Furano Ski Resort

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Furano Hokkaido
Furano Hokkaido
Deep powder in Furano sidecountry
Deep powder in Furano sidecountry
Furano is great for powder hounds
Furano is great for powder hounds
New Furano Prince Hotel on the Furano side
New Furano Prince Hotel on the Furano side
Furano township is a good option for accommodation
Furano township is a good option for accommodation
Furano ski resort - sublime powder!
Furano ski resort - sublime powder!
Get a guide to show you around
Get a guide to show you around
Furano township has some magnificent authentic Japanese restaurants
Furano township has some magnificent authentic Japanese restaurants
Furano Ski Resort has lots of perfectly groomed runs
Furano Ski Resort has lots of perfectly groomed runs
Kitanomine village is a changing landscape
Kitanomine village is a changing landscape
Furano Ropeway
Furano Ropeway
Furano town looking up to the ski resort
Furano town looking up to the ski resort
Dreamy turns at the Furano Ski Resort Japan
Dreamy turns at the Furano Ski Resort Japan
Natulux Hotel in downtown Furano
Natulux Hotel in downtown Furano
Off-piste in Furano Japan
Off-piste in Furano Japan
Furano Japan - lift accessed backcountry
Furano Japan - lift accessed backcountry
Furano is in Central Hokkaido
Furano is in Central Hokkaido
Furano Ski Resort Japan
Furano Ski Resort Japan
Fenix apartments near the slopes
Fenix apartments near the slopes
The Furano snow can get deep!
The Furano snow can get deep!

Furano Ski Resort

Readers Ratings

Furano

Furano4/535
Furano4 out of 5 based on 35 reviews
  • Recommend
    83%
  • Would Revisit
    80%

Furano Japan

The Furano Ski Resort in Hokkaido finds a great balance for a Japan ski or snowboard holiday. Furano ski resort has well developed amenities and services, but unlike some Japan ski resorts such as Tomamu, Kiroro or Rusutsu, Furano doesn’t feel too “resortified”. The nearby town of Furano is rather authentic, and both the town and resort provide adequate creature comforts including the ability to cater to English speaking guests, without losing the essence of Japan.

Furano Japan is a fantastic all-rounder with ski and snowboard terrain for all ability levels, off-piste and backcountry riding, and quality Central Hokkaido powder.

Pros and Cons of Furano Ski Resort

Pros 
  • Furano Japan is very well suited to on-piste riding for beginners through to advanced riders and is a decent sized resort (by Japanese standards).
  • It makes a great base to explore nearby ski resorts that are great for powder hounds and guided day trips from Furano are available if booked in advance. And nearby are backcountry areas such as Furano-dake and Tokachidake.
  • Most Japanese ski resorts don’t have enough on offer to keep the interest of advanced and expert riders for more than a few days, yet a powder hound could play at Furano for a while, especially considering the number of day trip options to chase powder.
  • It isn’t fully westernised. It provides a good Japanese cultural experience particularly in the town of Furano, and there are lots of different Japanese restaurants.
  • Furano is reasonably family friendly and caters somewhat for English speaking children. And kids 12 and under ski free.
  • Furano accommodation is well priced.     
Cons
  • As Furano ticks a lot of boxes, it’s not surprising that it’s become more popular. Lift queues are sometimes problematic, and there are now more people heading into the trees and less freshies on offer.
  • There are limited Furano onsen opportunities compared to many Japan ski towns.
Pro or Con Depending on Your Perspective
  • Due to its central Hokkaido location, the quality of the Furano snow is generally even better than the coastal resorts such as Niseko. The volume of snow is somewhat less, but the upside is more fine weather days.
  • Furano doesn’t offer a lot of easy to navigate off-piste terrain like places such as Rusutsu or Niseko, but if you’ve got a guide or navi and avi skills and put in just a tiny bit of effort, then Furano has phenomenal terrain.

Furano Ski and Snowboard Terrain

Furano Ski Resort is a large ski area by Japanese standards (so it’s not huge!), with 9 lifts and 28 courses (ie marked runs) and 839 metres of vertical (235 - 1,074m), which enabled the resort to be put on the world cup ski racing map.

Furano Japan is renowned for the long groomed runs for beginners through to advanced riders, and whether you like to cruise or want to zoom down runs at Mach 2 until your eyes water, if you like groomers then Furano skiing is rather good. When all the lifts are actually running, the lift infrastructure is reasonable and you can usually get in plenty of skiing or snowboarding each day.

Furano Ski Resort also has piste that are left au naturel. The “Premium Zone” is the steepest run, although it’s not always open because they don’t do a lot of active avalanche control.

For advanced and experts the main attraction is the very good off-piste terrain and amazing side-country (easily accessed backcountry) for those with avalanche gear and the know-how.

Furano Snow

Furano receives 9 metres of snow per season on average, which is less than some of the coastal Hokkaido ski resorts such as Niseko and those near Otaru. Nevertheless the Furano snow is still often knee deep, commonly waist deep, and we’ve even experienced it neck deep! And the powder is generally delightfully light and fluffy – this is what Central Hokkaido skiing is all about!

The Furano weather is generally more pleasant and there are more blue-sky days than at ski resorts such as Niseko.

Where is Furano Ski Resort?

Furano is located in Central Hokkaido, Japan. Furano is 59km south of Asahikawa (about an hour away) and 141km (by road) northeast of Sapporo.

Furano makes a good base for a ski holiday from which nearby ski areas can be accessed for a day trip such as Kamui, Asahidake, Tomamu, and Sahoro. Or Furano Hokkaido makes a great base to head out on a guided ski tour to nearby backcountry areas.

Airport to Furano shuttles:

See the Furano travel page for more location and travel information.

Furano Accommodation

Furano accommodation consists of mostly western style hotels and pensions. Furano also has a range of self-contained accommodation options such as apartments/condos and houses. Furano is less expensive than Niseko accommodation or Rusutsu accommodation, and there are lodgings to suit most budgets.

Furano accommodation listings – see map, pros and cons of different zones, availability and pricing.

Ski Resort Facilities

The Furano Ski Resort is severely lacking when it comes to on-mountain lunch spots. There are ski and snowboard lessons in English for kids and adults. One company provides group lessons which sell out well in advance, or there are private lessons available at Furano.

The Furano childcare ceased operations for the 2023-24 season and it’s unclear as to whether this will operate for the 2024-25 season.

Furano also has various family friendly activities on offer and there are other Furano activities such as snowmobiling, onsen tours, or ice hole fishing if that takes your fancy.

Furano Guiding – Ski/Snowboard Tours

Furano ski guiding is available as private day guiding and includes lift-accessed powder tours at Furano or guiding at nearby ski areas, or backcountry ski touring/splitboarding tour. These need to be booked well in advance.

[AdListings collection="Japan" category="Furano" subcategory="Activities Ski Tours"]
Or if you think you’ll want multiple days of guiding at Furano and nearby areas, there are multi-day multi-area tours inclusive of guiding, transport and lodging. These can be bespoke private tours or there are various mixed group tours (ie you can join as a solo or couple) that are based in Furano for all or part of the tour. See the Furano guided tours for options.

[AdListings collection="Japan" category="Furano" subcategory="Photography Tours"]
Tours At or Near Furano

Safari (Road Trip) Tours

Hokkaido Storm Chaser
GUIDED STORM CHASING SAFARI
7 Days | 6 Nights | 6 Ski Areas
Ability: Strong Intermediate to Expert
Chase the storms and access the deepest and best quality snow conditions on the day in the Otaru area and Central Hokkaido's world famous deep dry powder.
Price p/p Displayed price may cary slightly due to exchange rates fluctuations
Base/invoice currency is JPY
Price includes 13% tax.
Base/invoice currency is JPY
Price includes 13% tax.
USD 3,121
View Details
 
Hokkaido Backcountry
GUIDED BACKCOUNTRY TOUR
7 Nights | 8 Days
Ability: Advanced to Expert
Jump on the Hokkaido Backcountry Powder Quest tour & experience the magical powder wonderland Hokkaido is famous for along with its rich culture & incredible cuisine. Join as a solo, couple or small group; max 6 guests per tour & guaranteed departures.
Price p/p Price per person, based on 2025 group tour
USD 4,599
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Hokkaido Safari
GUIDED POWDER PROGRESSION ROAD TRIP
12 Days | Up to 11 Days Guided Skiing/Riding
Ability: Advanced to Expert
Explore multiple Hokkaido ski areas on this amazing powder progression adventure for advanced to expert skiers & boarders. Locations include the Otaru/Sapporo & Furano ski areas. Groups of up to 4 guests are guided by 1 guide. From price is based on twin share in deluxe western-style room.
Price p/p From price based on double-share room staying at La Vista Furano Hotel & Dormy Inn Premium Otaru; 4 on tour for 2025 season.
Base/invoice currency is in USD inc taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
USD 4,345
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See all Safari (Road Trip) tours that visit Furano here

Single-Base, Multi-Ski-Area Tours

Furano/Central Hokkaido Experience
LOCAL GUIDED & HOSTED TOUR
7 Nights | 5 Days Guided | 1 Unguided free day | Furano + 4
Ability: Strong Intermediate to Advanced
Experience the best powder that Furano & the Central Hokkaido region has to offer. Venture off-piste in Furano, Kamui, Tomamu, Sahoro & Asahidake with some local guides for the total Central Hokkaido ski/board adventure. It’s their passion to show you what skiing/riding in Japan is all about!
Price p/p From price based on twin/triple-share room for 2025 season.
Base/invoice currency is in JPY inc. taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
USD 2,142
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Central Hokkaido Tour
FULLY GUIDED & HOSTED TOUR
10 Nights | 8 Days Skiing/Riding
Ability: Advanced to Expert
Avoid the crowds and revel in the renowned high quality Central Hokkaido powder at Furano, Asahidake, Kamui Links, and hidden gems such as Pippu, Sahoro and Tomamu. Mostly lift accessed powder hunting, plus the option to do a little hiking to get more goods.
Price p/p From price based on twin/double-share group option for late season 2025 tours per person.
Base/invoice currency is in Japanese yen inc taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
USD 3,366
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Furano Area Guiding
CENTRAL HOKKAIDO GUIDED TOURS
For private groups of up to 5
Ability: Advanced to Expert
Off-piste, sidecountry & backcountry guiding for PRIVATE GROUPS for Furano & other Central Hokkaido areas. Day guiding or book 3 days with a 4 day window or 5 days within a 7 day window.
Price p/p
USD 122
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See all Single-Base, Multi-Ski-Area tours that visit Furano here

Single-Base, Single-Ski-Area Tours

Furano Powder Discovery
RESORT POWDER IN/FROM FURANO
For PRIVATE GROUPS ONLY of up to 4 guests
Ability: Intermediate to Advanced
Hunt out new zones with an instructor in the off-piste (inside the resort boundaries) at Furano & surrounding ski resorts. PRIVATE GROUPS ONLY of up to 4 guests (i.e. you cannot join a group). Minimum age 10 years. Sample price per person assumes 4 in your group
Price p/p From price based on a PER PERSON rate per day for PRIVATE group of 4 in peak season. Full price is 110,000 yen for group in peak season for 24/25.
Base/invoice currency is in JPY in taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
USD 187
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See all Single-Base, Single-Ski-Area tours that visit Furano here

Backcountry Skiing Tours

Furano Backcountry Tour
CENTRAL HOKKAIDO BACKCOUNTRY TOUR
7 Nights | 6 Guided Days
Ability: Advanced to Expert
Stay in Furano and human powered touring will get you to the best Central Hokkaido powder lines. Join as a solo, couple or small group; max 6 guests per tour & guaranteed departures.
Price p/p Price per person, based on 2025 group tour
USD 4,299
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Hidden Hokkaido
LIFT-ACCESSED POWDER TOUR
9 Days | 8 Nights
Ability: Advanced
Head to the best of the Hokkaido ski resorts from the bases of Niseko & Furano & get guided to the best lift-accessed powder stashes in the Central Hokkaido and SW Hokkaido regions. Join a mixed group tour, or a bespoke private trip is also possible for resort based tour or backcountry touring.
Price p/p Per person rate for 2025 season.
USD 3,536
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High Earnings
BACKCOUNTRY POWDER CHASING
8 Nights | 7 Guided Days
Ability: Advanced to Expert
Enter the powder room! Visit some of Hokkaido's most remote locations and best backcountry zones. This trip has a backcountry touring focus on the iconic peaks such as Mt Yotei, Asahidake, Tokachidake & Kurodake.
Price p/p From price based on twin/triple-share 2024-25 season.
Price per person for a group of 5 with 1 guide for 9 day package. Base/invoice currency is in JPY inc taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
USD 3,053
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See all Backcountry Skiing tours that visit Furano here
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