-
Advanced Skiers and Boarders -
For the
advanced skier or boarder there is a huge variety
terrain that will seriously challenge your
ability. 20% of the mountain is rated advanced
and there are many steep and deep runs to savor.
Better yet if you are a powder fiend there is
nothing better than waking up after one of the
many huge dumps and casually strolling to the
gondola for first lifts knowing that only a
couple of hard-core locals will be waiting their
ready to charge down the hill.
|
| -
Intermediate Skiers and Boarders - Furano’s courses are long, wide and fast
and perfect for intermediate skiers and boarders.
With 40% of the mountain rated intermediate you
will continually find runs to challenge and
excite you. Choose from a variety of ways to get
down the hill from easy cruising groomers to 4.8km
long, roller filled runs all the way to the base.
Furano also has a downhill course that the World
Cup has been held on regularly if you are up for
a challenge. Or just have fun and relax with
family and friends and enjoy the mountain
together.
|
| - Beginner Skiers and Boarders - The base
areas of both sides of the mountain have wide
gentle courses serviced by a detachable quad and
2-person lifts. There is also a beginner’s area at
the top of the ropeway (cable car) so that
beginner skiers and snowboarders don’t have to
be confined to the base areas. 40% of the
mountain is rated beginner so some of the runs
are skiable for those whishing to push themselves.
Furano has two ski schools located in both the
Furano and Kitanomine zones. English speaking
instructors will be available and all are
certified.
Page Top
|
| - Night
Skiing - Open until 9pm on both mountains,
night skiing is a spectacular way to spend an
evening. Whilst cruising down the well-lit
groomers enjoy the amazing views of the area
coming to life at night. On both sides you can
ski almost to the door of some bars. On the
Kitanomine pension side of the hill, you can ski
to the door of the Ice Dome and bars and order a
beer or a hot baked potato without even stepping
out of your bindings. With an abundance of
restaurants, bars, activities and events you will
not be short of things to do once you have put
the ski gear away for the evening.
|
- Lifts -
Furano has a well-placed lift
system that services a wide expanse of terrain.
In the Kitanomine zone, you can access the peak
via a 3km 6-person gondola. A 1km High-speed
detachable quad services a long cruiser for
beginners and also some short intermediate runs.
This lift is also the night skiing lift in the
Kitanomine zone. There are also 2 single chairs
which service the downhill racecourses. Bombing
down the race course first thing in the morning
after a fresh snowfall or after it has been
freshly groomed is certainly something worth
telling your friends about if you ever have the
chance to ski them.
|
 |
The
connecting 2-person lift takes you 925m across
the hill to the other mountain. It is from this
lift that you access the Furano Mountain. (You
access the Kitanomine Mountain by skiing down
from the Furano side).Furano's main lift is the 2.3km
Cable Car (called the Ropeway). This is the
fastest lift of its kind in Japan ferrying 101
skiers and boarders up the hill at 10m per second.
From the top of this lift there are some great
choices for any level of skier and boarder. To
reach the peak, there is a single seat 571m lift
that takes you to the top and accesses the
highest point in the Furano ski area. Any skier
will revel in the deep powder that is to be found
on these courses after a big dump of snow.
The Furano Zone also provides
other lift options including two beginner areas,
one at the base and one accessible from the top
of the Ropeway. A high-speed detachable quad also
allows skiers a second option to get a long way
up the hill without having to step out of their
bindings to ride the Ropeway.
All courses are spectacular with
beautiful views of the Furano valley and the
smoking volcano across the valley. In January and
February we often experience beautiful mornings
with diamond dust. This is an effect caused by
the coldness of the air combined with clear skies
where the air seems to be filled with spinning
diamonds ? a truly unique experience.
Page Top
|
| -
Grooming - The grooming on the whole
in Japan is of a very high standard and Furano's
groomers hold their own against anywhere in the
world. Each night courses up to 4.8km long are
groomed to perfection, with a wide variety of
courses available for all abilities. The snow
quality in Furano enables the groomers to
consistently produce corduroy like perfection
with the snow remaining soft and dry.
|
- Weather
-
Whilst Furano receives around 9m
of some of the lightest and driest snow of
anywhere in the world, it is also blessed with an
amazing amount of blue sky days, more than almost
any other ski area in Hokkaido. With a snow base
consistently topping 3.3m each year, it is almost
magical that so many mornings can provide perfect
skiing and boarding conditions with such
regularity. Waking up to fresh snow and a blue
sky will make sure you are out of bed and on the
first lifts each morning.
The temperatures in Furano are
slightly colder that that of some of the costal
ski resorts, but that is why we consistently get
such amazingly good snow. The snow that falls is
excellent and even when 2 or 3 days don't deliver
any white gold, the snow is still fluffy and easy
to ski and board on.
|
| - On
mountain dining - There are a number of
restaurants and cafeterias open on the mountain
during the ski season. At the base of both the
Kitanomine Gondola and the Furano Ropeway (cable
car), there are decent restaurants where you can
get a wide variety of good, hearty and healthy
meals. At the top of the ropeway in the Furano
Zone there is also a small European style café
? restaurant with a fireplace to sit by. There
are a variety of choices for all diets and tastes
if you look for it and all the food is reasonably
priced. There is also food, drinks and beers
available at vending machines right across the
hill at different points. All drinks are also
very reasonably priced. At the base of the
Kitanomine gondola you can find the Snow Dome
Festival site. This is a great area to grab a
bite to eat after skiing, have a relaxing drink,
hot wine, beer or hot chocolate, and unwind in a
small country festival atmosphere.
Page Top
|
- Kids
Full Service Day Care -
Kojima Academy Kids Park gives a
great way to spend a day for your young kids
having experience the indoor and outdoor play
areas at the adventure center with nutritious
snacks, meals, and all the fun and excitement a
kid can handle. Pick up service is available at
the hotels and ski areas in Furano. For more
details, please send an e-mail.
|
| -
International Ski Schools in Furano resort - English
speaking ski instructors are available.
Furano ski schools > Furano Snow School | Furano International Snowsports
School
|
| - Snow Activities - Furano
resort has some outdoor snow activity area,
Family Snowland, where you can enjoy Snow Rafting,
Snowmobiling, Snow Banana Boat, Cross Country
Skiing, Snow Shoeing, Air Bounce, Sledding, and
even Hot Air Balloon Ride! Have all snow
activities in Furano resort.
|
| - Furano
Winter Village (Kan-Kan Mura) - ( 23 Dec
- 11 Mar ) [ Opening Hours ]
16:00 - 21:00 (Last entrance at 20:00)
[
Entrance Fee ]
300yen/person
Free for under 12yo
* The fee includes "one free beer can"
or "one free soft-drink can" and "one
time free snow-tubing" (100yen)
[
What's in the village ]
Snow dome and Ice bar
Snow
tubing (201m course, the longest course in Japan!)
Snow
statues, Hot air balloon, Snow rafting, Banana
boat, Snow mobiles, and more!
|
