What's New in Furano?

14.3.13

Notes from the Furano Ski Hosts

This Saturday 16th March will be our last Furano Hosting day for this season.
If we miss you, make sure you join us next season!

7.3.13

Information about closure of some Furano ski runs in 2013

* From 2pm Mar 10 – 17 Spies run and Ropeway run – closed for “Furano City’s Mayor’s Cup / Inter High School Selected Students Skiing Competition“

* Mar 11- 17 Technical run and Panorama run – closed for “Furano City’s Mayor’s Cup / Inter High School Selected Students Skiing Competition”

* Mar 31 Spies run – closed for “Kimura Kiminobu Cup Giant Slalom skiing competition”

27.1.13

Furano Area Guide 2013

Please click on the link below:
http://www.furano-areaguide.com/

27.12.12

Snow Season Kick Off Party, TOMORROW!!

Come and enjoy a great night out with the locals!

http://www.furanotourism.com/english/Assets/images/furanowelcomeparty12-13.pdf

1.12.12

Skiers/Snowboarders Information

It's the first day of December.
Some ski resorts in Central Hokkaido started operation for this season today.

4 ski resorts in Hokkaido Powder Belt are now available for skiing.

Furano Ski Resort
The whole Sailer run is open from today.
You can ski down more than 3 km from the top of the ropeway station to the bottom.

Lift operations:
Furano Ropeway 8:30-15:00
Downhill Romance No.2 chair 8:45-15:00

Open courses:
Spies Course(upper)
Sailer Course
Shirakaba Course
(Skiing is restricted to the some part of the mountain at the moment)
http://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/furano/index.html

Tomamu (Hoshino Resort)

Lift operations:
Alpha Cabin 9:00-15:30
Lift 3 9:00-15:30
Lift 6 9:00-15:30

Open courses:
Aspen Bahn
Naster
Beginner Slope
Silver Bells
http://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/frame.htm

Kamui Ski Links

Lift operations:
Kamui Gondola 9:00-15:00
#1-#3 Lift 9:00-15:00
#4 List 9:00-16:45
http://www.kamui-skilinks.com/

Daisetsuzan Sounkyo-Kurodake Ropeway

Lift operations:
Ropeway 8:00-16:00
Lift 9:00-15:20
http://www.rinyu.co.jp/modules/pico01/

28.11.12

Furano Ski Resort

The snow season started on Nov 23.

At the moment the skiing is restricted to the upper mountain and to return to base it is necessary to use Furano Ropeway.

The weather forecast is snow everyday this week.

Hope it extends across the resort soon.

http://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/furano/index.html

14.10.12

Information about closure of some Furano ski runs during the 2012 /2013 ski season

1 Jan 11 - 13 Giant run – closed for “All Hokkaido Junior High School Ski Competition”

2 Feb 16 - 17 Giant run – closed for “Hokkaido Disabled Ski Competition”

3 Feb 23 Giant run – closed for “Serge Lang Cup”

4 Mar 3 Giant run – closed for “Hokkaido Red Cross Ski Patrol Competition”

5 Mar 10 – 17 Spies run and Ropeway run – closed for “Furano City’s Mayor’s Cup / Inter High School Selected Students Skiing Competition“

Mar 11- 17 Technical run and Panorama run – closed for “Furano City’s Mayor’s Cup / Inter High School Selected Students Skiing Competition”

6 Mar 31 Spies run – closed for “Kimura Kiminobu Cup Giant Slalom skiing competition”

10.10.12

Autumn leaves

Beautiful red and yellow leaves have finally arrived at Daisetsuzan, the highest mountain group in Hokkaido.

This is 2 weeks later than usual.

The autumn leaves gradually spread down gradually to town.

Why not come to Furano area to enjoy taking a hot spring whilst viewing these beautifully coloured mountains on a balmy autumn day?

15.9.12

Furano Wine Festival 2012

Date : Sep 16 (Sun)
Time : 9:45 am ~ 2 pm

Place : Furano Ekimae Park (to the left of Furano Station)
No entry fee
Parking nearby

*9:45 am ~ : Free welcome drinks for the first 100 visitors.
*10 am ~ 2 pm : Wine, sake & food samples available for a small fee.
*10 am ~ 2 pm : "Door" prize - a wine pack(?)
*10 am ~ 2 pm : Juggling & Balloon art activities*1 pm ~1:30 pm : Taiko drumming performance
*1:30 pm ~ 1:50 pm : Grape crushing demonstration. (The first 10 applicants can join the demo. reception 10 am ~ 1 pm at the centre tent)

14.9.12

Pub Crawl in Furano tonight!

- HASHIGO ZAKE TAIKAI (Pub Crawl Night)-

- Choose 5 venues for a drink across 37 Furano pubs -

                               Step inside a new pub, enjoy a glass of drink, stroll on to the next registered pub which takes your fancy and...
                repeat this delicious process. Collect 5 stamps on your Hashigo entry card (one from each pub)
         and show it at the finish point within 2 hours to be eligible for sake vouchers (mmmm!) and prizes.

         Entry tickets include the cost of those 5 different pubs' drink...way cheaper than usual drink prices!

Date: Sep 14 (Fri)

Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Register & start from 6 pm @ Furatto (behind Furano Natulux Hotel)

Goal @ Furano Chamber of Commerce and Industry (in front of Hotel Sunfuraton)

Once you have visited 5 venues (before 8:30 pm), come to the goal to receive a 500 yen voucher (valid 7 days at any of the listed venues).
Vouchers and the opportunity to win prizes

On the night - 3,500Y

1.9.12

Furano Fireworks Display

Let’s brighten the end-of-summer sadness by viewing beautiful fireworks with Furano locals!

Date: Sept 2 2012

Time: From 8:00 pm to 8:30 pm

* Postponed in case of heavy weather.

* Sound only fireworks will be let off at noon, 3 pm and 6 pm in order to let indicate that the display will be held on that evening.

Place: The Sorachi River dry riverbed behind Furano High School or the east side of the Gojo Bridge

Event Host: Furano Firework Display Executive Committee.

Time saving sightseeing tour by reserved taxi!

Suggested itineraries

① Mini-sightseeing tour in Furano town (required time 1 hour and half)

A recommended tour covering from the three most popular tourist spots in Furano town.

Furano Winery, Furano Cheese Factory, New Furano Prince Hotel (Ningle Terrace/Kaze-no Garden(Cottage Garden)

Minicab 9,900 yen Large taxicab 12,600 yen

② Rokugo area tour (required time 2 hours)

Rokugo is the outskirts of Furano where there is Furano Jam Garden, Anpanman shop and Glass Forest (Glass Gallery, workshop and shops).

Minicab 13,200 yen Large taxicab 16,800 yen

③ Farm Tomita and Rokugo area tour(required time 3 hours)

A golden tour with Farm Tomita added to the Rokugo area tour.

Minicab 19,800 yen Large taxicab 25,200 yen

④ Great outdoor free planning tour (required time 4 hours)

A tour with glorious view of Biei’s rolling hills and magnificent nature.

Shikisai-no Oka, Takushin-kan (Photo gallery) and Patchwork Area (Ken and Merry Tree, Seven Stars’s tree, etc)

Minicab 26,400 yen Large taxicab 33,600 yen

* You are allowed to change the itinerary within the required time.

Please ask the information staff for bookings.

28.8.12

Furano hops in a fresh beer!

The harvest of hops which will be used brewing Sapporo beer started recently in the contracted farms in Kamifurano.

The hops are important ingredients which help to create the bitter taste and good flavour.

This work will continue until the end of August.

It is said that the beers using these hops will be sold about next January so those who come to ski may taste Furano hops in a fresh beer.

26.8.12

Luncheon mats making class in Furano by “Chokkura Tabi” – Special Local Tour

Furano is one of the Japan’s most advanced cities for recycling waste.

How about using some recycled cloth and making your own original luncheon mat?

It’s so easy using a foot-operated weaving machine, even beginners can join the class.

Instructor: Ms Shizuko Kobayashi

Place: “Marugoto Taiken Mura” at Yamabe (about 15 min by car from JR Furano Station)

Time: ①10:00am-11:30am ②2:00pm-3:30pm　(bookings needed)

Fee: 2,500 yen (children 2,500 yen) including the material cost

Application deadline: 2 days before the desired Saturday.

Up to 3 people per class

Open: Every Saturday until Oct 27 2012

Enquiry: Furano Tourism Association

Tel: +81-167-22-5777 9:00am – 6:00pm Japan time

Fax: +81-167-235014

inquiry@furanotourism.com

17.7.12

Furano Bellybutton Festival

July 28 & 29 2012

The 44th Furano Bellybutton Festival will be held in Furano Town.

Here are the details:

Taiwanese: http://www.furanotourism.com/english/Furano_Heso_Fes(CH).pdf
Chinese: http://www.furanotourism.com/english/Furano_Heso_Fes(CH02).pdf
English: http://www.furanotourism.com/english/Furano_Heso_Fes.(EN).pdf
Korean: http://www.furanotourism.com/english/Furano_Heso_Fes(KO).pdf

If you would like to join the dance parade,
please come to our information office next to JR Furano Station from 2:30 pm on the day.

Here is the detailed costs of participations:

http://www.furanotourism.com/english/festivals.htm

We will show you the way to the reception desk of the organiser.
The costume hire is available for the first 50 participants each day.

Enjoy the summer festival in Furano!

15.7.12

Lavender flowers in bloom!

Here is the link to the famous Farm Tomita's flower fields today:

http://www.farm-tomita.co.jp/jp/see/flowering/index.html

[1] IRODORI Field
[2] Traditional Lavender Field
[3] HANABITO Field

Today is the middle day of the three-day weekend.
Tomorrow is Umi no Hi (Marine Day) national holiday.

It must be the busiest but perfect Sunday of the year in Furano today.

Please enjoy beautiful flowers and this good weather.