Furano Ski Area is one of the most famous ski areas in Hokkaido and is perfect for guests who want to experience long groomers with beautiful views and perfect family orientated courses which wind around the mountain and provide some exhilarating runs and long relaxing turns.

Furano receives fantastic snow and long blue sky days which make cruising around the ski area a pleasure.

If it is your first time skiing in Japan click here for some tips to make your holiday all the more enjoyable.

Ski Area stats

957m Vertical
1 × 101 person Cable Car
1 × 6 person Gondola
8 × Chair lifts
2 × Night skiing areas until 9

40% Beginner
40% Intermediate
20% Advanced (Tree skiing and out-of-bounds skiing and snowboarding is prohibited)

Extensive ski and snowboard rental available

2 high quality Ski Schools available

Beginners

Furano Ski Area has 3 well suited beginner areas where families or beginners can learn to ski or snowboard with beautiful views and wide runs. These areas are located at the base of the Kitanomine Zone from the Quad chair, at the base of the Furano Zone of the bottom Romance Chair and at the top of the Ropeway by riding the top Romance lift.

Intermediate

This level skier and snowboarder tends to love Furano’s long undulating cruisers which either fall straight down the mountain towards the base of the lifts or wind around and allow skiers and snowboarders take a long and easy route back down the hill.

Intermediate skiers enjoy the rolling courses which allow guests to gain some speed and still feel comfortable with good snow and a variety of courses to choose from.

Advanced

Advanced skiers and snowboarders tend to enjoy the non-groomed courses under the gondola called Freakozawa, or the long and fairly steep Kumaotoshi which are both accessed from the Kitanomine gondola.

The Furano Zone offers the exciting and fast courses from the top single lift above the Ropeway.

Challenge Course on the far skiers left of the Furano Zone gives guests a great powder experience first thing in the morning after fresh snowfall.

Furano does not allow skiing or snowboarding out of bounds or in the trees. Furano Ski Patrol actively patrols these areas and request skiers and snowboarders to stay on the courses at all times to avoid avalanche and other dangers in non-patrolled areas.

There are some great powder courses in Furano which, after a heavy snowfall, provide great powder skiing. These areas are not groomed during the night and hence allow skiers to get a great powder experience first thing in the morning after fresh snow has fallen. 

Families

Furano offers families a great ski and Japanese experience with an easy and convenient lift system with the main 3 lifts enclosed allowing easy and relatively warm access to the top of the hill. The hill offers families the ability to ride lifts together but descend different runs so as everyone finds something to suit their style and ability. 

Long intermediate areas finish at the base of the beginner areas allowing families to keep an eye on each other as they all enjoy the hill.

Children often enjoy the hill with the long runs and beautiful views across the valley to the volcano.

There are some small jumps and kickers built at Furano each year. Half pipes are built some years. 

Night skiing is open until 9 on both mountains and is a spectacular way to spend an evening. From both sides of the mountain you can have amazing views of the Furano area turning on their lights at night as you ski on great snow. On the Kitanomine pension side of the hill, you can ski to the door of the Snow Dome and bar and order a beer or a hot baked potato without even stepping out off your bindings.

Grooming

Once being a regular host of World Cups, Furano has a reputation as one of the best groomed ski areas in Japan. Most of the ski area is groomed from top to bottom each night leaving long runs for all skiers and snowboarders to cruise along and enjoy the scenery and views from the hill.

Weather

Furano receives about 8m of light dry snow each year. Furano gets little wind and has many long dry sunny days where the temperature stays cool allowing skiers and snowboarders to enjoy good conditions days after a fresh snowfall. On clear days guests should be able to see Asahidake, the highest peak in Hokkaido, and the incredible smoking volcano locate across the valley.

In mid season when the temperatures really drop, guests might even experience diamond dust where the little moisture in the area freezes and sparkles like thousands of diamonds spinning around you.

Culture at the ski area

If it is your first time skiing in Japan click here for some tips to make your holiday all the more enjoyable.