From snowy landscapes to scorching spring baths, this Furano and Biei Winter Journey Information has all the things you could plan your good winter getaway.
Furano, famed for its luscious lavender fields and seasonal flowers, can be a haven for every kind of winter sports activities, actions, and surroundings. From snowboarding and snowboarding to canine sleds and frozen waterfalls, there’s something everybody can do to take pleasure in Hokkaido’s winter.
I’ll be visiting most of the locations that appeared in the summertime Furano Journey Information and exhibiting you what it’s like through the peak winter season.
So, let’s get into the motion!
Tips on how to Get to Furano
Furano, positioned in central Hokkaido, may be accessed from Sapporo by practice or bus. By practice, take the Lilac-Kamui Restricted Specific from Sapporo Station to Takikawa Station after which change to the Nemuro Line to Furano Station. The entire journey takes roughly two hours and 20 minutes, costing 4,540 yen ($30 USD) a method (in 2024).
Alternatively, take the Hokkaido Chuo Bus from the Chuo Bus Terminal to Furano. This takes roughly 3 hours and prices 2,700 yen ($18 USD) a method.
Nevertheless, from Furano Station, attending to a few of the locations I’ll point out is troublesome, so it might be price renting a automotive as soon as arriving. In winter, the windy, slender roads round Furano and in the direction of Biei are very harmful, and the climate can flip in opposition to you, which I’ll get into in a while.
When you plan to drive from Sapporo, it would take roughly two hours and 1,300 yen ($9 USD) in tolls (in 2024). The freeway takes you to Mikasa, and the roads may be slippery from there, so please watch out. From Furano, it would take one other 40 minutes to Biei.
Winter Actions
Furano Ski Resort is one in all central Hokkaido’s hottest ski areas alongside Tomamu. The resort is break up into two areas: Kitanomine zone (open mid-December – late March) and Furano zone (open late-November – early Might). There are 28 totally different trails to select from. Furano’s central location signifies that Siberian storms that go over the Sea of Japan find yourself dumping a few of the lightest and driest snow in Hokkaido. The common annual snowfall is round 7 meters, with the best in January and February.
20% of the paths are rated superior, 40% intermediate, and 40% newbie, making the resort accessible to all skiers and snowboarders. The slopes are additionally open till 8 pm, so you can too take pleasure in some night time snowboarding. You’ll be able to attain the summit by taking the 101-passenger Furano Ropeway. As you ski down, you’ll see the picturesque Daisetsu Mountain Vary. On the backside are two massive ski-in ski-out Prince Accommodations, making it the right winter vacation spot.
What’s nice about snowboarding and snowboarding in Furano is that you would be able to take pleasure in all of the powder snow, spacious slopes, and superb views with out the crowds of different resorts equivalent to Niseko! There’s additionally English help for ski classes, lodge companies, and total services.
Away from Furano Ski Resort, you may take pleasure in different smaller ski slopes, equivalent to Nakafurano Hokusei Ski Space.
Except for snowboarding and snowboarding, there are many different winter actions. From snowshoeing and snow rafting to driving a scorching air balloon, there’s a lot to supply. Sadly, after I visited, the climate wasn’t nice, so I wasn’t in a position to partake in any. You’ll be able to try the listing of actions right here.
Furano Cheese Manufacturing facility
Furano is thought for its agriculture and dairy manufacturing, which you’ll take pleasure in at Furano Cheese Manufacturing facility. Right here, you will get a glimpse into the cheese manufacturing whereas having fun with cheese samples, together with flavorings equivalent to squid ink.
It’s also possible to find out about cheese and participate in ice cream and butter-making experiences.
It’s also possible to decide up some ice cream with some distinctive flavors, equivalent to cheese and pumpkin!
Downstairs, there’s a small pizza restaurant utilizing native greens and house-made cheese.
Farm Tomita
In the course of the summer time, Farm Tomita is the most effective place to see Furano’s well-known lavender fields. Surrounded by a sea of purple, the farm attracts individuals from throughout the globe. Nevertheless, in winter, it’s a unique story. As a substitute, a blanket of white snow envelopes the fields with little hint of its summer time counterpart. To not point out that the entire outlets have been closed!
Nonetheless, the surroundings remains to be lovely, and it’s good to take a stroll round!
Aoi-Ike (Blue Pond)
Simply outdoors of Shirogane Onsen is Aok-Ike or Blue Pond. It’s identified for its vibrant blue water, created from all of the pure minerals dissolved within the water. I’ve been earlier than in summer time, and the blue colour is price seeing, however other than that, there’s little else to do or see.
In winter, the lake was frozen and coated in snow, so you may’t see the blue colour! I don’t suppose it’s price stepping into winter, however when you’ve got the possibility to go in spring, summer time, or autumn, I like to recommend visiting.
Shirahige Waterfall
Only a five-minute drive from Aoi-Ike is Shirahige Waterfall, which was most undoubtedly the spotlight of my time in Furano. The waterfall is fashioned by a sequence of floor streams flowing out the aspect of a cliff and into the Biei River beneath.
To the left, you will note the Biei River flowing into the space.
To the best, you’ll see Shirahige Waterfall frozen over. Its title, Shirahige, really interprets to white beard!
Whereas the waterfall is gorgeous in summer time with the encompassing greenery, in winter, the view of the ice formations and distinction with the cobalt blue river is a must-visit.
Shikisai No Oka
When you’ve learn our summer time Furano Journey Information, you’ll bear in mind Shikisai No Oka as having rows of colourful flowers meandering by the rolling hills. In winter, the realm, very similar to the remainder of Furano, is roofed in snow and turns into a playground for winter actions. Youngsters can benefit from the sleds that may be rented from the doorway constructing, whereas adults can journey snowmobiles or banana boats.
Now it’s time for my driving “accident.” You’ll be able to in all probability see from the images that the climate began to take a flip for the more severe. Visibility was poor, and whereas leaving Shikisai No Oka, I adopted the automotive navigation, which led me down a slender and unassuming street. With poor visibility and full belief within the automotive navigation steering, I made my method down the street. At first, my automotive powered by, however the snow obtained deeper and deeper till I used to be finally caught.
I attempted to dig my method out for at the least half an hour however to no avail. Fortunately, it wasn’t too removed from Shikisai No Oka, so the workers helped pull me out. They advised me that many roads across the space are like this, so it’s important to watch out. Different areas are far more abandoned and may not have anybody to assist. You’ll be able to name JAF (Japan Car Federation) or the automotive rental, however in extreme situations, it might take some time for them to achieve you.
So please drive with warning and be ready for a state of affairs like mine!
Lone Christmas Tree
With little daylight left, I made my approach to the Lone Christmas Tree, an 8-meter spruce tree with its tip supposedly formed like a star. The tree is surrounded by nothing however snow, making a surroundings that appears like a portray.
The world across the tree is non-public property, so you aren’t allowed to stroll up shut. The encompassing roads are additionally slender, and also you’ll in all probability discover many individuals making an attempt to take pictures. If you’re driving, please proceed with warning.
Ningle Terrace
In the course of the night, there’s not an excessive amount of to do other than night time snowboarding or visiting Ningle Terrace. Established with the neighboring New Furano Prince Resort, the buying space consists of 15 log cabins related by a sequence of picket walkways. These walkways are lined with fairy lights through the night, making a magical winter environment.
The title comes from the novel Ningle by So Kuramoto, which options the looks of a small creature referred to as Ningle, who lives in a forest in Hokkaido.
The outlets are full of native artisans’ merchandise and items, making it the right spot to purchase souvenirs!
Subsequent to Ningle Terrace was a small illumination show with a paid entrance. After an extended day and temperatures nearing 14°F (-10°C), it was time to go eat one thing heat!
After researching and searching round, most of the eating places round Furano Station have been closed. My solely selection was one curry store, Yuiga Dixon.
It’s a preferred restaurant and the workers mentioned there are sometimes queues. I needed to wait round quarter-hour to get a seat. I ended up selecting the meat tongue doria, which got here out piping scorching. The spicy curry, tender beef tongue and wealthy cheese was the right approach to finish the day!
Furano’s winter is a real wonderland, full of improbable surroundings and lots of winter points of interest and actions! Whether or not it’s sunny or snowing, prefer it was for me, there’s at all times one thing to do! Simply watch out whereas touring round and revel in Hokkaido’s winter surroundings!
