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Destinations... Japan Travel Guide The Yamasa Institute |
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Destinations... Japan Travel Guide The Yamasa Institute |
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Edited by: Declan Murphy Recommended: Suggested Itineraries Favorite Hokkaido moments... Best ways to get there Hokkaido Photogallery Newsgroups: fj.rec.travel.japan, Alt-FAQ Bulletin Boards: Fun/Clubs/Nightlife  Accommodation/Discounts
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Furano is situated in beautiful Daisetsuzan National Park, the largest park in Hokkaido. Together with the Niseko ski area southwest of Sapporo City, the village of Furano offers some of the best powder skiing in Japan. A winter sports paradise, the only areas near Tokyo, Nagoya or Osaka that can even come close to the quality of Furano's powder would be parts of Nagano Prefecture such as Shiga Kogen or some parts of the Hakuba valley such as Tsugaike or Happo One - and none of these can compete with Furano's 950 meter vertical drop (3120 feet). The drop is one of the main reasons why Furano frequently holds World Cup races, with the men's downhill events spectacular.
The powder is excellent - light and dry, and 8 meters of snowfall is as good as it gets in Japan. The season is long (from November 20th to "Golden Week" in May), but the powder is best enjoyed before mid-March. Apart from great snow and terrain, Furano is one of Japan's largest and most famous ski areas, but it is rarely overcrowded due to its location, 2.5 hours by express train from Sapporo City. There are 2 gondolas and 15 lifts giving skiers and snowboarders quick access to a wide range of ski runs covering all levels from beginner to advanced. Around 20% are advanced black runs, with the rest divided pretty evenly between beginner and intermediate. There is excellent tree skiing and if you go under the ropes, untracked powder everywhere. After a fresh snowfall there are untracked areas for days.
One of the best things about Furano is the views. On almost every gelande you have terrific views of the valley and the smoking volcano of Furanodake, along with the summits of the highest mountains in Hokkaido, most of which are inside the Daisetsuzan National Park. On a perfectly clear day at the top of the gondola, you can see nearly 200 kilometers to Asahidake. The views are so good because it is so cold (you need warm snow wear, don't ski in jeans here), and in January & February you can often encounter diamond dust conditions in the mornings when the sun is low in the sky. This is when tiny snow crystals slowly float down, spinning on their horizontal axis. Impossible to photograph, but extremely beautiful.
Furano has hosted FIS World Cup meets 10 times, and if you have the chance to ski down some of the race courses after they have been groomed (or on fresh snowfalls) it is one of the best experiences you can have on the mountain. The groomed areas include advanced runs, and the in-bounds area is one of the best in Japan. For going under the ropes, Sapporo Teine and Niseko are arguably better. For genuine back country, Furano has a bit of an edge over Niseko, though the heliskiing in Tomamu and Tsugaike in Hakuba offer a lot more for those not into climbing.
Ski gear, snowboards and boots, snowshoes and wear etc are available for rental.
Study in Sapporo - It is now possible to combine skiing and snowboarding in Hokkaido with
Japanese language studies in Sapporo via the
Sapporo Winter Japanese Course.
Click here for more information regarding studying Japanese in Sapporo.
Tours - The Japan Discovery Tours visit Furano.
Click here for more information regarding when Discovery visits this destination.
Photographs and contributions
Do you have good photographs or a story to share about Hokkaido? Please share it with us.
Bulletin Boards & Newsgroups
Fun/Clubs/Nightlife
Accommodation/Discounts
fj.rec.travel.japan, Alt-FAQ
Disclaimer and Request:
Opening hours, prices, booking procedures, schedules etc are subject to changes beyond our control. This site is just a guide, and we advise that you always check and confirm in advance. Suggestions, additions and correction of errors are always welcome. Please contact us.
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www.yamasa.org content is created and maintained by
Declan Murphy and the students and
staff of the
Yamasa Institute's Multimedia Studio. This site is copyright Yamasa - All rights reserved.
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