The beginning of winter and first snow are a magical time of the year when many of us take out our winter sports gear to get it in tip-top condition before the season. Let it be skiing or snowboarding, all winter sports are more enjoyable on a slope with breath-taking views and top notch snow. However, where to find that one place that will hit the spot?
Fear not, now you can combine your bucket-list trip to Japan with a winter escapade! Japan is famous for its world class powder snow called Jap-pow (Japan + powder snow) which provides the best conditions for winter sports enthusiasts and allows you to smoothly glide down the slope. You can find amazing powder snow in northern parts of the country, Hokkaido and Tohoku areaa, but also the central Hokuriku-Shinetsu area! What’s amazing about Japan is that you can find ski resorts in most parts of the country and....you can view Mt. Fuji from some of them! After all, 73% of Japan consists of mountainous terrains which are a great base for skiing. Take a look at our top list of the best areas to get you pumped and ready for the future!
Hakkoda Ski Resort, Aomori prefecture
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Hakkoda has a great combination of groomed and ungroomed courses that allow you to enjoy the natural sights in their full beauty. You can challenge yourself and ski around the characteristic ‘Snow Monsters’ which are created as a result of a natural miracle! Evergreen trees covered in snow get treated with harsh winds and freeze in fascinating shapes in northern Japan. Less advanced skiiers can admire the Snow Monsters from a gondola going up the mountain and take a stroll around the area! The season starts in mid-December and runs until mid-May but Snow Monsters appear in their full glory in January and February.
Hokkaido
Hokkaido is the mecca of skiers in Japan and we would recommend a trip combining a visit to at least two ski resorts for the best winter experience. It will impress you with its superb hot spring baths which are the best end to a tiring day out! Our top three skiing resorts are Niseko Annupri International Ski Area, Furano Ski Resort, and Otaru Tenguyama Ski Resort. All of them operate during similar times of the year, from early December until early May.
Niseko Annupri International Ski Area
Level: Beginner and Intermediate
Schuss down Japan's most famous ski area - Niseko! The local ski resort offers discounted bus package tours from places like Sapporo station combined with a ski pass which makes it very accessible. The slopes are wide and gentle which is perfect for beginner and intermediate gliders.
Furano Ski Resort
Level: All
Flora enthusiasts and those closely following winter sports competitions have definitely heard of this area before. Furano offers a wide range of slopes (24 to be precise!) and caters to both those still stumbling a little and those graciously slaloming down. Furano offers stunning views from the ropeway and fun activities for families such as banana boat rides.
Otaru Tenguyama Ski Resort
Level: Intermediate and Advanced
Ideal for people who want to experience a more traditional Japanese resort, this smaller ski area offers you cheaper prices and less and it really hits the spot. The main slope is called Tengu after a long-nosed mythical creature, you can imagine how steep it can get! At the top you can find a lovely shrine with stunning views of Otaru City which is a nice spot for non-skiers to visit, and in February you can come here to experience an unforgettable snow festival!
Zao Onsen Ski Resort, Yamagata prefecture
Level: All
Zao Onsen Ski Resort is one of oldest ski resorts in Japan, it offers a wide variety of slopes for adventurers of different levels with over 40 ski lifts! This is the second place on our list where you can see the astounding Snow Monsters in their full glory. The best thing about this place is that even though you can experience Japan’s top snow here, it only gets crowded on weekends!
Hakuba Ski Resorts, Nagano prefecture
Level: All
Ski like an Olympian not at one but ten ski resorts! Located in Nagano’s Hakuba Valley area, you can use one ski pass to access them all! Nagano was put on the map when in 1998 Winter Olympics were held here and it’s slopes for more experienced skiers are incredible. Hakuba Valley is Japan’s largest ski resort and you can travel between the resorts using local shuttlebuses to experience different types of slopes. Depending on the resort you choose the levels vary but everyone will find something for themselves. The slopes open in late November and close at the beginning of May.
Fujiten Snow, Yamanashi
Level: Beginner and Intermediate
Doesn’t skiing with views of Mt. Fuji sound amazing? Come to Fujiten Snow in Yamanashi to make your Fuji dreams come true! There are 7 courses perfect for beginners and families with children, and if you’re lucky you can have it all with the beautiful sights of the pride of Japan, Mt. Fuji! Those who are not as passionate about winter sports can take the lift to a special Mt. Fuji observation deck. Fujiten offers additional facilities such as the largest sledging slope in the Kanto Region. This resort prides itself in being Muslim- friendly with facilities devoted to prayer and halal food on offer.
Gala Yuzawa Ski Resort, Niigata
Level: Beginner, Intermediate
Gala Yuzawa is located in Echigo Yuzawa famous for its abundance of Jap-pow and known as the 'Snow Country'. There are a few other resorts in the area but this particular one is popular among Tokyoites because it’s the only resort in Japan with its own shinkansen bullet train station (it takes 75 minutes to get here)! Let us surprise you even more, the train station and gondola going up the mountains are in the same building! This area is usually open from mid-December until the beginning of May. In the 2020/2021 season the resort has introduced a contactless ski pass.
Oku Kannabe, Hyogo
Level: All
The final resort is in a different area to the previous ones and would be a great overnight or two day trip from Himeji or Kinosaki Onsen which are other amazing places in Hyogo prefecture. You should definitely add this place to your itinerary if you're visiting the Kansai area in winter and want a taste of skiing! The season here is shorter, usually starts in late December and ends in early March. It consists of 14 courses for skiers of all levels and has additional activities catering to families.
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