Furano Ski Resort
富良野スキー場
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Cold, Dry Snow in the Heart of Hokkaido
Furano Ski Resort is a place worth a visit in Furano, Hokkaido. Travel through its seasons and highlights across 2 on-location videos before you visit.
Furano lies in the centre of Hokkaido, far from the coast, which gives it a drier, colder snowpack than the Sea of Japan resorts and famously clear, bitter mornings. The ski area climbs Mt. Kitanomine in two linked zones — the Furano Zone, reached by a 101-passenger ropeway, and the gentler Kitanomine Zone above the town — with long, steep groomed runs that have hosted international downhill races. Below the slopes is a real working town rather than a purpose-built village: farmhouse restaurants, a cheese factory and the lavender fields that make Furano a summer destination too. The wide Furano basin and the Tokachi volcanoes fill the view from the top station. Sapporo and Asahikawa are both within easy reach by train or bus, so Furano works as well for a day trip as for a longer stay.
Best Season
- JanCold Dry Powder
- FebClear Views of Tokachi Peaks
- MarLong Spring Groomers
- DecRopeway Opens
Lifts run from late November to early May in a typical year. Midwinter mornings can fall well below −15°C, so the snow stays dry even on busy days; February is the sweet spot for cold snow and blue skies. The lavender fields bloom in July.
History & Culture
Kitanomine Opens
Skiing began on Mt. Kitanomine in 1962, with the town below already known for its farms and cold inland winters.
World Cup Racing
Furano hosted FIS Alpine World Cup races repeatedly from the 1970s, putting its long downhill course on the international map.
A Year-Round Destination
Lavender tourism and television dramas filmed in the valley brought summer visitors, and the ski resort grew into a four-season base for central Hokkaido.
Kitanomine-cho, Furano, Hokkaido 076-0034
- About 15 min by bus from JR Furano Stn; about 1 h by bus from Asahikawa Airport
- JR Furano Line from Asahikawa (about 1 h 10 min) to Furano Stn
- About 2.5 h from New Chitose Airport via the Doto Expressway
Lifts about 8:30–16:30; night skiing at Kitanomine in midwinter
One-day lift ticket roughly ¥7,000–8,000 (guide only)
Hours and fees are a guide and may change — please check official information before your visit.
