Knowns as Japan’s largest sunflower fields (himawari-batake), this small agricultural town (北竜町) on Route 275 is a popular destination with Asian tourists in summer. You can visit the town by buses from Fukagawa, Takikawa, Rumoi or Sapporo.
PRACTICAL TIPS
Location 18km west of Fukagawa, 24km north of Takikawa, 100km northeast of Sapporo
Population 1700
Highlights Himawari-no-Sato
Tourist Information Himawari Tourist Center (ひまわり観光センター): Himawari-no-Sato (see below) / 8am-6pm / Free left-luggage office and Wi-Fi / hokuryu-kankou.com
01 SUNFLOWER FIELD
Himawari-no-Sato
北竜町ひまわりの里 / 143-2 Itaya / 24hrs mid Jul-mid Aug / FREE / hokuryu-kankou.com
One of Hokkaido’s most famous and photogenic flower gardens, Hokuryu Himawari-no-Sato is covered with 1.5 million sunflowers from late July to mid August. You can walk in the sunflower maze (ひまわり迷路: 8am-6pm / ¥300) and rent a bike (¥100 per hour). Check out the bloom situation on the web before yo go.
02 ONSEN & SLEEPING
Hokuryu Onsen
北竜温泉 / 163-2 Itaya / Day bathing 9.30am-10pm / ¥500 / portal.hokuryu.info/sunflowerpark/onsen
About 1km north of the Himawari-no-Sato, this roadside onsen is a good place for a rest or wait for a bus to Fukagawa. The restaurant Fusha (11am-8pm) offers local rice and beans. There is also a small hotel on-site.
HOKURYU MAP
GETTING THERE & AROUND
Himawari-no-Sato Hokuryu Chugakko-mae (ひまわりの里・北竜中学校前) is the nearest bus stop of the sunflower village. Local Chuo buses from Takikawa (38min) on the JR Hakodate Line and Fukagawa Shiritsu Byoin (深川市立病院: 32min) stop here throughout the year.
During the sunflower season (3rd Sat of July-4th Sun of Aug), four highway buses Kosoku Rumoi-go (高速るもい号滝川経由: via Takikawa), run from Sapporo Station (2hrs) and Rumoi (45min), also stop at the Himawari-no-Sato.
Local Chuo buses run between Fukagawa Shiritsu Byoin (深川市立病院) and Hokuryu Onsen (北竜温泉: 7 daily / 35min), and between Takikawa and Hekisui (碧水: 4 daily / 46min) via Hokuryu.
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