Furano is the centre of Hokkaido and it is this location that ensures amazingly light snow, great weather conditions, beautiful scenery and perfect farming conditions as well as some wonderfully unique festivals.

Downtown you can see a large rock indicating the geographical centre of Hokkaido.

The weather patterns ensure long warm days in summer and cool days throughout spring and autumn, not to mention 8 to 9 metres of light snow fall each ski season. Long blue-sky days allow great views from the ski hill of the smoke that spirals up from the volcano across town the valley. Anyone from families to beginner and high intermediate skiers easily fall in love with the ski area, its long groomed runs and the fantastic views.

Furano’s location results in very little wind on most days. This has enabled the area to become popular for hot air ballooning with flight days being an incredible 80% during February and March and most mornings and afternoons throughout the non winter months due to the great conditions.

It was Furano’s location which provided the inspiration for a local to come up with the idea of a Bellybutton Festival which is held July 28 & 29 each year. The first Bellybutton Festival was not a huge success, as it attracted a mere 11 dancers some 40 years ago, but has grown into a massive festival for the town. Now, the locals have truly embraced the image and you are likely to come across locals with their shirts off and a face painted with their breasts as eyes and the bellybutton as the mouth during the summer.

The town’s location allows the local wineries and vineyards to grow delicious grapes and produce mouthwatering wines. Furano Winery produces delicious wines with full body reds and ice wines being their specialties. The cold night temperatures and long sunny days provide the perfect environment for local agriculture. Each year, Furano hosts a hilarious wine festival where the locals and tourists get together to drink, eat, dance and sing. This festival is a great way to see the creativity and effort the locals put into making sure Furano is an enjoyable place to live as well as to visit.

Experiences

Whether it is traditional style lodging, hot springs, homely pensions or even classy hotels, Furano has it all.

Summer allows guests to explore freely around the area and the rural areas. There are spectacular festivals and events held at the lavender farms which contrast with the stunning early mornings at the flower farms where the early blue sky and flowers seem to jump into your memory and your camera lens.

At the base of the Kitanomine side of the ski area, Furano locals build a festival site where small festivals are held throughout the winter season including an annual Ski Festival on the first weekend of February.

Two days of events and festivities culminate in one of the more peculiar celebrations in Furano. Teams of 6 pull and push a horse laden sled over the gravel for prize money and the title of Banba Jin World Champion.

Over 100 restaurants and bars ensure you eat with variety and pleasure. You can choose to drink in style on the Prince 12th floor, aptly named, the “Top of Furano” or in any one of the charming bars downtown. An array of bars and relaxing and interesting spots to have a drink or experience Furano at night keep travellers entertained right up until it’s time to go to bed with the dreams of that day’s flowers or powder snow in their minds and expectations of yet another perfect day to follow.

Down the road in Asahikawa there is an amazing zoo where polar bears play and penguins are exercised each day by taking a walk around the zoo during the winter with visitors allowed to waddle along beside. However, we don’t walk the polar bears.

Variety

Furano’s 4 distinct seasons make this area one of the most picturesque towns in Hokkaido.

Summer travellers enjoy relaxing in Furano’s peaceful and quiet setting with amazing natural beauty. Some great ways to enjoy the areas natural assets include tours of the various flower gardens, driving through the hills of Biei, or mountain biking, hiking, river rafting, and hot-air ballooning.

Winter travellers include non-skiers who come for the other activities or just for the hot springs and a play in the snow. Both sides of the ski area appeal to different skiers with long groomers over 4km in length, some long steep unpacked powder areas and exciting world cup groomed courses, as well as night skiing until 9 p.m. and well situated beginner areas on both sides of the hill.

When you are reading for something other than the great runs, Furano gives you the chance to try a variety of other outdoor activities such as dog sledding, snowmobiling, backcountry ski tours, nature trekking, ice fishing, onsen tours, horse trekking, hot air ballooning and even a dedicated area for kids called Snow Land. We often see adults having more fun here than their kids however.

Culture

New Years Eve in Furano sees locals gathering at the temple downtown. There, along with travellers they drink some of the temples offerings, ring the huge bell by swinging a log attached by chains from the ceiling and generally laugh and welcome in the New Year.

Furano’s size belies its fame, with a number of dramas which have been set in Furano ensuring few people in Japan have not made the pilgrimage to see the houses and scenes where the shows were filmed. ‘From the Northern Country’ ran for 20 consecutive years with the same 3 main characters. The atmosphere and beauty of the town ensured the longevity of the show and its popularity, along with more recent dramas that have chosen Furano’s location and character around which to base their shows.

These dramas have left Furano a legacy of skilled actors and drama industry workers. Throughout the year, plays, events and concerts are held in Furano, ensuring guests an amazing cultural experience.

Furano is the home of one of Japan’s most famous artist’s paintings. At the base of the Tokachidake volcano, over 130 of Goto Sumio’s works are permanently on display. These works contain images from Europe and from around Japan. The paintings stretch up to 8m long and 2m high. These and countless other galleries and museums allow guests to learn more about the culture and the place they are visiting through the expressions of the artists.

Ninguru Terrace is a favourite for many and there are many foreign guests who will take a stroll through this area more than once during their time in Furano. Tucked in amongst snow covered trees is a fairly light illuminated arts and crafts village. Here you will find an array of craftsmen and artists creating their works in the little cottages. There is a café serving baked milk and a cocktail bar with a sign stating, “For Miserable Smokers”. Somehow this may have been lost in translation.

Warmth

Furano’s locals welcome all to come and experience this little town throughout the year. If the greeting from the locals is not welcoming enough please try Fukiage Onsen, one of the most famous onsen in Hokkaido.

Here you wander down an unkempt path in amongst the forest on the volcano, through the deep snow until you come across a few pools of some of the hottest spring water you could imagine. Naturally emerging from the volcano with no management or controls, the temperature is seemingly dependent on the volcano’s feeling. Bathers shovel snow into the bath to keep the temperatures at a level which is just a little above too hot. Summer sees locals bathing and relaxing here, mixing with the tourists who are lucky enough to find this gem.

The Tourist Association runs a volunteer ski host or Mountain Guide system where first timers along with repeaters to Furano, can be welcomed by a local English speaking volunteer who will show them the ski area or answer any questions they may have. This service is free and is available each morning from the gondola and cable car.

Children, groups, beginner and advanced skiers and snowboarders alike are encouraged to use these hosts. You can meet a local, make a friend and quickly get to learn more about Furano, the ski area and the people.

Locals are going to an effort to preserve Furano for the future and yet make it as welcoming to you as possible.

Menus are translated into English and simple English help travellers get around with statements such as, “the gondola is giving up smoking”. I am sure you all wish the gondola success. The English may not always be perfect but the message is; a warm welcome.

Locals are making the effort to retain Furano’s beauty and magic, and yet to also ensure you can still have the adventure and cultural experience that is so inherent to any holiday into Japan. Furano will continue to try and retain the balance for the future so as guests can continue to come back to the Furano they remember so dearly.

As you leave Furano, the top peaks might be covered with snow or lush vegetation, the council workers might be starting to tie up the trees and their branches in preparation for the coming snowfalls or the trees may have a full cover. Farmers will be hard at work planting and tending to their crops or getting ready for winter and harvesting the last of their crops for the season. The cycle of Furano goes on each year. The locals would like to see you become a part of this cycle and come and enjoy this town with them.

We look forward to welcoming you and showing you the Furano we live in so you too can enjoy what we, the locals, live in everyday. We hope you will take the opportunity to come and take home memories and stories to tell your friends about, along with the desire to come to Furano again.