Furano (富良野市, Furano-shi) is a city in the prefecture of Hokkaido, Japan, located in the southern reaches of Kamikawa Subprefecture, under whose jurisdiction it resides.

Well known throughout Japan as a tourism destination, it is famous for its lavender fields, the television drama Kita no Kuni kara and the Furano Ski Resort, which held the Snowboarding World Cup in recent years.

The city takes its name from the Ainu word "Fura-nui," which means "Stinky Flame" or "Foul-Smelling Place," in the language of the indigenous people of Hokkaido.

During the closing stages of World War II, Furano was bombed by American naval aircraft in July 1945.

The Furano Valley is nestled between the Tokachi Volcanic Mountain Range (part of the Daisetsuzan National Park) and the Yuubari cluster of summits, including Ashibetsu Peak.

Furano is located at the exact geographic center of Hokkaido, earning it the nickname "Heso no Machi" or "Navel Town."

In 1899, the Tokyo University Forest in Hokkaido was established for research purposes in the southeast sector of the city.

Nearby lies Rokugo Forest, the setting for the well-known Japanese television drama Kita no Kuni Kara.

[citation needed] Television program Kotaete Choudai's King of Reruns, Fukushima Katsushige, relocated to Furano in January 2007.