New international lifestyle retreat Nozo Hotel is offering some great self-drive exploration tours of the Hokkaido countryside this Autumn. Furano with its rolling hills is famous amongst ski afficionados as a quieter alternative known for its high-quality central Hokkaido powder snow.
Furano is also now hosting its first ever three-day live music festival on the Kitanomine ski slopes just steps from Nozo Hotel, with live bands, DJs and visitors from all over Japan flying in from Sept 6-8 – in a sign that the rural town with a population of just 22,000 is becoming a new visitor hotspot.
As the first international hotel in the scenic rural area, with a rare multi-lingual team to help you unlock the best this remote part of Japan has to offer, Nozo Hotel is the perfect base from which to explore the idyllic and picturesque area famous for its rolling landscapes of colourful flowers, deep green fields, golden autumn leaves and other-worldly blue lakes.
Autumn is also the prime harvest season in Hokkaido for some of the best quality fresh fruit and vegetables in the world, which can be enjoyed farm-to-table when dining at Nozo’s signature Shirakaba restaurant. You can also visit one of the charming local farms to do some fruit picking and taste the fruits direct from the trees.
While it is possible to enjoy the Hokkaido countryside through public transport, or through scenic guided cycling tours which the hotel can arrange through a unique partnership with specialist operator Cycle Japan, most visitors opt for self-driving tours. Nozo Hotel has ample car parking for every guest to park their own vehicle and can also help facilitate local car rentals.
While Furano is well known for its vast lavender fields in the summer, this changes to an even more visually stunning patchwork of different multi-coloured flowers in August and September, followed by the change of leaves to golden in October. Autumn is also the best time to explore the most scenic rolling hills in all Japan in a cooler temperate climate, as well as being one of the best time of year to savour the locally harvested fruits and vegetables. There are many different harvest festival events and local farmers markets to visit in the autumn months. Due to the fertile land and central location of Hokkaido, the harvest has a sweeter taste compared to other regions.
From thrilling white water rafting to cheesemaking at local factories, cycling tours to night sky watching excursions for would-be astronomers, Nozo Hotel Furano has curated a whole range of fun activities that allow you to actively participate in Hokkaido’s traditional and rustic way of life this Autumn.
Outdoor Activities
Hybrid or e-hybrid rental bicycles are available for guests to tour the scenic country roads at their own leisure, or they can join 3.5 or 5 hour guided cycling tours to local sightseeing highlights and enjoy lunch on a local farm.
There are also 3 main golf courses in the area, as well as white water rafting in the rapids of the Sorachi River, or canoeing in more gentle waters. Guests can also go for a relaxing day of river fishing – enjoying a BBQ with their own catch afterwards. For the avid hikers, the Daisetsuzan National Park awaits you to explore the beautiful nature and terrains with different trails and grades to challenge you.
Sightseeing Activities
Surrounded by mountains, Furano is blessed with a unique basin climate. Besides the famous flower fields, the Shirogane Blue Pond and Shirahige Waterfall in neighbouring Biei are instagrammable musts. A number of escorted or self-drive tours are available.
Another highlight is night sky watching, to see the beautiful starry skies over Furano from a cosy tent. This is a perfect romantic activity for couples or friends and family, with children aged 3 and above also able to participate.
Culinary Experiences
As a natural farming area, Furano is rich in culinary experiences. Activities to enjoy these include participating in vegetable picking followed by your own farm-to-table cooking experience with them, fruit picking or trying your hand at making cheese, butter and ice cream at one of the local Furano cheese factories.
Indoor Activities
Other local activities include visiting beeswax candle making workshops, learning how to make jam with fresh local ingredients, visiting the local Furano wineries for wine tasting, or visiting the Furano Music Box Museum or Glass Forest to try your hand at glass blowing.
With a plethora of interesting local experiences in Furano, Nozo Hotel enriches guest experiences by partnering with local companies for hassle-free experiences tailored to both active adventurers and leisurely holidays. Guests who stay at Nozo Hotel can book directly through the hotel to experience this wide array of local activities.
Meanwhile, hotel guests can also enjoy the property’s extensive facilities, from the spacious Sugi Spa to in-house dining menus at Shirakaba restaurant featuring specialty ingredients from nearby fields and pastures and a selection of local wines or whiskies at Buna Bar.
Guests booking directly via the hotel’s website for a 3-night consecutive stay for stays until 30 November 2024 will receive 20% off the regular price if they book 30 days in advance, with the last booking day being 1 November 2024.
