Northern Star Lodge — Hotel in Nakafurano

If you plan to do farm Tomita and the two flower farms nearby - Choei and Saika no Sato, this lodge may be a good overnight stop for drivers. For those without wheels, this place is about a 25 minute stroll from the train station - flat road about 1.2-1.5 km, and uphill (gentle slope) about 700-800 meters. However, Kato san, owner and builder of the lodge, can pick you up between 3-6 pm (we arrived earlier and was able to let him know in advance the timing for a pick up) and drop you off at the train/bus station. The lodge, an amazing work of art, was built by Kato, who speaks English, and 2 other carpenters, after he quit his publishing job in Shinjuku to move closer to nature with his wife. There are four rooms upstairs, a smaller twin-bedded room, a larger that can accommodate up to 3 people, and two rooms that can probably fit between 4-5 people. Our twin room had a wash basin but no fan, which wasn't needed in early June. However, on one of the 2 nights we were there, it got pretty warm as the wood used to build the lodge trapped heat. Towels and tooth brushes are provided but unlike traditional Japanese hotels or ryokans, pajamas are on rental basis. The bathroom - with 2 showers and tiny pool to sit in onsen-style - along with gender-separated toilets, are downstairs. Bathing times are by reservation - write your name outside the whiteboard next to the bathroom. His wife lovingly prepares delicious meals for the guests - the seared tuna along with the pate were delicious, as with the grilled chicken.||||You can opt for room only, with breakfast or half board. When we visited in mid June, Kato san had just completed a small cottage located next to the house, which can accommodate up to 8 people. His next project is the laundry cum store room behind the house. There's free wifi throughout the lodge. Kato san accepts cash only and payment is made on arrival. ||||There's a short cut, about 5-7 minutes, to Tomita from the lodge and in the opposite direction, a 10-minute stroll brings you to the panoramic view point of Choei farm (top of chair lift station). About another 15 minutes on foot from the view point, you'll reach Saika no Sato, yet another farm. However, during our visit in mid June, Choei was almost bare of flowers. We suspected that Saika would be the same and skipped the walk there. Tomita had some patches of flowers that would warrant a 30-minute stop tops (unless you love to rub shoulders with bus loads of other tourists). With your back to the hotel, there's a small road on the opposite side, which leads to several other home stays. One of which, on the right side, offers rental bicycles (about 70-80 meters from the lodge). There's not much to do otherwise in Naka-furano, with little option in terms of restaurants, convenience stores (except for a seven eleven about 3 or four blocks from the train station) etc. If you do not plan to eat dinner at the lodge or plan to return long after sundown on foot, note that the street leading up to the lodge can be quite poorly lit. ||||Lastly, if you plan to do a lot of sightseeing using the train or bus, the lodge may not be a good option because either is hard to get to on foot, and even worse if you have luggage. BUT if you have time and want to enjoy a bit of Japanese hospitality, have a nice home-cooked meal, sway in a hammock and watch puffy white clouds float by the pale blue sky, this is the place to be. Just by the entrance of the lodge, there's a tiny lavender field that's also owned by farm Tomita. We believe in July, when in full bloom, that patch could be quite pretty even though it's small. ||||Kato san and his wife will give you plenty of privacy but are, at the same time, very friendly if you engage them in...

It was my experience in end of May,2016. I was planned to go Furano for a day trip. However I woke up late that day. I started going from Sapporo around 1pm and arrived Furano at 6pm due to JR problem. |因遲了起床，到埗已是傍晚。||So I changed my plan to stay overnight in Furano. I came across a leaflet of this lodge in Sapporo JR station. |決定留在富良野過一晚。||It was cold and raining even in May. I tried to walk to the lodge, but it seems too far. So I called the telephone number on the leaflet. |在車站打了電話給房主，他來接我。||The host came to pick me up to his lodge. The lodge was hosted by a very friendly couple. They were shocked because I did not make any reservation and it was about night. ||They were preparing dinner, and it was challenging that they suddenly need to prepare one extra dinner for me. |因為我事前沒有預約，他們忙著為我準備一切。||They made the dinner great. The room was good, clean and tidy. Toilet and bath room is public and outside the room. |晚餐很好吃。房間很舖適。||The bath has to be booked in advance during check in. but it’s okay because not many rooms there in the lodge. So I still could choose a slot for bathing. ||The breakfast are good too. I had some chat with other guests in the lodge. It was such a good experience. ||The host drive me to the 富田 Melon Farm, we have chat on the ride too, he can speak English. And he is really nice. ||I am looking forward to staying there again if I go Furano again. |Highly Recommend this...

It was my experience in end of May,2016. I was planned to go Furano for a day trip. However I woke up late that day. I started going from Sapporo around 1pm and arrived Furano at 6pm due to JR problem. |因遲了起床，到埗已是傍晚。||So I changed my plan to stay overnight in Furano. I came across a leaflet of this lodge in Sapporo JR station. |決定留在富良野過一晚。||It was cold and raining even in May. I tried to walk to the lodge, but it seems too far. So I called the telephone number on the leaflet. |在車站打了電話給房主，他來接我。||The host came to pick me up to his lodge. The lodge was hosted by a very friendly couple. They were shocked because I did not make any reservation and it was about night. ||They were preparing dinner, and it was challenging that they suddenly need to prepare one extra dinner for me. |因為我事前沒有預約，他們忙著為我準備一切。||They made the dinner great. The room was good, clean and tidy. Toilet and bath room is public and outside the room. |晚餐很好吃。房間很舖適。||The bath has to be booked in advance during check in. but it’s okay because not many rooms there in the lodge. So I still could choose a slot for bathing. ||The breakfast are good too. I had some chat with other guests in the lodge. It was such a good experience. ||The host drive me to the 富田 Melon Farm, we have chat on the ride too, he can speak English. And he is really nice. ||I am looking forward to staying there again if I go Furano again. |Highly Recommend this...