All throughout the landscape, ranging from Furano to Biei, the color of beautiful lavender flowers can be seen.

It can be said, perhaps, that the lavender is a symbol of Hokkaido.

Lavender, which first grew on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, is a kind of Lamiaceae, an evergreen shrub of the perennial variety.

In 1937, lavender was first cultivated in Chiba and Okayama Prefectures, as well as in Hokkaido, on a trial basis. Based on the results of this experiment, it was understood that the flower could be grown in Hokkaido.

Later, residents of Furano learned about these results through newspapers and magazines, and negotiated with fragrance companies in Sapporo to begin full-scale production.

As a result, Higashinaka district, in Kamifurano Town, served as the first site in Japan where lavender flowers were grown on a full-scale basis.

Once lavender has been planted, it can be harvested for ten years. It is also resistant to pests, harsh climate, and can be cultivated even in soil which is low in nutrients.

It can even be said that in Furano, where the farmland consists of densely packed volcanic ash (pyroclastic flow deposit), lavender is the optimal crop.

Later, businesses began to seek a higher cash flow in the summer, and in the 1950s, production reached peak levels.

At this time, the land reserved for cultivation in Furano grew to 85 hectares, which was 80% of all land used for lavender farming in Japan.

Later, lavender came to be used less as a fragrance. When this happened, commercial cultivation ceased.

However, in the 1970s, lavender fields were often featured on calendars and in newspaper articles, thereby receiving attention as a tourist attraction.

Soon after, lavender was planted at places such as Miyama Pass and Hinode Park, in Furano.

In 1981, lavender was chosen as the town flower of Furano Town.

A monument to the birth of lavender production in Furano was later constructed, with construction completed on November 4th, 1993.