| Furano Ski Area | |
| Location: | Nakagoryo, Furano, Hokkaido, Japan |
| Vertical: | 964m (3,163feet) |
| Top Elevation: | 1209m (3,967feet) |
| Base Elevation: | 245m (804feet) |
| Skiable Area: | 1.91NaN1 |
| Number Trails: | 23 |
| Longest Run: | 4km (02miles) |
| Liftsystem: | 11 ski lifts |
| External Link: | Furano Ski Area |
, also known as Furano Ski Area, is a resort in Furano, Hokkaido, Japan, owned and operated by Prince Hotels. The resort is notable for its long-standing association with the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup.[1] In recent years, it has hosted the mid-February Snowboarding World Cup. Recently, interest from international winter sports enthusiasts, particularly from Australia, has led to an annual rise in tourist numbers.
The resort generally operates from late November to early May.
Accommodation is available in three main areas: at the base of the Furano Zone, at the base of the Kitanomine Zone, and in downtown Furano. The base of the Kitanomine Zone offers a variety of lodging options within a short walk of the lifts, including hotels, pensions, Western-style self-contained condominiums, and backpacker lodgings. In the Furano Zone, the only accommodation adjacent to the lifts is the ski-in ski-out New Furano Prince Hotel.
The public bus service, known as “Lavender,” operates from the New Furano Prince Hotel, passing through the Kitanomine resort area and then into downtown Furano. Additionally, a night Resort Shuttle Bus runs from the New Furano Prince Hotel to downtown Furano, also via Kitanomine.
From New Chitose Airport Hokkaido Resort Liner operate a bus service several times a day directly to Furano. This bus must be booked in advance and only operates in winter.
Those coming from Asahikawa can take the Furano Line directly to Furano Station. Those coming from the New Chitose Airport, Sapporo, and Takikawa areas can go by way of the JR Nemuro Main Line, and there is also a low-transit time Direct Limited Express Train that runs seasonally from Sapporo.
A bus route operated by Furano Bus Systems known as the Lavender Express runs between Asahikawa Station, Asahikawa Airport, and Furano Station. The transit time from Asahikawa Station to the ski area is around one and a half hours. From the airport it takes roughly seventy minutes, and from those coming up from the town below, it is ten minutes from the train station. There are also direct routes running from various hotels inside the cities of Asahikawa and Sapporo, however these only run during the winter months. The Northliner, an intercity bus operating between Furano and Obihiro, stops at, the large hospital in the heart of the city. A bus from Shimukappu also runs; however, it avoids the ski resort area altogether, only going as far as Furano Station.
| Name | Capacity | Length (m) | Velocity (m/s) | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furano Ropeway | 101 | 2,330 | 10 | ||
| Furano Downhill Highspeed Lift 1 | 4 | 1,944 | 4.0 | With hood | |
| Prince Romance Lift | 2 | 601 | 1.6 | ||
| Downhill Romance Lift 2 | 2 | 786 | 2.0 | ||
| Downhill Lift 3 | 2 | 567 | 2.0 | ||
| Kitanomine Gondola | 6 | 2,958 | 5.0 | ||
| Kitanomine Highspeed Lift 1 | 4 | 1,058 | 4.0 | ||
| Kitanomine Romance Lift 2 | 2 | 720 | 2.0 | ||
| Kitanomine A and B Lines 3 | 1 | 1,090 | ? | ||
| Link Lift | 2 | 931 | ? |