A Day Trip from Asahikawa Airport — Distillery + Higashikawa, Biei, Furano
Asahikawa Airport (AKJ) is the gateway to central Hokkaido. Tankyu Distillery sits 15 minutes away in Higashikawa-cho. A single day from AKJ is enough to visit the distillery, Higashikawa's spring-water source, Biei's hills, and Furano (lavender in summer, wine in winter).
Sample itinerary — 10:00 AKJ arrival
- 10:15 — Pick up rental car, head to Higashikawa
- 10:30 — Tankyu Distillery tour (60–75 min, reservation required)
- 12:00 — Lunch and spring water in Higashikawa's Daisetsu Kamui Mintara area
- 13:30 — Biei hills (Blue Pond, Patchwork Road)
- 15:30 — Furano (Farm Tomita lavender in summer, winery year-round)
- 17:30 — Back to Asahikawa city or direct to AKJ
Distances & drive times (full map)
- AKJ → Tankyu Distillery: 8 km / 15 min
- Tankyu → Biei: 20 km / 30 min
- Biei → Furano: 30 km / 40 min
- Furano → AKJ: 70 km / 90 min
Staying overnight near the airport makes the day less rushed. Summer (Jun–Aug) and winter (Feb–Mar) give completely different landscapes — choose the season based on what you want to see.