Hokkaido’s Furano attracts lodging developers as tourism booms

Property

Investors expect the city to follow Niseko in becoming a big winter destination

Meiwa Estate plans to build lodging facilities in the Kitanomine area of Furano. (Photos by Yoichi Iwamoto) 

YOICHI IWAMOTO

August 30, 2025 09:43 JST

ASAHIKAWA, Japan — Furano, a tourist destination in Hokkaido known for its lavender fields in the summer and snow sports in the winter, has developers wondering if it’s on the verge of becoming the island’s next Niseko, whose popularity among tourists from Japan and abroad has been growing for decades now.