Overall Rating

Furano/Central Hokkaido Experience

Furano/Central Hokkaido Experience5/511
Furano/Central Hokkaido Experience5 out of 5 based on 11 reviews
  • Recommend
    100%
  • Would Revisit
    100%
Central Hokkaido Guided Tours
Wagner Custome Skis

Furano/Central Hokkaido Experience - Reviews

Furano/Central Hokkaido Experience - Reviews

A Great Week Snowboarding in Hokkaido

Kalo
19/02/2024
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • Age
    18-35
  • Ability
    Advanced
  • Rider Type
    Snow Boarder
  • Country
    Bulgaria
  • Month:
    February
  • Admin Rating
    5

A Great Week Snowboarding in Hokkaido

Kalo
19/02/2024
We had a great time overall. Everything was organized very well. Ken and Aaron did a great job of guiding us in different spots each day and showing us some secret places where there was always fresh untracked powder. On some of the days they organized van pickups so we could snowboard down untracked backcountry terrain where there were normally no other groups so we had the terrain all to ourselves. They were always very professional but were also easy going so we had nice fun chats and with them. We also had a few nice dinners and onsen visits.

Some of us rented some of their powder boards and I would definitely recommend this if you don't have one or just want to try something new. They are well waxed and super fun to ride! Also quite a convenience for travelling if you don't carry one with you.

I can see in other comments that is has happened before not to have a great skill match between all the guests participating in the tour. We had a similar experience, however it was really not that big of a deal in our case. It was handled professionally and sometimes we were split in 2 groups. I would say it is hard to judge anybody's skill before riding together so it's normal to expect that on any tour.

About the Accommodation - the Element Furano is a modern and spacious villa with everything you need for a great winter holiday! Chi was taking great care of us every day, making us big portions of great western-style breakfast and also warming up the fireplace in the evening. It is a 10 min drive from town so they gave us lifts to Furano whenever we needed - for a meal or to a convenience store. It's fairly easy to call a taxi from most bars or restaurants and costs less than 2000 yen to get back to the villa.

Overall great experience and would definitely repeat at some point! :) Thanks guys!
See our video here

Insane JAPOW!

JEFFREY
04/02/2024
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • Age
    18-35
  • Ability
    Advanced
  • Rider Type
    Snow Boarder
  • Country
    United States
  • Month:
    January
  • Admin Rating
    4

Insane JAPOW!

JEFFREY
04/02/2024
This tour was insane! Ken put us on the powder EVERYDAY! Literally not a single day that we did not get fresh lines and good times. His wife Chie made our stay at their awesome lodge feel so comfortable. She left a huge impression with a minimal footprint. Didnt even notice she was there but we DEFINITELY noticed that she was there with how well taken care of we were. I would absolutely do this tour again. Word of advice to all who go on the tour. The ability guidelines are there for a reason please make sure you are well within those guidelines so that you can get the most of the tour and not hold others in your group back.
See our video here

Furano Group Guided Ski Trip Jan 2024

Tony Raynor
29/01/2024
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • Age
    51-70
  • Ability
    Expert
  • Rider Type
    Skier
  • Country
    United States
  • Month:
    January
  • Admin Rating
    4

Furano Group Guided Ski Trip Jan 2024

Tony Raynor
29/01/2024
Ken and Chia were wonderful hosts. Their lodge, Element, was comfortable and in a nice location, an easy cab ride from anywhere in Furano. The lodge is warm, inviting, comfortable, social and the Japanese bath was so nice, also the breakfasts were also very good!

Ken was a great guide and certainly knew the area well. I feel as if he maximized the conditions and weather to the fullest extent and that each day we were skiing in the right place. The onsens were also a nice bonus.

My only comment is that the group was not evenly matched according to ability. There were a few skiers with less ability and a few skiers with greater ability and it was a struggle to make it work. With that said, Ken was clearly aware of the situation and was proactive at communicating to everyone and handled it as well as could be expected.

One other comment...the food is stellar in Furano and there are a lot of great places to eat. I would recommend doing a little research on where you want to eat, have options, so that on the nights there wasn't a group dinner with Ken you had ideas. Our group, although it always worked out, had moments of struggle trying to find a place to accommodate us.

I would certainly go back and ski with Furano Snow Tours again!
See our video here

An amazing experience

Andrew Duffy
26/01/2024
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • Age
    36-50
  • Ability
    Advanced
  • Rider Type
    Snow Boarder
  • Country
    United Kingdom
  • Month:
    January
  • Admin Rating
    3

An amazing experience

Andrew Duffy
26/01/2024
I can’t recommend this tour enough, Ken, his wife and Aaron literally take of everything from being picked up in Furano to being dropped off on the last day. The accommodation is very well designed, a great breakfast every morning and dinners out during the week. But best of all was the days on the mountains, Aaron and Ken’s knowledge of all the resorts / back country areas we visited was insane - I couldn’t believe how much they knew, from finding the best spots for fresh snow whilst safely navigating and ensuring everyone was enjoying themselves. I’ll be back every year that I can!
See our video here

Epic week exploring Central Hokkaido

Andrew Hunt
09/04/2023
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • Age
    36-50
  • Ability
    Advanced
  • Rider Type
    Snow Boarder
  • Country
    Australia
  • Month:
    January
  • Admin Rating
    4

Epic week exploring Central Hokkaido

Andrew Hunt
09/04/2023
This was my first experience on a guided tour and it didn't disappoint. Ken and his wife Chie were awesome hosts. For Hokkaido standards, we didn't have a huge amount of snow while we were there but at least arrived after good snowfalls. In saying this, Ken was able to find plenty of untouched and very easily accessible lines each and every day and we had a ball!

The group was of mixed abilities but Ken was able to supply a second guide after a few days in so the group could be separated in two and each could enjoy appropriate terrain. Safety was always of the utmost priority, there was never a moment that I felt as though any of the group were in a vulnerable situation.

The lodge is simply beautiful and incredibly comfortable. Ken spent plenty of his own time with us all too, taking us to dinners, bars and surrounding onsens. It really was a great all-around tour. I'll be back, thanks Ken!
See our video here

A week in Furano

Eirik
04/03/2023
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • Age
    18-35
  • Ability
    Intermediate
  • Rider Type
    Skier
  • Country
    Norway
  • Month:
    February
  • Admin Rating
    3

A week in Furano

Eirik
04/03/2023
Had an amazing week stationed in Furano with Ken and Furano Snow Tours. The Element is a beautiful lodge with a nice vibe for hanging out and review the days adventure and discuss the next one.
Breakfast from their own grown vegetables each day was very nice and a good start of the day.

Ken guided us around different resorts and always found a spot with powder, even though it hadn't snowed overnight. He knows the area well, has extensive knowledge and gives advice on the off day aswell. Has safety in mind when we're riding and matches the runs to the groups level.
Helpful with making reservations for dinner, and has recommendations for everything - even when we left for our next destination on our Japan trip.

Already recommended Ken and Furano Snow Tours to friends, and would visit again.
See our video here

Great into to Furano & Central Hokkaido

Claire B
26/02/2023
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • Age
    36-50
  • Ability
    Intermediate
  • Rider Type
    Snow Boarder
  • Country
    United kingdom
  • Month:
    February
  • Admin Rating
    4

Great into to Furano & Central Hokkaido

Claire B
26/02/2023
We stayed with Ken for his multi day tour and picked up fresh lines in powder everyday.
Ken’s tour is a great introduction to Japanese culture, food, ski areas, onsens. He is great at finding powder with minimal effort so you can get on and ride a few laps. On our trips the boot pack was never more than 5mins and a skate/walk out never more than 5mins. He worked out the best days to go to the different areas depending on the snow. He took us through tricky tree traverses to hidden powder and navigated tough no vis conditions at Asahidake mountain so we could still find good snow.
Ken’s lodge at Element is the icing on the cake. It is a high spec boutique building that is perfect place to chill out in after a day in the pow.
See our video here

Fantastic, laid back and great value trip

Robin
18/02/2023
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • Age
    36-50
  • Ability
    Expert
  • Rider Type
    Snow Boarder
  • Country
    United Kingdom
  • Month:
    February
  • Admin Rating
    4

Fantastic, laid back and great value trip

Robin
18/02/2023
Excellent trip, really impressed by Ken's lovely lodge with high ceilings, wood fire, generous rooms and fab breakfasts, as well as the stunning riding. We were two snowboarders, and 3 skiers were on the trip too and Ken guided well for us all. Great choices each day to chase the best snow and see a selection of small, uncrowded and untouristy resorts around Furano.
The Onsen were a great way to finish the day on several days and having them included was a real bonus. Ken took us to, or recommended, delicious, exciting restaurants all with just a few seats. Although a bit worried about being based outside of town that was not an issue at all, and anyway there's not much street life and you are better off having someone local like Ken to point you in the right direction.
See our video here

Furano Snow Tours Was Awesome

Matt Peterson
21/01/2023
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • Age
    51-70
  • Ability
    Advanced
  • Rider Type
    Snow Boarder
  • Country
    United States
  • Month:
    January
  • Admin Rating
    5

Furano Snow Tours Was Awesome

Matt Peterson
21/01/2023
Our week with Furano Snow Tours was outstanding, we were there January 6-13 in 2023 and it was a fantastic week of lift-served side country and in-bounds tree lines that were barely touched. The terrain and skiing was great and our hosts and the guiding was outstanding. Ken knows the best lines at many resorts in central Hokkaido and planned our week based on the snow conditions and new snow that came to the area on the week we were there.

The hosts, Ken and Chie are awesome, the daily breakfasts were tasty, they were very helpful in organizing dinners or making suggestions to us on the nights we had a free night to enjoy our own choice of restaurant. The also made sure we knew how to explore Furano's bars and restaurants when we weren't skiing powder, dipping into the trees, eating lunch on the mountain or getting soaked in an onsen.

We had some snow during our week trip, but even on the days when it didn't dump some fresh snow, Ken monitored the weather and took us to the resort which would have the best conditions and found us the lines with fresh powder and tree skiing opportunities every day. Ken and Chie did a lot to help our group bond, with a welcome dinner on the first evening and lots of efforts to help us become tight as a group and help each other when needed.

Ken excels as a guide, host and leader, making sure we all had the right attitude and mindset to have a great day each time we went riding. Our group was a mix of boarders and skiers and the places we went were suitable for both, although skiers have it a bit easier when it comes to getting along cat tracks. The restaurants we went to for our group dinners were places you wouldn't know about if you weren't local, but they were some of the best meals I've ever had in Japan. Ken was a fantastic host, a great guide and the lodging that you stay in is purpose-built for a ski tour group with several different private rooms and in-suite bathrooms, a common area and a board/ski room for warming and drying boots/gloves and other items.

FST is a fantastic group to book your Hokkaido trip with, they really know how to do everything well and provided us with the best ski trip we could have imagined.

I recommend FST for anyone that wants a great week skiing Japow with a first class guiding operation.
See our video here

Furano Snow Tours

Dan
30/03/2019
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • Age
    36-50
  • Ability
    Advanced
  • Rider Type
    Snow Boarder
  • Country
    United States
  • Month:
    February
  • Admin Rating
    5

Furano Snow Tours

Dan
30/03/2019
I spent a week at Furano Snow Tours in the middle of February 2019 and it was an amazing week! The accommodations were modern and upscale! Small bed and breakfast style chalet just outside of Furano. They provided a delicious breakfast each morning before heading out into the snow along with a few dinners out during the week. Lovely place to stay!!

The skiing was spectacular!! Our guide was on top of the weather each day and he decided where to go based on the weather reports. He basically found us powder every day at a different resort!! The skiing was mostly in beautiful, gladed trees that were typically just outside the ski area boundaries. Not much effort to get to but full of fresh tracks! We did one full backcountry day at Tokachidake and that was super fun and hero powder!! Oh and the onsen each night was the best way to soak achy muscles from all the pow we slayed!!

I travelled solo to Japan and my biggest concern was not knowing the ability of the group I would be riding with. I'm sure it's different from group to group but I lucked out and was with a great group of folks who all rode equally as hard!! The stoke level was very high each day and I truly enjoyed the group dynamics that developed over the week!

Be sure to bring your touring gear though. A couple guys in our group had to rent touring skis for a day and they were not cheap.

I would highly recommend a trip with Furano Snow Tours! Best week of snowboarding ever!!
See our video here
[1] 2 >