Biei's Photogenic Panoramas
Rolling hills... Vast mountains...
I want to take such a photo! But where?!
Have no fear! Be my BIEI is here!
A picture tells a thousand words, and nowhere is this more true than Biei. We are sure that when you visit Biei, you will want to snap some of the best panoramas that the town has to offer. However, there are so many view points all over town that it's hard to know where to begin! Today, we'd like to share our top Biei panoramas with you. Some of these you may have heard of, but some of these are secret spots that we would like to share with you especially!
Get your camera ready... you're going to need it!
Important!
When admiring Biei's views, please never enter the fields.
They are private property and bacteria on the underside of your shoes can get into the soil and damage crops.
Please take all photos from the asphalt roads.
Thank you for helping us to preserve Biei's landscape for the next generation.
Shin'ei-no-Oka View Park
When many people think of Biei, they imagine a red-roofed house against the backdrop of rolling hills and the Tokachi Mountain Range... Here is just the place where you can take that famous shot!
Our favourite thing about this viewpoint is that it looks spectacular all year round. From the crisp snows of winter to the beautiful patchwork hills of summer, you are assured beautiful views. Rain, snow or shine, you can enjoy the very best of Biei's sweeping scenery.
Incidentally, if you look out at the hills on the opposite side in the evening, you can enjoy some of Biei's finest sunsets, too!
San'ai-no-Oka View Park
This is another popular view park in Biei and is quite well-known among cyclists. On clear days, you can enjoy magnificent panoramas of the Tokachi Mountain Range.
As there is a valley right in front of you, the mountains seem to rise straight out of the horizon! They look so close that you can almost touch them!
This spot is particularly beautiful in summer, so why not take a quick break from cycling or driving and enjoy the view for a little while? Please note that the car park is not cleared of snow in winter, so parking is only possible on the road in colder months.
This view and more can all be seen on our San'ai-no-Oka walking tour! Join a knowledgeable Be my BIEI guide for a stroll through the hills, taking in sweeping panoramas as you go!
Patchwork Hills Walking Tour (San-ai-no-Oka View Park Course)
- Dates
- Late April - Mid November
- Duration
- Approx. 2 hours
- Fee
- Adult fee ￥3,000
Child fee ￥2,500 (Under 11 years old.)
※Single participant fee applies ( Adult ￥5,000)
Shikisai-no-Oka
This park is known first and foremost as a popular flower garden, but it is also quite a spectacular viewpoint!
Standing atop the garden any time from July to October rewards you with a unique sight of rainbow-coloured flower meadows against a backdrop of the Tokachi Mountain Range. In winter, you can enjoy beautiful, snow-covered hills softly sloping away. You can also catch sight of visitors and farmers having fun on snowmobiles in the park, too!
The hill is open all year round, making this a great place to see how Biei's panorama changes with the seasons!
Visit Shikisai-no-Oka
- Address
- San'ei Dai-3, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido
- TEL
- 0166-95-2758
- Opening
Hours - Apr・May・Oct 9：00～17：00
Jun~Sep 8：30～18：00
Nov 9：00～16：30
Dec~Feb 9：00～16：00
Mar 9：00～16：30
- Fee
- July ~ September
Adults 500yen
Children (Junior High School & Younger) 300yen
Farms Chiyoda
Farms Chiyoda is a popular public farm in Biei. Visitors can greet many cute animals and take part in all kinds of farming activities!
A walking route will take you up a hill to a large observation tower. From the top of the tower, you can enjoy spectacular views of the mountains and the farm's pastural scenery, as well as Biei's rolling hills. How many cows can you spot from up here, I wonder?
It is particularly beautiful in fall with Biei's autumn colours, but it's also lovely in spring when the cherry blossoms bloom. The hill is inaccessible in winter.
Incidentally, do you know what those black cows are for? They are to become Biei's delicious wagyu beef! Climbing up that steep hill is the perfect way to work up an appetite, so why not try Biei wagyu for yourself at the farm's restaurant?
Visit Farm Restaurant Chiyoda
- Address
- Kasuga-dai Dai-ichi, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido
- TEL
- 0166-92-1718
- Opening
Hours - Apr 1 ~ Sep 30 11:00～20:00
Oct 1 ~ Dec 30 11:00～18:00
Jan 4 ~ Mar 31 11:00～15:00
- Closure
Days - New Year's Holiday (Dec 31 ~ Jan 3)
Kashiwa-En
This is a spot that is not particularly well-known to tourists. It is a small park with a little shrine, overlooking Biei's rolling hills.
Stretching across the horizon in the distance is the beautiful Tokachi Mountain Range. This viewpoint is particularly exciting in early spring, when tractors busily criss-cross the horizon in front of you. However, it is also gorgeous in summer, when swaying meadows of wheat or potato flowers add beautiful colours to the panorama.
The road leading to Kashiwa-En is not accessible in winter due to heavy snowfall.
Takushinkan Area
The Takushinkan gallery celebrates the work of the late landscape photographer Shinzo Maeda. Do pop in to appreciate Mr. Maeda's work while you're here!
Nearby, there are many beautiful views to be found. The best can be seen from a small asphalt road that follows a vast, sweeping pasture. In the background, you can see the marvellous Tokachi Mountain Range. With the grass swaying in the pasture, the scenery looks more like Switzerland than Japan!
The path is inaccessible in snowy months. We recommend the view in fall for a beautiful contrast of blue skies, autumn leaves, green fields and snow-capped mountains. In October, you can see yellow birch foliage and in November, the golden larch foliage.
Wouldn't you like to enjoy this peaceful panorama in the company of a knowledgeable guide? Luckily for you, this area is also covered by a Be my BIEI walking tour! Check it out!
Patchwork Hills Walking Tour (Takushinkan Course)
- Dates
- Late April - Mid November
- Duration
- Approx. 2 hours
- Fee
- Adult fee ￥3,000
Child fee ￥2,500 (Under 11 years old.)
※Single participant fee applies ( Adult ￥5,000)
Biei Farm
Biei farm is located in the pretty region of Bibaushi on the outskirts of Biei. You might wonder what a farm is doing on this panorama list! To find out the answer, you'll have to climb up the short footpath located behind the main farm building. When you get to the top, look behind you. An astonishing view of the mountains awaits!
Although you can enjoy the farm and the views all year round, we recommend a visit in early summer when you'll find lots of happy cows grazing away in the open air.
The farm is well-known for its delicious ice cream, a blend of three different cows' milk. You may work up quite the sweat as you climb the hill, so why not reward yourself with a cooling treat when you come back down, regardless of the season?
Visit Biei Farm
- Address
- Shinsei Heiwa, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido
- TEL
- 0166-68-6777
- Opening
Hours - May ~ Oct - 10:00-17:00 (Tues - 13:00-17:00)
Nov ~ Apr - 10:00-16:00
- Closure
Days - Open year-round
And finally, a tip... consider a photography tour!
Are you keen to take the very best panoramic shots during your time in Biei? Maybe you are just starting out with photography and would like to improve your skills? Or perhaps you are a professional or enthusiast landscape photographer and you would enjoy some like-minded company as you explore the hills?
Whatever your experience with photography, we are delighted to introduce Mr. Yuto Hirasawa! An award-winning photographer based in Biei, he knows the region like the back of his hand and will be happy to take you to some great viewpoints that only the locals know to capture some stunning landscape photos.
Half day and full day tours are available and the tours can be adjusted to suit a range of photography styles and experience levels.
Biei Photography Tour
with Mr. Yuto Hirasawa
- Address
- Biei-cho, Asahimachi 2-2-8-104
- TEL
- 080-2005-8967