One of Hokkaido's 179 towns
Furano富良野市
Lavender, wine and the belly button of Hokkaido
Kamikawa region · Lavender, patchwork hills and the roof of Hokkaido.
Lavender fields in July, powder skiing in January, and wine all year. Furano is the postcard of central Hokkaido — arrive early in summer.
Furano fills a broad valley in the geographic centre of Hokkaido, with the Tokachidake volcanoes on one side and the Yubari hills on the other. The town's name is shorthand for July lavender, though the biggest fields are actually in neighboring Nakafurano; Furano itself offers a city-run winery and cheese factory, a ski hill above the town and the farm landscapes made famous by decades of television drama. It works in every season, which is rare in Hokkaido, and it is the natural base for the whole Furano–Biei corridor.
- Region
- Kamikawa (上川)
- From New Chitose Airport
- ~115 km · 1.8 h summer / 2.1 h winter
- From Sapporo
- ~121 km · 1.9 h summer / 2.2 h winter
- Best season in Kamikawa
- July for lavender, September for Japan's first autumn colors on Daisetsuzan, winter for serious snow country.
Furano at a glance
Drive estimates: straight-line × 1.35, at 65 km/h (summer) / 55 km/h (winter). How we calculate
What to see in Furano
Furano Winery and Cheese Factory
ふらのワイン工場とチーズ工房
Two city-run facilities on the hills west of town: a winery growing its own grapes with a tasting room, and a cheese workshop with hands-on classes. Both have views back over the valley.
Furano Ski Area
富良野スキー場
The slopes rise directly above the Kitanomine district, with long runs and dry inland snow. In summer the gondola area opens for hiking and views of the Tokachi range.
Hokkaido Heso Festival
北海へそ祭り
Held every July, this festival celebrates Furano's position at the island's centre with dancers who paint faces on their bellies and parade through downtown.
Rokugo and the drama countryside
麓郷の農村風景
The farming district east of town where the long-running drama 'From the Northern Country' was filmed. Fields, woods and old farmhouses remain much as they appeared on screen.
Getting to Furano
Asahikawa Airport is about one hour by car via Biei on Route 237. The JR Furano Line from Asahikawa ends at Furano station, and the Nemuro Main Line from Takikawa also reaches it. From Sapporo it is about 2.5 hours by car through Mikasa and Katsurazawa.
Kamikawa region: Asahikawa has its own airport and fast JR links from Sapporo (about 85 minutes). Furano and Biei are best by car or the summer sightseeing trains.
When to visit Furano
July for lavender and the belly-button festival, though the town fills up and lodging goes early. September for harvest and grape season, January and February for ski powder. May is quiet and green after the snow melts.
What to eat in Furano
Furano wine and Furano cheese, both from the city facilities, are the take-home items. Melons, carrots and onions come from the valley, and omelette curry with local ingredients is the town's own dish. Milk from local herds shows up in soft-serve everywhere.
Furano in context: the Kamikawa region
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Kamikawa holds the two images most people picture when they think of Hokkaido in summer: Furano's purple lavender fields and Biei's rolling patchwork hills. Asahikawa, the island's second city, anchors the region with its shoyu ramen and a zoo famous for up-close animal enclosures.
Towns near Furano
Read next
Furano & Biei Guide
The definitive guide to furano lavender season and Biei's patchwork hills — when to go, why a rental car and an early alarm matter, and how to fit both towns into a Hokkaido trip.
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Hokkaido in Summer
While the rest of Japan swelters through humidity and rainy season, Hokkaido stays dry, green and mild. How to plan a summer trip — lavender, alpine flowers, festivals, garden roads, and the honest drawbacks nobody mentions.
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More towns in Kamikawa
Other regions: Ishikari · Sorachi · Shiribeshi · Iburi · Hidaka · Oshima · Hiyama · Rumoi · Soya · Okhotsk · Tokachi · Kushiro · Nemuro