Biei, Hokkaido: Exploring Patchwork Road & Blue Pond in 2026
Journey through Biei, Hokkaido, and marvel at the stunning Patchwork Road, famous Seven Star Tree, and the enchanting Blue Pond. Get ready for an authentic experience!
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Journey through Biei, Hokkaido, and marvel at the stunning Patchwork Road, famous Seven Star Tree, and the enchanting Blue Pond. Get ready for an authentic experience!
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Package Day 3
We're heading to the highly anticipated
Biei Blue Pond,
with its ethereal hues!
Though the weather has been clear so far,
it's starting to drizzle a bit.
For this journey as well,
I brought along my DJI Osmo Pocket 4 Creator.
I'll also tell you
why it's such a perfect match for Hokkaido!
The Patchwork Road
It seems as if patchwork pieces, stitched by nature,
are unfurling across the great expanse.
This is Biei's unique and exotic
Patchwork Road, donning new colors with every season
and extending to the horizon of the undulating hills.
The Seven Star Tree
was given its current name in 1976
when it was chosen as the package model
for Japan's Seven Star
tobacco brand.
It stands solitary on a wide plain,
with the Patchwork Road unfolding before it.
How to get there: 2 hours from Sapporo.
From JR Biei Station,
it takes about 14 minutes by car.
Taking a package tour
or a day bus tour is also highly recommended.
Nearby attractions: Mild Seven Hills, Ken & Mary Tree,
the Blue Pond, among others, are located in the vicinity.
This spot is also known as a great place for sunsets –
specifically, the Seven Star Tree photo spot.
In front of the Seven Star Tree,
you might wonder about parking on the road.
It's common to pull over to the side of the road,
get out briefly,
and snap some pictures.
However, during the summer peak season,
with tour buses and rental cars flocking there,
it can get crowded.
So it's best to aim for early morning
or late afternoon.
To capture the vast sky, the horizon, and
a single tree standing alone in between,
for such minimalist landscape photos,
a wide-angle lens and
maintaining stable horizontal leveling are key.
The Osmo Pocket 4 has an automatic horizontal leveling feature,
so even beginners can take videos while walking
that come out as smoothly
as if they were filmed
in a studio.
And this one is
the Ken & Mary Tree.
Biei's Ken & Mary Tree became famous in the 1970s
when it was known as a filming location for a Nissan car commercial.
That's the story behind its fame!
The tree itself
was named after Ken and Mary,
the male and female protagonists in the commercial,
and is now Biei's
iconic photo spot.
People often sit on the street here to take many photos,
but after coming back from Shakotan, my legs were aching,
and getting up and down…
well, my age…
my legs definitely feel my age…
Here’s a shot with my husband, too!
Our guide really
put in the effort to take some great photos for us!
After all that, it was time for lunch!
We headed to Biei town,
and on a quiet street,
we found a super cozy, tiny restaurant
where we enjoyed some Katsu Curry.
For lunch, it was Katsu Curry,
and let me tell you, the curry flavor was rich,
and the pork cutlet was incredibly juicy, tender, and absolutely delicious!
The portion of rice might seem a bit small to some,
but it was just the right amount for me.
Though, if you want extra,
there was an additional charge.
Shirahige Falls (Whitebeard Falls)
It's just a 2-minute walk from the parking lot,
and at Shirahige Falls,
they even sell ice cream!
What a magnificent waterfall!
This impressive waterfall is part of the Shirogane Onsen,
a renowned hot spring area,
where high-quality hot spring water gushes out.
The way the water delicately flows down through
the crevices of the valley cliffs resembles
a white beard, which is why it's called
Shirahige Falls,
or 'Whitebeard Falls' (白髭の滝).
When filming from the bridge,
where the contrasting scene of the waterfall
meeting the emerald water is absolutely breathtaking,
it's usually easy for shots to come out shaky
even with handrails.
But with a gimbal camera,
I was able to capture perfectly steady footage,
even on this outdoor bridge!
Also, since it's a considerably high spot,
please be careful when taking photos close to the bridge railing,
as there have been incidents of falling.
Shikisai-no-Oka Hill
A prominent hill in the Biei region,
another iconic spot,
where diverse flowers bloom
throughout all four seasons,
earning it the name "Rainbow-colored Hill."
From late April to October,
tulips, lavender,
sunflowers, cosmos and lavender
bloom in sequence.
Depending on when you visit,
you can enjoy completely different colors.
The hill is quite vast,
so if walking the entire area is difficult,
it's a great idea to use
the paid tractor ride.
Since we were on a package tour,
it was included,
so we got to ride the tractor
and also enjoy lavender ice cream
and corn.
There's also an alpaca farm,
making it very popular with families
traveling with children.
The panoramic videos
filmed sweeping over the vast flower fields from above
are very popular on social media.
If you use the Osmo Pocket 4's
ActiveTrack feature,
even while walking and filming,
the composition is automatically adjusted,
allowing you to capture high-quality videos
instantly
without any editing.
Category | Shikisai-no-Oka Hill | Farm Tomita |
Main Theme | Lavender and about 30 other varieties including tulips, salvia, cosmos, and sunflowers | Lavender is most famous |
Scale | Very large and open | Cozy/Compact |
Admission Fee | 500 JPY High school students and above (July-Sept) Elementary/Middle school students: 300 JPY Under elementary school age: Free | Free |
Opening Hours | 09:10-17:00 | 10:00-16:30 |
The day I visited was late June.
Lavender was
just starting to bloom.
These flowers are salvia,
and they were in full bloom.
Lavender
blooms from early to mid-July onwards
and
finishes blooming around late July to early August.
Food Delights
Hokkaido's Specialties
Corn
Potato Croquettes
Lavender Ice Cream
Yubari Melon Beer is also available!
The Lavender Ice Cream was 864 yen... quite a price!
It had a subtle lavender flavor,
and was wonderfully refreshing.
I thoroughly enjoyed it!
As for the corn,
Korean super sweet corn wins hands down..
Souvenir Shops
Since lavender is abundant here,
you'll find a huge variety of lavender products.
Think soaps, cosmetics, perfumes, aromatherapy items, and more.
Hokkaido is also famous for
its horse oil (Mayu) products,
and they sell cleansing oils and other items made with it.
Canned bear and deer meat!!!
They have those too...
Though I don't really want to try them...
Blue Pond (Aoiike)
Located near Shirogane Onsen,
this mystical
cobalt-blue pond is a must-see.
For any Hokkaido
traveler,
it's almost
considered an essential stop
on their itinerary.
What people are most curious about
is the color of the water.
This water's unique hue comes from
hot spring water, a result of volcanic activity.
The aluminum content
and the scattering of light
make it appear a stunning cobalt blue.
What's truly captivating is that the color subtly shifts depending on the
weather, season, and time of day, meaning you can visit the same spot
and capture entirely different photos every single time –
that's a huge part of its charm!
On clear mornings with gentle breezes,
the reflection shots, where the surrounding trees are beautifully
mirrored on the water's surface, are the most popular.
In winter,
there's even a special night illumination event,
where you can witness the snow-covered lake
glowing with a magical blue light.
How to Get to the Blue Pond (Aoiike)
From Sapporo → Take the Doo Expressway →
Exit at Asahikawa-Takasu IC → Head towards Shirogane Onsen →
Blue Pond (Aoiike): Approximately 2.5 to 3 hours total.
Admission is free,
but parking fees can be quite high.
From the Patchwork Road, home to the Seven Star Tree and Ken & Mary Tree,
it's about a 20-30 minute drive.
For a hassle-free experience, you can easily travel from
Sapporo via a one-day bus tour.
Please note that tour routes
may vary by season
and the destinations might change accordingly.
MyRealTrip Rating: 5.0 stars 11-hour tour Itinerary: Patchwork Road, Shikisai-no-Oka, Biei Station, Blue Pond (Aoiike), Shirahige Waterfall, Farm Tomita, Lunch (Famous Junpei Restaurant's Shrimp Tempura Bento) Booking available | WAUG Rating: 5.0 stars Premium 10-hour tour Itinerary: Sunagawa Highway Oasis (snacks), Patchwork Road, Biei Station, Blue Pond (Aoiike), Shirahige Waterfall, Farm Tomita, Shikisai-no-Oka, Biei town lunch 29-seater Limousine Bus |
Through a lush,
green forest path,
and then — ta-da!
Right at the entrance, it can get super crowded, making it a bit tricky to snap photos.
But just venture a little further inside,
and you'll find it much easier to capture those perfect shots!
As we were leaving, I grabbed a soda ice cream from the snack shop.
It was 600 yen,
and oh my, was it sour!
Not exactly my favorite flavor, haha.
After soaking in the beauty of the Blue Pond,
Now, it was time for dinner,
so we made our way towards Sapporo's Susukino Station.
Our hotel is also
super conveniently located,
just a 10-minute walk from the vibrant Susukino downtown!
Next up was the moment I'd been dreaming of:
all-you-can-eat crab!
And let me tell you, the dark-shelled crab was absolutely delicious.
But wait, there's more! It was also all-you-can-drink alcohol,
with options like Korean soju, sake, and beer – what a treat!
Plus, it was all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu, too.
Both meat and vegetables were unlimited,
along with rice and other side dishes.
The best part? They even had kimchi!
With noodles too,
I seriously had one of the most satisfying and delicious meals ever.
Premier Nakajima Park Hotel
Just 5 minutes from Sapporo's bustling Susukino district!!
Klook
Starting from ~$69
The hotel is just a 10-minute walk from Susukino.
While Susukino itself is quite lively and not exactly quiet,
having Nakajima Park right in front of the hotel means it's still peaceful.
Plus, there's a Seicomart and a FamilyMart just 3 minutes away, which is super convenient!
The rooms are quite spacious,
and although the building is a bit older,
It's fantastic that the rooms even have bathtubs! The only minor drawback was
that the breakfast options were a bit...
limited for my taste.
However, there are absolutely tons of amazing restaurants
just steps away!
What an incredible experience!
Exploring Susukino Street and
a Seico Mart that's
only found in Hokkaido!
In the next part...
We've been on a fantastic Hokkaido journey with the Osmo Pocket 4,
and you might be wondering:
Why is the Osmo Pocket 4 the perfect companion for
capturing your travel memories?
Whether it's the Biei course in Hokkaido or
any of our days since day one, the common themes are
expansive natural landscapes and
capturing shots while on the move.
There are many moments where you need to
start filming as soon as you step out of the car,
and plenty of vlog-style shoots where you're
walking around holding the camera.
When faced with such situations, instead of lugging around heavy camera gear,
the Osmo Pocket 4, with its compact size that slips right into your pocket,
and a built-in 3-axis gimbal,
is incredibly practical!
With its 4K/240fps slow-motion,
you can beautifully capture flowing waterfalls or the gentle breeze passing through flower fields.
Thanks to its enhanced low-light performance,
the sky's vibrant colors during sunset are rendered cleanly,
without any noise.
You can check out the Creator Combo configuration used on this trip,
along with actual shooting examples, at the link below!
👉 [Check out the Osmo Pocket 4 Creator Combo - ]
Hokkaido truly transforms with each season,
revealing a completely
different charm, whether it's summer or winter.
It's a destination where, no matter when you visit,
you can always capture fresh and unique memories!
It is common practice to briefly stop on the roadside in front of the Seven Star Tree for photos. During the peak summer season, it can get crowded with tour buses and rental cars, so it is recommended to visit in the early morning or late afternoon.
Lavender begins to bloom from early to mid-July and typically finishes by late July to early August. The admission fee from July to September is 500 JPY for high school students and above, and 300 JPY for elementary and middle school students. Children under elementary school age are free.
The water appears cobalt blue due to aluminum components from volcanic hot springs and light scattering. The most popular shots are reflection photos where the trees are clearly mirrored on the water's surface, best taken on a clear morning when the wind is calm.
The hotel is located a 5-minute walk from Sapporo's Susukino entertainment district and a 10-minute walk from Susukino Street itself. Nakajima Park is in front of the hotel, offering a quiet environment, and there are Seico Mart and Family Mart convenience stores within a 3-minute walk.
MyRealTrip offers an 11-hour tour that includes a shrimp tempura bento box lunch from Junpei Restaurant. Wagoo offers a premium 10-hour tour using a 29-seater limousine bus, which includes snacks at Sunagawa Highway and lunch in Biei town, available for ~$41 or ~$61.
Discover more travel stories curated around the same theme.
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Hokkaido is packed with incredible sights, and a Biei bus tour from Sapporo is a must! Discover Ninguru Terrace, Blue Pond, and Patchwork Road with insider tips for a seamless adventure.
Traveling to Sapporo soon? Learn the most convenient ways to reach Sapporo Station or Susukino from New Chitose Airport, whether by train or bus.
Sapporo Premier Hotel Nakajima Park Sapporo | 2026 Latest Prices & Promotions - Klook Korea
DJI Osmo Pocket 4 Creator Combo