Hokkaido chart, month by month
Biei Blue Pond and the hills, reached from Sapporo
Answer in a line
The Biei Blue Pond appeared by accident during disaster prevention work, and it is lit each evening from October 24 to April 22 in the 2025 to 2026 season.
Worth keeping in mind
Biei, month after month
The Blue Pond through the year
Choose a month for sunset, daylight, the usual warmth in Sapporo and how the pond looks.
Sunset
Jan
Feb
- Sundown happens near 17:04
- Light stays for about 10.5 h19
- How the pond looks: Snow-covered, lit in the evening6
- Afternoons near 0°C, nighttime near -8°C19
Biei highs run from 5 to minus 10 degrees C and lows fall below minus 15 degrees C in February and March.11
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
- Sundown happens near 19:15
- Light stays for about 15.3 h19
- How the pond looks: Green forest, bright contrast6
- Afternoons near 22°C, nighttime near 12°C19
Lavender East opened on June 20 in 2026.8
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
- Sundown happens near 16:54
- Light stays for about 11.1 h19
- How the pond looks: Foliage colors6
- Afternoons near 16°C, nighttime near 6°C19
The evening light-up began on October 24 in 2025.3
Nov
Dec
- Sundown happens near 16:01
- Light stays for about 9 h19
- How the pond looks: Snow-covered, lit in the evening6
- Afternoons near 2°C, nighttime near -5°C19
The light-up starts at 4:30 PM in December.3
Sunset is worked out for the 15th of each month on Japan time for Sapporo, where the coach days start; Biei lies to the north, so allow a few minutes. Day length and temperatures: NOAA averages for its Sapporo station, 1.8 km from the city center, 1971 to 2020.
A pond that was made by accident, patchwork hills and a lavender farm fill one long day north of Sapporo. This guide shows how to get there, what tours visit and when the pond is lit.
Editorial team, sapporodaytrip.com · Updated November 2, 2026 · Roughly 7 minutes to read
Basics at a glance
- Why blueThe color appeared by accident during disaster prevention work on Tokachi-dake.1
- With a coachThe most reviewed Biei day trip is from $48 and has 122 reviews.
- Intercity coachThe Chuo Bus Kosoku Furano-go runs from Sapporo Station in 2.5 hours.2
- When it snowsThe pond is lit from October 24 to April 22, until 9:00 PM.3
- ParkingFrom July 1, 2026 a car pays 1,000 yen at the Blue Pond lot.4
How a dam made a postcard
The Blue Pond owes its color to an accident. The Biei Tourism Association explains that during disaster prevention work on Tokachi-dake, the water that gathered in the dam took on an unusually blue hue, and together with the standing dead larch trees it made the scene people now travel to see.1 The pond was never designed as an attraction. It was a by-product of protecting the valley below from mud, and the tourist reputation came later.
The Hokkaido tourism site adds the mechanism: mineral-rich groundwater from Shirahige Falls mixes with the Biei River, and microscopic particles scatter sunlight and give the pond its color.5 That explains why the shade shifts with the light. The same page says the pond looks deeper blue in spring, contrasts with green forest in summer, shows foliage in autumn and turns into a snow-covered landscape in winter.6
So there is no single right time for the photograph that everyone has seen. A bright, windless morning in the green season gives the strongest water color, because a ruffled surface breaks up the reflections of the trees. Cloud or rain mutes the blue but gives you fewer people. If the water color is the whole point of the trip, check the forecast for the day before you pay for a seat.
Four day trips compared
Biei tours from Sapporo side by side
| Tour | Length | Rating | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flower and Blue Pond | Entire day away | 4.56 | from $48 |
| Zoo, falls and pond | Nine-hour day | 4.25 | from $48 |
| Late-start Biei coach | Around 10 hours, up to 10.5 | 4.72 | from $60 |
| Private or small van | Ten-hour day | 4.76 | from $43 |
All fares are from-prices per listing; the van listing says private or small groups are available.
Reaching Biei from Sapporo without a car
Sapporo is a long way from the hills, and the plain fact is that most trips are one-day outings by coach. If you prefer to go on your own, the Hokkaido Chuo Bus express Kosoku Furano-go runs between Sapporo Station Bus Terminal and Furano Bus Terminal in 2.5 hours, according to the Farm Tomita access page.2 That puts you in the Furano area, and from there you still need local transport to reach Biei and the pond.
Locally, the Biei Tourism Association says Dohoku Bus runs every day between Asahikawa, Biei, Shirogane Blue Pond and the Biei Shirogane Hot Spring.9 The pond itself is about 20 minutes by car or route bus, and the bus runs from JR Asahikawa and JR Biei stations.7 That makes a public-transport day possible, but it is a long chain: express bus or train to the area, a change, a local bus, and the same in reverse.
Most visitors to Biei and the Blue Pond from Sapporo therefore choose one of two shortcuts, a coach day or a driver. The coach day is fixed. A driver or small van bends to your wishes. This page compares the coach days, since they are the better value, and the private option is covered by one listing below. Plan to be away for the whole day whichever you pick.
How many reviews
Reviews behind four Biei day trips
- Flower and Blue Pond122
- Zoo, falls, pond113
- Late-start Biei coach77
- Private van day51
Review counts printed on each listing; ratings are 4.56, 4.25, 4.72 and 4.76 in the same order.
What the coach days really visit
The tour with the most reviews is the Furano flower and Blue Pond day, from $48, rated 4.56 from 122 reviews, with guides in English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Its listed stops, in order, are the Patchwork Road in Biei, the Shirogane Blue Pond, Shikisai no Oka, a local restaurant and Farm Tomita. That order puts the pond early in the day, before the light flattens and before the crowds gather at the farms.
A zoo-and-waterfall alternative runs 9 hours from $48, rated 4.25 from 113 reviews, and lists Asahiyama Zoo, the Tree of Ken and Mary, Shirahige Waterfall, the Blue Pond and Ningle Terrace. It suits families, since the zoo takes a big share of the day and the pond is one stop among several. Note that a tour with a zoo gives you less time in Biei itself.
A private or small-group option is listed from $43, rated 4.76 from 51 reviews, by van, with stops at Biei, Furano, Shikisai no Oka and Farm Tomita. A late-departure tour called the Biei Best 5 runs 10 to 10.5 hours from $60 with a 4.72 rating from 77 reviews, and the listing says that if the operator cancels for severe weather, a full refund is given. None of these prices include meals you buy yourself.
Pick your Biei day
Which Biei trip fits you?
Start with who is coming and how much of the day you want in the hills
If I want the best-known route
Flower and pond coach
It has 122 reviews and lists the pond and Farm Tomita.
If I am bringing children
Zoo and falls coach
It lists Asahiyama Zoo and runs 9 hours.
If I want a smaller vehicle
Van day
Private or small groups can be arranged, says the listing.
If I worry about a weather cancellation
Late-start Biei coach
A full refund is listed if the operator cancels for severe weather.
If I want to see the pond lit
Go in winter on your own
The light-up runs until 9:00 PM from October 24.3
Winter: the pond under lights
The Biei Tourism Association lights the pond in the cold season. For 2025 to 2026 the illumination ran from October 24, 2025 to April 22, 2026, each evening until 9:00 PM.3 The start time slides with the sunset: 5:00 PM in October, November and January, 4:30 PM in December, 5:30 PM in February, 6:00 PM in March and 6:30 PM in April.12 Dates for the next winter are posted on the association's site, so check them before you plan.
One caution matters more than the times: in winter the blue water surface cannot be seen because of snow.13 What you see is lit snow, black trees and the shape of the ice. It is beautiful in a different way, but it is not the turquoise of the summer photographs, and anyone who expects that color will be disappointed. The illumination may also be cancelled in severe weather.14
Most coach days leave and return in daylight, so they do not match the evening light-up. If the lit pond is your goal, you need your own transport or a tour built around the evening, and a night in the area. The path from the parking lot to the viewing spot may be dark, so a small flashlight or a phone light is useful. Dress for a wind that comes off the hills.
Price the day out
What would a Biei trip cost your group?
Enter your group size to compare four Biei day trips.
Line up 4 choices
What would a Biei trip cost your group?
Enter your group size to compare four Biei day trips.
- Flower and pond coachEntire day away · per seat, from $48
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View - Zoo and falls coachNine-hour day · per seat, from $48
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View - Biei Best 5 coachTen-hour day · per seat, from $60
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View - Small van dayTen-hour day · per seat, from $43
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View
The lowest GetYourGuide prices appear here after conversion with the ECB reference rate, and the booking page gives the precise total.
A green-season day
The stops in the order a popular coach day follows
First
The Patchwork Road
The listing starts on the Patchwork Road before the pond.
Then
The Shirogane pond
The pond is about 20 minutes by car or route bus.7
Next
Shikisai-no-Oka hills
The third listed stop, before a local restaurant.
Midday
Lunch stop in town
The listing names a restaurant stop between the hills and the farm.
Afternoon
Tomita lavender farm
Lavender East was open June 20 to July 20 in 2026.8
Lavender, wheat and the rule about fields
The farm stops on the coach days are the summer half of the trip, and the Biei Blue Pond in summer is part of the same outing. In 2026 Lavender East, a separate field 4 km from Farm Tomita, was open from June 20 to July 20, 9:30 to 16:30.8,15 In winter Farm Tomita is covered with snow, with snowmen, snow domes and a greenhouse, open from early January to late March.16 The lavender fields are therefore a visit for a short window in high summer.
Biei's own fields come with a rule that visitors do not always follow. The tourism association says the fields are private property, and asks visitors not to set foot in them and to take photographs from the paved road.10 It repeats the request for the mustard green and sunflower fields.17 Stay on the road edge, even when a better angle looks tempting.
The weather shapes what you see. In Biei from June to October daytime highs are around 30 degrees C and lows fall below 10 degrees C, so a light jacket belongs in the bag even in summer.11 From February to March highs run from 5 to minus 10 degrees C and lows fall below minus 15 degrees C, which makes winter boots and layers non-negotiable.18 A day trip through the hills is much easier with the right layers. Sapporo, where these coach days start, has its own NOAA monthly averages for temperature and rain.19
Video
Biei travel guide: how to visit the Blue Pond and Shikisai-no-oka without a car
Let's Go Today on YouTube · The video only loads from YouTube after you press play.
During the disaster prevention work on Tokachi-dake, the water accumulated in the dam took on an unusually blue hue
Checklist
What to sort before Biei day
Booking3
- Pick a tour that lists the pond and the farm you want
- Cancellation terms: free until 24 hours before on these tours
- Choose a guide language: English, Chinese, Japanese or Korean
Out in the hills3
- Stay on the paved road; the fields are private
- Bring a light jacket: lows fall below 10 degrees C even in summer
- Skip parking costs by taking a coach day
For the winter light-up3
- Arrive for the start time of the month you visit
- Carry a small light for the dark path from the lot
- Dress for an evening below freezing
Parking, tickets and what the pond costs
Seeing the Blue Pond in Biei, Hokkaido, costs nothing, but parking does. The association says that from July 1, 2026 the Blue Pond lot charges 300 yen for a motorcycle and 1,000 yen for a car, and 6,000 yen for vehicles over 6 m.4 The lot is open 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. from May to October and 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. from November to April.20 On a coach day you do not drive, so you can skip this section.
If you drive, fit the Blue Pond into the early part of the day. A pond that looks empty at opening can look very different by late morning, when the tour coaches arrive. Arriving early is a better answer to a crowd than a tripod.
Finish by deciding what you want from the day. A coach day gives the farms, the hills and the pond in a fixed order for the lowest cost, and the rating of the most reviewed listing is 4.56. A small group or private van gives flexibility for more. A public-transport day gives the most freedom, in exchange for a long chain of connections. Whichever you pick, give the weather a day of margin.
FAQ
Common questions, plain replies.
Why is the Biei Blue Pond blue?
How long is the bus from Sapporo toward Furano?
That is the Chuo Bus Kosoku Furano-go from Sapporo Station Bus Terminal.2
How far is the Blue Pond by car or bus?
Dohoku Bus runs there from JR Asahikawa and JR Biei stations.7
When is the Blue Pond lit up?
Can I see blue water in winter?
The association says the blue water surface cannot be seen in winter.13
How much is Blue Pond parking?
Motorcycles pay 300 yen; vehicles over 6 m pay 6,000 yen.4
Can I walk into the Biei fields for photos?
Visitors are asked to photograph from the paved road.10
What does a Biei day tour cost from Sapporo?
The coach with 122 reviews is rated 4.56.
Sources
- Biei Tourism Association · Biei Shirogane Blue Pond ↩
- Farm Tomita (official site) · Access ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · "Shirogane Blue Pond" Illumination Returns This Year ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · Shirogane Blue Pond ↩
- HOKKAIDO LOVE! (Hokkaido official tourism site) · Shirogane Blue Pond ↩
- HOKKAIDO LOVE! (Hokkaido official tourism site) · Shirogane Blue Pond ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · Shirogane Blue Pond ↩
- Farm Tomita (official site) · About Lavender East in 2026 ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · Touring by Bus ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · Travel around the hills ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · FAQ ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · "Shirogane Blue Pond" Illumination Returns This Year ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · "Shirogane Blue Pond" Illumination Returns This Year ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · "Shirogane Blue Pond" Illumination Returns This Year ↩
- Farm Tomita (official site) · Access ↩
- Farm Tomita (official site) · Winter garden ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · Understand Biei in 5 Minutes: autumn ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · FAQ ↩
- NOAA · Global Summary of the Month, Station Sapporo (NOAA GHCN JA000047412), 1971 to 2020 ↩
- Biei Tourism Association · Shirogane Blue Pond ↩
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