Falling for Furano: The Story Behind Lyra by Nozo

For many visitors, Furano begins in summer.

Lavender fields colour the countryside, farms stretch toward the mountains and the landscape feels distinctly Hokkaido. Winter reveals another side. Snow takes over, the mountains come into focus and Furano becomes one of the region’s leading ski destinations.

Yet beneath both seasons is something more enduring: a real town with its own rhythm, community and identity.

Now, as Furano’s international audience grows, new hospitality and new ways of experiencing the destination are beginning to shape its next chapter.

And arriving at precisely this moment is Lyra by Nozo. 

A New Chapter for Furano

Scheduled to open in winter 2026, Lyra is a boutique collection of private residences in Upper Kitanomine, just a three-minute walk from the Kitanomine Gondola.

Fully furnished and turnkey, the residences combine the privacy of a home in Furano with access to selected amenities at the neighbouring Nozo Hotel and professional management by H2 Life.

What makes Lyra particularly interesting, however, is not simply what is being built, but why Furano and why now. 

For developer Sean Lim, Lyra represents the next chapter in a relationship with Furano that began well before the first residence took shape.

Nozo Hotel, which opened in Kitanomine in 2023, was an earlier milestone.

Lyra is the next.

It Started with a Journey Beyond Niseko

To understand Lyra, it helps to understand how Sean came to Furano in the first place.

Hokkaido was already familiar territory. For years, his family spent their year-end holidays in Niseko. Furano was somewhere they had simply never made the time to explore.

Then, on one trip, they did.

“That visit changed everything. We didn’t just see a ski town, we found a village we fell in love with.”

It was a personal discovery before it became a business proposition. Sean first encountered Furano much as many future owners might: as a visitor who found himself wanting to return.

Asked what ultimately drew him to develop here, his answer comes back to the character of the destination.

“There isn’t anywhere else quite like it. Furano has a rare set of qualities. The ski village and town are genuinely accessible, and unlike most destinations, the town transforms almost in every season, offering something new no matter when you visit.”

That ability to transform is fundamental to Furano’s appeal, and to Sean’s vision for Lyra.

From Summer Icon to Four Season Home

Having known Hokkaido first through Niseko, Sean sees Furano through a different lens.

“Niseko is the closest comparison in winter, but Furano has something Niseko doesn’t, its lavender season in summer.”

For Sean, the distinction goes beyond lavender.

Summer and winter reveal two very different versions of the same destination. The warmer months bring colour, agriculture and long days outdoors. Winter turns attention towards the mountains, skiing and snow.

Rather than one season defining Furano, it is the contrast between them that gives the destination its particular character.

“That combination of seasons means Furano can offer meaningful experiences to everyone from a short weekend visitor to a long term resident, which gives me real confidence in where the town can go.”

For Lyra, that breadth matters. A home here is not conceived solely around the ski season, but around the possibility of returning to Furano and finding something different each time.

Seeing What Was Missing

Before Lyra came Nozo Hotel.

As Furano’s hospitality landscape developed, Sean saw another opportunity.

“What was missing was a residence level offering to match that momentum.”

The idea for Lyra grew from that gap.

Sean’s group has its roots in property development, so moving from hospitality into private residences felt less like a departure than a continuation of what began with Nozo.

“After Nozo Hotel, Lyra felt like the natural next step, a luxury residence that captures Furano’s dual identity: an exciting ski village in winter, a quiet, quaint village in summer.”

Its Upper Kitanomine location puts the mountain within easy reach, but the proposition is deliberately broader than skiing.

Lyra is intended as a home that belongs to both sides of Furano.

A Home Made for Returning

There is a subtle but important difference between designing somewhere to stay and designing somewhere to return to.

For Sean, the latter is central to Lyra.

When he pictures its future owners, he does not begin with facilities or investment considerations. He imagines how they might spend their time.

“I hope Lyra’s owners share the same instinct that brought me here, wanting to explore, to discover something new each time, whether alone, with a partner, or with family.”

That idea feels particularly suited to Furano. The landscape encountered beneath deep winter snow becomes somewhere entirely different months later. Familiarity grows with every visit, yet the experience continues to change.

For Sean, the ambition is ultimately a personal one.

“Above all, I want Lyra to be the place where they build memories together that last. Or even watch the stars together. That is how ‘Lyra’ was born.”

The name refers to the constellation Lyra. It also lends another meaning to the idea of a fixed star in Furano, a constant place within a landscape defined by change.

Designed to Endure

Luxury in a resort residence is often discussed in terms of finishes, views and amenities.

Sean speaks just as readily about time.

“With every project, we start from the buyer’s real objective, not just what they’re buying, but why. And we build with the intention that the property will be cared for and passed down, generation to generation. Or to like-minded owners.”

It is a long view of ownership, and one that shifts the conversation from what a residence offers today to the place it might hold in someone’s life over time.

When asked what he hopes to see when he looks back at Lyra a decade from now, Sean does not talk about sales records or architecture.

He talks about people.

“I hope to see multiple families, visitors, and owners still enjoying this village that we jointly built, one that has stood the test of time and only grown richer with it.”

Our View on Furano’s Next Chapter

Lyra reflects something quietly changing in Furano.

Long known for its summer landscapes and winter skiing, Furano is increasingly becoming a place people return to across the seasons.

Sean’s own journey mirrors that change. He arrived as a visitor, kept coming back and eventually became part of the place himself.

Perhaps that is where Lyra fits most naturally: a home for those who find themselves wanting to return.

Discover Lyra by Nozo

Lyra by Nozo is scheduled to open in winter 2026 in Upper Kitanomine, Furano.

Location
Upper Kitanomine, Furano

Residences
One-to-four-bedroom private residences

Mountain Access
Three-minute walk to Kitanomine Gondola

Living
Fully furnished and turnkey

Lifestyle
Access to selected Nozo Hotel amenities

Management
Rental and property management by H2 Life

Explore the Lyra by Nozo story, location and residences

View currently available Lyra residences and pricing

For the latest availability or a private conversation about Lyra and the wider Hokkaido property market, speak with our team at H2 Christie’s International Real Estate.

sales@h2realestate.jp