Skiing in Japan: The best resorts for powderhounds

If you are daydreaming of endless tree skiing, long groomed off-piste runs, and delicious food – then you are not alone. But we can recommend Japan is the right place to be! You will not only have the deepest and fluffiest powder runs but also experience super friendly hospitality, slurp steaming bowls of ramen noodles and relax in one of the amazing hot-springs called “Onsens”.

Japan is known for some of the very best powder skiing resorts in the world. And probably it’s on the “to ski” bucket list of many of us already. For sure one of the reasons is the insane amounts of snow the island gets every year. It’s not easy to nail down hard numbers on the average snowfall in Japan, but it’s rumored that parts of Japan receive an average of 10-18 meters of fresh pow per year! So get your freeride and/or touring skis ready for the next deep powder adventure!

Our comprehensive guide covers the best ski areas for skiing nipple deep powder, and everything you need to know if you plan a trip to the land of the rising sun.

 

Japan’s best ski areas for Powder hound


From north to south there are several hundred ski resorts scattered across Japan. The south of the Island get’s lots of good snow, but the north get’s snow on a much regular basis. Among all these amazing resorts we found the 5 best for powder skiing and this is our list:

 

1. Niseko

Niseko has an enormous amount of snowfall each year which makes it to one of the most legendary freeriding resorts in Japan. Niseko is located in Hokkaido around 100km southwest of Sapporo and the New-Chitose International Airport. The ski resort is well known for the best powder, best off-piste terrain and best accessible backcountry, which they also call slackcountry. It’s a kind of overall banger resort! Another nice fact: Niseko really has something for everyone – literally! All four ski resorts in this area are accessible with one single “All Mountain Pass” and giving you access to almost 50km of groomed slopes, nipple-deep-powder runs, and endless tree-riding options.

Good to know: In Niseko you will find the widest range of accommodation options. Ranging from B&B lodges, over apartments, to luxury condos. Niseko is also known as the snow factory of Japan, so it can proudly report an annual snowfall of 15m per year. But due to this fact better be prepared to share your playground with some more like-minded freeriders from around the world. And don’t forget to bring your headlamp because night skiing in Japan is way bigger than you might think.

 

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2. Myoko

Myoko is relatively unknown outside of Japan, as most people are heading to the more popular ski areas in the northern part of the Honshu island. Myoko is located in the Niigata Prefecture, one hour North of Nagano where the 1998 winter Olympics were held, and less than three hours from Tokyo by bullet train.

Myoko Kogen isn’t really one simple ski resort per se – it’s rather an area called Hokushingogaku which is dominated by a spectacular series of ten ski resorts: Myoko Akakura Onsen, Akakan ResortIkenotaira OnsenMyoko SuginoharaSeki Onsen, Kyukamura, Myoko Ski ParkLotte Arai ResortMadarao Kogen and Tangram Ski Circus. All with their own distinctive and special features. Besides great quality powder snow – they get an average of 14 meters per year (!) – you will also find some fun terrain parks and refreshing long runs in the Myoko Kogen Ski Area. The area is also well known for its many local Onsen (hot springs) emanating from the Jigoku-dani valley between Mt. Myōkō and Mt. Mae. 

Good to know: Without a doubt, we can say, that the Myoko ski area is just perfect for everyone who wants to dive in deep snow and also experience a little bit of the Japanese culture. Myoko is far away of a glamorous westernized bubble ski area, it’s a truly, remote and almost untouched Japanese ski village where you can easily slow your world down. Compared to other areas of Japan, it’s said that Myoko’s ski patrol also takes a more relaxed approach to inbounds, off-piste riding. 

 

 

 

3. Hakuba

The ski resort Hakuba is located deep in the heart of the Japanese Alps on the main Island of Japan – Honshu.  The Hakuba Valley incorporates 11  ski resorts with a huge variety of different terrains. But one ski resort in this area stands out from all the others: the Hakuba Cortina Ski Resort. It is the most northern resort in the Hakuba Valley and has one of the most relaxed off-piste policies. While all the nearby resorts in Hakuba are really old-school strict and you could lose your lift pass when you got caught skiing off-piste. But Cortina is different than other areas and way more chilled. Here you can have loads of fun while tree-skiing or getting your daily dose of adrenalin in the steeper terrain. Another plus, with an average annual snowfall of 11 meters: Cortina receives more snow than the other resorts around. 

Good to know: There is a little hook because the “secret” is out and that’s why it’s no longer the same “unknown powder snorkel mecca” it was some years ago, as more and more freerider are traveling there. But even if it’s a little more crowded these days, it’s still impressive and 100% worth a trip. 

Plus, the Freeride World Tour makes a stop in Hakuba! If you happen to be around there when the event takes place, you should for sure check it out. The Freeride World Tour takes place in the best freeriding place all over the world, including Verbier, Fieberbrunn, Andorra and BC.

Check out the Hakuba Instagram account for some mouthwatering images and videos.

 

 

 

4. Asahidake

You are searching for the ultimate powder paradise???! Look no further, you found your fluffy snowy heaven in Asahidake. It’s located in the Daisetsuzan National Park. With an elevation of 2.291m, it’s the highest mountain on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Due to the altitude, the snow in Asahidake is super fluffy, extremely dry and really light….. and there is plenty of it! Asahidake -let’s call it powder heaven – get’s around 14m of fresh snow each season! And it get’s even better. Unlikely many other ski Resorts, Asahidake is also one of the very few ski areas with an almost unpatrolled backcountry. And we will put a cherry on top of this: it has a cable car that brings you straight up on the top so you can easily access the versatile vertical terrain. Asahidake is the crème de la crème resort for powder skiing, it’s a huge playground for all dedicated freeriders.

Good to know: Asahidake is an active volcano with lots of emitting seam and gas – so be prepared that it is a little bit stinky sometimes. It’s officially a National Park rather than a typical ski resort, this means the resort facilities and lift capacities are quite limited to keep the number of visitors down. This might also be the reason why the Asahidake’s nightlife is non-exsitent unless you make your own party…

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5. Furano

Due to Japanese standards, Furano is one of the larger ski resorts on the Hokkaido island – well… if you compare it to Europe or the U.S., it’s relatively small. But that doesn’t matter, as Furano has something to offer you cannot find anywhere else on the island. The resort, located in the center of the island, has one of the best and steepest fall lines. Its geographical location is just perfectly situated to deliver some of the lightest and driest snow but still makes it a perfect blue-sky day. Be prepared for some fluffy fresh snow and 974m of vertical volcano runs. Riding Furano can cause some serious jaw dropping and joy watering eyes! 

Good to know: Despite the great snow conditions this area is well-known for their warm and welcoming hospitality of the locals. Furthermore, some more great resorts such as Kamui, Asahidake, and Takachidake are just around the corner. On down days there are plenty of activities such as onsen (hot spring) tours, ice hole fishing or visiting the Furano Winter Village.

  

 

How to PLAN A TRIP TO Japan


The best time to plan your trip to Japan is the summer before so you will have plenty of time to search for the best deals while cooling the summer heat down with your feet in the pool and a fresh light beer in your hand. The best time to actually BE in Japan for powder skiing is in January and February. But always check if there might is a national public holiday before you set your travel date That means from now on, you have enough time to concentrate on the most essential thing you need to get there: a plane ticket!

 

How to get there

Important things first! There are some secrets to know when booking a flight. Today we want to share our tech-savviest secrets we are aware of when it comes to finding the best low-cost flights. For sure a last-minute-deal could be an option, but as we learned, it is not said to be the cheapest option.  To find the best deal you should start looking for a flight around seven weeks in advance – that’s at least what studies will tell you. But for Japan, you should consider looking around a bit earlier than 7 weeks in advance. You may ask why? The reason is,  if you head over in January or February – is just around Holiday season. And we all know how crazy it gets with prices for flights around this time. 

A good idea might be to sign up for price alerts. Either you subscribe to alerts of your favorite airline directly or you sign up for one of the many alerts of price comparison pages such as skyscanner.net, kayak.com, Google Flights and what else you can find out there. 

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Another good thing to make use of, are those wonderful airline miles. If you put on your smarty pants on and research a little bit, you might find a nice way to a free one-way ticket to Japan 😉

 

 

Getting around by train

For sure, Japan isn’t one of the cheaper countries in this beautiful world but it is also not the prohibitively expensive country most people think it is. Getting around is one of the more expensive things you have to calculate with when you are traveling to the land of the rising sun. But good quality has its price and Japan has a truly brilliant rail network. So if you plan to zip around the Country, traveling by rail is the most convenient and economical way. In order to reduce train costs, you should get yourself a railway pass. There are many different passes for traveling by Japanese railway, providing unlimited travel in a certain area, or a round trip in a given region. 

 

Japan Train

 

Japan Rail pass – also called JR is a nationwide railway pass, including bullet trains, limited express trains, local trains, some JR buses and the JR ferry to Miyajima.  The Japan Rail pass is a special ticket, that is only available for travelers from foreign countries for – name it short: a rail ticket only for temporary visitors aka tourists. The regular ticket for 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days. For example, the 14 -day ticket costs  46.390 YEN (around 350 EUR). On the first attempt, this sounds a bit overpriced but alternatives, such as individual train tickets or tickets for metro are even worst. This pass really pays off if you have to travel long distances. There are other local passes available which are pretty good summed up by the Japan Guide

Good to know: In Japan there is something called takkyūbin, which is a kind of baggage courier service. Many domestic tourists are using this service to forward their bags (golf, surf, ski,…) ahead their destination, so they do  not have to carry their heavy luggage with them on public transportation. The Hands-Free Travel Guide explains you how this service actually works and how you can make use of it. 

 

 

Travel Japan by car 

Renting a car is an option worth considering if you plan a ski trip to Japan. True that public transportation can be a convenient way to travel but it can also be a bit stressful if you decide to carry all the heavy ski bags and travel bags with you. And also if you travel to some more remote places a car is a welcoming way of transportation. 

The minimum age to drive a car in Japan is 18. Furthermore, you will need an International Driving Permit (IDP) or a Japanese Driving Licence.  To get an IDP you should contact your country’s national automobile association before you head to Japan. There you can easily apply for an International Driving Permit for a small fee. It’s important that your IDP is based on the 1949 Geneva Convention as this is the only one accepted by the Japanese. There are a few countries such as Germany, Belgium, France, Monaco, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Taiwan which do not issue permits based on the 1949 Geneva Convention. But no worries, these countries have a special agreement that allows the respective resident to drive in Japan for up to one year – but only with an official Japanese translation of their driving license. 

 

Japan Ski Trip

 

Japan has a bilateral agreement with over 20 countries that ease the process of acquiring a driving license. This means there is a way to get your very own Japanese Driving Licence, and it’s not as difficult as you might think. You just head to your local license center with an official translation of your driving license and your passport. There you just have to proove having held your license for at least three months in the issuing country before coming to Japan and take a basic eye and physical test. If you pass everything you will be issued a brand new Japanese driving license the same day. 

Now you should know the most important facts about how to drive a car in Japan without getting in any trouble. Oh no, wait, the most important fact is still missing… In Japan, cars drive on the left side of the road. So be prepared for some cognitive brain training when you are hitting the road.

 

 

 

The right place to stay

This is truly a matter of budget and how low or high you want to go. If you want to save your hard-earned money, group lodges are a great way to keep your budget low. If you share a room with multiple people, it might also be a  nice opportunity to meet some new, interesting and like-minded fellows  – but it could also be annoying and frustrating if you can’t get along with them. If you are not traveling alone but with a bigger group you should check out some offers from the local AirBNB for the area you want to stay.  Sometimes you can find some real banger deals at the house sharing network.

 

 

Travel with evo.com to Japan

For sure you can plan the trip on your own and search the world wide web for best accommodation, best airport transfer, available lift tickets, qualified local guides and what else is needed – but this takes a lot of passion, attention and last but not least: time. Or you can go for a more convenient approach and take a look at the travel offers from our friends at evo.com 

 

 

 

Since a few years, evo.com is offering evoTrip adventure vacations. This is a super comfortable way to travel to remote places in search of your next adventure and experience new cultures while having fun and enjoying your favorite sport.

At the moment they are offering an 8-day ski/snowboarding trip to beautiful Myoko and Hakuba on an early-bird price. So head over to our friend’s page and save your spot – just if you got interested?

 

 

 

Helpful things to know when traveling Japan


When you travel to a foreign country it’s always good to know a few things, so you don’t look like a complete douchebag tourist. Japan for sure seems like a weird place to some of us, with a whole different culture. It’s like you experience a totally new world to Europe and the U.S. But if you love to travel, you are an open-minded person anyway, so it shouldn’t be too confusing for you. Whatever, here are a few tips to consider, which can make your visit in beautiful Japan a little bit easier:

 

The thing with taking your shoes off

If you look at any guide about traveling Japan, one of the first things you will read is “the thing with the shoes“. Whenever you enter a Japanese home you simply have to take your shoes off. But it’s not that simple at all. The Japanese shoe etiquette goes far deeper than that and when you think you finally got it, there comes some new level to it. To sum it up, you basically have to take your shoes off:

  • when visiting someone’s home
  • when going to a restaurant
  • when visiting shrines and temples
  • when you enter a traditional shop
  • when joining a tea ceremony
  • when visiting an onsen or a sentō
  • whenever you see a wooden step up 

The thing about taking your shoes off sounds confusing but there is a simple story behind: the Japanese people want to reduce dirt. Japan has a climate with high humidity and temperatures, this brings a lot of rain – and snow. But this is also a reason why your shoes get dirty and so does the floor when you do not take it off. Due to the Japanese culture people often “live” on the floor. They sit on the tatami (traditional Japanese floor), the layout a futon on the floor…. And who want’s to live, sleep and eat right where all the dirt is?

 

Let’s meet at the Onsen! WTF where?

In an Onsen, you are taking a bath the Japanese style. Onsens are typically Japanese natural hot springs where the community meets to regenerate their body – and what is better than a natural hot tub after a long day shredding nipple deep powder? The rules are easy:

  • take off your shoes – again(!)
  • find and use the correct change room – women’s change rooms have red curtains, whereas the male change rooms have blue curtains   
  • time to get naked – as literally all Onsens are “nude only
  • wash carefully before you enter the water & make sure to use a looooots of soap
  • tie/clip up your hair
  • put your towel on your head, because you will need it when you leave the Onsen 

 

 

There is another really interesting and also important thing to know about the Japanese Onsen culture: people with tattoos are often rejected to take Onsens. But there are a few private Onsens and rooms with open baths where you can enjoy an Onsen in peace, even if you are inked. The reason for this prohibition is a cultural one. In the western world, tattoos are established as a piece of fashion and self-expression. Whereas in Japan tattoos have a different recognition with a historical background. Japanese people – the older the worse it gets – associate tattoos with anti-social people or members of illegal organizations & criminals. It’s also called the Irezumi culture.  This is the simple reason, why even people who have never been in contact with gangs nor have a criminal background are also denied enjoying an Onsen just because the got inked. But again, not all Onsens in Japan follow this rule, luckily the number of more liberal Onsens is increasing, but there is still a very limited number of these liberal public hot-baths across the island. 

 

Enjoy the most delicious food

Japan is the home of some deliciously fresh cuisine. The most known Japanese food is – without a doubt – Sushi. Nowadays you can get it everywhere around the globe. Masterful sushi chefs around the world are well-experienced to swing their super sharp knifes, slice pieces of raw fish with loads of precision and mold the glistening strips of seafood into a roll of vinegared rice.  But Japanese kitchens have more to offer than vegetables and raw fish in a rice-roll. Without a doubt, the raw fish is the staple of the Japanese cuisine, but there is so much more ready to be devoured: Ramen, Udon, Sukiyaki, Hittsumi-jiru, Yakitori, Onigiri, Matsusaka beef ($$$), Unagi, Tempura, Kaiseki, Soba, and so many more delicacies.

 

 

Japan Ski Trip

Good to know: You don’t need to leave a tip when you eat at a restaurant in Japan. In fact, in Japanese culture it’s even considered to be rude if you leave a tip – so simply just don’t do it and better save the money for some more great food. 

 

Overcome language barriers 

Yes. it’s true! Unfortunately Japanese is an incredibly difficult language to learn. But no worries, no one expects you to be ready for a conversation in Japanese if you travel there. However, not everyone speaks English – especially outside the main tourist areas. So it might be a good idea to have a few words in your pocket to get out of some uncomfortable situations, or not to even get in these situations.

  • Hello – Konnichiwa
  • Goodbye – Sayōnara
  • Excuse me – Sumimasen
  • Please – Kudasai
  • Thank you – (Dōmo) Arigatō 
  • Where is the toilet? – Benjo wa doko desu ka?? 
  • Cheers! – Kanpai! (toast used when drinking)
  • I don’t understand – Wakarimasen
  • I don’t speak Japanese – Nihongo o hanasemasen
  • Do you speak English? – Eigo wa dekimasu ka?
  • Sorry – Gomen nasai
  • Who’s having a beer? – Beeru nomu hito
  • One beer please! – Beeru o ippai kudasai
  • Two beers please! – Beeru o ni hai kudasai
  • My hovercraft is full of eels – Watashi no hobākurafuto wa unagi de ippai desu.

 

 

It ain’t funny without money

Despite Japan is the land, the home, the heart of technology, robots and all kind of advanced electronics…. Japan is a cash society and they are rather bad when it comes to paying with credit card, debit card or worse: filling out a cheque. Especially for small purchases, cash is more useful than plastic, but for sure you won’t get any problems using your debit or credit card to pay for accommodation or in larger shops. However, if you are traveling off the beaten track, make sure to stop by an ATM and withdraw some YEN so you have enough cash with you – it’s your only option! But no worries, there are ATMs in every Seven-Eleven store and a nice side effect are the delicious and affordable sushi snacks you can get there.

Good to know: Before heading to Japan, it’s always a good move to notify your bank that you will be traveling to the volcanic island, and make sure that you know the maximum limit you can take out on your debit card. There might be some exchange fees as well, so take a close and check your maximum limit.