Skiing in Japan – What It’s Really Like?

thirteenth March 2025

James Cove and the PlanetSKI staff have been in Japan for properly over a month ( 5 weeks and three days to be exact) – snowboarding 5 resorts within the Hakuba Valley on the principle island of Honchu, and 9 ski areas on the northern island of Hokkaido.

They’ve additionally spent three intense days in Tokyo, visited quite a few temples, castles & shrines and ventured off the extra regular vacationer routes.

PlanetSKI has skilled Japanese horse racing, bird-watching, ice sculture, Japanese drumming, onsens and far else apart from the snowboarding.

And now it’s golf on the base of Mt Fuji.

If we have now one bit of recommendation for individuals going to ski in Japan, it’s do extra than simply ski – throw your self into the expertise of visiting one of the crucial fascinating nations on the planet.

Right here James Cove displays on the Japanese adventures of PlanetSKI.

There’s maybe no higher means to attract issues to a detailed than a spherical of golf on the Taiheiyo Membership as I look again on the expertise of snowboarding in Japan – the great factors and the much less good factors.

I’m on the primary tee with my 24-year outdated son Max who has been out right here for a part of the journey collaborating within the PlanetSKI gear and tools exams that we’ll be posting forward of subsequent season.

“Japan has been an absolute eye-opener for me and like no-where I’ve ever skied,” mentioned Max.

“On the primary day in Happo One within the Hakuba Valley I questioned why I had flown as far as the resort was small, the slopes not so difficult and I used to be fairly under-whelmed to be sincere.

“Then over the subsequent few days I had the most effective powder snowboarding I’ve ever had, and I ponder if I’ll ever see such snow once more.”

Extra of the snowboarding and the snow later.

First the golf.

You understand that feeling in a ski resort whenever you throw open the curtains and see a blue sky powder day beckoning?

Good morning, Mt Fuji and a spherical of golf.

Golf, like most issues in Japan, is acquainted and but so, so completely different.

You tee off by choosing certainly one of these – the one with the shortest mark goes first.

Buggies are the norm, although they’re the dimensions of a small automotive.

And so they drive themselves.

Pardon?

If a name of nature beckons there isn’t any want to go to the bushes as there are some very civilised amenities at most of the holes.

Going to the bathroom is a severe enterprise in Japan with its extraordinary loos – the seats are heated, spray and water is obtainable (at differing ranges), and a few even play music.

Who knew you want a management panel to function a rest room?

For our sport of  golf Japan’s most well-known mountain is a backdrop, lunch is included within the spherical and all of it finishes with an onsen.

As I mentioned, golf is acquainted however so very completely different.

As is the snowboarding.

As we performed the course ideas of snowboarding saved popping into our minds.

Japan had delivered past my expectations after which rather more, however it’s also a rustic of contradictions.

THE SNOW

Principally it snows right here – generally it appears like on a regular basis.

Thus far this winter some resorts have seen over 7m.

It doesn’t a lot are available in one enormous storm, however fairly it simply retains on snowing – in my expertise just about every day.

It’s relentless.

Consider a protracted drizzly day of rain within the UK – in Japan change that rain with gentle, dry powder snow.

So, why does Japan obtain a lot snow?

It advantages from some very chilly air plenty travelling from the Yakutsk area of jap Siberia in Russia to the west – they suck up moisture as they move over the Sea of Japan.

This then collides with moisture laden air from the North Pacific coming type the east.

The 2 air plenty collide over the mountains of Japan & then…JaPow!

In and away from the ski resorts.

But it surely also needs to be identified that the snow means clouds and inclement climate for a lot of the time, so don’t count on too many, if any, sunny lunches sitting on a restaurant balcony.

Or cruising down a large marked run within the sunshine.

SKIING & THE RESORTS

In reality most of the on piste runs are usually not huge or difficult, and there are few of them as Max commented.

Resorts in Japan are very small by the requirements of the Alps with antiquated lifts and a few lengthy queues.

Although the outdated lifts make for some gorgeous pictures and are such enjoyable to journey..

Only a few of the runs are steep because the snowboarding is usually on hills, fairly than mountains.

Many of the purple runs right here, could be simple blues in Europe.

The form of the slopes, plus the size of runs jogged my memory of Norway – not probably the most difficult snowboarding, however fascinating all the identical.

Briefly Japan is for Europeans who like powder snow, not for those that desire to stay to the pistes.

It’s a lengthy method to come if you happen to don’t ski powder.

But when powder is your factor then Japan is 100% the place to come back.

When you get to Japan the final prices are a fraction of the costs now charged within the Alps, helped partly by the beneficial alternate price.

A each day carry move is round £25 and you’ll  purchase them by the hour in some areas.

Ski rent and classes are additionally good worth.

THE JAPANESE CUISINE

The meals is off the size – as you lengthy as you want Asian meals and may get by with chopsticks.

It’s very good in style and freshness, and is available in at an excellent worth.

A good meal for 2, with drinks is about £20.

Nevertheless a lot as I really like Japanese meals, after 5 weeks my style buds wished one thing extra western, and positively much less salty.

The choice of cooked fished would have be good fairly than sushi on a regular basis,  and boy did I crave for the simplicity of a fork.

When it got here at a Japanese/Italian restaurant in Sapporo it was very welcome.

In lots of eating places you order you meals at a machine.

And it generally will get delivered by one too.

And speaking of meals, whenever you play golf in Japan lunch is included at many programs.

The place there’s additionally some fascinating sports activities style on show.

As on the slopes.

TEMPLES, CASTLES & SHRINES

Away from the slopes can be the place Japan actually comes into its personal – the temples, the shrines and the tradition.

THE WHACKY WORLD OF JAPAN

In Japan whacky and random experiences occur every day.

There’s a shock spherical each nook – from derelict enjoyable fares on the slopes, by to computerized and vertical automotive parks, and carousles inside resort foyers.

Then there are a few of the ski motels.

Then there are the indicators you come throughout in eating places (in English), that depart no room for interpretation.

Many of the menu’s are decipherable with the assistance of the images.

However not all.

And lets not neglect the onsens.

Snowboarding in Japan is as a lot about these different features, plus the manners, the politeness, the enjoyable with the language and the limitless bowing.

It’s fairly merely a singular expertise.

The bowing was in proof on the golf course as our computerized buggy handed itself in.

General although it’s the snowboarding I’ll bear in mind Japan for – like the whole lot else it may be off the size and so completely different to the European expertise.

GETTING AROUND

Should you want to ski the principle island of Honchu and the northern island of Hokkaido you will want to both fly or get the Shinkansen, bullet prepare.

It’s an hour and a half to fly or 8-hours or so by prepare – when you issue within the the hours of ready round in airports and the actual fact they’re out of city the prepare is our most popular choice.

It’s although dearer, however can be utilized at the side of a particular season ticket purchased in your nation of origin.

As soon as in a ski space you’ll be able to both use public transport, resort transport or rent a automotive in an effort to go to the completely different resorts.

For us hiring a automotive was the most suitable choice because it allowed us the liberty to go to any resort because the temper took us.

There was not downside driving on the snowy roads as we had winter tyres and 4-wheel drive.

They drive on the left in Japan, however be warned the purple lights are on the far finish of junctions, so if you happen to cease on the purple gentle you could have already crossed the junction.

Three weeks automotive rent on Hokkaido, the place we explored a lot of the southern and central a part of the island, value us round £25 per day + tolls and petrol.

Speaking of prices the spherical of golf together with  the buggy, lunch, drinks, an onsen, six balls, a bag of tees and two commemorative hats was £110 per individual.

It was a superb course too.

It will have been double or 3 times that worth in Europe.

And in case you’re a golfer and questioning in regards to the consequence, Max was one up as we reached the 18th inexperienced.

He lobbed it into the water so the match was drawn.

All-square appeared a good consequence and a great way to finish our time collectively in Japan.

And so PlanetSKI’s 5-week Japanese journey attracts to its finish on the foot of Mt Fuji.

Not a lot is definite in life, however one factor is.

PlanetSKI might be again in Japan.

There’s a lot extra to take pleasure in, expertise and uncover.

On and off the slopes.

PlanetSKI’s rolling posts from Japan:

Now we have posted hundreds of phrases with a whole lot of images and movies over the previous 5 weeks – all accomplished in dwell rolling blogs on the internet website and throughout our social media channels.

They had been posted to be learn in actual time, so could also be date delicate, however we re-produce them beneath ought to  you wish to discover out extra element in regards to the PlanetSKI expertise of snowboarding and touring in Japan:

Visiting Japan

A handful of UK operators supply ski holidays to Japan.

One is Ski Safari that has maybe probably the most expertise of the nation with tailor-made packages constructed on the corporate’s in depth data and expertise.

“Japan is not like another nation you’ve skied in or been to earlier than,” mentioned Andy Knights from Ski Safari.

“The snowboarding alone is world class, with the Siberian climate techniques bringing enormous quantities of sunshine dry powder – it’s not referred to as Ja-Pow for nothing.”

Ski Safari presents the next six 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 big selection. Hakuba is a good place to make use of as a base for exploring a number of resorts on one carry move.

Rusutsu – 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 – good for a ski journey with added tradition.

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

Furano -Select a Furano ski vacation for a standard resort in an idyllic setting and prime notch piste snowboarding. worth choice, Furano is a thriving city in its personal proper.

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