Complete Guide to Cycling in Hokkaido, Japan: Lavender Fields and Open Plains Cycling

Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost major island, is renowned for its vast natural landscapes, dairy products, and lavender fields. For bicycle tourists, Hokkaido offers a cycling experience completely different from Taiwan—the expansive feeling of great plains replaces the layered sensation of Taiwan’s mountain roads.

Why Hokkaido Is Suitable for Cycling

Biggest Advantages:

• Well-developed cycling infrastructure: Many abandoned railway lines in Hokkaido have been converted into bike paths (Greenways)
• Road quality: Japanese roads rank among the best in Asia for surface quality
• Convenient resupply: Convenience stores like 7-Eleven and FamilyMart are everywhere, with resupply points every 20-30 km
• Safety: Japan has high traffic law compliance, providing a strong sense of safety while cycling

Challenges:

• Hokkaido is vast (83,424 square kilometers, equivalent to 2.3 Taiwans), so distances feel different
• Summer is short; the best cycling season is concentrated from June to September
• Language barrier (English proficiency is lower than in Taiwan’s tourist cities)

Best Route Planning

Route 1: Furano-Biei Flower Field Loop (5-7 days)

Start/End Point: Asahikawa
Total Distance: Approximately 400-500 km (depending on side route choices)
Difficulty: Low-Medium (mostly flat terrain, some hills)

Main Attractions:

Location	Distance from Asahikawa	Highlights
Biei	Approx. 25km	Patchwork Road, Shirogane Blue Pond
Furano	Approx. 45km	Lavender fields (Farm Tomita)
Rokugo	Approx. 60km	Filming location of “Kita no Kuni”
Tokachi	Approx. 130km	Vast agricultural zone

Best Season: July (lavender in full bloom), August (all flowers blooming)

Itinerary Suggestions:

• Day 1: Asahikawa→Biei (25km), visit Shirogane Blue Pond
• Day 2: In-depth exploration of Biei’s hills (Patchwork Road)
• Day 3: Biei→Furano (30km), Farm Tomita
• Day 4: In-depth cycling around Furano
• Day 5: Furano→Asahikawa (via hilly route)

Route 2: Eastern Hokkaido Nature Cycling (7-10 days)

Start/End Point: Obihiro or Kushiro
Total Distance: Approximately 600-800 km
Difficulty: Low-Medium (mostly flat open plains)

Highlights:
Eastern Hokkaido (Doto) is the most pristine and least populated region of Hokkaido. Vast pastures, wetlands, and indigenous Ainu culture offer a different perspective.

Main Attractions:

• Shiretoko Peninsula: UNESCO World Heritage Site, bears present (!)
• Lake Kussharo: Japan’s largest caldera lake
• Akan National Park: Home of Marimo (a type of spherical algae)
• Kushiro Marsh: Japan’s largest wetland, habitat of red-crowned cranes

Special Caution: The Shiretoko area has brown bears. When cycling, you need to know how to respond to bear encounters (carry bear bells, avoid riding remote routes at dawn and dusk).

Route 3: Wakkanai-Cape Soya (Japan’s Northernmost Point)

Highlights:
Reaching Cape Soya, Japan’s northernmost point, brings a special sense of accomplishment. This challenge carries more symbolic weight than pure cycling experience, but for riders who enjoy geographic coordinate challenges, it’s a highly attractive goal.

Distance: Approximately 250 km from Asahikawa to Cape Soya

Difficulty: Medium (some sections are windy, headwinds possible)

Practical Travel Information

Bicycle Transport

Flying Taipei-Asahikawa/Sapporo:

• Bicycles are usually charged as excess baggage, approximately NT$2,000-5,000 (one-way, depending on the airline)
• Requires packing (hard-shell bike case or thick bubble-wrap bag)

Taking Bicycles on Local Trains (JR Hokkaido):

• Most trains in Hokkaido allow bicycles packed in bags (rinrin bag / wheel bag)
• No additional ticket required
• Some sightseeing trains have designated bicycle-carrying cars

Accommodation Options

Campsites (Camp-jo):
Hokkaido has numerous well-equipped public campsites with low fees (approximately ¥500-1,000/night), making them the most common choice for cycle tourists.

Michi-no-Eki (Roadside Stations):
Similar to Taiwan’s tourist service areas, usually with restrooms, restaurants, and small shops; some offer lodging.

Pensions (Penshon):
Hokkaido has a rich farmstay culture. Dinners usually feature authentic Hokkaido cuisine (lobster, hairy crab, fresh vegetables).

Cost: ¥6,000-12,000 (including dinner and breakfast)

Hokkaido Food Resupply Strategy

Resupply for cyclists isn’t just about energy—it’s also a cultural experience:

Food	Where to Find	Cost
Milk/Dairy products	Local farm direct-sale outlets	¥200-500
Fresh corn	Roadside stalls (summer)	¥100-200
Seafood rice bowl	Kushiro, Nemuro port markets	¥1,500-3,000
Pork rice bowl	Obihiro (place of origin)	¥800-1,200
Lavender ice cream	Farm Tomita, Furano	¥400

Language and Cultural Preparation

While Japanese is necessary, modern technology has greatly reduced language barriers:

Practical Tools:

• Google Translate’s camera function (instant photo translation of Japanese)
• Japanese map apps (Yahoo! Car Navigation or Google Maps)
• English services at convenience stores are becoming increasingly common

Basic Japanese:

• “Arigatō” - Thank you
• “Sumimasen” - Excuse me / Sorry
• “Doko desu ka?” - Where is it?
• “Jitensha de kimashita” - I came by bicycle

This last phrase often makes Japanese people feel warmly toward you and offer extra care.

The Special Charm of Cycling in Hokkaido

The charm of Taiwan’s mountain roads is the “sense of verticality”—every kilometer of climbing brings a sense of achievement from defying gravity.

Hokkaido’s charm is the “sense of horizontality”—boundless views stretching to the horizon. That vastness makes you feel how small you are, and at the same time, how free.

The two experiences are completely different, and both are worth experiencing once in your life.

Conclusion

Cycling through Hokkaido is a ritual of slowing down life.

On those vast plains, there’s nowhere you need to rush to, no one you must catch up with—only the sound of wheels turning and the scenery continuously unfolding before you.

Let Hokkaido heal your busy life, and experience this beautiful island at cycling speed.

Related Reading

• Hokkaido Cycling Dream Journal: A Romantic Journey Pedaling Between Lavender and Snowy Mountains
• Hokkaido Summer Cycling Trip: The Top Destination for Taiwanese Riders’ First Japan Cycling Experience
• In-Depth Tour of Japanese Cycling Culture: Urban Bike Aesthetics and Cycling Routes in Shimane and Hiroshima
• Cycling Across Japan: A 30-Day Bicycle Journey from Hokkaido to Kagoshima