- Hokkaido’s destinations such as Niseko and Rusutsu are the best places to find the famous “Japow”, the soft snow of the country.
- Take an après-ski soak in the hot springs at resorts like Nozawa Onsen and Zao Onsen.
- Myoko is a region that receives an average of 45 feet of snow per year.
Japan has it all: fluffy powder, hotsprings, and sake. Its volcanic mountains and latitude, combined with its weather patterns, ensure that it is blessed with a lot of dry, fine powder. The ski season in Japan runs from December through April. However, January and February are the best months for skiing because of the consistent snowfall.
There are also cultural attractions, great food and natural hot springs. The northern island is home to Hokkaido down to the mainland, some of the best ski resorts are Niseko United, Furano, Hakuba, and Shiga Kogen—keep reading to find out what sets them apart.
Niseko United
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Niseko, Japan’s top ski destination for international tourists, offers a multilingual staff and many creature comforts. Niseko’s ski area, located two hours south-east of Hokkaido’s capital Sapporo is made up of four interconnected resorts. Niseko United.
Kohei Iwata is the manager of the rooms division at the Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. “Sunshine is a rarity in winter but this means we’ve got really good conditions for snow.”
The following are some of the most effective ways to get in touch with each other four resorts Niseko Annupuri, a mountain in Japan. The 60 runs, 27 lifts, and roughly equal distribution of beginner, intermediate and advanced slopes is achieved by dividing the terrain into three sections. Iwata is a snowboarder who likes the run Superstition. He said that the backside of resort is open to backcountry riders. As for dining and nightlife, Hirafu is the place to go—stop in Bar Gyu+ for a quirky, cozy nightcap.
Tomamu
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Hokkaido’s “powder belt” is part of the region. Tomamu It is smaller than Niseko but has fewer people. There are 29 runs, five lifts and only four black runs. The tree skiing here is excellent, and you can even book a tour on a snowcat that will take you to the nearby fresh terrain.
Tomamu has a great deal of family-friendly activities and amenities. You won’t find much nightlife here, but there are restaurants for children, bunny hills, and other family-friendly activities. Ice Village—which even has an ice chapel you can get married in—a wave pool, and a viewing platform For the frosty forest with a café.
Furano
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New Chitose Airport is only two hours away. Furano Ski Resort Two base villages are located in the area.
There are 28 runs in the area and a 2,753 foot vertical drop. Courses are roughly divided 40/40/20 between beginner, intermediate and advanced. Night skiing is available on weekends and holidays until 7:30 pm. Lift tickets are free for children under 12. Explorers can use the town as a base for visiting neighboring resorts—book a backcountry tour Enjoy some new tracks.
Furano is a friendly town with a variety of accommodation and dining options. Many of the hotels have public hot spring baths. There are also races, a snowmobile park, a snow rafting course, and a fantasy village.
Rusutsu
Rusutsu Resort
Rusutsu This is the largest resort in Hokkaido. Visitors can enjoy themselves here all year round. Winter is especially niceBecause of its unique position south of Mount Yotei near the Pacific coastline, it is protected against the harsh winter wind coming from the west and has many clear and sunny days.
The resort’s ski area is spread across three different peaks—West Mountain, East Mountain, and Mount Isola—with four gondolas, 14 lifts, and 37 runs that range from beginner to expert. There are many activities to do in addition to skiing. These include snowmobiling and snow rafting. Other options include horseback riding, ice-fishing, nature tours, hot springs, and dogsledding. Visitors are also spoiled for choice when it comes to dining, with more than 30 restaurants of varying cuisines and après-ski.
Myoko
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The snow on the mainland is much more plentiful than that on Hokkaido. However, it’s not as dry. Myoko, with its 45 feet of snow per winter, is a testament to this. Myoko has several nearby resorts, over 50 restaurants and hot springs as well as plenty of skiing. Suginohara has the longest ski run in Japan. It is five miles long.
Myoko yoga teacher and Airbnb host Nanaco believes that Myoko offers a nice mix of terrain. Beginners will benefit from ski schoolsParents can leave their children for a lesson, while experts can explore the backcountry. However, Nanaco advises hiring a qualified guide for exploration. She says that Myoko’s peace and quiet is a good thing. But quiet also means you’re on your own if something goes wrong. She recommends also visiting the family-run Seki OnsenA small resort popular with advanced skiers.
Nanaco says that Myoko is unique because it has a lot of local businesses, traditional restaurants, and infrastructure for international tourists, but still “retains a Japanese-ness.”
Hakuba Valley
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Hakuba Valley One of Japan’s top international ski resorts. There are 10 resorts to choose from, all of which can be explored with a single pass. A free shuttle takes you between some of these resorts. The resort has 119 runs and 94 lifts to accommodate all levels of experience. Some of the best slopes are at Olympic and intermediate level. Hakuba has several popular resorts, including Happo-one. This is the location of many events from the Winter Olympics of 1998.
Kashimayari Snow Resort Family Park is a great place for families. It’s a winter themed park that will delight even the youngest snow adventurers. Within the resort is Pokémon Snow Adventure, which features a snow tubing park with a total length of 492 feet and other fun activities. As for après-ski and lively nightlife, head to Echoland.
Nozawa Onsen
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Nozawa Onsen Its traditional village feel and narrow streets with old-fashioned houses are what make it so appealing. The snow park terrain and backcountry terrain are fantastic for skiing, but the real draw is its traditional village and community feel, with narrow streets and old-fashioned buildings.
“After a long day of work, you’ll be able to relax with a free soak.” soto-yu “There are many bathhouses scattered throughout the village,” Rie says Miyoshi. Outdoor Japan. “This ski resort is perfect if you don’t have a car—it’s an easy bus ride from Iiyama Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line, and the village is small enough that you can walk around.”
Shiga Kogen
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The second highest resort in Japan, and also one of the biggest. Shiga Kogen The area is home to 18 resorts, each with its own lift system. All the lifts and most of the resorts can be reached with one ticket. In part, the Nagano Olympics of 1998 were held in this resort. It is also popular among Japanese residents.
The majority of hotels are mid-range and have hot springs. For a day out from the slopes you can visit the snow monkeys You can relax in your own hot spring or explore the highlands. snowshoes.
Nekoma
Hoshino Resorts
Nekoma Mountain This ski resort is off the beaten track, and it’s a great choice for visitors from abroad. This is one of Japan’s largest ski resorts, with 33 slopes on both the north- and south-sides of Mount Nekomagatake. The connecting lift allows visitors to travel between the Bandai area and Urabandai, which both have their own unique attractions.
Go Morimoto is the managing director of Bandaisan Onsen Hotel You can also find out more about the following: Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Mountain.
Beyond hitting the slopes, Morimoto says, “Foodies will love the Kitakata area 30 minutes from the mountain, the birthplace of Kitakata ramen—one of the three major ramen styles in Japan.”
Zao Onsen
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Zao Onsen The largest ski resort in Japan is located in Tohoku. It is well-known because of its fluffy powder. Zao offers slopes that are suitable for all levels of skiers, but it’s more geared towards beginners and intermediates.
One of Zao’s most popular attractions is the snow monsters—unusual shapes created by the accumulation of snow and ice on the trees due to cold Siberian winds. The snow monsters can be seen on many of the ski courses. They are also visible at night and during the day from the ground. After a long day of skiing, relax in the hot springs. These are renowned for their many healing effects.
