Where to go skiing in Japan....

goneforever

goneforever

Member
I am looking for a resort in Japan that has a whole lot of powder around winter break (i.e. Christmas and New Year's). I have been looking at websites (www.snowjapan.com) and others that talk about Japanese ski resorts but they have not been that helpful. It would be a great help if someone could give me some info on a good resort to go to. Thanks in advance.
 
from what I have read, andheard... no one in japan rides powder, only groomers.

So just check the annual snowfall in the north and south, then pick a place.

Get a camper and just hike the side of the road.... I saw an article this season, I think it was in future: and thats what they did. Drive, hike, slay, drive hike slay, drive, sleep, hike slay, eat, pound a hot Japanese girl, hike, slay. and if you happen to run into a resort... therell be all the powder you can eat everywhere that isnt groomed.

thats my misconception of japanese shredding.

ya?
 
I don't know the name but some vail instructor said that the worlds largest resort there acreage wise is there. i would imagine that place has some kind of rep
 
There was a sick scene in the new warren miller movie of some japan stuff,, it was one specific resort but t sounded really spendy..
 
ive been to niseko in January for the last 2 years, and yeah it has amazing pow. i was there for 2 week and only saw sunlight for half a day, it just snowed the hole time. and you can ski from 8am to 9pm. and the niseko village is like 90% australian
 
I went for a few weeks last winter. Hakuba was pretty sick, especially 47 and goyru, with happo close behind. Furano on Hokkaido was pretty sweet, it was pretty quiet and we got heaps of snow, Neiseko was not bad, we didnt get fresh snow but the terrian was pretty fun, the back bowls are pretty sick and are accessed with a pretty short hike, however i found it over rated due to there being so many australians which removes the cultural experience, it was the only place that we had lift lines, even though they werent that bad just worse than the other places we went to. If you can checkout Rusutsu (not sure on spelling), its ment to have pretty sick terrain and be pretty quiet. The parks at most places were pretty average, def fun to hit on a rest day, but dont expect the parks that are in North America. At all the resorts we went to (bar neiseko becasue we didnt get fresh) you can find plenty of powder, especially if your willing to duck ropes and go a little out of bounds and through the trees. Keep in mind that there are alot of other people going for the same reason, so this " noone skis pow in Japan" idea isnt as true as you would hope.
 
north island for sure snow is alot more dependable and dryer but japan has a sick season its all good i guess, niseko and rusutsu were sick but so many aussie's and there all there for powder too if i went back i would look for smaller unknown mts, with less tourists and more of a japanese feel thats what travel is all about not hanging with all australians
 
If you're going to stay put, take a bus.. if you want to explore at all, rent a car.. Regardless, everything you need is in the area.
 
i heard niseko terrain is a little boring. hakuba if you want more advanced stuff and less australians.

www.snowjapan.com
 
Yeah, I checked www.snowjapan.com, but Hakuba does not get the dumps Niseko gets around Christmas/New Year's, but correct me if I am wrong.
 
Hey dude, sounds like you're planning a radical trip. I want to go to Japan for two months next winter to ski. I used to live there, but only in the off season.

From what I've heard and researched, Hakuba gets a little bit less snow and the snow is a little wetter. However, this is offset by the area's sicker terrain. Hakuba is in the Nagano prefecture, which is on the main island, honshu, of Japan. The north island, Hokkaido, gets a lot of snow. However, it is a bit harder to get to and isn't part of "old" Japan. The island was not really a part of Japan until about 150 years ago.

Make sure to post photos when you return!
 
wherever they were in realtime was some of the deepest pow i've ever seen

not sure where it was though haha so thats not much help
 
not yet :(

I've read a couple of articles on those obscure out-of-the-way ski areas in Japan, and they sound epic but I don't know how easy it would be to get by without speaking japanese... (??)
 
it really would not be that hard, almost everyone knows a little (broken) english. and aussies go there a lot so they have translations i bet

BUT for the most epic powder and park you have to go to Okinawa. its sooooo sick
 
I live in Japan and ski every holiday, weekend, sick day in the season and I have travelled across Japan to ski its different resorts.

You are right, Hokkaido (the north island) is the best bet for snow cover at christmas time. This is the home to Niseko, Japan's most famous resort due to it being owned in part by a western company. The snow is great, in abundance and reliable. The terrain can be tame for an advanced skier but that early in the season who is doing big drops anyway? There are other resorts in Hokkaido that can also be fun. Asahidake (which is featured in a Tanner Hall vid, I can't remember wich) is basically a tram to the top of an un-groomed mountain. It has flat parts and is best with some hiking gear (and a guide). Around Hokkaido's largest city, Sapporo, there are some fun options. Teine (an olympic host mountain during the Sapporo olympics) has some great steep bowls off the back, Kokusai will actually have park features even that early as will Kiroro.

On the main island (south) Hakuba is Japan's skiing crown jewel. This is Japan's center for steep tree skiing, pillow lines, cliffs and big open faces. The snow is a bit heavier than in Hokkaido but that actually creates a better base for its more textured features. Hokkaido may be more northerly but Nagano resorts are higher so the snow season is roughly the same but, like I said above, in the early season, SOMETIMES hakuba can be a bit low.

Ddue to altitude and a better base, south island resorts often have a longer season. The parks are much better on the main island but not actually at the Hakuba resorts. For park, the resorts in Gunma and Niigata are much better. Be warned, it is here were the most snow in Japan falls and it is a heavier snow at all but the highest resorts (eg. Kagura or Tenjindaira) so the parks can be burried for days.

Other options in Japan include the backcountry resort Hakkoda (like asahidake but on the main island) Zao (flat but pretty), Yuzawa (close to Tokyo), Shiga Kogen (biggest resort in Japan), Nozawa Onsen (very pretty old-school town and great BC terrain), Okutadami (park specialised mountain with lots of pros, only open in early season or spring due to too much snow) amongst many many others.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top