About Furano
Commonly referred to as 'Heso no Machi' (the Belly Button Town) due to this central location, Furano is a small rural town based around farming and tourism and is renowned for its long, perfectly groomed ski runs, blue skies, breathtaking scenery and friendly, uncrowded village atmosphere.
With a population of around 16,000 in the main town and 26,000 across the wider community, Furano is nestled at the foot of Japan's highest mountain range ‘Daisetsusan' in the northern island of Hokkaido. It is a skiing mecca, and receives the lightest, driest snow in all of Hokkaido, due to its central location away from the coastline.
Providing an authentic Japanese experience, with contemporary facilities and warm hospitality; Furano offers a wide variety of activities and tourist attractions across all of its distinct seasons and is the perfect holiday destination for a romantic escape, family adventure or group getaway.
Skiing - Winter in Furano
Furano's world-class ski facilities boast two gondolas, a 100 person cable car, eight chairlifts servicing two sides of the mountain and Japan's fastest cable car. The ski season runs from early December through to mid April.
Offering a skiing adventure for all ages and levels of experience, Furano has two main ski fields: Furano Zone and Kitanonmine Zone -featuring 25kms of runs and a 4km beginner's run, respectively. Ski lessons are also available and the powder centre of Kamui is also located only 40 minutes away. For more information on skiing Furano please visit www.skfurano.com or www.furanotourism.com.
Click here to download a map of the Furano Ski Area.
Other winter activities include: snowmobiling; dog sled rides; ice-hole fishing; snow rafting, hot air ballooning and even parasailing behind snowmobiles!
Following a day on the slopes, visitors can enjoy some après-ski time at the fashionable ‘ice bar'; visit the popular Snow Dome; dine at one of the many restaurants and cafes; shop; or simply stroll back to Yuki-Jo for a spa, sauna and DVD!
Winter Festivals
Furano is also host to a number of fantastic and innovative winter festivals. The Snow Dome Festival is held from December until the end of March at the base of the Kitanomine Ski Area, while Furano's main winter Ski Festival is held on the first weekend of February and is one of the biggest events of the season.
Summer and Other Activities
When visiting Furano at other times of the year, visitors can enjoy spectacular hiking and walking trails; the summer flower and lavender season; traditional tea ceremonies and cultural performances. There are also a number of local and highly successful wineries and cheese factories to explore and organized tours to nearby resorts. The world famous Hokkai-Heso Matsuri - the Hokkaido Belly Button Festival is also a strong feature of Furano's summer calendar.
To find out more about Furano and its colourful festivals and event calendar please visit www.furanotourism.com.
