If fluffy powder, hot springs, and sake sound like a good day on the mountain, then Japan is the perfect ski destination for you. The country is ridged with volcanic mountain ranges, and its latitude and weather patterns mean it’s blessed with plenty of fine, dry powder. The season generally runs from December to April, though the best months to ski in Japan are January and February because they get the most consistent snowfall.
Along with amazing skiing opportunities, there’s great food, natural hot springs, and cultural attractions. From the northern island of Hokkaido down to the mainland, some of the best ski resorts are Niseko, Furano, Hakuba, and Shiga Kogen — keep reading to hear all about what makes them the best of the best.
Niseko
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Niseko is one of Japan’s most popular ski destinations for international visitors, with a lot of multilingual support and plenty of creature comforts. About a 2.5 hour-drive south of Hokkaido’s capital, Sapporo, the Niseko ski area is comprised of four interconnected resorts known as Niseko United.
“I believe we have the best powder in the world,” says Kohei Iwata, rooms division manager at the Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. “It’s rare to see sunshine in the wintertime, but that means we have really good snow conditions.”
All four resorts are located on one mountain, Niseko Annupuri. The 28 lifts and 60 runs are roughly equally divided between beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses. Iwata, a snowboarder, likes a run called Superstition. He says that for the adventurous, the whole backside of the resort is available for 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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Part of Hokkaido’s “powder belt,” Tomamu is smaller than Niseko, but is much less crowded. With 29 runs and five lifts, the courses are evenly divided into three difficulty levels. Tree skiing is especially excellent here, or you can book a snowcat tour to explore the neighboring fresh terrain.
Tomamu is perfect for families, with a lot of resort activities and amenities. There’s not much in the way of nightlife, but you’ll find restaurants that are kid-friendly, bunny slopes, an Ice Village — which even has an ice chapel you can get married in — a wave pool, and a viewing platform for the frost-covered forest, complete with an original hot chocolate menu.
Furano
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Located in the geographical center of Hokkaido and only a two-hour drive from New Chitose Airport, Furano’s ski resort is made up of two base villages.
The area has 28 runs and a vertical drop of 2,752 feet. The courses are split 40/40/20 across beginner, intermediate, and advanced, with kids under 12 qualifying for free lift tickets and night skiing until 7:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Explorers can use the town as a base for visiting neighboring resorts — book a backcountry tour for some fresh tracks.
Furano has friendly locals and a good variety of accommodations and dining options, as well as publicly accessible hot spring baths at many of the main hotels. Other activities here include a fantasy snow village, snow rafting, snowmobiles, and races.
Rusutsu
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Rurutsu is the largest all-season resort in Hokkaido, meaning visitors can have great fun here year-round. Winter is especially nice, though, because of its unique positioning south of Mount Yotei and near the Pacific coast — which means it’s protected from the harsh winter winds coming from the northwest and has a ton of clear, 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. In addition to skiing, there’s no shortage of activities, including snowmobiling, snow rafting, dogsledding, horse riding, ice fishing, nature tours, and hot springs. 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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Snow on mainland Japan is more abundant than on the island of Hokkaido, if not quite as dry. And with 45 feet of snow each winter, Myoko is proof of that. The Myoko ski area boasts several adjacent resorts, more than 50 restaurants, hot springs, and plenty of skiing opportunities. One of the resorts, Suginohara, has one of the longest runs in Japan at 5 miles.
Myoko yoga instructor and Airbnb host Nanaco says Myoko has a good mix of terrain. Beginners can benefit from ski schools, where parents can drop their kids off for a lesson and hit the mountain solo, and experts can tackle the backcountry. However, Nanaco advises hiring a qualified guide for exploration. “A good thing about Myoko is that it’s quiet,” she says. “But quiet means if you’re in trouble, you’re kind of on your own.” She also recommends visiting the family-run Seki Onsen, a small resort that’s popular with advanced skiers and riders.
Myoko’s charm is that although there’s infrastructure for international visitors, it “retains its Japanese-ness,” according to Nanaco, with many locally owned businesses and traditional restaurants.
Hakuba
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Hakuba Valley is one of mainland Japan’s most popular international ski areas. It’s comprised of 10 resorts that can all be explored on a single day pass, and there’s a free shuttle service that takes visitors to some of the different resorts. In total, there are 86 lifts and 126 runs to suit various experience levels, though some of its best slopes are the intermediate and Olympic-level ones. One of Hakuba’s most popular resorts is Happo-one, the site of several events from 1998 Winter Olympics.
For families, check out Kashimayari Snow Resort Family Park, which aims to be a winter theme park to bring joy to even the youngest of 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. Visit Sarugaku, an izakaya with sashimi and other small plates, as well as locally made sake.
Nozawa Onsen
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Nozawa Onsen’s snow conditions are stellar, but its real draw is its traditional village and community feel, with narrow streets and old-fashioned buildings. In addition to fantastic skiing at its snow park and backcountry terrain, there’s the Zip Skyride, a 2,139-foot-long zip line; museums; and a hot spring trail, where visitors can check out multiple hot springs and public baths.
“After a day of exercise, you can enjoy a soak in the free soto-yu bathhouses dotted around the village,” says Rie Miyoshi, a multimedia producer at 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 one of the largest, Shiga Kogen has much to explore, encompassing 18 resorts, 48 lifts, and an elevation ranging from 4,396 to 7,568 feet. Most of the resorts are connected, and all of the lifts can be accessed using a single ticket. The 1998 Nagano Olympics were held here in part, and the resort is popular domestically.
Mid-range hotels with hot springs on site are the norm here, but for a break from the slopes, take a day trip to see the snow monkeys in their own hot spring, or tour the highlands on snowshoes.
Nekoma
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Nekoma Mountain is an off-the-beaten-path ski resort, especially for international visitors. It’s one of the largest slopes in Japan, with 13 lifts and 33 courses that span the north and south sides of Mount Nekomagatake. A connecting lift takes visitors between the Bandai and Urabandai areas, both of which have their own unique attractions.
“The Bandai area has spectacular views of Mount Bandai and Lake Inawashiro, and the Urabandai area offers a unique topography and access to Japan’s high-quality, microfine snow,” says Go Morimoto, managing director of Bandaisan Onsen Hotel and 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
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Zao is one of the largest ski resorts in Japan’s Tohoku region. It’s well-known for its fluffy powder, which visitors can experience through 25 different courses. While there are slopes to suit everyone, Zao is more geared toward leisure skiers at the beginner and intermediate levels.
One of Zao’s most popular attractions are the snow monsters — unusual shapes created by the accumulation of snow and ice on the trees due to cold Siberian winds. Several of the courses allow for skiing through miles of the snow monsters, though you can also view them on foot during the day or at night, when they’re illuminated in beautiful colors. After a day on the slopes, take it easy in one of the many hot springs that are famous for their various healing effects.
AloJapan.com