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BIEI AND BIBAUSHI |
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Outside of Daisetsu-zan National Park, but overlooking its mountains
from the east - including the active volcano Tokachi-dake - are the
scenic farmlands surrounding the small town of BIEI and the tranquil and
picturesque village of BIBAUSHI . Known for its vast fields of lavender
and expanses of sunflowers, the landscape here is faintly evocative of
Provençale France, with bales of hay lying around and lone poplar trees
etched against the backdrop of snow-capped peaks. The gently undulating
countryside is ideal for gentle walks, bike riding and photography -
some good examples of which you can check out in the Post Card Gallery
and Café (daily 9am-6pm), next to Bibaushi Liberty Youth Hostel . It's
also possible to use Bibaushi as a base for a hike up the 2077-metre
active volcano of Tokachi-dake , some 20km southwest and within the
Daisetsu-zan National Park.
Bibaushi is connected with Asahikawa by frequent trains and buses and
can easily be visited as a day-trip, or en route to and from Sapporo.
For overnight stays , there's the stylish Bibaushi Liberty Youth Hostel
(tel 0166/95-2141, fax 95-2142; ¥3000-5000), next to the train station,
with bunk-bed dorms and excellent meals. Staff here can provide a
cycling and hiking map of the area, mountain bikes for ¥2800 a day, and
cross-country skiing and mountain treks. If you have your own transport,
consider staying at With You Farm Pension (tel 0166/95-2748, fax
95-2748; ¥10,000-15,000), ten minutes' drive from Bibaushi Station. This
is in a lovely location overlooking the mountains and colourful fields
and offers Western-style rooms as well as bunk-bed dorms, with rates
that include two meals. Two kilometres from Biei Station is the charming
Minshuku Hozuki (tel & fax 0166/92-1225; ¥15,000-20,000) with an English-speaking
owner, Western-style twin rooms, and meals included.
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