Patchwork Road, Scenic route in Biei, Japan
Patchwork Road is a scenic route in Biei, Japan, that winds through a rolling landscape of farmland in different shades and patterns. The fields of wheat, corn, and lavender are arranged side by side, giving the hills the look of a patchwork quilt from above.
The farmland around Biei was developed throughout the 20th century, with farmers planting different crops across the hills. A calendar photographer captured the fields in the 1970s and helped turn the area into a destination for visitors from across Japan.
The route is easiest to follow by bicycle or car, as the points of interest are spread over a wide area. Early morning visits give the best light for seeing the colors of the fields clearly.
The name 'Patchwork' was coined by a Japanese photographer who compared the fields to a quilt in the 1970s, and the label stuck. Today, the road is so associated with that image that many visitors arrive expecting exactly the view the photographer first described.
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