours established.
Why go
Time to allow
Allow 60-90 minutes with the chairlift, including photographs and a short garden walk; roughly 90-120 minutes if walking uphill leisurely.
Drive from Furano Station
15-25 min
Route options & directionsWhen to arrive
Recommend arriving around the published 09:00 lift opening, preferably on a clear weekday. Recheck the 2027 opening time before setting out. [S1]
Timing and Weather Recommendations
Late June
Expect developing color rather than guaranteed full bloom. On June 26, 2025, the town's viewing indices were 5 for early lavender, 3 for Okamurasaki and 1 for lavandin. [S3]
July
The strongest planning choice for lavender variety. In 2025, early lavender reached viewing index 10 by July 9, and Okamurasaki by July 17; subsequent notices announced cutting after their peaks. [S3]
Early August
Not automatically too late: lavandin still registered viewing index 10 on August 1 and 6, 2025. Earlier varieties may already be cut; prioritize remaining flowers and the panorama. [S3]
Recommend early to mid-July for a first visit, adjusted using current bloom reports. [S3]
Weather alternatives
Bad weather can stop the chairlift. If it is merely cloudy and paths are safe, consider a shorter lower-garden visit. Do not make an exposed uphill walk your fallback during thunderstorms, strong wind or slippery conditions; reschedule instead. [S1]
A practical visit sequence
- Park at the garden's signed parking area, check operating notices and use the restroom before ascending. [S1][S2]
- Examine the lower flower beds, then buy a lift ticket or identify the designated uphill walking route. [S1][S4]
- Ride uphill if operating and suitable for you; spend time at the viewpoint looking across the basin toward Tokachidake. [S1][S2]
- Return before the lift closes, then consider a snack from the seasonal shop. [S1][S2]
Opening hours & practicalities
- Hours and season
- Published 2026 lift/shop season: June 13-August 23, 09:00-17:00; ticket sales and uphill boarding end at 16:40. Scheduled daily, but bad weather can suspend operation. A 2024 notice separately describes the viewpoint as freely accessible year-round; that does not establish current lift or facility hours. [S1][S4]
- Costs
- The page carrying the 2026 schedule lists round trips at JPY 700 for high-school age and older, JPY 350 for elementary/junior-high pupils, and free for preschoolers subject to independent-riding safety requirements. Walking access to the viewpoint is free in the 2024 notice. Parking charges were not confirmed. [S1][S4]
- Parking and access
- Address: 1-41 Miyamachi, Nakafurano. The association lists 83 car spaces plus five bus spaces; the municipality lists capacity for 100 vehicles. Use signed spaces rather than assuming overflow availability. [S1][S2]
- Facilities and accessibility
- The town confirms a restroom with accessible facilities and a shop offering light meals, soft ice cream and cut melon; availability can vary. Uphill walking remains necessary without the lift. Step-free viewpoint access and wheelchair carriage are not verified. [S2][S4]
- Reservations
- Tickets are sold at the purple booth beside Hokusei House or the shop; no advance-booking requirement is listed. For operating or boarding questions, the association publishes 0167-39-3033. [S1]
Make the most of the visit
- Choose your clearest available day: mountain visibility adds substantially to the flower visit. [S2]
- Check variety-specific bloom reports rather than treating all lavender as simultaneous. [S3]
- Keep a second date available if the lift is important; weather suspension is possible. [S1]
- Wear grippy walking shoes and carry water and sun protection for the exposed uphill outing.
- Choose a non-festival day for a simpler visit; the garden hosts the lavender festival, so check the 2027 event calendar. [S1]
When to skip
Skip a dedicated trip if you dislike exposed chairlifts and uphill walking, or if flowers are cut and mountains obscured. Otherwise, it is a manageable short outing from your Furano base.
Safety & considerate travel
- The chairlift is single-seat: no lap-held children, pets or luggage carried in your arms. Riders must be able to ride independently; ask staff if uncertain. [S1]
- Use designated walking routes, not planted flower beds. The association describes the slope as relatively gentle, but this does not certify an accessible route. [S4]
Possible pairings
- Farm Tomita
Before you go
- Summer opening dates, hours, last uphill boarding and current fares.
- Same-day weather or maintenance suspensions.
- Bloom photographs and cutting progress for each lavender variety.
- Festival dates, parking arrangements and any walking-route restrictions.
Additional notes
Public sources
- S1 — Hokuseiyama Lavender Garden / Hokusei Ski Area
https://nakafukanko.com/spot/spot-2676 - S2 — Hokuseiyama Lavender Garden
https://www.town.nakafurano.lg.jp/hotnews/detail/00000197.html - S3 — 2025 Lavender and Other Flower Bloom Information
https://www.town.nakafurano.lg.jp/hotnews/detail/00003425.html - S4 — 2024 Hokuseiyama Lift Season-End Notice
https://nakafukanko.com/news/news-4587