将来 = Near future これを将来使えるように取っておこう (I'll keep this for future use) 未来 = Future (usually distant) 彼の未来はばら色だ。 (Has a bright future) These descriptions are based on what I found in dictionaries. What I think is that "Mirai" represents "future" in a much more broader and abstract sense while "shourai" is a point of time in the near future that can be easily realized.

I posted this on comment... and I don't know how to delete it.. I should have put here. 将来 "SYOURAI ” is used When describe some situation realistically, like something you have a possibility or you can imagine. 未来 "MIRAI" is mostly used to describe about future tense. EX: I want to get merry with someone who is like my father in the SYOURAI!（将来） I am so excited to meet my MIRAI husband!（未来） I want to be a astronaut in the SYOURAI.（将来） Time machine can travel to the MIRAI.　（未来） I hope you could understand these difference ;) ありがとー！

Both of them have a certain meaning in common. it is regarding not the present but the future. 未来 has a widely meaning compare to 将来, on the other hand 将来 is closer to the present than 未来. 未来 is a word to express an image of objective time toward the present and the past. 将来 is a word more like subjective point of view and to express what has been coming next to a specific thing or person. ex: わたしは未来からきました。(I come from the future) is not weird, but わたしは将来からきました。sounds weird. It's because "未来からきました" is not just happening on your time zone, but it occures the widely objective time zone. わたしは将来 やきゅうせんしゅに なりたいです。(I'd like to be a baseball player in the future) That example is more likely to be, talking about smaller subjective time zone. So in this case, you cannot say "未来". This is a very good question and sooo difficult to explain the different nuance!

個人的なもの外界の出来事には関係なく、出来事の内容によって変わってくると思います。 日本語はとてもニュアンスを多く踏まえる言語であり、その方の感性によって発信する方も受信する方もそれぞれの世界で描くことができる言葉です。そのため言葉を使う方の感性が決め手にはなりますね。 そこで一般的に説明すると、”未来”という言葉は不確かな先の出来事であり”将来”を使うことでより近く現実的な先の出来事を表しているという説明が日本語を学ぶ方には分かりやすいのではないでしょうか？ This is just my opinion for AKATUY. The difference is not about personal or others, I think. Japanese expression can be interpreted in various nuances of meaning by our sensitively. thats why other language speaker think Japanese people can not say no or can not express our opinion. The explanation : "difference of fanciful and realistic" would be good for people who are leaning Japanese :)

Haha,　わかりました。I will understand more when I become more 上手！＾＿＾