Planning a winter trip to the Furano area of Hokkaido: when the ski season runs, how to get around once the snow arrives, and where to eat a hot meal at the end of the day.
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When the Winter Season Runs
Furano Ski Resort usually opens in late November and stays open into early May, though the exact dates move each year with the snowfall — check the resort's own calendar before booking flights around a specific week. January and February are the heart of the season, when the snow is coldest and driest.
December and March are worth considering if you would rather not travel at peak time. The snow is still good, the slopes are quieter, and rooms in the valley are easier to find. From April the days warm noticeably and the snow turns heavier as the afternoon goes on.
Getting Around Once the Snow Arrives
Winter changes how you move around this valley. The roads are cleared regularly and are generally fine to drive, but they stay snow-covered for months, so a rental car needs winter tyres and every journey takes longer than the map suggests. Leave more time than you think you need, particularly after dark.
For distances: we are based in Nakafurano, in the middle of the valley. From Furano Ski Resort it is about fifteen minutes by car, and about the same from Kamifurano. From Biei, further north, allow around thirty minutes in winter conditions. There is free parking at the restaurant, which matters more than it sounds when the back of the car is full of ski gear.
Eating at the End of a Cold Day
A full day outside in this climate burns a great deal of energy, and the cold takes as much out of you as the skiing does. What most people want afterwards is something hot, substantial and quick to arrive. Soup curry answers that about as well as anything — a thin, spiced broth with the heat level set to your own taste, and a Hokkaido speciality for good reason.
Butter chicken is the other dish skiers order most — rich, mild and warming, and it suits a table sharing several things at once. Naan comes fresh from the tandoor, and momo, the Nepalese steamed dumpling, makes a good starter while the curries are still cooking. Portions are sized for people who have been outdoors all day.
Before You Come: Hours, Booking and Dietary Needs
We open Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 15:00 and again from 17:00 to 21:00, and we close on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. In ski season the evening sitting fills up, so if you are a group of more than four, or arriving straight off the mountain at a busy hour, please call ahead on 0167-44-2444. Otherwise walk-ins are welcome — we seat sixty.
Our staff speak English and the menu is available in more than one language, which is worth knowing if you are travelling without Japanese. On the food side we are halal-friendly — not halal-certified, and we say so plainly, because the difference matters to the people who ask. Vegetarian dishes are on the standard menu, and vegan, nut-free and allergy requests are all possible: tell us when you order, before the kitchen starts, rather than after the food arrives.
Sharing the best of Furano travel, Hokkaido food culture, and the story of Nepal Dining — where Himalayan flavours meet Japanese hospitality.