Christmas Events

Thorday December 24 Friday December 25 Santa will be in town to ski in the Furano Ski Area this winter. Find Santa on the slopes to receive an early Christmas present.

Santa skiing movie Click here!

Snow Night Fantasy "Furano Kan Kan Mura"

The Kan Kan Mura Winter Village will be open during winter season. with as many as ice bars, hot air bollooning, ice sculputures and winter activities which is located in Furano Zone beside snow land in New Furano Prince Hotel. Various events are planned there throughout the winter season.

New Years Celebration

Come bring in the New Year at the Furano Zone of the Furano Ski Area. A countdown party complete with fireworks and the Japanese tradition of “mochi maki,” catching rice cakes that are thrown out into the crowd make for a great Japanese New Years experience. There will be food stalls and tons of fireworks. After counting down to midnight with all your friends in Furano, the crowd will make their way to Furano Shrine for Hatsumode New Year’s prayers. Praying for good fortune at the beginning of the year is the traditional Japanese way to bring in the New Year. On January 1, New Furano Prince Hotel will give out Toso, the traditional alcoholic beverage served on New Years Day.

Furano Snow Festival

Ski Festival Feb. 7 ~ 8, 2009

The Furano Snow Festival is a jam-packed event with ski and snowboard big-air jumps, an ice castle with slides, BBQs, local food & drink stands, and games. The festival takes place in the parking lot below the lifts in the Kitanomine Zone. You won’t want to miss the fireworks on the first day of the festival. For further information, contact the Furano Tourism Association.

Live Cultural Performance
Live Cultural Performance Mid. Jan ~ Feb.

Starting in 2006, the weekly cultural performance has been bringing visitors the best of local traditional Japanese performing arts. The cultural performance, made possible by the local traditional performing arts association, has grown to become one of Furano’s main winter events. Japanese dancing, calligraphy, flower arrangement, poetry, sword dancing, tea ceremony, koto, and traditional folk music are just some of the means the performers use to introduce traditional Japanese arts to guests from overseas. Performances run from mid-January to late February.

Time: 6:30 p.m. ~ 8:30 p.m. Venue: Kitanomine Terminal 3F.

Hyottoko Funny Dance Movie Check it out!

Drama Theatre
Drama Theatre Jan. ~ Feb.

Furano Group is made up of graduates from the drama school run by Soh Kuramoto, one of Japan’s most well-known script writers. The theatrical group puts on performances most nights from mid-January ~ mid-February, with Thursday night performances free for overseas visitors. Thanks to Furano Group, visitors are able to enjoy not only skiing and sightseeing, but also some of the best theatre in Japan at the Furano Theatre Factory. Furano Theatre Factory was established in order to produce Japan’s best actors as well as to provide a place for visitors to familiarize themselves with the culture of Furano. Tickets for performances are available at the International Tourism Centre on the first floor of the Kitanomine Gondola Station. A free shuttle bus departs from the International Tourism Centre for the Theatre Factory on Thursdays at 7 p.m. Take advantage of this free service to enjoy Furano to the fullest.

Japanese Tea Ceremony

Tea ceremony classes are led by local high school students. Classes allow visitors to experience the traditional practice of the Japanese tea ceremony, including instruction on correct tea serving etiquette and sampling of Maccha green tea and tea ceremony sweets. Classes are held from mid-January to early-March. Tickets are available at the International Tourism Centre located on the first floor of the Kitanomine Gondola Station.