There are two reasons why people come to Furano in the middle of winter, either to ski or to go to Ningle Terrace. And then there’s me, who has zero interest in either of those.
Furano in winter transforms into a snow-covered wonderland, perfect for skiing, snowboarding, and soaking in cozy onsens. With fewer crowds and lower prices than Niseko, it’s an ideal spot for those looking to enjoy Hokkaido’s winter beauty without the hassle.
Things to Know About Furano
Furano is best known as a ski town, so you’ll notice a lot more Western tourists (mainly from Canada, the U.S., and Australia) compared to other parts of Hokkaido. The biggest draw to Furano is that it is much cheaper, and much less crowded than Niseko.
I was chatting with a guy on the train to Furano, and he told me the cheapest hostel he could find in Niseko in January was $130 a night—for a hostel! Furano, on the other hand, offers much better value without the crazy crowds.
Winter is the busiest season, and when I asked the hotel staff if summer or winter was busier, they confirmed that winter takes the top spot. If you’re visiting in spring, the flower fields are a huge draw.
Getting There: Train from Asahikawa to Furano
I didn’t rent a car while traveling around Hokkaido, so I relied on trains to get from town to town. Luckily, getting to Furano from Asahikawa was super easy and straightforward!
The direct train from Asahikawa to Furano costs 1,290 yen ($8.47 USD). No need to book in advance—you buy tickets the day of at the train station.
The JR Furano Line takes 73 minutes to reach Furano with no transfers.
Things to know:
- Some kiosks only take cash, while others only take card.
- The train arrives about 15 minutes before departure—get there early for a good seat since there are no reserved seats.
- Don’t get off too early! There are three Furano stations:
- Kami-Furano
- Naka-Furano
- Furano Station (final stop—this is the one you want!)
Views out the window of the train to Furano
Getting Around
Having a car is the easiest way to explore Furano, but I didn’t rent one and still had no issues. Everything I wanted to see was within walking distance of my hotel.
Note – If you want to get to the ski resort or Ningle Terrace you will need to call a taxi or take the bus.
Transportation options:
- Walking – Furano is small, and my hotel was a 6-minute walk from the train station. I walked everywhere.
- Taxis – Your hotel can call one for you. A lot of people use taxis to get around town. I wish I had more information for you on how the process and cost of a taxi works, but I walked everywhere so I never used one.
- Buses – Great for getting to the ski resort and other popular tourists spots like Ningle Terrace.
- Trains – Perfect for day trips to other parts of Hokkaido. Super cheap too!
Where to stay
First off, accommodations in Furano were way pricier than I expected. I booked my hotel last minute, and almost everything was already sold out. Lesson learned—book in advance!
I ended up staying at La Vista Furano Hills Hotel, and honestly, it was my favorite hotel of my entire Hokkaido trip. If you’re on the fence about booking it—just do it. It’s totally worth the extra cost!
It’s not that the rooms are super fancy for anything, although they were very clean and nice. The amenities, views and location are what makes this hotel great! I somehow managed to book this hotel last minute for $139 per night which was a steal during peak season. I stayed 3 nights and that was plenty of time.
My favorite thing about this hotel was the private baths they offered.
In Japan, especially northern Japan public bathing is a huge thing. Public baths were offered and extremely popular among locals in every single hotel I stayed in.
If you’re looking for budget options, hostels might be your best bet since winter is high season. You could book a hostel for $50 a night when I was there.
Where to Eat in Furano
Getting food in Furano was honestly a bit of a nightmare for me. Lunch was no problem, but dinner? That was a whole different story.
I spent a few nights trying to eat at the two restaurants located directly next to my hotel, Kushitetsu and Sennari Shabu Shabu. The first night I got there 30 minutes after it opened and they said they had no tables available and turned me away. I thought it was kinda strange because I could clearly see empty tables in the restaurant.
So, after reading some Google reviews and doing more research, I figured I just needed to get there earlier. The next night, I showed up 30 minutes before they opened—first one there, feeling confident.
Doors open, I walk in… and get turned away again. Same excuse—no tables. At this point, I had to ask, “Okay, so how do I actually get a table?” That’s when she finally told me—reservations only.
Nowhere on Google did I see anything saying you had to have a reservation. Everything I read just said to arrive early. But nope, that wasn’t enough.
I tried the restaurant next door—same deal. Fully booked, reservations only. So I went online to see if I could make one, only to find that some places were booked out two weeks in advance. TWO WEEKS! I couldn’t believe it.
That night was rough. After getting turned away from 3 restaurants and going to 2 that ended up being closed, I finally gave up and had dinner at Lawson’s. lol
Moral of the story? Make a reservation or expect to go hungry.
Things You Need to Know Before You Eat in Furano
- A lot of restaurants only take cash, so make sure you have enough on hand.
- Random closings happen. I showed up at Witch’s Spoon at 6 PM, and despite Google saying they were open, there was a sign on the door saying they close on Wednesday evenings. These restaurants are usually run by one or two people, so they open and close whenever they feel like it—holidays, personal days, whatever. And nope, it probably won’t be updated on Google.
- Virtually all restaurants close around 2-2:30 PM and don’t reopen until 5:30-6 PM. If you’re hungry in that gap, good luck. (I am sure these hours might change depending on the time of year. I was there in January)
- Google isn’t always right. I went to a few spots around noon, and even though Google said they were open until 2 PM, they were definitely closed. Some only open in the evenings, and winter is actually their busiest season, so who knows if it’s different in summer.
- Random closings happen. I showed up at Witch’s Spoon at 6 PM, and despite Google saying they were open, there was a sign on the door saying they close on
- Wednesday evenings. These restaurants are usually run by one or two people, so they open and close whenever they feel like it—holidays, personal days, whatever. And nope, it probably won’t be updated on Google.Google Translate is a lifesaver. Download Japanese and English for offline use because not a lot of English is spoken here.Vegans, you’ve got a challenge ahead. Even a lot of the broths are made with fish or meat, so finding plant-based food is going to be tough.
In short, be flexible, have cash, and don’t always trust Google when it comes to restaurant hours!
Restaurants I ate at and loved
Witch’s Spoon – Loved The Witch’s Spoon! It’s a Japanese Curry Restaurant run by two local women. They were so kind and I highly recommend eating at their restaurant. It’s small, and there’s only a few seats available so I recommend grabbing lunch here (no line when I visited) or get there right when it opens for dinner. The women didn’t know English but we were able to communicate just fine. I got the chicken leg curry soup and a coke, it was so good. I paid 1,880 yen (~$11.94 USD) which isn’t bad. Cash only!
Location – 12-29 Hinodemachi, Furano, Hokkaido 076-0025, Japan (Exact location on google maps)
Witch’s Spoon Restaurant
Curry & Bar Jam – I ate here for lunch and it was all locals which I kinda liked. They are famous for their soup curries. All of their soups are made with cabbage, carrots, eggplant, pumpkin, broccoli, potato and egg. So good!!
Everything is translated into English on the menu. I ordered the tender chicken curry (1,280 yen) and the spicy chicken curry (1,180 yen) and both were really good. They take cash or card (but not American Express).
Location – 1-17 Motomachi, Furano, Hokkaido 076-0031, Japan (Exact location here)
Curry & Bar Jam
Tip – If you are interested in eating at any of these restaurants I recommend saving them in your google maps before going.
Lawson – Don’t sleep on Lawson’s! Even though it’s just a Japanese convenience store, they have surprisingly good food and plenty of options. It’s the perfect backup plan when everything else is closed—which, honestly, happened way more than I would have liked in Furano. And everything is so cheap!!
Lawson convenience store picks –
- 🍙 Rice triangles (onigiri) – Some have fillings, but the plain ones are just as good. I lived off these in-between meals.
- 🍢 Chicken & pork skewers – Cheap, tasty, and a lifesaver when everything else is closed.
Things to Do in Furano (Winter Edition)
- Skiing/Snowboarding – The #1 reason most tourists come here. I felt like I was the only person in the entire town there for reasons other than snowboarding. lol.
- Ningle Terrace – I personally skipped this one. It looked too crowded, but a lot of people love it.
- Onsens – If you have a car, check out Fukiage Open-Air Onsen (41-min drive from Furano Station).
- Day trips to Tomamu, Kamui, and Sahoro – Possible via public transport or tours.
- Biei Day Trip – 750 yen train ticket (bought at the counter). Super easy station to navigate with lockers and a small food stand. Staff spoke decent English.
- Photography – I spent my days wandering the town capturing the stunning winter scenery.
- Enjoy the red berry trees – They’re all over town in the winter and add such a pop of color to the snowy landscape.
- People Watch – I loved seeing the locals just going about their days in such crazy weather. Just a normal day to them!
Weather & What to Wear
Furano gets cold in winter, and it snows a lot! The wind chill can make it feel even colder. Layers are your best friend! I wore merino wool layers under sweats, topped with my Aritzia ankle-length puffer, and I never felt cold—except for my hands from taking so many photos.
I lived in my Icebreaker merino wool leggings every single day. They’re super warm but still thin enough to layer under pretty much anything, jeans, sweats, even leggings. There was one time I left the hotel without them thinking I would be fine, and I ended up freezing.
When my husband was with me he wore these fleece lined leggings under his jeans and that worked well for him.
For shoes, I swear by my Salomon hiking boots—I wear them on almost every trip. You don’t necessarily need something this heavy-duty, but they worked great for me. They’re waterproof, so I could walk through snow all day without my feet getting wet.
I also brought my Uggs, even though I slipped every single time I wore them. But they’re just so warm and comfy, I couldn’t resist. I sprayed them down with this waterproof spray before my trip, and it worked amazingly! Even after getting them wet so many times in the snow, they still look brand new.
You will be miserable if you are not dressed warm enough. Even if it’s 25°F, the wind and snow make it feel so much colder—so layering up is absolutely essential.
If you’re traveling with a film camera, make sure to keep it warm! I learned the hard way when my Contax T3 burned through two batteries in two days. I ended up sticking Hot Hands in my camera case to help.
Cold weather drains batteries super fast, so be prepared. Thankfully, batteries are cheap in Japan, so I was able to grab a few extras while I was there!
Is Furano Worth Visiting in the Winter?
I absolutely loved my time in Furano. The snow, the small-town feel, and the friendly locals made it a special experience. Despite knowing zero Japanese, people were always kind and tried to communicate. It was honestly touching.
That said, most people come here to ski, and I didn’t. I live in Utah and snowboard all the time, so I chose to explore the town instead. I spent my days taking photos and my nights soaking in my hotel’s private hot spring bath at La Vista Furano Hills.
Would I recommend Furano? Yes! But if you’re not skiing, be prepared for a slower-paced experience—there isn’t a ton to do in town beyond skiing, photography, and relaxing. If that sounds like your vibe, you’ll love it here!