Experience to Furano like "local"

Hi there! I'm back!

Today I want to tell you my experience went to Furano (the place for flower, especially lavender garden which located in central Hokkaido) around late July 2018

First, we bought the One Day JR local train Ticket. The price is 2260 yen and you can only buy and use on the day you purchase for the trip. Don't get happy easily since the ticket is sooooo cheap! Price shows everything. When you look into the map that provided in the ticket (see pics bellow), you will be exited because that cheap ticket can bring you everywhere, for example Otaru, Yoichi, Muroran, Furano, and Biei. The fact is this ticket allowing us only to take the LOCAL train! Not rapid or express, just LOCAL train. Local train means the train will stop in every station and might took your time longer.

Speaking of local train, the one day JR local train ticket can bring you to see the lavender garden. Since its my first time using local train for fat trip, then I asked the JR information desk (9 am counter opened) for local train information. 

JR Hokkaido one day pass ticket. If you can read Japanese you will know the kanji for each station name. Sorry not to said in detail because I cannot read kanji, for sure!

click this link for more information about the JR information desk:

http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/travel/info.html

I showed my one day pass ticket to the counter person and here is what I got from her (see picture bellow)

Itenary that I got from JR information desk

In this paper, it showed that I should transit several times before arrived at Furano lavender farm station (Furano station and Furano lavender farm station distance about 15 min.) and look at the time, therefore I don't recommend everyone who doesn't have so much time to take this local train. Just take express that cost almost 15,000 yen for your own purpose if you have money to spend. 

In the itenary paper given by the counter person said that after transit from Iwamizawa then take the train to Asahikawa. Please remember this: "the one day ticket is not cover travel to or from Asahikawa. If you go to Asahikawa, the train track is different from those that covered by the One Day Pass. So, innocently, I made mistake and went to Asahikawa and paid for more money around 2000 yen. What a day!

Except the Asahikawa transit problem to go to Furano, we don't have any big problem. When you take of at Asahikawa you should paid the extra money once and another extra money at Furano station. I don't want to make any fuss about extra money that I don't know at the beginning how much to pay it. But, the JR person who in charge for the ticket that I met during the trip, MAJORLY are not friendly at all. I guest because they are old and unfamiliar with tourist since they cannot speak using English. I think Hokkaido JR corp. should fix these problem because in the future there will be huge tourist that cannot speak Japanese will come.

The view along side when you took the train

At Furano lavender farm station, you can choose whether you want to go to Tomita Farm (largest flower garden) by foot or by big taxi that needed 250 yen (if I'm not mistaken) for one way. When we arrived at Furano, we choose to go to the farm by walking because the view is amazing, we can buy lavender soft ice cream on our way, and take a lot of memorable pictures.

Tomita farm: the lavender flower garden is FREE, the shop in tomita farm will be closed on 5 pm.

After enjoy the Tomita Farm within limited time, we decided to go back using the same itenary attached in previous paper. It was so easy to follow rather than our departure from Sapporo (transit in Asahikawa). In my opinion, if you want to try to go by cheap price to Furano just transit to Iwamizawa then Takikawa. 

Lavender in Tomita Farm

Not only lavender, but you can see another flower in Tomita Farm

I hope this info will be useful for you! Yes, you!

Travel like "local"? Why not!