{
  "id": "shikisai-no-oka",
  "name": "Shikisai no Oka Panoramic Flower Gardens",
  "area": "Southern Biei, Hokkaido",
  "status": "recommended",
  "priority": "high",
  "tags": [
    "Flowers",
    "Scenery",
    "Walking"
  ],
  "summary": "A strong summer choice for broad flower-garden panoramas, with optional tractor rides and alpacas. Current operating information supports summer visits, but no 2027-specific prices or schedule were found. [S1][S7]",
  "why_go": "The approximately 15-hectare garden combines numerous seasonal flowers with views of Biei's hills and the Daisetsu mountains. Its appeal is the whole landscape rather than lavender alone; photographers can walk, while a short tractor circuit offers an easier overview. [S1]",
  "season": {
    "late_june": "The operator's typical calendar includes Oriental poppies, campanula, peonies and lupines, with lavender beginning in late June. Many summer bedding flowers are scheduled from July, so do not expect every colorful band to be mature. [S3]",
    "july": "Lavender overlaps with salvia, marigolds, celosia, dahlias and zinnias in the calendar, making July a strong mixed-flower choice. These are typical flowering periods, not guaranteed peaks. [S3]",
    "early_august": "Summer bedding flowers remain relevant, with sunflowers also listed. Lavender extends into early August in the calendar, but should be treated as a possible bonus rather than promised at peak. [S3]",
    "best_window": "Recommend mid-to-late July for lavender plus summer flowers, or early August for mixed color. Choose using current bloom photographs; weather and planting changes can alter the calendar. [S3]"
  },
  "visit_duration": "Planning estimate: 90-120 minutes for walking and photographs; allow 2-3 hours with alpacas, food and queues. The tractor circuit itself takes about 15 minutes. [S1][S2]",
  "drive_from_furano": "Planning allowance: roughly 35-45 minutes driving from central Furano, not live routing or an operator-published journey time. Add 20-30 minutes contingency in peak traffic, plus parking and walking. The operator directs Furano arrivals along Route 237, turning right at the trick-art museum landmark. [S4]",
  "best_time_of_day": "Recommend a weekday at the published 08:40 summer opening, not before permitted entry. This is a crowd-avoidance strategy, not a guarantee; no hourly visitor counts were found. [S2]",
  "visit_plan": [
    "Park in the designated lot, use the restrooms and check current bloom locations and ride queues. [S2][S4]",
    "Walk permitted paths for flexible photographs, or take the approximately 15-minute Norokko tractor circuit with its photograph stop. [S1]",
    "Spend additional time on your preferred flower sections rather than trying to cover every corner.",
    "Optionally visit the separately charged alpaca farm, then finish with a potato croquette or soft-serve ice cream. [S2][S5]"
  ],
  "practicalities": [
    {
      "label": "Hours and season",
      "text": "Published June-September hours are 08:40-17:30; July-September last admission is 17:15. Alpacas close 30 minutes before the garden. Summer operation is normally daily, but temporary closures remain possible. These are current published arrangements, not confirmed 2027 hours. [S2][S7]"
    },
    {
      "label": "Costs",
      "text": "An October 24, 2026 notice confirms July-September garden admission of JPY 800 for high-school age/adults and JPY 500 for elementary/junior-high students; younger children are free under the guide. June garden entry is outside the charged period. Parking is separately JPY 500 per visit June-September. [S2][S7]"
    },
    {
      "label": "Optional charges",
      "text": "Guide prices, year unspecified: tractor JPY 500/300 for the same age categories; alpacas JPY 500/300, with younger children free and feed JPY 100. A four-person cart costs JPY 2,500 per 15 minutes, plus JPY 500 per additional five minutes. Buggies cost JPY 800 single or JPY 1,200 double. These are additional, not included in garden admission, and not confirmed for 2027. [S2]"
    },
    {
      "label": "Parking and access",
      "text": "The Japanese access page lists 300 car spaces and 30 coach spaces. Parking, rides and alpaca payments require cash. Use official parking rather than roadside stopping. [S2][S4]"
    },
    {
      "label": "Facilities and accessibility",
      "text": "Restrooms, shops and a restaurant are confirmed. The restaurant is upstairs, closes Wednesdays and has a published 15:00 last order. Wheelchair-compatible routes, toilet specifications, lift access and ride boarding arrangements were not verified; do not equate a ride with step-free access. [S2][S5]"
    },
    {
      "label": "Reservations",
      "text": "No individual summer-entry advance-booking requirement was found. Cart waits are possible. Restaurant seating can be restricted by peak-season group reservations; confirm any essential accessibility arrangements before visiting. [S2][S5]"
    }
  ],
  "recommendations": [
    "Walk if photography flexibility matters; the tractor offers a shorter overview but only one scheduled photograph stop. [S1]",
    "Choose a cart for independent garden movement only with a qualified driver; an ordinary driving licence is required. [S2]",
    "Do not choose a buggy as garden transport: its approximately 700-metre dedicated circuit does not enter the flower gardens. [S2]",
    "Carry cash and budget admission, parking and activities separately. [S2][S4]",
    "Try farm-potato croquettes or Biei-milk soft serve; avoid depending on the restaurant for a late lunch. [S2][S5]"
  ],
  "weather_plan": "The operator says the tractor runs in rain, but this remains primarily an outdoor attraction. For persistent rain, strong wind or poor visibility, reschedule rather than relying on the restaurant as a full indoor alternative. [S2]",
  "safety_and_etiquette": [
    "Stay out of planted beds; entering flowers for photographs is prohibited. Keep vehicle routes unobstructed. [S2]",
    "Do not enter surrounding agricultural fields for photographs. [S6]",
    "Bring water, sun protection and grippy footwear; shorten walking in heat or wet conditions.",
    "Drones are prohibited during opening hours; smoking, including electronic cigarettes, is prohibited within the garden. [S2]"
  ],
  "pair_with": [
    "Biei Patchwork Road",
    "Shirogane Blue Pond"
  ],
  "skip_if": "You want solitude, wilderness or a completely indoor outing. Prioritize another day if the current bloom display is disappointing or essential accessibility cannot be confirmed.",
  "recheck_for_2027": [
    "Summer hours, exceptional closures, admission and parking fees.",
    "Ride and alpaca prices, payment methods and operating restrictions.",
    "Current bloom photographs, especially lavender in early August.",
    "Accessible parking, route gradients, toilets, restaurant access and ride transfers."
  ],
  "confidence_notes": [
    "No 2027-specific pricing or operating calendar was found.",
    "Parking-capacity contradiction: the English page lists 100 cars and 20 coaches; the Japanese access page lists 300 cars and 30 coaches. Prefer the dedicated Japanese access page. [S1][S4]",
    "Child-admission contradiction: the English page both charges elementary-school students and says elementary-school children and younger are free. The Japanese guide clearly makes only children below elementary-school age free. [S1][S2]",
    "Wednesday closure applies to the restaurant, not the whole garden. The operator's guide and dated notice distinguish these clearly. [S2][S7]",
    "Do not mistake the JPY 2,300 discounted cart price for the regular price of JPY 2,500. The complete Japanese guide distinguishes the disability discount. [S2]",
    "Drive duration, visit length and crowd-avoidance timing are planning recommendations, not measured forecasts."
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "S1",
      "title": "About Shikisai-no-oka",
      "publisher": "Shikisai no Oka",
      "url": "https://www.shikisainooka.jp/en/",
      "accessed": "2026-10-26",
      "supports": "Garden scale, scenery, tractor duration and photograph stop; raw HTML inspected."
    },
    {
      "id": "S2",
      "title": "Visitor guide",
      "publisher": "Shikisai no Oka",
      "url": "https://www.shikisainooka.jp/about/guide/",
      "accessed": "2026-10-26",
      "supports": "Hours, admission, activity and alpaca charges, cash requirements, facilities and rules; raw HTML inspected."
    },
    {
      "id": "S3",
      "title": "Seasonal flower calendar",
      "publisher": "Shikisai no Oka",
      "url": "https://www.shikisainooka.jp/green/calendar/",
      "accessed": "2026-10-26",
      "supports": "Typical flowering periods and weather caveat; raw HTML table inspected."
    },
    {
      "id": "S4",
      "title": "Access",
      "publisher": "Shikisai no Oka",
      "url": "https://www.shikisainooka.jp/access/",
      "accessed": "2026-10-26",
      "supports": "Furano road approach, parking capacity, charged months and cash payment."
    },
    {
      "id": "S5",
      "title": "Shops and restaurant",
      "publisher": "Shikisai no Oka",
      "url": "https://www.shikisainooka.jp/about/restaurant/",
      "accessed": "2026-10-26",
      "supports": "Food, upstairs restaurant, Wednesday closure and group-booking crowd constraints."
    },
    {
      "id": "S6",
      "title": "A request to all visitors",
      "publisher": "Biei Tourism Association",
      "url": "https://www.biei-hokkaido.jp/en/bieikankou-manner110",
      "accessed": "2026-10-26",
      "supports": "Protecting surrounding agricultural fields."
    },
    {
      "id": "S7",
      "title": "Operator notice dated October 24, 2026",
      "publisher": "Shikisai no Oka",
      "url": "https://www.shikisainooka.jp/news/2375/",
      "accessed": "2026-10-26",
      "supports": "Dated confirmation of admission, parking periods and prices, hours and temporary-closure possibility."
    }
  ]
}