# 97 Biei- Oka no Kura びえい 丘のくら

A friend from the US recently came and visited. We were going to go to the Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa, but it was closed! We still managed to eat ramen and visit some Michi no Ekis, so it wasn't that much of a loss.

Asahikawa is about 2 hours north of Minamifurano. It's an easy and beautiful drive that takes you through all of the Furano area towns (Furano, Nakafurano, and Kamifurano) as well as Biei. Biei is on a list of the "most beautiful towns in Japan," and for good reason! It's famous for nice vistas of agricultural fields on rolling hills, and the area has many flower parks that open up in the spring and summer. If you visit central Hokkaido, I STRONGLY suggest that you go through Biei by car just to see the scenery. There's also a special blue pond called Aoi Ike in Biei. I visited in the summer of 2015, but it was a bit underwhelming. It was exactly the pale blue color that shows up in pictures but... it was a pale blue pond. Ah well. 

Entrance to the Michi no Eki. This building is located in downtown Biei, and can be a little tricky to spot as it blends in with the surrounding buildings.

Contact Info
Address: 上川郡美瑛町本町1丁目9番21号　Kamikawa-gun, Biei-cho, Honcho, 1 chome, 9 ban, 21 gou
Telephone: (0166)92-0920
Closings: December 31~ January 3
Hours: June~August: 9:00 am ~ 6:00 pm
            September~May: 9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm
           Restaurant Hours: opens 11:30, last order at 2:30

Biei's country sign

Biei's stamp

Michi no Eki official site facility guide:
Parking: 39 cars and 2 vans/buses
Restaurant: Yes
Crib/place to put your baby: No
Campsite: No
Interactive facilities: Yes
Toilet: 3 stalls and 4 urinals in the men's, 5 stalls in the women's
Coffee: Yes
Observation Deck: No
Gas Station: No
Electric Car Charging Station: Yes
Handicapped Parking/Toilets: 3 parking spots, 1 bathroom stall
Rest Area: Yes
Museum/Art Gallery: No
Place to Shower: No
Credit Card: No
Bidet Toilets: Yes
Information: Yes
Hot Spring Bath: No
Fax: No
Dog Run: No
Telephone: Yes
AED: Yes
Sports Facilities: No
Internet: Yes
Shop: Yes
Park: No
Hotel: Yes
Post Office: No

Things to Do:
1. Shop

There is a small shop section between the entrance and the restaurant. Lots of local foods such as honey, some souvenir snacks (particularly those associated with the blue pond), and lots of artwork and postcards celebrating the scenery are available here.

2. Restaurant.
I didn't get a picture of just the restaurant, sorry! I have eaten there, though. They serve set lunches of various types, and there is also a snack counter for ice creams and lighter fare. When I went, I got something that involved udon with cheese and a curry sauce. It was absolutely delicious, so if you can figure out what I ate, I really recommend it. One caveat is this: If I recall correctly, none of the meals they served were completely without a meat component. If you have meat-related dietary restrictions, you might have to mix and match with a friend.

3. Make local foods.
I haven't seen or done this myself, but according to their website, there is a building called "Fureaikan Lavenir" near the Michi no Eki. You can experience making udon, bread, butter, and other local specialties. The hotel associated with the Michi no Eki also appears to be above this building, and is also called "Lavenir." The hotel has a cafe which serves breakfast made of local foods to the customers.

The hotel's website is here.