Day Trips From Furano

Furano is a great base, but if you stay in town the entire trip you’re missing out. Some of the best stuff in central Hokkaido is within an hour or two of Furano, and there’s enough variety — mountains, hot springs, a world-class zoo, ramen alleys — to fill a week of day trips without repeating yourself.

Here are the best day trips from Furano, ranked roughly by how much I think they’re worth your time. I’ve included driving times, what to do there, and which seasons work best for each.

Quick Reference: Distance and Drive Times

Destination	Distance	Drive Time	Best Season
Biei	25 km	30 min	All year
Tokachidake	30 km	40 min	Summer-Autumn
Asahikawa	60 km	1 hr	All year
Kamui Ski Links	65 km	1 hr	Winter
Daisetsuzan (Sounkyo)	100 km	1.5 hrs	Summer-Autumn
Tomamu	80 km	1.5 hrs	Summer / Winter
Sapporo	150 km	2.5 hrs	All year

1. Biei (30 Minutes)

This is the obvious number one, and for good reason. Biei is barely 30 minutes north of Furano and has some of the most photogenic landscapes in all of Japan. Rolling patchwork hills, famous lone trees, and that turquoise pond everyone’s seen on their phone wallpaper.

What to Do

• Blue Pond — The turquoise water is real and it’s genuinely impressive. Go early morning for the best color and fewer crowds. Free to visit, parking is 500 yen.
• Patchwork Road — A loop of rolling farmland dotted with famous trees (Ken & Mary’s Tree, Seven Star Tree, Mild Seven Hill). Best by car or bicycle.
• Shikisai no Oka — Flower fields on a hillside with Tokachi mountain views. Impressive from May through October. Entry is free (donation box), but the cart rides cost 500-600 yen.
• Shirogane area — The Blue River below Blue Pond, Shirahige Waterfall (view from bridge), and some nice forest walks.

You could spend anywhere from half a day to a full day in Biei depending on how deep you go. If you only have a few hours, hit Blue Pond and the Patchwork Road. If you have a full day, add Shikisai no Oka and the Shirogane area.

Season notes: Summer (July-August) for flowers, autumn (October) for foliage, winter for Blue Pond illumination (November-April). The Patchwork Road is good in any season that isn’t deep snow.

2. Asahikawa (1 Hour)

Hokkaido’s second largest city is a solid day trip, especially if the weather isn’t cooperating for outdoor activities. It has enough indoor attractions to fill a rainy day, plus some of the best ramen in Japan.

Asahiyama Zoo

This is one of the top zoos in Japan, and it deserves the reputation. What makes it special is the “behavioral exhibition” approach — instead of just sticking animals in cages, the enclosures are designed so you can watch animals doing what they naturally do. The polar bear tank has an underwater viewing tunnel. The penguin enclosure has a transparent overhead walkway so they swim above your head.

In winter (late December through March, weather permitting), they do the famous Penguin Walk — king penguins waddle along a path through the zoo while visitors line both sides. It’s not a trained performance; the penguins are just getting their exercise. It’s absurdly cute.

Admission: 1,000 yen for adults, free for children under 15 (yes, really). The zoo is closed for a few weeks in April and November for seasonal transitions — check the schedule before going.

Asahikawa Ramen Village

Asahikawa-style ramen is different from Sapporo’s miso ramen. The base is soy sauce (shoyu), and they add a layer of oil on top that keeps the soup hot in the cold Hokkaido winters. It’s rich, salty, and deeply satisfying.

Asahikawa Ramen Village (Ramen Mura) gathers eight ramen shops under one roof. It’s a bit touristy, sure, but the quality is genuine. Each shop has its own take on the style. A bowl runs 800-1,100 yen at most places. My advice: go hungry and split a second bowl at a different shop.

Otokoyama Sake Museum

If you like sake, this is a nice add-on. Otokoyama is one of Hokkaido’s most respected breweries, and the museum shows the brewing process with some historical displays. The best part: free tasting at the end. The water they use comes from the Daisetsuzan mountain range, and you can taste the difference — it’s clean and soft. Allow about 30-45 minutes.

Season notes: Good year-round. The zoo’s Penguin Walk makes winter the standout season. Combine all three for a full day.

3. Daisetsuzan National Park (1.5 Hours)

Japan’s largest national park sits northeast of Furano, and it’s the kind of place that makes you realize how wild Hokkaido still is. The main access point from Furano is through Sounkyo Gorge, about 1.5 hours by car.

Sounkyo Gorge

A dramatic river canyon with columnar basalt cliffs, waterfalls (Ryusei and Ginga Falls are the famous pair), and a small onsen town at its base. The gorge itself is free to see — you can walk or drive through it. The waterfalls are a short walk from a parking area.

Kurodake Ropeway

From Sounkyo, a ropeway and chairlift take you up Kurodake (1,984m). The ropeway runs to the 5th station at 1,300m, and a chairlift continues to the 7th station at 1,520m. From there, it’s about a 1-hour hike to the summit. The views from the top — across the vast Daisetsuzan mountain plateau — are incredible on a clear day.

Ropeway round trip: 2,600 yen. Add the chairlift for an extra 800 yen. You don’t need to hike to the summit to enjoy it; the 7th station viewpoint is already impressive.

Season notes: Best in summer (July-September) for hiking, and late September for the earliest autumn foliage in Hokkaido. Sounkyo is famous for having fall colors weeks before lower elevations. Winter brings an ice festival (January-March) with illuminated ice sculptures in the gorge.

4. Tokachidake (40 Minutes)

The Tokachidake volcanic range is Furano’s backyard mountain, and driving up to the hot spring area is one of the easiest and most rewarding half-day trips you can do.

What to Do

• Tokachidake Onsen — Mountain hot springs at 1,280m elevation with volcanic views. Several ryokan offer day-use bathing (500-1,000 yen). Check our onsen guide for details.
• Fukiage Onsen — A free, open-air (mixed) hot spring halfway up the mountain road. It’s rustic — just a natural rock pool by the river — but the setting is spectacular. Bring a towel.
• Hiking — Several trails start from the Tokachidake Onsen area. Routes range from easy 1-hour nature walks to the full summit climb (6-8 hours round trip, experienced hikers only). See our outdoor activities guide.
• Viewpoints — Even if you don’t hike, the drive up offers panoramic views of the Furano valley and, on clear days, across to the Daisetsuzan range.

Season notes: Best from June through October. The road closes in winter due to snow. Autumn foliage starts here in late September — weeks earlier than the valleys below.

5. Kamui Ski Links (1 Hour, Winter Only)

If you’re in Furano for winter and want a change from Furano Ski Resort, Kamui Ski Links near Asahikawa is a solid budget alternative. It’s popular with locals, less crowded than the big-name resorts, and the lift tickets are noticeably cheaper.

The terrain suits intermediates best, with some good tree runs and consistently decent powder. It doesn’t have the vertical drop or resort facilities of Furano, but that’s the trade-off for lower prices and shorter lift lines. For more ski options, see our ski resorts near Furano guide.

Season notes: December through March. Weekdays are particularly quiet.

6. Tomamu (1.5 Hours)

Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is about 1.5 hours south of Furano, and it has two standout attractions that are worth the drive — one for summer, one for winter.

Unkai Terrace (Summer)

From mid-May through mid-October, a gondola takes you up to a terrace above the clouds. On the right morning, you look out over a sea of clouds (unkai) filling the valley below — it’s one of the most dramatic natural views in Hokkaido. The catch: you need to get there early (gondola starts running around 5:00 AM), and clouds aren’t guaranteed. They publish daily probability forecasts on their website. Roughly 30-40% of mornings have good unkai conditions.

Gondola: approximately 2,200 yen round trip for adults. Even without the sea of clouds, the mountain views are good.

Ice Village (Winter)

From December through March, Tomamu builds an entire village out of ice — ice bar, ice chapel, ice hotel rooms, skating rink. It’s a resort attraction, so expect resort pricing, but it’s genuinely well done and unlike anything else in the Furano area.

Season notes: Unkai Terrace is summer/early autumn only. Ice Village is winter only. There’s not much reason to go in the shoulder seasons.

7. Sapporo (2.5 Hours)

I’ll be honest: 2.5 hours each way is a lot for a day trip. It’s doable, but you’ll spend 5 hours driving and have maybe 4-5 hours in the city. If you really want to see Sapporo, I’d recommend making it an overnight trip instead.

That said, if you’re determined to do it in a day, here’s what to prioritize: Nijo Market for seafood (morning), a walk around Odori Park, and the Sapporo Beer Museum (free self-guided tour, paid tastings from 200 yen per glass). Skip Susukino and the nightlife stuff — you won’t have time to enjoy it properly.

By train it’s even longer — about 3 hours via Takikawa with transfers. Driving is faster and gives you more flexibility, but if you’re not renting a car, check the highway bus schedules for direct service.

Season notes: All year. The Sapporo Snow Festival (early February) would be the main reason to make the long drive in winter.

Planning Tips

A few practical things to keep in mind when planning day trips from Furano:

• Rent a car. Seriously. Public transport between Furano and most of these destinations is either slow, infrequent, or nonexistent. A rental car gives you the flexibility to hit multiple spots in a day. Our getting around Furano guide covers rental options.
• Combine nearby trips. Biei and Tokachidake can be done in one long day. Asahikawa and Kamui Ski Links are in the same direction. Don’t burn a whole day on just one short stop.
• Check seasonal closures. The Tokachidake road closes in winter. Sounkyo ropeway has maintenance breaks. Tomamu attractions are seasonal. Always verify before driving.
• Start early. Especially for Tomamu’s Unkai Terrace (early morning only) and Biei’s Blue Pond (best light and fewest people before 9 AM).

For a broader view of what the Furano area offers and how to structure your visit, check our Furano travel guide. And if you want help building a multi-day plan that incorporates some of these day trips, our 3-day itinerary is a good starting point. For comparing Furano with other Hokkaido ski and outdoor destinations, take a look at our Furano vs Niseko comparison.