Famed for its copious snowfall and "champagne powder", Japan has become a winter sports Mecca drawing in visitors from far and wide. Most of them seem to pack into the same few famous resorts, but the country boasts over 500 ski areas and you're sure to find something for your taste and experience level.
Understand
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Skiing was only introduced to Japan in 1911, when Austrian Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Edler von Lerch was brought in to teach modern mountain warfare in Niigata. The Sapporo Winter Olympics in 1972 put Japan on the map, kicking off a boom in domestic skiing that saw over 700 ski resorts open up during the the 1980s. The popping of the Bubble in 1989 put a damper on things, but the Nagano Winter Olympics in 1998 started bringing in international skiers and things really took off in the 2000s when Australian skiers discovered Niseko and investment started pouring in.
In practical terms, this means that Japan's ski resorts can be broadly divided into two groups: the shiny new resorts inhaling a torrent of investment and cashed-up tourists, with all the latest mod cons and price tags to match; and Bubble-era resorts from the 1980s, cheap and largely undiscovered by non-Japanese, but with aging, limited facilities.
Geography
[edit]Japan's ski resorts are nearly all clustered on northern island of Hokkaido and the western Japan Sea coast, which get the most reliable snowfall. The eastern Pacific Ocean coast, where the major cities like Tokyo are all located, is sheltered by the Japanese Alps and gets little if any snow.
When to go
[edit]The Japanese ski season lasts from early December to late April. The northern island of Hokkaido, being colder, has the longest season, but even there you'll want to aim for January-February for the most reliable powder.
The peak seasons are around New Year's, when both Japanese and international visitors have their holidays, and Chinese New Year (dates vary), when Chinese skiers fly in by the planeload. January also tends to be busy thanks to Australian summer holidays.
Get in
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By plane
[edit]Being an island nation, the vast majority of visitors will need to fly in to the country first.
- Sapporo, the capital of the northern island of Hokkaido, fields an ever-increasing number of direct flights from the region, including seasonal services direct from Australia.
- Tokyo is the obvious other choice, with unparalleled connectivity from both overseas and within Japan. Try to avoid domestic flight transfers that require you to change airports (Haneda/Narita), since this adds a lot of time and hassle.
The other option is to transit via another country. Taipei in Taiwan and Seoul's Incheon are particularly popular choices, with direct flights to regional Japan airports like Sendai.
By train
[edit]The Japanese rail system is justly famous and you're highly likely to find yourself on a train at some point. Particularly if arriving in Tokyo, connecting to the Shinkansen (bullet train) is often the fastest and most comfortable way to get to your destination. Gala Yuzawa holds the unique distinction of being Japan's only ski resort with a dedicated Shinkansen station.
Beware that Japanese trains are generally not well equipped carrying for bulky luggage, so you'll want to check ahead if you're planning on bringing skis or snowboards. Alternatively, consider using a courier service, which can ship your luggage to/from your resort cheaply and reliably. There are courier counters at all major airports and resorts.
By bus
[edit]Many ski resorts offer direct buses to/from nearby airports. This is typically slower than the train but far less hassle, and recommended particularly if you have luggage. Advance reservations are typically mandatory.
There are also long-distance buses from Tokyo direct to major ski resorts, particularly those around Nagano, with services operated by Nagano Snow Shuttle and other companies. Expect to spend upwards of 5 hours on the bus if you opt for these.
By car
[edit]Driving in Japan poses a number of challenges starting from the licensing process, and the sheer amount of snow means that this is not the best place to learn winter driving for the first time. Nevertheless, for off-the-beaten-track resorts, it may still be the best option.
Eat
[edit]In Japan, expect to eat Japanese food: hearty meals like curry rice, ramen noodles and various rice bowls with toppings are particularly popular at ski resorts. The international resorts have a more varied food scene, but even the smaller resorts will usually have a token pizza place, burger joint and Indian restaurant if you're craving something different.
Drink
[edit]Don't come to a Japanese ski resort looking for nightclubs, there is little in the way of an après-ski scene in most of them. The notable exception is Niseko, which has become quite the party town for the young Australians who flock there.
Sleep
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Traditional Japanese ski resorts cater mostly to locals making short trips of one or two nights, meaning they rarely have self-catering facilities and the like. However, the newer resorts catering to international visitors staying a week or longer have a better supply of European/Australian-style serviced apartments, at European/Australian prices.
Many ski resorts in volcanic Japan incorporate a hot spring (onsen), which is a wonderful way to wind down after a day out on the slopes. You can also try a night or two in a traditional ryokan inn.
Practicalities
[edit]The prices of lift passes generally range from ¥4,000 for older, smaller resorts to as much as ¥15,000 per day to the largest and best equipped, like Rusutsu. Hefty discounts are often available for locals and in the shoulder season, while at some larger resorts you can also opt to pay more for express lines at lifts.
The Epic Pass is valid at Hakuba and Rusutsu.
Japanese slopes use a three-tier grading system similar to the European one:
- Green – easy
- Red – intermediate
- Black – difficult
Tree runs
[edit]True off-piste skiing is not common in Japan, but tree runs, where you ski or snowboard in semi-controlled terrain (trees that have had their low-hanging branches trimmed etc) are increasingly popular. Tree run grading varies by resort, but they're typically numeric, starting from "1" as the easiest.
Tree runs are considered advanced skiing and you enter them at your own risk. Avalanches are a possibility and so is getting lost if the weather turns bad. Resorts charge steep search and recovery fees if you get injured or lost.
Equipment
[edit]There are numerous ski and snowboard rental shops in every larger resort. Gear rental (skis, poles, boots, helmet) is around ¥5000/day at the resorts, less off-resort. The choice is normally best made by convenience to the slopes or to accommodation. You can usually fit your equipment the previous day, which avoids the wait in the morning when you could be out skiing already.
Helmets are not required by law in Japan, but you'd be a fool not to wear one, and some resorts are starting to mandate them as a condition for accessing their lifts.
Tuition
[edit]Most Japanese ski instructors only speak Japanese. Largest, more internationally geared resorts have English-speaking instructors, but they're often limited and charge a premium.
Where to go
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The following is a selection of some of the larger, better known ski resorts in Japan.
Hokkaido
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As the northernmost island, Hokkaido has the longest ski season, the most reliable "japow" (Japanese powder) and the most famous resorts. The flip side is that it's often quite cold (in Jan/Feb, -15°C on the slopes is normal) and prices are high.
- 1 Niseko, the most famous of them all with four separate skiing areas, in winter a virtual Australian enclave in Japan
- 2 Furano
- 3 Rusutsu, Hokkaido's largest and most expensive ski resort
Tohoku
[edit]Often overlooked by travelers, the northern side of main island Honshu has huge amounts of snowfall (Appi averages 12 meters per year) and several large resorts that are not yet entirely overrun by tourists. The flip side is awkward access: it can take a solid 4-5 hours from Tokyo to get to your destination.
- 4 Appi Kogen, Japan's largest integrated ski resort
- 5 Zao Onsen, hot spring and ski resort home to the famous Snow Monsters
- 6 Mount Bandai and Inawashiro
Chubu
[edit]The central part of Honshu and the spine of the Japanese Alps. Very popular with Japanese visitors due to comparatively easy access from the major cities of Tokyo, Nagoya and Kansai.
- 7 Hakuba, the main stage of the 1998 Winter Olympics, hosting 10 resorts and an average annual snow fall of 655 cm
- 8 Myoko
- 9 Shiga Kogen, Japan's largest ski resort
- 10 Yuzawa, the only ski resort in Japan with its own bullet train station
Kanto
[edit]The mountainous prefecture of Gunma is just north of Tokyo and hence popular with locals.