Attractions, activities, and experiences in Furano
If you’re planning a ski trip to Hokkaido, you’ve probably been going back and forth between Furano and Niseko. They’re the two most talked-about ski destinations on the island, and they attract very different crowds. I’ve skied both extensively, and I think the “right” choice depends entirely on what kind of trip you want. This … Read more
Furano isn’t a food destination the way Sapporo or Hakodate is. There’s no ramen alley, no morning fish market, no sprawling izakaya district. What it has instead is a small collection of restaurants that take local ingredients seriously — Furano cheese, Hokkaido dairy, seasonal produce from the surrounding farms — and a handful of places … Read more
The Furano Cheese Factory (富良野チーズ工房) sits on a hill about 3km from Furano Station, surrounded by birch trees and overlooking the town below. It’s free to walk in, watch cheese being made through glass windows, and sample products in the shop. That alone takes maybe 15 minutes. But the real draw is the hands-on workshops, … Read more
Furano is the obvious base for a Hokkaido ski trip if you want to avoid the Niseko circus. But sticking to just one resort for your entire trip means missing out on some of the best skiing in Japan – and it’s all within a couple hours’ drive. The Hokkaido Powder Belt is a roughly … Read more
Furano is the obvious base for a Hokkaido ski trip if you want to avoid the Niseko circus. But sticking to just one resort for your entire trip means missing out on some of the best skiing in Japan – and it’s all within a couple hours’ drive. The Hokkaido Powder Belt is a roughly … Read more
Furano doesn’t get the hype that Niseko does. Good. That’s exactly why I keep going back. While half of Australia crams into Niseko’s lift lines, Furano sits quietly in the interior of Hokkaido, collecting some of the driest, lightest powder snow on the planet. The prices are lower, the crowds are thinner, and the snow … Read more
Furano is the obvious base for a Hokkaido ski trip if you want to avoid the Niseko circus. But sticking to just one resort for your entire trip means missing out on some of the best skiing in Japan – and it’s all within a couple hours’ drive. The Hokkaido Powder Belt is a roughly … Read more
Furano doesn’t get the hype that Niseko does. Good. That’s exactly why I keep going back. While half of Australia crams into Niseko’s lift lines, Furano sits quietly in the interior of Hokkaido, collecting some of the driest, lightest powder snow on the planet. The prices are lower, the crowds are thinner, and the snow … Read more
The Furano Cheese Factory (富良野チーズ工房) sits on a hill about 3km from Furano Station, surrounded by birch trees and overlooking the town below. It’s free to walk in, watch cheese being made through glass windows, and sample products in the shop. That alone takes maybe 15 minutes. But the real draw is the hands-on workshops, … Read more
The Trick Art Museum in Kamifurano is one of those places that sounds gimmicky until you’re standing in it trying to pose like you’re falling off a cliff or being eaten by a dragon. It’s pure photo-op territory — interactive 3D paintings that mess with perspective so your pictures look like you’re inside the scene. … Read more
Furano is not the first place most people think of for onsen in Hokkaido. Noboribetsu and Jozankei get all the attention. But the hot springs around Furano are some of the most interesting in the prefecture — including a completely free, 24-hour outdoor bath on the side of an active volcano. That alone is worth … Read more
Furano isn’t just lavender fields. I mean, the lavender is incredible — but if that’s all you do here, you’re missing the point. This part of central Hokkaido has some of the best outdoor activities in Japan, summer and winter, and most of it costs a fraction of what you’d pay in Niseko or Hakuba. … Read more
