How Do You Stay Safe in Furano in Winter? Cold, Snowy Roads, Blizzards and Emergency Numbers
This guide is for visitors spending time in Furano between November and March, whether for skiing or a longer stay. It covers how cold it gets, what to wear, how to drive on snow and ice, what to do in a blizzard, and which numbers to call.
We used pages from the Furano Tourism Association, Furano City, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and JR Hokkaido. We also used the Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau, the Civil Engineering Research Institute for Cold Region, Hokkaido Prefectural Police, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency and the Japan Tourism Agency. All were read on 2026-10-04. In an emergency, follow local announcements and staff instructions first.
How cold and snowy Furano gets
Furano is inland, in a basin. The Furano Tourism Association says winter runs from November to March, and the temperature can fall to minus 30 degrees C.
JMA's 1991 to 2020 averages for Furano show a January average of minus 8.3 degrees C. The average daily low is minus 14.4 degrees in January and minus 14.0 in February.
Snow is heavy too. The same averages show about 159 cm of snowfall in December and 145 cm in January. The average deepest snow cover of the year is 78 cm.
The association says the first snow usually falls between late October and early November. By the end of November the snow usually stays, and the ski areas plan to open around then.
What to wear and carry
The association calls gloves, scarves and hats that cover your ears essential. It also suggests non-slip grips for the soles of your shoes, to avoid slipping on ice and getting hurt.
It says these grips are sold at shoe shops, supermarkets and convenience stores in Furano.
For drivers, the Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau suggests carrying cold-weather clothing and a snow shovel. It also suggests checking weather and traffic before you set out, and planning a drive you can manage.
Driving on snow and ice
The Furano Tourism Association says rental cars switch to winter tyres when the snow starts in November. It warns that roads are least predictable at the start and end of winter. Roads that look clear may be frozen.
The Development Bureau's English leaflet for visitors gives three key points: drive slowly, keep a safe distance, and watch the traffic ahead. Avoid sudden braking, sudden acceleration and sharp steering.
It quotes a braking test at 50 km/h. A car needed about 10 m to stop on dry road, about 35 m on compacted snow and about 112 m on icy road.
The leaflet warns about "black ice". It is refrozen meltwater that looks like a wet road but is the most slippery surface of all. On downhill stretches, use engine braking by shifting to a lower gear.
Hokkaido Prefectural Police add their own four points:
- Drive at least 10 km/h slower than in summer.
- Keep at least double the normal distance from the car ahead.
- Remember that sudden braking, acceleration and steering are very dangerous.
- When you cannot see well, watch the road ahead closely and slow down.
Speed limits also changed recently. Furano City says that from 1 September 2026, the default limit on narrow residential roads without a centre line drops from 60 km/h to 30 km/h. Where a sign shows a different limit, the sign applies.
Blizzards and getting stranded
In a blizzard you may not be able to see ahead. The Development Bureau's leaflet says to slow down when this happens. Snow thrown up by oncoming trucks can also block your view for a moment.
The leaflet says some areas have no mobile phone signal. Its advice: if bad weather is forecast, do not go out, even if it means changing your plans. If you are stranded:
- Stay in your vehicle, so you do not get lost.
- Turn on your hazard lights.
- Call the police, fire service or a road service for help.
- Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
One local gap has improved. Furano City says Prefectural Road 135, the road from Furano toward Sapporo, used to have no mobile signal. Since 10 December 2025, about 4.6 km from the Furano end of the Fu-Ashi Tunnel toward Shimanoshita has coverage.
The city adds that some parts are still weak. If you need to call, move to where you have a signal.
Each winter, the Civil Engineering Research Institute for Cold Region runs a "Blizzard Visibility Information" service for Hokkaido. Furano City says it shows visibility now and up to 24 hours ahead, in five grades. Its pages are in Japanese.
Weather warnings and train delays
JMA issues warnings for snowstorms and heavy snow. Its advisories include heavy snow, gale and snow, avalanche, snow accretion, low temperature and snowmelt. When conditions are far worse than warning levels, it issues Emergency Warnings for snowstorms and heavy snow.
JR Hokkaido publishes train operation information in English, showing cancellations and delays of 30 minutes or more by area. Check it before you travel on a snowy day.
If you see an avalanche or something wrong with a slope while driving, the Development Bureau asks you to report it to the road emergency line, #9910.
Going off-piste or into the backcountry
Hokkaido Prefectural Police publish a winter backcountry checklist in English. Check weather and avalanche information first. Carry a beacon, probe and shovel, plus a phone with spare batteries.
Do not go alone. Submit a mountaineering plan to the police or to someone not in your group. Be ready to turn back in bad weather or poor visibility.
Emergency numbers: 110, 119 and the visitor hotline
- 110: police. Hokkaido Prefectural Police say 110 is for crimes and accidents. If you cannot speak Japanese, they will connect you to an interpreter, so do not hang up. Tell them the name of the town where you are.
- 119: fire and ambulance. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency says anyone in Japan can use the ambulance service. Furano's fire station says to state whether you need the fire service or an ambulance, then give the place and a nearby landmark.
- 050-3816-2787: Japan Visitor Hotline. The Japan Tourism Agency lists this 24-hour line, run by JNTO. It gives help in English, Chinese and Korean, including during illness and disasters.
Police also ask you not to call 110 while driving or walking. Move somewhere safe first.
What we could not verify, and therefore left out
- Opening dates for the ski areas in winter 2026 to 2027.
- Whether 119 calls in Furano are answered in English. The pages we read did not say.
- Avalanche risk in specific places around Furano. We found no official page for the area.
- Snow chain or tyre rules for particular roads. The pages we read did not list any for Furano.
- Whether the Blizzard Visibility Information service will run in winter 2026 to 2027. The service page said last winter's service had ended.
Related guides
- How do you get to Furano from New Chitose Airport, Sapporo or Asahikawa? Trains via Takikawa, highway buses and the Lavender-go
- When do Furano's lavender fields bloom? Bloom stages, the July peak and how to visit without harming the farms
Sources
All URLs retrieved 2026-10-04.
- FAQ (Furano Tourism Association) — (winter season and cold; first snow; clothing; shoe grips; rental car winter tyres; unstable roads)
- 富良野 平年値 (Japan Meteorological Agency) — (temperature and snow averages, 1991 to 2020)
- Winter Driving: Drive Safely in Ice and Snow (Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau) — (three key points; braking distances; black ice; engine braking; blizzards; stay home; if stranded)
- 「気をつけて！」冬道運転となだれ (Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau) — (winter gear and shovel; check weather and traffic; #9910 road emergency line)
- Take Extra Care on Slippery Winter Roads (Hokkaido Prefectural Police) — (four key points for winter driving)
- 生活道路における自動車の法定速度 (Furano City) — (30 km/h default limit on residential roads from 1 September 2026)
- 道道135号(富芦道路)で携帯電話が使えるようになりました (Furano City) — (new mobile coverage on Road 135)
- 「吹雪の視界情報」（北海道版）のお知らせ (Furano City) — (what the blizzard visibility service shows)
- 吹雪の視界情報 北海道版 (Civil Engineering Research Institute for Cold Region) — (the service page; last winter's service ended)
- Emergency Warning System (Japan Meteorological Agency) — (snow-related warnings, advisories and Emergency Warnings)
- Train Operation Information (JR Hokkaido) — (cancellations and delays by area)
- Winter backcountry checklist (Hokkaido Prefectural Police) — (backcountry checks and equipment)
- How to use 110 appropriately (Hokkaido Prefectural Police) — (what 110 is for; interpreter; give the town name; do not call while driving)
- Guide for Ambulance Services (Fire and Disaster Management Agency) — (call 119 for an ambulance; anyone in Japan can use it)
- 119番通報するには (Furano Fire Station, Furano City) — (what to say when calling 119)
- Guide for when you are feeling ill (Japan Tourism Agency) — (Japan Visitor Hotline number, hours and languages)