Furano

Powderhounds have to be Invisible at Furano

Furano is a great alternative to the busy Niseko if you want to avoid the “Bali of Japan”. The nightlife is not as vibrant as Niseko, but Furano is less westernised, so you’ll get plenty of Japanese culture and fabulous Japanese food. There are more blue sky days at Furano than Niseko, with the associated downside being fewer powder days. However with 9 metres of snow per season, the amount of snowfall is still impressive.   

Furano is a large resort with lots of vertical so it’s great for racing down the groomers. It is suited to beginners through to advanced riders who are happy to remain on-piste. Very unfortunately, tree skiing and off-piste skiing is prohibited, so powderhounds may get incredibly frustrated. Nevertheless, if you’re prepared to limbo under ropes, appear invisible and accept the associated risks, there is reasonable inbounds tree skiing and fantastic backcountry skiing. Alternatively Furano makes a great base to do day trips to powderhound destinations such as Asahidake and Kamui Links where you can ski off-piste to your heart’s content.  

Best location on the mountain

This hotel is ski in and ski out, the rooms are quite average for a 4 star hotel. Clean and comfy nothing flash. The breakfast is a mixture of western and japanese food. There is a great souvenir shop in the lobby that sells drinks and snacks. The main cable car and quad chair are only a short distance away making first tracks obtainable. The town can be acessed by the shuttle bus or taxi as there are other restaurants worth discovering in town.