Furano and its region

Located in the center of the island of Hokkaido, Furano is a small village known for its flowery landscapes and views of Mount Tokachi. Here are the main places to visit in the Furano region!

Furano in all seasons

July is the peak season for lavender fields in bloom. They stretch for miles and attract the curious, photographers and nature lovers. From May to October, you can enjoy fields of flowers, successively of tulips, lavender, poppies, cosmos and gypsophila. At the top of a hill, you'll find expanses of color, shimmering scents and endless forests. In winter, Furano is transformed into a ski resort, with numerous downhill runs all around town and breathtaking landscapes of snow-covered countryside, notably on the Daisetsuzan peaks.

Nakafurano Hokuseiyama Lavender Fields

A few hundred meters from Tomita Farm, this other set of flower fields is located on Hokusei Hill. A chairlift takes you to the top of the hill, allowing you to admire both the beauty of the fields' colors on the way up, and the various peaks that make up the west face of Daisetsuzan. The chairlift costs 700 yen round trip. Between the lavender fields of Hokuseiyama and Tomita Farm, you'll find the small Nakafurano Flower Park, where other flowers blaze in shades of yellow, orange and red.

Tip: To visit the flower fields, get off at the Lavender Farm stop on the JR Furano line and you'll be at the foot of the flower fields!

In the town of Furano

Furano cheese factory

Made from local milk, Furano cheese is renowned throughout Japan for its delicious taste. An ice cream parlour offers milk ice creams in interesting flavours such as cheese, corn or kabocha (Japanese pumpkin). You can dine in a pizzeria for 100% Furano pizza, made with local ingredients and the cheese factory's original mozzarella.

Glass Forest in Furano

A glass workshop where glass is worked in the image of the "Diamond Dust", known as shibare garasu (ice crystals). Several workshops are available for young and old to try their hand at glassblowing.

Onsen amid the snow

Take advantage of the many hotels with onsen facilities! While some offer beautiful mountain views from the town of Furano, others are located right in the mountains! Towards the summit of Mount Tokachi, several onsen (Ryounkaku), offer a well-deserved break for hikers and walkers! There are often both indoor and outdoor baths.

Furano market

Located in front of JR Furano station, this is a market with a new concept for Japan: in addition to selling local produce, it's also a place of exchange to pass on the region's know-how to visitors. You'll find direct sales of seasonal fruit and vegetables, a bakery to satisfy your hunger when you get off the train, an ice-cream parlour and a mobile café where you can try a seasonal fruit smoothie.

In winter

The winter sports resort

Skiing is possible from November to May. It's a long season in northern Japan! In summer, facilities such as the Furano Ropeway allow you to enjoy the scenery at 900 meters altitude from the top of the Sancho-eki resort. Several hiking trails lead up to Mount Furano-nishi. One of the most beautiful ski resorts is Kitanomine, where a breathtaking view of the snow-covered Furano countryside awaits you!

Getting to Furano

By train

To get to Furano, don't hesitate to take one of those special trains that Japan has a secret for increasing the pleasure of traveling:

• The Furano Lavender Express, a direct train from Sapporo to Furano.
• the Furano Biei Norokko Train, with its open cars and wind-in-the-hair design (stops → Asahikawa, Lavender Farm, Biei, Furano...).

Note that these trains are seasonal (they operate from June to September) and the IC card is not valid. However, the JR Pass and the Hokkaido Pass are valid for these two trains!

The JR Furano line is available all year round, connecting Furano to Asahikawa via Biei, Kami-Furano and Lavender Farm during the summer.

By bus

Buses run directly from Furano (JR Hokkaido Bus) to Asahikawa and Sapporo (Hokkaido Chuo Bus) in just a few hours.

By car

The car is one of the recommended modes of transport for travel in the Furano region. In fact, train and bus timetables are quite far apart and end quite early. What's more, some remote spots in the countryside are very difficult to reach by public transport, such as the Blue Pond in Biei. So a car can be a very practical option for your trip to Furano! It gives you a great deal of freedom of movement and organization! Don't forget to have your driver's license translated if it was issued in the following countries: France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Monaco, Taiwan.