Japan resorts
The Daily Flake covers a range of Japanese snow resorts including:
You can also learn about various Japanese snow resort through a new initiative called ‘Where’s Tom’. Tom Costa (former member of the Australian National Freestyle Team) is travelling to Japan on behalf of Deep Powder Tours. His mission is to ski the best powder, steeps, pillows and kickers Japan has to offer. Tom is equipped with a camcorder, head cam, on-board microphone and a mobile phone, so you can follow all the action through his video blogs and tweet. Check out ‘Where’s Tom’ today!
Conditions in Niseko are unlike any other in the world. Snow falls in this ski resort as regularly as leaves in autumn and sunny days are in short supply. Locals fight to maintain the constant build up that threatens to engulf their homes, their vehicles and their lives. For those visiting, the ones who don’t have to deal with digging out a car or a door every morning, Niseko is heaven. Endless fields of powder stretch between mountain-tops and fresh tracks aren’t a treat, they’re a daily occurrence.
Niseko is located 120km west of Sapporo on Japan’s North Island of Hokkaido. There are four resort areas including Hanazono, Hirafu, Higashiama and Annapuri. These areas can be accessed by the same lift pass.
Number of lifts: 38
Beginner runs – 30%
Intermediate runs – 40%
Advanced runs – 30%
If you’re looking for accommodation in Niseko, check out the Niseko Accommodation Search. This website is an accommodation search engine specifically for Niseko, Japan!
Furano
If Niseko is the powder capital of the world, then Furano is its slightly underrated but no less consistently snowy cousin. Located in the geographical centre of Hokkaido, Furano offers quality powder skiing along with uncrowded slopes and over 900m of vertical. There are two ski areas to explore, Furano and Kitanomine. Both are accessible by the same lift pass and both offer night skiing until 9pm each night.
Furano’s quaint village will provide you with a unique Japanese cultural experience while its powder-covered slopes will provide you with hours of entertainment and a serious case of leg burn.
Number of lifts: 11
Beginner – 40%
Intermediate – 30%
Advanced – 30%
Nozawa Onsen
If it’s tradition and culture you’re after, then Nozawa Onsen is your cup of green tea. This ski resort has a history stretching over 1000 years and part of the town is still accessed by original cobblestone streets. The resort’s name comes from its numerous public onsens (natural hot springs), which offer skiers and snowboarders the perfect opportunity to unwind after a hard day on the slopes. The resort is also famous for its cuisine – its proximity to the Sea of Japan means seafood doesn’t have to go far before it ends up on your plate. Sometimes still flapping. If you are thinking about visiting Nozawa Onsen, plan a trip in early January when you’ll catch its spectacular annual fire festival (Dosojin Matsuri).
Nozawa Onsen is located to the north of Nagano Prefecture at the base of Mt Kenashi and offers access to over 1000m of vertical.
Number of lifts: 24
Beginner – 40%
Intermediate – 30%
Advanced – 30%
Hakuba
Hakuba is home to eight different resorts that are all accessible by one lift pass (when booked through Deep Powder Tours), which means you could ride for days without turning on the same run twice. It’s also known for offering some of Japan’s steepest terrain and has been granted the more dubious honour of being Japan’s sunniest resort. Unfortunately, when it’s sunny, it’s not snowing. But then again, sunny days can be good too….sometimes…
Hakuba is located three hours by rail west of Tokyo on the mainland of Japan.
Number of lifts: 143
Beginner 30%
Intermediate 40%
Advanced 30%
Shiga Kogen
They say size matters, which means Shiga Kogen is Japan’s most well endowed ski area. The ‘Super Pass’ is your golden ticket to 21 interconnected ski resorts, linked by 75 lifts covering a whopping 80km of trails. The resort sprawls across the stunning Joshinetsu Kogen Natonal park, offering plenty of eye-candy as well as a huge amount of terrain to explore. The resort is also the native habitat of possibly the cutest snow-bound creatures on earth. Snow Monkeys. These cheeky mammals occupy the nearby Jigokudani hot-springs and will have even the most die-hard skiers and snowboarders hanging up their gear for an afternoon of monkey business.
You will find Shiga Kogen in the Japanese Alps on the main island of Japan – less that an hours drive from Nagano
Number of lifts: 75
Beginner – 30%
Intermediate – 40%
Advanced – 30%
