PlanetSKI Rounds Up Two Week Ski Safari Around Sapporo

twenty sixth February 2025 | James Cove, Hokkaido, Japan.

The northern island of Hokkaido in Japan is house to dozens of resorts, from the extra well-known ones of Niseko, Furano and Rusutsu.

Via to the lesser-known ones of Kiroro, Kokusai and the wonderfully-named Mount Racey.

We’ve been snowboarding as lots of them as we will in our three week go to that’s persevering with.

For the previous two weeks now we have been running a blog and updating from our base within the metropolis of Sapporo.

Now we have now headed throughout the island to take a break from the snowboarding for just a few days to find extra about Hokkaido – horse racing, chicken watching and easily getting off the principle vacationer observe.

We can be based mostly within the ski resort of Furano later this week and snowboarding all of the close by areas, so look out for these posts.

Within the meantime we re-produce our posts from Sapporo, in chronological order.

BLOG POST NUMBER ONE

The omens for the snow within the close by mountains regarded good as we drove into town of Sapporo.

And within the metropolis centre:

So, why does Japan, and Hokkaido specifically, obtain a lot snow?

Principally, very chilly and dry air comes from Siberia in Russia to the west.

It passes over the Sea of Japan the place is sucks up moisture.

One other main climate system comes from the east with a unique  strain system and the 2 collide over the mountains of Hokkaido.

The consequence – JaPow!

On common the resorts close to Sapporo obtain over 8m a season, whereas additional inland it’s 4m.

It’s also normally very chilly, so the powder is mild and dry.

The Hokkaido ski areas roughly divides into three:

There are the resorts round Sapporo – Teine, Bankeu, Kokusai and Kiroro.Then those deeper into the mountains – Niseko, with its 4 ski areas, and Rusutsu.To the east there may be – Furano, Tomamu, Sahoro and Kamui.

Common readers who’ve been following our posts from Japan will know we’re fascinated by way over simply the snowboarding whereas we’re in Japan.

We’ve been up town’s most well-known landmark, the Sapporo TV Tower.

Plus visited the close by city of Otaru with its Western Artwork Museum.

Moderately bizarrely it reveals stained glass, furnishings, porcelain and glass work from Europe from the late nineteenth Century to the early twentieth Century.

The snow falling in Otaru on the base of the mountains actually whet our urge for food for the snowboarding close by to come back.

After which there may be the Japanese meals – as soon as once more it’s merely off the size.

However the menus may be, er, difficult.

Right here is so-called Ramen Alley in Sapporo.

Now we have taken recommendation on using chopsticks from Eri Kikuo who works for one of many fundamental lodges within the ski space of Furano, the Shin Furano Prince Lodge.

Eri has additionally supplied invaluable assist to plan PlanetSKI’s 3-week go to to Hokkaido.

We’re off to a cracker.

It’s already shaping as much as be PlanetSKI’s greatest ever abroad journey ski journey, and it’s truthful to say that we’ve had just a few over time.

Take a look at our earlier reviews from the Hakuba Valley:

And Tokyo:

BLOG POST NUMBER TWO

Saturday fifteenth February

Our first ski cease in Hokkaido was the ski space of Sapporo Teine.

It’s only a 30-minute drive from our condominium in Sapporo.

Teine has 10 lifts and 15 runs with a vertical drop of 683m.

There may be tree snowboarding, a terrain park and fabulous views of Ishikari Bay.

It additionally has the well-known ‘North Wall’ run which is without doubt one of the steepest in Japan with a most incline of 36 levels.

However better of all it’s merely in Japan – a spot I’m completely falling in love with.

Right here is my first ever video snow report from Hokkaido:

And a few of these views:

Elevate passes are available at good worth in Japan.

A 5-hour go for Sapporo Teine value the princely sum of £27.

Not unhealthy for half a day of enjoyable.

And right this moment’s ‘random Japanese expertise’ ?

I’ve seen just a few unusual sights in my visits around the ski resorts of the world, however I’ve by no means come throughout a derelict enjoyable truthful up on the slopes.

Till I visited Sapporo Teine that’s.

Japan is just filled with surprises.

However one factor that may be a fixed is the ramen.

It’s off the size each time.

BLOG POST NUMBER THREE

Sunday sixteenth February

Subsequent we hit Kiroro.

There have been large quantities of snow on the drive to the resort – proof of the winter to this point on this a part of Japan.

Sadly there was no recent powder for our day, however we’ll be again when there may be.

Kiroro has 10 lifts, 23 runs and has a vertical descent of 660m.

It additionally has 5 areas put aside for tree snowboarding – ought to circumstances permit.

The resort is on the Indy Move and as I maintain an Indy Move I used to be capable of choose passes up – two days are offered so I hope to be again for that powder day.

There are a number of resorts in Hokkaido on the Indy Move and I hope to go to just a few extra, together with  Kamui, Yubari, Nayoro and Pippu.

Apparently Membership Med has an enormous presence within the resort with the Membership Med Kiroro Grand that opened in 2023.

It has 266 rooms and is an indication of rising worldwide curiosity within the space.

BLOG POST NUMBER FOUR

Tuesday 18th February:

Subsequent cease Kokusai.

Contained in the day lodge it was old-school and fabulous for it.

With some great outdated poster on the partitions.

This place has been providing snowboarding for many years.

A day go set us again the princely sum of £20.

I believed that was about proper given the dimensions of the ski space.

Three fundamental lifts, a gondola and two chairlifts.

There was 1 black run, 3 reds and a few greens.

However piste maps may be deceiving, as there was loads of snowboarding for our day.

Moreover snowboarding in Japan is about way over going up a raise and down just a few runs on snow – it’s in regards to the expertise and character of snowboarding someplace solely completely different.

On the high there have been wind breakers for when the storms roll in and the winds blow, which they do frequently.

There was some steep and difficult off piste from the highest.

Or one might follow the marked runs.

As soon as once more there have been a big numbers of snowboarders on the slopes, as there have been in most of the Japanese resorts we’ve visited to this point.

The ski college in Kokusai was on one other degree with lots of of individuals out taking classes.

It might have been a bit loopy on the slopes, however look how they stack their skis at lunchtime.

It was right this moment’s ‘random Japanese expertise’.

Together with some extra fascinating Japanese ski put on.

Oh, and whereas we’re with regards to ski colleges listed below are the assembled lessons within the resort of Sapporo Teine that we have been in just a few days in the past – gathering for his or her afternoon classes with a lot bowing and greetings happening.

It took it to a different degree.

And as we left Kokusai?

Extra snow began falling.

Once more.

Subsequent cease is the marginally better-known resort of Niseko.

The largest and most well-known resort in Japan that draws skiers and snowboarders from all over the world.

Do test again…

BLOG POST NUMBER FIVE

Wednesday nineteenth February:

Heavy snow was falling at 8am as we set off from Sapporo to move to Niseko.

Nonetheless the snow had closed some roads and a journey time of two hours was predicted to be at the least 3 and half.

Time to bin the plan and give you an alternate.

We determined to move to town’s native ski mountain, Sapporo Teine, as an alternative.

However not earlier than a go to to the Hokkaido Jingu Shinto Shrine that now we have been wanting to go to for days, however have by no means fairly discovered the time.

Effectively, now we had a spare hour or so and within the snow it was really gorgeous.

Within the Spring it has a number of the best cherry blossoms on the entire of Hokkaido and tens of hundreds of individuals flock right here for the spectacle.

Effectively, we predict it seems relatively good within the snow too.

The shrine was established in 1869 and is house to 4 deities.

The shinto shrine is located within the Matyuama Park and the 4 deities embody the soul of the Emperor Meiji.

A lot of early explorers of Hokkaidō are additionally enshrined.

As our go to to Niseko had been placed on maintain, one other Japanese alternative arose – each cloud has a silver lining.

Subsequent cease, some snowboarding at Sapporo Teine.

The street was snowy, however satisfactory on the best way up.

Whereas on the mountain it was chucking it down with snow – once more.

Time for a snow report:

And on the finish of the day most of the autos within the automotive park wanted to be cleaned of the day’s snow.

And the snow ploughs too.

On Thursday we’re going to make one other try to achieve Niseko and report again.

If the snow circumstances permit us to get there.

Watch this area…

Now speaking of roads and driving, now we have had a query from PlanetSKI reader, Erica Ansell, over on the PlanetSKI Fb web page.

“Loving seeing your posts as we hope to ski in Japan subsequent 12 months.

“How simple is driving on the market?

“Now we have been earlier than in summer season however used the bullet trains which have been incredible.”

And right here is our reply:

“We employed a automotive for 2 weeks as we visited the resorts within the Hakuba Valley after which for 3 weeks in Hokkaido.

“We wouldn’t do it every other means, because it provides you the liberty to maneuver round at will.

“For longer journeys throughout Japan take the bullet practice or fly except you could have loads of time.

“Within the Hakuba Valley we employed at Tokyo airport (each NTS & HND as there have been two  teams to our group) and you have to make sure you get winter tyres. We used Sixt as they supplied winter tyres in drop down menu.

“In Hokkaido winter tyres come as customary whoever you hire from, together with 4-wheel drive.

“Chains are usually not wanted.

“In Hakuba there have been a few days when it belted down with snow so we took the resort shuttle bus, however we’d have been OK in our vehicles.

“On Hokkaido now we have pushed the entire time and although it might be daunting at first with all of the snow (and there was a number of it), you quickly get used to it.

“There are public transport choices from Sapporo (our present base) and taxis, however having your individual automotive is far simpler. Parking is affordable too.

“It actually will depend on what number of resorts you go to – we’re doing completely different ones day by day, so a automotive is the very best.

“When you simply go to Niseko for every week then don’t hassle.

“In Hokkaido now we have been utilizing Occasions Rental who’re throughout Japan, however be warned that at Chitois airport they shut at 7pm.

“Our flight from Tokyo was delayed by a number of hours and we arrived at 7.30pm.

“All was shut so we needed to get a resort room and picked up the subsequent day, although they refunded us for one un-used day.

“Don’t overlook to get an Worldwide Driving License and be careful for the alerts at site visitors lights as they’re past the junction not earlier than it.

Hope that helps.

Finest needs,

Crew PlanetSKI.

BLOG POST NUMBER SIX

Friday twenty first February:

Subsequent Cease Niseko – lastly.

Niseko has a fame being one the world’s high resorts and I’ve been eager to ski it for years.

Make that a long time.

It’s the largest linked ski space in Japan with 31 lifts and 77 marked runs.

Then there’s the tree snowboarding and the legendary again nation.

Not forgetting the meals, the onsens and the surroundings.

However most of all the massive quantities of dry powder snow that falls every winter with out fail.

Plans have been taking form for a PlanetSKI go to in 2020, however then Covid got here alongside.

On this journey I’ve tried to go to a number of occasions to this point up to now couple of weeks I’ve been on the northern island of Hokkaido.

As soon as a hospital go to for an X-ray (lengthy story with a contented ending) scuppered it, after which heavy snow on the roads prevented it.

A couple of days earlier than we have been resulting from depart town of Sapporo and head to the resorts additional inland in Hokkaido the climate lifted.

It was now or by no means.

It was a 2-hour drive from our base within the metropolis Sapporo, and the climate/roads couldn’t have been higher.

The expressway was closed 24-hours earlier, however the snowploughs had been doing their stuff.

Within the mountains too, the roads have been clear.

Earlier than you could possibly say “JaPow” I used to be on the slopes of Niseko and gazing throughout to Mt Yotei in near-perfect circumstances.

The resort of Niseko is made up of 4 linked areas:

Annupuri – 6 lifts and 13 trailsNiseko Village – 9 lifts and 30 trailsGrand Hirafu – 12 lifts and 22 trailsHanazono – 4 lifts and 12 trails

All of the areas have in depth and accessible snowboarding within the bushes.

Then there may be cat snowboarding and again nation excursions.

Generally when I’ve been trying ahead to ski in resort, it doesn’t fairly reside as much as expectations.

Not so Niseko.

It lived as much as my hopes and extra – with loads of excellent tree snowboarding and a few large cruising pistes.

The hard-core have been booting as much as Mt Niseko Annupuri at 1,308m to hit a number of the legendary powder fields off the again, however I used to be eager to see the entire resort on my go to.

The again nation can wait till subsequent time, and I do know there can be a subsequent time.

One other expectation of Niseko lived as much as what I had heard,.

However I’d relatively it hadn’t.

It’s well-known raise queues have been round for a lot of the day on my mid-week go to.

At weekends it may be fairly horrific I’m instructed.

The phrases of Andy Knights from Ski Safari, who helped us plan our keep in Hokkaido, have been ringing in my chilly ears.

“Niseko is certainly one of my favorite resorts, with essentially the most dependable snow report of any resort I do know,” stated Andy.

“Not forgetting to say it’s a foodie’s heaven, and soaking within the onsen after a day’s snowboarding can’t be topped.”

“With round 14 metres of snow falling every season, the snowboarding right here is phenomenal.

“Stay up for ungroomed bowls and world-class tree runs (Strawberry Fields is superb), whereas the Niseko Gates result in unpatrolled terrain that’s greatest explored with a information.”

See right here for extra details about Niseko from Andy and Ski Safari.

Every resort I’ve visited on this 5-week journey in Japan appears to throw up a random Japanese expertise and Niseko was no exception.

This time it was the resort’s one-person chairlifts.

I headed straight for the closest one, like a child with some new toys to play with.

And what views:

There are restricted mountain eating places and the very best guess is to move to base of the resort for lunch, however there are nice spots on the mountain for a fast break.

Now it needs to be stated that some consider Niseko is over-developed and has misplaced its soul.

“I’ve been coming right here for 15 years and boy it has modified,” stated an Australian snowboarder I used to be chatting to on a (2-person) chairlift.

“We used to get as a lot noodles and saki as you could possibly drink for $10 again within the day, however now in a single fancy resort it’s $65 for a reasonably grotty cheeseburger.

“I’ll preserve coming again although because the snow stays the identical regardless of the arrival of the worldwide  resort chains and the enterprise capitalists & web entrepreneurs with their bulging wallets.”

All in all for me – what a day.

And guess what occurred as we left?

Yup, extra snow began to fall.

Japan simply retains on giving.

Subsequent cease goes to be Rusutsu, simply down the street from Niseko.

Do test again…

Replace:

Right here’s some additional recommendation on Niseko from PlanetSKI reader, Mark Coomber, who has learn our posts and added his ideas to the PlanetSKI Fb web page.

We skied Niseko in 2019 (earlier than it grew to become too busy). The meals was a spotlight. As was Tokyo for just a few days on our return leg.

When you can, and haven’t accomplished so already, attempt the comparatively close by (45 minutes) Rusutsu and Kiroro resorts.

However take a information to entry the very best / hidden bits.

And you should expertise an onsen.

Ideally an outside one, within the woods and whereas it’s snowing frivolously.

With a can of Saporro lager and your ‘modesty towel’ folded in your head!

Magical.

Oh, and in down city Niseko, I’d suggest ‘the fridge bar’.

That’s not its actual title however its entrance door is an oldsyle US fridge entrance door.

Simply bear in mind to duck as you enter!

Oh #2: your raise go can even cowl the evening snowboarding.

That could be a should.

Particularly snowboarding the bushes at evening below floodlights. 

BLOG POST NUMBER SEVEN

Monday twenty fourth February:

And so to Rusutsu.

It’s a drive of below an hour from Niseko or 2 hours from Sapporo, and it’s really spectacular.

Rusutsu is probably my favorite resort on this a part of Hokkaido, however I’ll make that judgement after a little bit of reflection.

Right now was a Japan street journey on Hokkaido at its absolute best.

Blue sky overhead, crisp and clear roads, with essentially the most fabulous views.

The roadside avalanche breakers are witness to the massive quantities of snow that has fallen to this point this winter.

Rusutsu will get as a lot snow, if no more, than its extra internationally well-known neighbour of Niseko.

It’s snowing right here 80-100 days per winter and it’s the largest single resort on Hokkaido – Niseko is bigger however made up of 4 separate, albeit simply linked, areas.

It’s a barely curious structure with the principle lodging at West Mountain to the suitable.

The principle snowboarding is at Mt Isola and East Mountain and linked by a linking gondola.

Suppose Lech to Warth-Schroeken in Austria you probably have been lucky sufficient to take the connecting raise within the Arlberg ski space .

There are 18 lifts with 37 marked trails and acres of accessible tree snowboarding.

“There may be unparalleled snow, terrain and amenities that make Rusutsu  the last word winter vacation spot,” stated a press release from the vacationer workplace as I did a little bit of analysis into the resort forward of the PlanetSKI go to.

As soon as on its slopes I might solely agree.

There may be nice snowboarding and snowboarding, with views to match.

It’s laborious to magnify the quantity of tree snowboarding right here.

Off the size.

And there’s bumps too, as soon as the powder is skied out on the marked runs.

Take a look at that zip line.

The ares is re-known for it meals with over 30 eating places.

It prides itself on sourcing native meals a lot of it from its personal direct managed farms.

They domesticate greens, lamb, Rusutsu highland pork, dairy merchandise and different meals.

This mountain on the restaurant on the backside of the Isola gondola on Mt Isola is well worth the queue with its native meats and seafood.

Over in West Mountain, the place the principle lodging is, there’s a small however fascinating ski space.

It’s a first rate ski space in its personal proper.

And it has an enormous funfair on the backside of the slopes – although it isn’t open within the winter months.

Now you may need thought a funfare on the slopes would by right this moment’s random Japanese expertise.

It was in Sapporo Teine.

Not in Rusutsu.

The random Japaneses expertise right here resides by the foyer in the principle Rusutsu Lodge.

The resort has a typical look from the surface.

However inside there’s a merry-go-round, set in a weird room to the facet of the test data desk.

Clearly there’s a speaking tree too.

Solely in Japan.

And speaking of lodging there are quite a few massive worldwide lodges in Rusutsu.

However if you’d like one thing extra distinctive attempt a conventional log cabin within the woods.

And with that our two weeks based mostly within the metropolis of Sapporo and snowboarding its ski areas involves an finish.

You may learn all about it decrease down this rolling article that now we have been updating as we go alongside.

Scroll on while you get bored, however there are just a few gems in there which may be value studying.

We’ll shortly be posting a roundup of our time within the ski space on this planet that receives essentially the most snow, so look out for that too.

Thanks Sapporo it’s been an utter blast.

We are actually shifting on to Furano and its neighbouring resorts of Kamui, Tomamu and the splendidly named Mount Racey as our great Japan street journey continues.

We hope to squeeze in Yubari too.

However not earlier than now we have gone to look at some conventional Hokkaido horse racing in Obihiro.

Plus a spot of chicken watching in Kushiro.

Seeing certainly one of Japan’s favorite birds, the Crane, in its pure habitat within the native marshland.

Japan simply retains on delivering on each degree..

Visiting Japan

A handful of specialist UK operators supply ski holidays to Japan.

Ski Safari has maybe essentially the most expertise of the nation with tailor-made packages constructed on the corporate’s in depth information and expertise.

It provides the next six ski resorts:

Niseko – Japan’s largest and best-known ski resort, the standard and amount of snow right here is unparalleled – for powder, it doesn’t get a lot better than a Niseko ski vacation

Hakuba – Hakuba ski holidays are blessed with alpine-like terrain and large selection. Hakuba is a good place to make use of as a base for exploring a number of resorts on one raise go.

Rusutsa – A unusual, powder-filled paradise, Rusutsu ski holidays are nice on their very own or as a part of an extended journey in Hokkaido.

Nozawa Onsen – Japan’s oldest ski resort, Nozawa Onsen ski holidays are as well-known for onsens as they’re for snowboarding – excellent for a ski journey with added tradition.

Kiroro – Comparatively under-the-radar, Kiroro ski holidays characteristic deep powder, quiet slopes and incredible tree runs off-piste.

Furano -Select a Furano ski vacation for a conventional resort in an idyllic setting and high notch piste snowboarding. A very good worth possibility, Furano is a thriving city in its personal proper.

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