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Visitor reviews for Furano Ski Resort

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• November 08, 2011
  jon from Australia
  

  Skied here Jan 2010 and found the pistes so boring! Steepish, great quality snow, wide and uncrowded. YAWN! Venturing off-piste was pretty awesome though and seemed to be easy enough to do without the patrol being too worried. There were sections that needed to be avoided due to avalanche risk and some twits decided to ski there. This prompted the patrol to get active and ruined our safe explorations. Losers! Heard these twits boasting in our lodge later and it turned out it was the last day of their trip so they took some risks. Bad idea. Could have died and made ruining our safe day seem trivial. Found a couple of nice bars in the town proper but it's pretty sleepy. Good spot to stay and do day trips to surrounding resorts like Kamui Ski Links (off-piste encouraged), Asahidake (take a guide) and Tomamu (off-piste encouraged after signing a waiver).

• Furano Ratings

  Based on 4 votes. Vote

  Access: 4.2 (1) At least one overnight stop, (2) requires a whole day, (3) requires more than half a day – you may have time for a few turns (4) arrive by lunchtime and ski all afternoon, (5) there is a main airport within an hour of Furano.	Public Transport: 4.5 (1) There are no buses or taxis to Furano, (3) there are slow or infrequent buses / trains available, (5) getting to the resort is easy with frequent bus / train connections.
  Scenery: 4.8 (1) An ugly resort in a bland setting, (3) average mountain views and resort, (5) a spectacular setting and a beautiful / historic resort town.	Accommodation: 5.0 (1) No places to stay in/near Furano, (3) a few places to stay in the resort, (5) a wide variety of accommodation suitable to suit all budgets.
  Cheap Rooms: 4.2 (1) No budget accommodation available, (3) just one or two hostels so book ahead, (5) several cheap hostels and pensions available.	Luxury Hotels: 4.0 (1) No luxury accommodation available, (3) just one or two luxury hotels so book ahead, (5) several up-market hotels in Furano.
  Ski in/Ski out: 4.8 (1) The ski area is located far from any accommodation, (3) a free ski bus takes you to the ski area in a short trip, (5) Ski-in ski-out accommodation is available.	Childcare: 4.0 (1) There are no child care facilities at Furano, (5) the resort has excellent child-care facilities including at least one reasonably priced creche.
  Snowsure: 4.8 (1) Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing, (2) is often closed due to a lack of snow, (3) occasionally suffers from a lack of snow, (4) rarely suffers from a lack of snow, (5) Furano is snowsure even in the poorest seasons.	Snowmaking: 3.0 (1) Furano relies entirely on natural snow, (3) there are just a few snow cannons, (5) there are snowmaking facilities on all pistes.
  Snow Grooming: 5.0 (1) There are no snow groomers at Furano, (3) occasionally some pistes are left ungroomed and in a poor state, (5) all the runs at Furano are groomed daily.	Shelter: 4.5 (1) there is nowhere to ski when it is windy or visibility is bad and lifts often shut, (3) there are some trees for poor visibility but main lifts sometimes close, (5) Furano is mostly in forest where you can ski in flat-light and windy days, lifts rarely close.
  Nearby options: 3.2 (1) If snow conditions are poor at Furano, it will be poor everywhere nearby, (3) there are good alternatives within an hours drive, (5) other locations on the same lift pass provide a rich variety of snowsure ski conditions.	Regional rating: 4.5 (1) Furano usually has poor snow conditions compared to other resorts in region, (3) has average conditions for the region, (5) usually has the best snow conditions in the region.
  Lift Staff: 5.0 (1) The staff at Furano are rude or unhelpful, (5) lift staff at Furano are pleasant, cheerful and eager to help.	Crowds/Queues: 4.5 (1) the resort is always busy and there are usually long lift queues, (3) it is quiet apart from occasional weekends and school holidays, (5) it is uncrowded and lift queues are very rare.
  Ski Schools: 3.8 (1) No ski schools available, (2) one or two ski schools but local language only, (3) a few ski schools but book early for multi-lingual instructors, (4) plenty of ski schools and multi-lingual instructors available, (5) excellent ski schools with friendly multi-lingual ski instructors.	Hire and Repairs: 5.0 (1) Nothing can be sourced, not even ski-wax or ptex. (3) there are some ski shops but rentals need to be booked in advance, (5) good quality ski equipment can be purchased or hired and overnight repairs are possible.
  Variety of pistes: 4.2 (1) The ski runs are featureless and unvaried, (3) the ski runs are varied but not extensive enough for a week, (5) Furano has diverse and interesting pistes including forests and high alpine terrain.	Beginners: 4.2 (1) Beginners can only watch others ski and snowboard, (3) a few gentle slopes but beginners will get bored in less than a week, (3) Vast areas of gentle terrain.
  Intermediates: 4.8 (1) No intermediate terrain at Furano, (3) intermediate skiers will get bored after a few days, (5) vast areas of cruising runs.	Advanced: 3.5 (1) Nothing for advanced skiers and snowboarders, (3) enough steep terrain for a few days with some good offpiste, (5) Enough steep terrain and offpiste areas to entertain advanced skiers for at least a week.
  Snow Park: 2.2 (1) Not even a kicker at Furano, (3) average sized park quite well looked after, (5) huge park area and expertly crafted pipes, jumps and boardercross trails.	Off-piste: 2.2 (1) No off-piste worth mentioning, (2) off piste is out-of-bounds, (3) some varied offpiste that stays fresh for one or two days, (5) a vast array of off-piste routes that can stay untracked for several days.
  Cross-country: 3.2 (1) There is nowhere to go for cross-country skiing around Furano, (3) there are some cross country trails available, (5) the area features many spectacular and well maintained cross-country trails.	Luge/Toboggan: 2.0 (1) No designated luge or toboggan runs, (3) there are toboggan runs that open quite often, (5) Furano has long and well maintained luge / toboggan facilities suitable for all ages.
  Mountain Dining: 4.3 (1) Nowhere to buy food by the pistes, (3) some places to eat up on the mountain but they are often busy and expensive, (5) there is a variety of excellent mountain eateries right next to the slopes to suit all budgets.	Eating: 4.7 (1) Bring your own food, there isn't even a shop. (5) A wide variety of places to eat and drink in the resort, from fast food to fancy restaurants.
  Apres-Ski: 4.8 (1) Nothing to do, not even a bar, (3) there are a few bars in the resort but nothing special, (5) clubs and bars stay open until very late and have a friendly atmosphere.	Other Sports: 3.0 (1) No sports facilities at all apart from ski lifts, (3) resort has just a small public swimming pool, (5) resort has all kinds of sports facilities, including a full-size swimming pool.
  Entertainment: 4.2 (1) Besides the snow and walking there is nothing to do here, (3) the non-skier will find things to do for few days but may become bored after a week, (5) the resort area is a fascinating place to visit, regardless of winter sports.	Winter Walks: 4.0 (1) Very limited walking and no snowshoe trails, (3) a couple of designated scenic walking/snowshoe trails, (5) extensive and diverse winter walking trails for all abilities.
  Ski Pass Value: 4.5 (1) A 1 week ski pass is overpriced compared to the number of lifts available, (3) the ski pass is averagely priced and covers a reasonable number of lifts, (5) ski passes are excellent value for money and cover a lot of lifts spanning a big area.	Value (National): 4.5 (1) Overall, Furano is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the country and not worth the money, (3) overall represents average value for money, (5) overall offers the best value resort in the country.
  Value (Global): 4.8 (1) Overall, Furano is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the world, (3) overall it offers pretty average value for money compared to resorts from other countries, (5) internationally the resort offers excellent value for money.

  Based on 4 votes. Vote

• January 02, 2011
  John from Australia
  

  Extensive, efficient lift network. Courteous and friendly staff. Pity about the snow. It hasn't snowed for several days and the thin cover means that the groomers have picked up gravel chips all over the place.
  My brand new powder skis are now looking like they have had 3 seasons in Australia instead of 3 days in Furano. Sob sob.

• February 25, 2010
  Doug from New Zealand
  

  This place (Furan) truly is an amazing place. I snowboarded here a few years ago and had problems with riding off-piste but now it seems that the ski patrol don't even bat an eyelid.
  Fresh lines everyday in the driest lightest snow, no crowds, great restaurants, great locals. They even had free culture performances on every week for anyone who wanted to go along.
  This is definitely not a flashy resort, with only modest facilities you can not compare this to many resorts in that respect, but if you are looking for good snow with a real Japanese experience (not any of what they serve you in Niseko) then this place is it.
  I will definitely be coming back here again.

• November 26, 2009
  Trevor from Australia
  

  The people, the food, the snow, Furano is absolutely the best kept secret of any ski resort. There is definitely deep powder here. We had huge dumps for a week and the slopes were almost deserted. So yeh, don't go to Furano, leave it for me. Hang on, the food, and I am a foodie, locals in town are fabulous. Stay away it's mine..mine!

• August 14, 2008
  BOB STEVENSON from Australia
  

  We are about to book our forth trip to Furano I have been skiing for 40 years in many other resorts but Furano & its culture is unbelivable .If you visit you must make time to also visit the local tourist spots; the art gallery will take your breath away. We have found the locals so different to the main land . Skiing is some of the best in the world; the grooming is second to none . We love the powder but also the perfectly groomed slopes.
  Ausi Bob

• March 16, 2008
  Darren TRivett from Australia
  

  Went to Furano in January 2008 and found the place to be absolutely fantastic. From our first day to the last we had a ball. Had the opportunity to mix with a lot of the locals and while quiet, it suited us down to the ground. The skiing was sensational, the food spectacular and the Furano locals wonderful and friendly. There for 8 days and while cold, no wind, so was extremely pleasant. Skied in a shirt and jacket and was comfortable with the exception of one day when it got below -20. Even then, not too bad, just kept falling down. No crowds, great snow, great people.

• October 19, 2006
  mooncat from Japan
  

  I am sorry but coming from Australia and saying that the snow ain`t so good here. Well like the others said maybe you went in June?
  Best Powder on the planet around this area, and the reason for not going out of bounds because it can be very dangerous then others have to pay and risk their lives to come dig you out. In January and February you don`t even need to go off- piste as it so quiet and powder is so good. As for them not speaking english well it is the middle of nowhere in Japan, so what do you expect. They have very helpful english speaking ski guides and are very welcoming.

• March 16, 2006
  Andrew from Australia
  

  There is a reason that Furano hosts world cup skiing and snowboarding events. There is plenty of fresh powder (including on-piste) and heaps of off-piste terrain that is not fenced off. I didn't have any trouble from the ski patrol, and at times was openly ducking under ropes. This is a great resort with some steep and challenging runs and large powder sections.

• February 24, 2006
  Peter from Australia
  

  The previous reporter must have gone to different place and mistaken it for Furano. This place is hot, especially with a good dump. There are actually plenty of off-piste steep trees that will challenge anyone and don't require slipping under ropes although the Ski Patrol are nazis sometimes. I would suggest that if the owners want this place to be a serious competitor for Niseko then they had better review the out of bounds policy in a big way. The out of bounds is spectacular and challenging and I supect that most areas would present little risk of sliding most of the time. Whilst being very different to Niseko it can be just as good and is far, far less crowded with a great township close by, not much English spoken though so bring your phrase book. On its day, up there with the best of them.

• February 08, 2006
  Brett from Australia
  

  Don't go off-piste! There are no instructions in English but you can loose your pass for ducking any of the ropes.
  Most of Furano's brochures and website talk about powder conditions and have pictures of tree skiing. Tree skiing is totally forbidden so don't try to go into the trees. There is a lot of great snow but most of the runs are fully groomed, so there is almost no powder on the runs. If you want real powder try Niseko or another resort.