La Laiterie Ferme Biei | Happy Cows, Cafe + Cheese Cave

Woman in white standing in the snow in front of the modern farm buildings at La Laiterie Ferme Biei

Would you believe me if I told you that my favorite Raclette on earth wasn’t in Switzerland? That it was actually on a tiny farm in the rolling hills of Biei in Hokkaido, Japan? We visited La Laiterie Ferme Biei on our sightseeing day road tripping through Biei’s patchwork hills, and it was the tastiest stop on our itinerary. Located just a 16-minute drive from Biei Station, and an 11-minute drive from the famous Biei Christmas Tree, this tasty stop at Biei Farm is worth the detour.

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Our Visit to La Laiterie Ferme Biei

We rolled into La Laiterie Ferme Biei (Biei Farm Ltd. on Google Maps) just around noon on a blustery winter morning, and left an hour later with happy bellies, filled to the brim with cheese and ice cream.

Warm interior of La Laiterie cafe with wooden tables, large windows, and views of the snowy farm

Tasting Local Hokkaido Milk Products

We started our visit at the on-site cafe, and immediately, this glowing golden half-wheel of cheese caught my eye, and I just knew we had to try it.

Close-up of a half cheese wheel under a heat lamp to make raclette at La Laiterie Ferme Biei

We considered ordering the fondue, but I was a bit hesitant after our past (slightly traumatizing) fondue experience in Switzerland. So we settled on the raclette and ordered a Hokkaido milk soft serve topped with caramel drizzle, and a package of cheese cubes to enjoy while we waited.

Man holding a package of cheese cubes inside La Laiterie cafe in Biei, Hokkaido, with a dessert on the table

And oh my goodness, this ice cream sent me over the moon and back again! It was SO CREAMY and not too sweet, and the caramel complemented it perfectly.

Hand holding a soft serve ice cream cone with caramel drizzle at La Laiterie Ferme Biei

At the Laiterie, their herd of Jersey, Brown Swiss, Holstein, and Montbéliarde cows each brings something special to the table.

Jersey milk is prized for its rich butterfat content, Brown Swiss for its high protein levels that make it ideal for cheesemaking, Holstein for its clean, refreshing flavor, and the ultra-rare Montbéliarde (a French breed so rare that this farm claims Japan’s first purebred!) for the same milk that goes into iconic French Comté cheese.

Thick slice of melted raclette cheese served on toast at La Laiterie Ferme Biei cafe

Then our raclette came out, and believe me, Travel Buddy and I were fighting over who got to take the first bite! It was heaven to my taste buds, and the perfect thing to warm us up after a cold day sightseeing Biei’s Patchwork Hills.

Refrigerated display case stocked with fresh dairy products and cheeses for sale at La Laiterie Biei

I also loved to see that they even had a fridge of small bites you could take away with you if you wanted to bring some home for later!

Visiting the Happy Cows and the Cheese Cave

Once we’d finished eating, we wandered outside to say hi to the cows and to check out their processing facility and cheese cave.

Cows grazing in a snowy birch forest pasture at La Laiterie Ferme in Biei, Hokkaido

The cows seemed more interested in basking in the sun than moo-ing “hi” back to us, but perhaps they only speak Japanese.

Brown and white cows standing in a snowy field outside the farm buildings at La Laiterie Biei

On the walk to the cheese cave, we passed by some glass windows showcasing their processing facility, and Travel Buddy was fascinated.

Glass-walled cheese factory building at La Laiterie Ferme Biei viewed from outside in winter

We made our way into the cheese cave and marveled at the neatly stacked shelves of giant cheese wheels, all in their own stages of aging. The cheese cave itself is climate-controlled, maintaining the perfect balance of cool temperature and humidity that coaxes each wheel toward its full, funky potential.

Close-up view of golden cheese wheels stacked on wooden shelves in the aging cave at La Laiterie Biei

All in all, this was a tasty and pleasant stop on our road trip through Biei’s Patchwork Hills, and I hope to visit again sometime.

Plan Your Visit to La Laiterie Ferme Biei

La Laiterie Ferme Biei (Biei Farm Co Ltd. on Google Maps) is just a 16-minute drive from Biei Station, and only 11 minutes from the famous Biei Christmas Tree, so it slots naturally into a morning or afternoon loop through the hills. Unfortunately, it is not really possible to visit this farm via public transit.

There’s a free parking lot on site, so if you’re driving (which, for Biei, you really should be!), you can pull right up without any fuss.

Hours

May – October 20: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
October 21 – April: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Open year-round (closed New Year’s only)

Note: Check their Instagram for the most up-to-date hours and closures.

weeping winter landscape near La Laiterie Ferme Biei with a lone tree under a vivid blue sky

Ready to Plan Your Trip to Hokkaido?

If you’re already in Biei, you can’t miss the nearby stunning Shirahige Waterfall, and the Aoiike Blue Pond. And if you’re planning your own Patchwork Hills Roadtrip, the Takushinkan Gallery and SSAW Coffee were some of our favorite stops. Hokkaido is one of my most favorite places on earth, and I can’t wait to share more with you!