The fruit sandwich eatery Maruichi Seika has opened a pop-up shop on the second floor of Kita-Senju Marui in Adachi, Tokyo. The shop is a collaboration between the popular local restaurant Ippo Ippo and Maruichi, a long-standing and much-loved fruit shop.

Fruit is the key ingredient at Maruichi Seika where they want customers stuffing their cheeks with strawberries, oranges, pineapple, and more. Fruit is packed into fat sandwiches and combined with mascarpone cheese for a filling treat. The bread is provided by Furansuya, a local bakery in Kita-Senju that has been running for over 10 years.

A Select Look at the Line-Up

Sky Berry | ¥740 (Tax Included)

This sandwich is named after a particular variety of strawberry is known as the Sky Berry. It’s sourced from Tochigi Prefecture and is known for its superior sweetness, juiciness, and the fact that it’s low in acidity. Ordering this lets you enjoy three different kinds of well-known strawberry: the titular Sky Berry, the Tochiotome which is also from Tochigi, and the classic Amaou from Fukuoka.

Setoka | ¥840 (Tax Included)

The Setoka is a rare and super sweet, full-bodied citrus fruit that’s normally given as a gift in Japan. In sandwich form, it enjoys a perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess.

Pineapple | ¥630 (Tax Included)

The Golden Pineapple from the Philippines is the variety used in this sandwich, packed with mouth-watering sweetness and offering a rich fruity fragrance.

Maruichi Mix | ¥740 (Tax Included)

This sandwich is a combination of fruits including the Amaou strawberry from Fukuoka, the Kanjuku Kiwi from Ehime, and the Premium Banana from the Philippines. It also contains the best picked mikan which are bought fresh from the market every day.

If you’ve never tried a fruit sandwich in Japan and are in Tokyo this winter, then don’t miss out on Maruichi Seika’s limited-time line-up.

ONAKA PECO PECO by Rurubu Kitchen is a cafe located in Tsukiji, a district in Chuo, Tokyo. They serve rice balls filled with locally sourced ingredients from various locations in Japan. In the evenings, the rice balls can be enjoyed with delicious sake.

If you visit the cafe right now you’ll be able to try sesame tofu (goma tofu) made by the long-running restaurant Kadohama. Sesame tofu is a meibutsu―or “local speciality”―of Mount Koyo.

While it is possible to buy sesame tofu on Kadohama’s online store, the only places you can eat them out at is at their restaurant on top of Mount Koya or at select branches of department stores such as Mitsukoshi or Isetan. We visited ONAKA PECO PECO by Rurubu Kitchen for a taste of this exquisite collaboration.

Mount Koya is located in the Ito district of northern Wakayama Prefecture and is home to the town of Koya. The region is encased an abundant mountainous landscape. The Japanese Buddhist monk Kūkai opened the sacred mountain around 1,200 years ago. In 2004, Mount Koya which was registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2004 under the “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range” category. It has since become a popular tourist destination with Japanese and foreign travellers alike.

Here is the heavenly menu lineup at ONAKA PECO PECO which is packed full of Kadohama’s sesame tofu.

There are five items which are made with the sesame tofu: an onigiri rice ball, crab soup, cold tofu, pork shabu shabu, and a drink.

Time to tuck in and try this famous food which has been enjoyed for many years!

White Vegetables & Steamed Pork Shabu w/ Koji Sesame Tofu Sauce – ¥800

This dish is garnished with a generous serving of fresh white vegetables and succulent meat. It includes lotus root, enoki mushrooms, cauliflower, and pork. It also comes with a white sauce made with sesame tofu, shio koji, and sesame oil. The sauce has a mild flavour in which you can get the full glorious taste of the tofu. It’s smooth and refreshing so is a perfect pick for the hot summer.

Sesame Tofu & Plum Cheese-Loaded Rice Ball – ¥250

This rice ball is a flavourful combination of a sesame tofu and plum paste and lots of cheese.

This fat rice ball is wrapped in paper like a hamburger. The rich taste of the tofu and cheese reduces the sourness of the plum, giving it a gentler flavour.

Sesame Tofu & Egg Crab Soup – ¥400

The soup is an amazing combination with the rice ball. It has a miso soup base filled with green onion, enoki mushrooms, and crab. The elastic-y tofu is cut into big satisfying chunks. Its rich, creamy flavour combined with the crab is to die for.

Sesame Tofu & Sweet Sake Jelly Drink – ¥350

The cute white-coloured beverage is a healthy mix of sesame tofu paste and sweet sake. It retains the pulpy texture of the tofu and the aftertaste is super refreshing.

You can order the drink for takeout so you can take a stroll around the streets of Tsukiji.

Kadohama Sesame Tofu – Eat In: ¥300 / Takeout: From ¥240

If you’re looking to enjoy the sesame tofu on its own then you’ve got to try it with either the wasabi and soy sauce or brown sugar. You can also order this to take away too. Each box contains one piece of tofu.

The cafe is also selling exclusive merchandise as part of the collaboration. The collection includes a t-shirt, sacoche bag, and cap. Each item has a simple design making them easy to incorporate into looks.

Easy access to Kadohama’s sesame tofu―which is made using traditional cooking methods that have been passed down generations at Mount Koya―can only be enjoyed at ONAKA PECO PECO by Rurubu Kitchen. If you’re in Tokyo this summer, then take a trip to Tsukiji district to try this healthy and nutrient-packed tofu.

Model: Ririka Satsuki

Writer: Sayuri Mizuno (MMN Editorial Team)

Photographer: Haruka Yamamoto

Translator: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga

Tokyo Saryo was the world’s first ever hand drip tea specialist shop. This year, they’re celebrating the first tea of the season with the reopening of Ochazuke stand Tokyo Saryo. The Ochazuke stand was a big hit last year, and this year it will be open for a three month period from Wednesday 24th April to Wednesday 31st July.

Ochazuke is a Japanese dish that every Japanese person must have had at least once in their life. For many, it is a normal option for a light breakfast that you can make at home. It’s just green tea poured over cooked rice. Simple! However, in recent years, replacing the green tea with dashi stock has become the most popular form of this breakfast. The Ochazuke stand hopes to encourage people to use green tea for their ochazuke in their daily lives more often by creating an original ochazuke dish which really carries the flavour of green tea. The recipe has been specially made to fit in with modern daily lifestyle.

This ochazuke is sprinkled with lots of green tea so you can really enjoy “eating” tea! Soft sprouting tea leaves that resemble the appearance of nori seaweed are collected and ground into a powder called tencha. This tea remains in its unground form of matcha. Pour water over the original green tea powder and the fragrance of the tea will be released!

Teahouse original ochazuke: Eel ¥500　Teahouse original ochazuke: Salmon ¥500
Teahouse original ochazuke: Scallop ¥500 　Teahouse original ochazuke: Plum ¥500 (*tax included in prices stated)

 You can also add olive oil to your dish afterwards for just ¥50.

Order Tokyo Saryo’s hand drip tea on top of your order (+¥150) and you will be presented with the first tea of the season that uses tea leaves freshly collected from Kagoshima. The leaves were collected on 7th April 2019 and a special recipe is used to make this tea.

It’s not just tea they serve here! As an important base flavour, the stand also serves up dashi. This is made by combining bonito fish flakes and kombu kelp sourced from Makurazaki to produce a high quality and delicious flavour.

You can also choose to add a topping of Nicomaru Genmai which is made from brown rice. This is very popular among adults as it adds a luxurious fragrance to your meal.

You can eat in or take out for the same price. Every day, sales will end when they run out of rice, so get there as fast as you can!

Kurogi is a Japanese restaurant that is said to be the most difficult in Tokyo to get a reservation. The owner, Jun Kurogi, has a group company called A KUROGI HALAL FOODS, who is releasing a new brand of caviar called CAVIAR PURE together with JAPAN CAVIAR, Inc – the biggest producer of caviar in Miyazaki Prefecture – with the hope of global expansion. CAVIAR PURE will go on sale starting December 13th.

JAPAN CAVIAR’s caviar brand “CAVIAR PURE” uses leading edge techniques and delicate skill that has been handed down through the years to produce a great flavour unique to Japan that was born from the Japanese mindset to deliver only the best of the best.

A lot of high grade imported caviar uses preservatives, pasteurization and high salinity (5-7%) to prioritize the prolongation of food storage. However, using this process reduces the flavour and freshness of the caviar. That’s where “CAVIAR PURE” comes in. Only sturgeons that are raised healthily are harvested for their fresh roe which is processed into caviar. The company is also able to produce a low salt concentration thanks to blending low mineral salt. This is where the real flavour of the caviar comes in: as once it has been cured to bring out the good flavour it is quickly put in cold storage producing fresh caviar for you to enjoy.

Moreover, everything from harvesting to the production of the caviar is consistent in Miyazaki Prefecture. No chemicals are used at any point during the rearing of the sturgeons – they are reared within strict guidelines which are are firmly adhered to so as to not spoil the flavour.

The deciding factor of the caviar’s great taste is the natural flavour of the caviar brought out by blended low mineral salt. The seasoning uses only the best blended salt selected by the caviar masters around the world. Jun Kurogi is one of those masters and demonstrates excellence of his seasoning with the harvested caviar.

If you’re feeling a little bit luxurious then why not try some high quality caviar obtainable only in Japan?

The travel reservation site, “Rakuten Travel” announced  its“2017 / Ranking of accommodations which offer game dishes.” They calculated the number of the users and days the users stayed targeting the plans including the word “game (gibier)”and announced that “Shinjo Kanko Hotel” won first place.

 “Gibier” is a French word meaning the flesh of wild animals and it has developed as a food culture of aristocracies in Europe since old days.

No.1 / Aichi Prefecture / Shinjo Kanko Hotel

No.2 / Shizuoka Prefecture / Gensen Kakenagashi no Yu Oyado Sakaya

No.3 / Nara Prefecture / Totsugawa Onsen Seikyo no Yado Sansui

No.4 / Wakayama Prefecture / Ryujin Onsen Bijin Tei

No.5 / Ishikawa Prefecture / Shiramine Onsen Hotel Happo

 “Shinjo Kanko Hotel” which won first place offers a curry using venison every morning. Okumikawa is an area near the hotel rich in nature and the meat of the animals living in this area is tasty since it does not contain much fat. Venison contains less fat than other kinds of meat and contains lots of protein and iron. Also, venison is not smelly, so it is suitable for beginners of game dishes.

“Gensen Kakenagashi no Yu Oyado Sakaya” which won second place has been offering “Daimyoyaki,” a famous dish which grills brawn, pork and beef with vegetable produced locally (Amagi). Their brawn nabe (Japanese hot pot) made with miso sauce which takes about a week to make is known as the local dish of Amagi and you can enjoy it during the autumn and winter seasons. The users of the accommodation are saying “Daimyoyaki is a simple dish where you grill meat and vegetables together but it is very tasty.”

 “Totsugawa Onsen Seikyo no Yado Sansui” in Nara Prefecture which won the third place is an accommodation which offers local foods located in Totsugawa Village rich in nature. The brawn nabe using the natural brawn of Totsugawa and the tea ceremony dishes where you can enjoy venison, brawn and Chinese soft-shelled turtles at once are offered. They use clean spring, locally grown vegetables and meat. The users of the accommodation are saying, “I heard some game dishes are smelly but the dishes offered by this accommodation were very good.”

Why don’t you enjoy full-fledged game dishes at Japanese accommodations?

At the juicy-meat gyoza (dumpling) specialty store, “Shinjuku Kakekomi Gyoza / Kabuki-cho Store” they will begin the sales of the 5-colored colorful gyoza, “Colorful Rainbow Gyoza” starting from 2017 November 16^th (Thurs.)

The interior of “Shinjuku Kakekomi Gyoza” has been designed to look like the Edo Period fire fighter organization, “Hikeshi-tai.” Paper lanterns hang from the ceiling and there are wooden tabs hanging all over the wall. When you enter this store, you will feel as though you have time-slipped into the Edo Period and you can enjoy the atmosphere and the lively feeling.

“Colorful Rainbow Gyoza” has a skin with a chewy texture and is packed full of meat. The 5 colors of the gyoza are made of the following; squid ink, turmeric, spinach and red peppers. The skin does not absorb water and become soggy so it is good as a take-away item. This gyoza is not only very delicious but is a very photogenic 5-colored gyoza.

This gyoza uses specially chosen cuts of pork and special attention has been paid to the “umami” flavor of the meat. It is a “shoronpo”-like gyoza with lots of meat juices. The secret of the meat juices is the fact that high-quality scallop muscles and fish soup is used. The flour used to make the skin has a chewy texture and is suited to envelop the meat juices. No garlic or “nira” (leek) is used so it is very popular with women. The more you chew the more the meat juices fill your mouth and it is a truly exquisite gyoza.

2017, November 29 (Wed.) is known as “good meat day” (The reading of the numbers in Japanese – “ii niku” means “good meat.”) On this day a “Ii Niku no hi” campaign will be carried out. The campaign will be carried out from 23:00 ~ 5:00 (90 minute duration) for all customers who have reservations after 23:00. “Colorful Rainbow Gyoza” (500 yen per order) will be offered (the 5 gyoza will be the following gyoza; boiled gyoza, fried gyoza, deep fried gyoza, gyoza cutlet and colorful rainbow gyoza.) Customers can eat as much as they like for this price.

This gyoza has now been registered as a “GYOZA＆TOKYO” food item. This labeling is a part of a promotion campaign to announce good food to foreign guests to Tokyo. “&TOKYO” is a logo for Tokyo citizens, private business persons and foreign travelers. It will be used to highlight the charms of Tokyo. Various activities and things can be places before the “&” mark and this will express this Tokyo charm. They aim to spread this movement and by adding various activities and things at the front of the logo “&TOKYO” help to make this logo a symbol of Tokyo.

Why not try this gyoza which tastes delicious and looks awsome.

There are lots of stylish cafes in Tokyo and the number of “Japanese-style cafés” is increasing.

In this article, I will introduce to you some modern but good-old Japanese-style cafes.

“Ninja Sabo KUNOICHI” where you can meet with ninjas (Shibuya)

The concept of this café is “a café where you can meet with ninjas.” Of course, the menu items will be delivered by “kunoichis” (female ninja). They sell special menu items such as “omusubi”(rice balls) which you can learn how to make, KUNOICHI’s special dango (rice dumpling) and cherry-blossom gelidium jelly. They also sell lots of nihonshu (sake) so you can use the café as a bar.

A Japanese tea-café where you can enjoy “Yamecha”-“CHAKAS CAFÉ” (Kohto-ku)

CHAKAS CAFÉ is a café where one can enjoy Fukuoka Prefecture’s brand tea, “Yamecha” (the tea will be served in a teapot) and handmade onigiri.

You can enjoy full-fledged tea and onigiris produced by a “Japanese tea appraiser” and a “five-star rice master” everyday.

Detailed：http://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/60179

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Japanese food is not only sushi! There are a lots of wonderful traditional Japanese dishes. Let us introduce to you 6 restaurants witch offer Japanese food in Tokyo.

GYOZA BAR　Comme a paris（Aoyama）

Gyoza is a representative popular food that is loved by many people. “GYOZA BAR Comme a Paris” in Aoyama is a new style Gyoza restaurant where you can enjoy gyoza with natural wine or champagne.  It is also known as the restaurant that Masakazu Narukami from restaurant called, “Narukami” which received one star in the Michelin guide book, is in charge of creating the menu, so their side dishes and sauces incorporate his own uniqueness. Cilantro, gyoza (680yen tax included) and Onion gratin gyoza (920 yen tax included) are popular in addition to the standard menu items such as Vegetable gyoza (520yen tax included) and Pork gyoza (550yen tax included). Especially, Onion gratin gyoza has a great combination of the chewy texture of the gyoza skin which tastes like boiled gyoza and the rich onion gratin’s flavor.

Detailed information：http://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/42992

Tamawarai（Harajuku）

The 3 major noodle dishes in Japan are ramen, soba-noodles, and udon-noodles. What people like about these noodles is how different they are according to the area. Broadly speaking, people in the East like soba noodles, and people in West like udon-noodles. Therefore, Tokyo is in the soba culture area. If you are looking for a modern type of restaurant, there is the Michelin-starred restaurant called “Tamawarai” in Harajuku. The building is located in a residential area, and does not look like a soba noodle restaurant. Steamed soba noodles which are made of coarsely ground buckwheat has a rich flavor when you chew it. They do not serve many kinds of appetizers, but they are proud of their menu items such has miso flavored shrimp, tempura, and herring which is cooked for six days.

Detailed information：http://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/19569

Moo Moo Paradise Kabuki-cho main store (Shinjuku)

You can’t make it through the Japanese winter without eating a “nabe” (hot pot). Shabu shabu is a hot pot dish that you can enjoy no matter what the weather is like -hot or cold. “Moo Moo Paradise Kabuki-cho main store” is mostly popular among young people. The first store started in Kabuki-cho in 1993, and now there are forty branches all over the world. They slice the meat right before they serve it up. The soup stock for shabu shabu is extracted from exclusive oxtails.  They offer organic ponzu and sesame dressing for the dipping sauce. They are very particular about the food they serve.

Detailed information：http://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/24978

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Hello, everyone. My name is Shiota. I am the curator of MOSHI MOSHI BOX’s Harajuku Information Center and I visit Harajuku about six days a week.

In this article, I will introduce to you some restaurants where you can enjoy Japanese lunches popular among people from both home and abroad.

“bio ojiyan café” where Japanese dishes can be enjoyed in a stylish space

The standard menu of this café is ojiya (rice stew) made of various healthy ingredients. You can custom-make your own ojiya by choosing the broth and toppings at will.

They also sell set menus such as donburis.

詳しくはこちら：http://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/ja/67336

和風・イタリアンまでバラエティ豊かな「うどん伊呂波」

少し変わったものを提供し、お客様に楽しんで頂きたい思いから、和風×イタリアンを融合した創作うどんを考案しているお店。もちろん、しっかり和風のメニューもそ揃っています。麺にしっかりと弾力があってとても美味しいですよ。

Detailed information：http://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/67375

“Udon Iroha” which sells a variety of udons from Italian udon noodles to Japanese udon noodles.

This restaurant offers original udon noodle menus which are a mixture of an Italian taste and Japanese taste. Of course, they sell many Japanese dishes as well. The noodles they offer are chewy and very delicious.

Detailed information：http://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/71295

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A new style restaurant “Trusukamero” was opened in Harajuku, Tokyo where many people gather from home and abroad. They will offer a “new Japanese cuisine” that cannot be categorized as “traditional Japanese.”

 “Trusukamero” is located in the “Urahara” area (an area behind Meiji Street, in front of Takeshita Street). The outside design of the restaurant is modern and unique. A turtle and crane are depicted on raised wooden slats. The neon wall shines at night giving it an Asian-like atmosphere.

３階建ての店内は古材を再利用したテーブル席、障子戸で仕切られた半個室、小上がりの堀座敷など全86席。装飾には鶴亀の彫刻が入った欄間や漆の祝い膳など、自社のアンティークコレクションの中から選んだ器や雑貨を使用している。

The restaurant consists of three floors and has 86 seats including table seats using old wood, private rooms with sliding paper doors, and parlors. They use special bowls and sundries chosen from their antique collections such as transoms with carvings of cranes and turtles and festive tables.

With regards to their lunch menus, they offer sashimi, tendon (tempura rice ball) udon noodles and gyoza (dumpling)/curry which all Japanese people love. They also offer various kinds of a la carte dishes centering around “nabes” (Japanese hot pot dish) so that adults can drink alcohol comfortably.

The most popular lunch menu they offer is a chewy dish called “Teuchi Gyoza Teishoku”(Gyoza set meal) (780 yen). The gyoza skins are all hand-made and they are fried to give a crispy texture.

The most popular lunch menu among foreign tourists is a gorgeous looking menu called “Daitendon” (highest quaility-1,980 yen / high quality-1,380 yen). Guests can enjoy giant congers and shrimps.

Other than that, they offer “Mjiyama Chicken Cutlet Curry) (large 980 yen / medium 880 yen) which is made with flavored vegetables, spices and chicken broth, “Tori Yuzu Udon” (udon noodles with chicken and citrus fruit) which uses one of the popular fruits in Japan “yuzu,” sashimi set menu, tonkatsu (pork cutlet) set menu. All of the dishes are large but they are cooked in a precise manner and they are very delicious.

※The prices noted above does not include tax

For the dessert menu, they offer three kinds of parfait that look like a bonsai (potted tree) which are maccha (green tea) parfait with taiyaki (fish-shaped pancake filled with bean paste) and bean ice cream bar on the top, chocolate parfait, berry banana parfait (all of the parfaits comes with a doughnut). They also offer many kinds of Japanese desserts such as zenzai (sweet red bean soup), kuzukiri (starch noodles), maccha set and kombucha (dried kelp tea) set.

The neon of the restaurant is turned on at nighttime and the restaurant becomes an izakaya (Japanese bar) which offers more than 40 kinds of “nabe” menus. They offer sashimi, eel and yakitori (grilled chicken) which are all big hit dishes with alcohol-lovers.

Their “nabe” menus (40 kinds) include standard menus such as sukiyaki, shabushabu (thin slices of beef parboiled in hot soup) and angelfish pot and special menus like “Heidi Nabe” using cheese and milk and “Curry Niku (beef) Nabe” using home-made curry broth.

The recommended “nabe” is “Medetai Nabe” which will bring you good luck. The menu includes the head of red sea bream and harusame noodles.  The taste of the fish-broth-based soup is so delicious!

Let’s enjoy the taste of Japanese cuisine at this new type of Japanese restaurant “Trusukamero” in Harajuku.

 “Kappo Akemi” which will offer traditional Japanese cuisine will be opened in Ebisu from the 13^th of September, 2017 (Wed.)

Full-fledged dishes will be created by the restaurant’s chefs under the direction of the head chef who trained in a long-stablished Japanese restaurant called “Nada Man.” However, the restaurant itself and the menu items are not fancy. The restaurant will offer a wide variety of dishes from standard Japanese dishes to original dishes. It will be a unique restaurant where you can enjoy your mealtime from before eating your meal.

【Examples of the menu items】

・Nodoguro no Nitsuke (the fish, blackthroat seaperch caught in Shimane Prefecture, boiled in soy sauce)

・Kurokiri Daikon (boiled radish)

・Deep Kisu ( the fish, sillaginoid)

・A5 Kuroge Wagyu (Japanese black cattle)  “Katsube Gyu” Steak / Irizake (seasoned sake)

Some of the menu items have unique names but all of them are very delicious. Why not visit the restaurant and check out the taste of these dishes.

Most of the ingredients used in Kappo Akemi are gathered from their special palces. Unique and rare ingredients such as fresh fish and “Kokuryu Ginjo Buta” (pigs, a little drunk because they are raised on sake) are used in the restaurant.

The most recommended ingredient is “Katsube Gyu,” black cattle produced in Shimane Prefecture. The quantity of this cattle is only about 10% of Kobe Gyu or Omi Ushi and thus the cattle is called as “the phantasmal cattle.” This breed of cattle has received many awards and you can enjoy this rare meat in many different ways, the method of cooking changing according to the season.

There are many seats in this restaurant in addition to counter seats. For those of you who want to enjoy your meal as you chit-chat with your friends, you should choose table seats. The restaurant can be used on many different occations such as on a drinking session, a date or business entertainment.

The “Handachi” (half-standing) seats are unique. You can sit on a high seat and table and enjoy your meal in a casual fashion. These seats are handy when you want to eat something before going back to home after work or eat your meal in a short amount of time.

Counter seats are very special. You can enjoy your meal while watching the the head chef’s cookery techniques. It will be a rare and good experience to watch the beautiful job of the head chef and listen to stories regarding the ingredients of the dishes.

Why not enjoy a meal in a very comfortable restaurant.

Hokkaido is famous for its snow festivals, ski resorts and the vast and calm scenery of the countryside. Now as winter is receding to the backstage and the sunlight of summer is drawing near, let’s get ready for a summer escape to the green and blue paradise of Furano and Biei.

But before we start our journey, let me give you some tips for a great trip at an affordable price.

Useful Tips for Your Trip to Hokkaido

*Tip 1: The sooner you book your tickets and accommodations, the cheaper they are! Plan your trip as early as possible so that you don’t miss a convenient deal. For a summer trip? Now is the time to start booking!

*Tip 2: If you come to the Furano-Biei area by airplane, instead of buying a direct ticket to Asahikawa Airport (which is the closest airport to this region), you can consider booking a flight to Sapporo (which normally will cost you only one third of the price to Asahikawa) and buy the Furano-Biei Free Ticket (“Furano-Biei Free Kippu”) at Shin-Chitose Airport (go to its JR station and ask for the ticket) and enjoy the spectacular view of Hokkaido through the windows of the JR trains.

This Free Ticket costs 6,500 yen for adults and 3,250 yen for children. It includes one return ticket from Sapporo to any station n the area covered by the Free Ticket (Takigawa, Asahikawa, Furano, Biei) and you can use it up to four days within the period from April 29th to October 31st.

The famous Norokko train of Hokkaido

Furthermore, if you prefer riding in an open car, so that can feel the smell of lavender and wildflowers and enjoy the panoramic view of the countryside, this ticket also offers you a seat on the famous no-glass-window Furano-Biei Norokko train! (Don’t forget to get a stamp of riding this famous train on your ticket. It will be an invaluable souvenir for you.)

With no glass windows, you’ll be able to enjoy the cool breeze.

As well as the panoramic view of Hokkaido!

*Tip 3: The changeable weather is one of the well-known characteristics of this region, so don’t forget to bring an umbrella or raincoat. A light wind jacket is also recommended as mornings and evenings tend to be cool.

Three Must-See Attractions in Furano-Biei

Attraction No. 1: Farm Tomita and the Lavender Fields

Let’s say goodbye to Norokko and head to our first destination – Farm Tomita. Just get off at Lavender Batake Station, follow the stream of people, and you’ll soon find Farm Tomita, which was listed as the no. 1 attraction in Furano by TripAdvisor.

Farm Tomita has many fields and gardens with various kinds of flower in bloom from spring to autumn. However, it’s lavender what has made this farm renowned worldwide.

The peak season for lavender this year will be around early and mid-July. Be sure not to miss the chance to see the wonderful lavender fields!