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Furano/Central Hokkaido Experience

Furano/Central Hokkaido Experience5/511
Furano/Central Hokkaido Experience5 out of 5 based on 11 reviews
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Furano/Central Hokkaido Experience Enquire
Price p/p From price based on twin/triple-share room for 2024 season.
Base/invoice currency is in JPY inc. taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
USD 1,729

LOCAL GUIDED & HOSTED TOUR
7 Nights | 5 Days Guided | 1 Unguided free day | Furano + 4

Location: Japan | Tour Focus: Guided | Terrain Focus: Off-Piste, On-Piste, Sidecountry
Ability: Strong Intermediate to Advanced
Price p/p From price based on twin/triple-share room for 2024 season.
Base/invoice currency is in JPY inc. taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
USD 1,729
Experience the best powder that Furano & the Central Hokkaido region has to offer. Venture off-piste in Furano, Kamui, Tomamu, Sahoro & Asahidake with some local guides for the total Central Hokkaido ski/board adventure. It’s their passion to show you what skiing/riding in Japan is all about!
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Furano/Central Hokkaido Experience Overview

The Furano/Central Hokkaido Experience is all about variety and this tour gives you a great selection of mountains to visit in the Central Hokkaido region over your five days of skiing/riding. This Central Hokkaido ski tour/snowboard trip focuses on picking the right resorts on the right days to get the best powder that the region has to offer. 

Furano Snow Tours (FST) is a small local guiding company in Furano. The bilingual guides will give you the best skiing/riding experience in Furano and the Central Hokkaido region as well as a real cultural experience visiting relaxing onsens (hot springs), and taking you out to some of their favourite local Japanese restaurants where few tourists go.

You will be based at ELEMENT, an architecturally designed accommodation, 5 minutes drive from Furano town surrounded by the natural beauty of its rural location. Each morning you will head out to wherever the best snow will be that day; either Furano, Kamui, Tomamu, Sahoro or Asahidake.

Mixed & Private Groups

This tour can be for a private group or you can also join as a solo traveler or a couple/small group. Rooms are twin or triple with private bathrooms. Subject to availability you might be able to upgrade to a private room as a solo traveler for an additional fee. The ideal group size for a private group is 4 - 7 guests.

Ability

This tour is for skiers/boarders who are high intermediate to advanced level in powder and have a good level of fitness.

Equipment Required

Avalanche safety equipment is a requirement as this tour focuses on skiing off-piste and backcountry terrain.

Those without avalanche safety equipment can rent an avi pack from us. Fat skis and powder snowboards are recommended for skiing deep powder.

We also have a great range of powder snowboards to rent.

Itinerary

This itinerary is a guide. The tour is dictated by the weather each day and your guide will decide where to go for the best powder conditions.

Day 1

Welcome to Furano, a town of about 25,000 people with many great local restaurants and an international ski field which has hosted 12 FIS world cups. Your guides/hosts will pick you up either at Furano JR station or at the bus stop to drive you to Element, a boutique accommodation where you will be staying. That evening you will have a welcome dinner at a Japanese restaurant in town to get to know your guide and others on your tour.

Day 2

Furano, the biggest ski resort in Central Hokkaido, has 2 sides of the mountain and terrain in between to explore. It has everything and one day just isn’t enough. Furano has opened up the off-piste areas with gates to serious back country terrain for those with all the safety equipment and knowledge. Your guide will sign the group in with Ski Patrol in the morning then we are ready to go!

Day 3

Kamui, located 1 hour 10 minute drive northwest of Furano, is a funky resort well known for its liberal off-piste policy. There is good tree skiing and nice pillows to be enjoyed here. On the way you will come across a giant Kannon sama (buddah) statue towering over the town of Ashibetsu. On the way back you will swing by a great local onsen (hot spring) in Ashibetsu.

Day 4

Tomamu, located 1 hour 30 minutes drive south of Furano, is a resort with high rise towers for hotels poking out of the landscape in front of the mountains. It has nicely spaced trees to put big wide turns in. The group will be signing a waiver and putting on a helmet to access the off-piste. If you don’t have your own helmet, not to worry as Tomamu provides helmets free of charge. That evening it’s the Furano Snow Tours dinner in town at one of our favourite local Japanese restaurants where few tourists go.

Day 5

Free Day to relax and rest the body or have another day skiing at Furano unguided.

Day 6

Asahidake, located 1 hour 20 minutes northeast of Furano is a real gem! It's the highest mountain in Hokkaido, and with volcanic steam coming out the top of the mountain, it makes this special. One cable car will get us to the top, no piste skiing here, just advanced off-piste skiing and 2 main cat tracks to get us back to the cable car station. After a great day of skiing, the group will go to one of the FST guide’s favourite onsen in Asahidake.

Day 7

1 hour 30 minutes drive southeast of Furano over a mountain range is Sahoro, a medium size resort, uncrowded and fun through the trees. With a newly installed lift on the north side of the mountain there is now even more off-piste terrain to experience! Another great option for an onsen on tour would be here in Sahoro.

Day 8

Departing Furano. 

The time has come to say good bye to your lovely hosts at Element and to your Furano Snow Tours guide. You will be dropped off at the station or the bus stop, taking with you memories of good times on and off the mountain with the Furano/Central Hokkaido Experience!

Lodging

You will be based at Element, boutique accommodation 5 min drive from Furano town surrounded by the natural beauty of its rural location.

Element hotel was architecturally designed, combining the vernacular barn style of Hokkaido, traditional Japanese architectural elements, and modern minimalism. The aim was to create warmth and tranquillity, with the use of raw materials like recycled timber, relaxing colour tones, and a mix of intimate and spacious rooms with views of the surrounding mountains and country-scape. The communal living room is designed to spark conversation and bring people together around the fireplace, whilst the Japanese style mezzanine space is perfect for solitary relaxation.

You will be sharing a twin or triple room which has 120cm wide beds (and a Japanese futon on tatami floor in the triple room). All rooms have en-suite with toilet and shower. At the hotel there is also a shared Japanese bathroom with a special timber Japanese bath to relax in.

Element Furano
Element Furano
Element Lodge Furano
Cozy common lounge area
Element Furano
Japanese bathroom with tub

2024 Rates, Inclusions & Add-Ons

Rates

JPY 258,000

  • rates are per person
  • based on twin/triple-share room
  • base/invoice currency is Japanese Yen
  • all taxes included
Inclusions
  • 5 days guiding – max 1 guide to 6 guests (4 - 10 guests)
  • 7 nights twin or triple share accommodation with en-suite.
  • Daily breakfasts (western hot breakfast)
  • 3 hosted dinners
  • All daily mountain transfers/shuttles
  • 2 hot springs visits
  • 5 days of lift passes
Add-ons
  • Avalanche gear rental 6 days JPY 21,000 (Beacon, shovel, probe and backpack)
  • Twin share (deluxe room) upgrade and single use upgrade JPY 5,000 per person per night.
  • Powder snowboard rental JPY 5000 a day, JPY 20,000 for 6 days
Not Included

FST Terms & Conditions

DEPOSIT & FULL PAYMENT

  • A 20% deposit of the tour price is required to confirm your booking.
  • All deposits are non-refundable (unless there are covid-19 flight restriction etc)
  • Full payment is due 30 days prior to the start date of the tour.
  • Full payment is required for tours booked within 30 days of the tour start date.
  • All payments are in Japanese Yen (JPY)

CANCELLATION POLICY

  • Cancellation fee for cancellations 30 days and more is 20% of the tour cost.
  • Cancellation fee for cancellations under 30 days is 100% of the tour cost.

METHOD OF PAYMENT

  • Payment is made by credit card. We will email you an invoice for credit card payment.

TOUR SIZES

  • Minimum of 4 people are required for a tour to commence.
  • Tour sizes will be no more than 10 people with a max ratio of 1 guide to 6 people max.

WAIVER FORM

  • A waiver form must be read and signed before your tour commences.
  • Customers 18 years and under must have a parent or legal guardian sign their release of liability.

BACKCOUNTRY SAFETY EQUIPMENT

  • Backcountry safety equipment is a required for this tour.
  • Backcountry safety equipment can be hired which includes, beacon, shovel, probe and backpack.