Biei, Hokkaido

A small town in Hokkaido's Kamikawa subprefecture surrounded by a patchwork of agricultural fields rolling across gentle hills, producing a landscape frequently likened to European countryside that has become a significant photography destination. Individual landmark trees, including the widely photographed Patchwork Road and Blue Pond at nearby Shirogane, have become subjects reproduced in photography publications internationally. The volcanic peaks of the Tokachi range define the eastern skyline.