Furano has held the FIS Ski World Cup 10 times and since 2006 has become the annual host of the Japanese leg of the FIS Snowboard World Cup. This event brings the best snowboarders from Europe, North America, Japan and the rest of the world for Boarder Cross, Half-pipe, and parallel slalom events. The events are all accessible for guests to watch free of charge. The atmosphere in town is electrifying with events and parties coinciding with the event.

Furano and the Central Hokkaido area including Asahikawa has some of the best sightseeing and apres ski in Japan. Some amazing museums such as Goto Sumio and Trick Art as well as onsen on the edge of snow covered volcanoes. Furano is home to Ningle Terrace which is located at the base of the New Furano Prince Hotel. This is a beautiful arts & crafts village which is illuminated each night with thousands of fairy lights. For tours and bookings please see Furano's local agent, Furano Alpine Travel www.alpn.jp

Furano has over 200 cafes, bars, restaurants and snack bars to enjoy. You can find your own special place, the always popular brewery or wineries or a quaint little restaurant behind a rice paper door. Furano is famous for delicious local curries as well as cheese and traditional Japanese cuisine. There is just about every kind of food you could want in Furano.

Access

Furano is easily access from just about anywhere in Hokkaido. The easiest entry point is Asahikawa Airport with 8 buses running both ways each day and then to and from Asahikawa city. Trains stop in downtown Furano, only 5 minutes from the ski area. Buses and taxis are easy and cheap to get to the ski area from the train station.

Ski Area

Furano ski area is made up of two areas, Kitanomine Zone and Furano Zone which are connected by a link lift and a course coming back from the Furano Zone to the Kitanomine Zone. The ski area is one of the most famous in Japan and is popular for the perfect snow conditions, great long courses which are a lot steeper than most courses in Hokkaido. The perfect long rolling groomers with stunning views of the valley and the volcano 40kms away provide the perfect destination for skiers.

Ski Hosts

Furano Tourism Association provides free mountain guides to all guests. Local volunteers, who can ski and snowboard and speak English, greet guests each day at the base of both sides of the hill. The Ski Hosts then show guests around the hill and give local knowledge and tips about the best restaurants, bars and places you shouldn't miss.

Activities

Furano has more than just a great ski area. There are so many activities to do in Furano guests will have activities to do on their days off skiing or in the afternoon. Everything from snowmobiling, dog sledding, hot air ballooning, ice fishing, onsen tours, snow domes and ice bars provide guests the perfect non-ski activities.

Located in Central Hokkaido, at 43 degrees north latitude and 142 degrees east longitude, Furano, with the shape of a rectangle, stretches 32.8 Km from east to west and 27.3 Km from north to south. With Mt. Tokachi-dake of the Taisetsu Mountains, called "the roof of Hokkaido," and Mt. Ashibetsu-dake of the Yubari Mountains, the city is 600.73 Km squres in area, the eighth largest of the 34 cities in Hokkaido.

Climate of Furano

With the inland climate of Hokkaido, the four seasons are clearly distinct. Since the city is on a basin, there are great differences between low and high temperatures; it can fall to minus 30 degrees Celsius from late January to mid-February, and it can exceed 30 degrees from mid-Jly to early August. It rains less in spring and summer, but sometimes heavily in autumn. With no rainy season as seen in Honshu,k this area is a relatively comfortable one in which to live.