The Best Ski Resorts in Japan This Season

Renowned for its distinctive skiing culture, Japan is the ultimate wish list destination for serious skiers and snowboarders. If you’re used to the slopes of Europe or North America, you’ll appreciate the small differences: in the menu at a mountain cafe, the particular etiquette of the onsen, or even the heated toilet seats; everything feels different in Japan. But the main claim to fame is its soft, lightweight and very consistent powder snow.

Westerly winds whip off the Siberian tundra and scoop up moisture over the Sea of Japan, before dumping it as snow over the archipelago. This quirk of geography means that parts of the northern island of Hokkaido are blessed with up to 15 metres of snowfall every winter compared to, say, seven metres in European resorts such as Tignes, France. Replenished near-daily, fluffy Japanese snow is incredibly forgiving for skiers and boarders, earning it a special nickname among aficionados: ‘Ja-pow’.

Asahidake

If you’re an expert skier looking to venture deeper into the Japanese backcountry, Asahidake, in central Hokkaido, should be on your list. Set in Daisetsuzan National Park, it’s 45 minutes from Asahikawa Airport, connected by regular flights to Tokyo, but it feels a world away from Japan’s capital.

The mountain has just a single cable-car, and while there are suggested runs, the only pisted sections are narrow tracks for snow-groomers. Instead, the entire mountain is left as a powder-filled backcountry playground, with long, leg-busting runs that wind through Hokkaido’s native white birch trees. Backcountry safety gear is a must, as the mountain isn’t patrolled, and hiring a local guide is recommended. A hamlet of lodges and guesthouses — plus a few larger onsen hotels — passes for apres-ski, here. Forget wild parties: Asahidake is all about the skiing.

Hakuba

The Japanese Alps, on the main island of Honshu, may have less record-setting snow than Hokkaido, but the steeper, more-varied terrain attracts advanced skiers. Hakuba, a big ski hub an hour’s drive from Nagano (a city two hours by bullet train from Tokyo), is a great entry point, with 10 resorts around the buzzy main town, offering a total of 137km of pistes. They’re not lift-linked but can be accessed on a single lift pass, with regular shuttle buses for skiers.

Happo One and Hakuba 47 offer long, winding blacks, reds and blues, as well as epic off-piste runs — especially if you’re up to ski touring above the summit lifts. The town is lively, especially on weekends, and while you’ll hear fewer foreign accents than in Niseko, Hakuba still feels pretty international. Holiday World offers seven nights at Evo Hotel near the Happo One lifts from £2,194, including flights from the UK to Tokyo and transfers.

Shiga Kogen

Set in the hills outside the city of Nagano, roughly three hours’ drive west of Tokyo, Shiga Kogen is home to Japan’s highest lift, which carries skiers to the 2,307-metre summit of Yokoteyama. Despite the altitude, the resort has some of the most beginner-friendly terrain in the country, with plenty of green and blue runs spread across its different ski areas.

Shiga Kogen is by no means just for novices, though. The resort hosted the slalom and giant slalom races at the 1998 Winter Olympics (on Mount Yakebitai and Mount Higashidate respectively) and its 80km of pistes and 1,480 acres of accessible terrain also contain plenty of challenging runs — particularly off-piste.

The resort’s layout, with no fewer than 18 different base stations spread along the valley, means there’s no central village hub. Nightlife tends to be pretty low key, but if you’re looking for traditional Japanese mountain culture and cuisine, it’s a great option.

Furano

Smaller than Niseko, with just 32km of piste and 500 acres of lift-accessible terrain, Furano in central Hokkaido makes up for its size with good vibes. The slopes and excellent backcountry are less crowded and have fewer foreign skiers than near-coastal resorts like Rusutsu — plus, you’ll find lots of Japanese-run bars and restaurants, and guesthouses that have tatami floor mats.

Yet Furano is still an international destination with English-speaking instructors and a quieter village vibe that’s made it popular with visiting families. Last winter, the resort was added to the US-founded Ikon Pass scheme, making it more accessible to overseas skiers. Crystal Ski offers seven nights at Shin Furano Prince Hotel from £3,081, including return flights between the UK and Sapporo and coach transfers.

Niseko United

Located on the northern island of Hokkaido, about two hours’ drive from Sapporo, or eight hours by train from Tokyo, Niseko encapsulates much of what makes skiing in Japan so great. Its 50km of marked pistes sounds small by European standards, but lifts give access to many more acres of powder-blanketed off-piste terrain.

Slopes are arranged down three sides of a dormant volcano, funnelling towards four separate base areas: Annupuri, Niseko Village, Grand Hirafu and Hanazono. All have decent beginner’s facilities with plenty of English-speaking instructors. The trees lining the easy slopes provide vital visual reference when visibility drops, and like everywhere in Japan, it’s advanced and intermediate skiers who will get the most out of skiing the deep powder here. Ski Safari offers eight nights at Maples Hotel in Grand Hirafu from £4,439, including flights from the UK and transfers.

Moiwa

Although it’s next door to Niseko, Moiwa, a tiny resort on the west coast of Hokkaido, has a character all of its own. It gets the same remarkable snowfall as its famous neighbour but only attracts a fraction of the visitors. In part, this is because the resort looks small on paper, with around 10km of marked trails on its piste map, and just three lifts. But the appeal of skiing here isn’t about clocking up the kilometres — it’s in cruising through uncrowded glades of deep, fluffy powder.

There’s very little infrastructure down at the base station, with just a smattering of family-run hotels and lodges, and a single slopeside bar. Just down the road, however, is the Niseko Distillery company, which makes gorgeous whisky and gin, as well as offering tours. Whether you’re a grizzled powderhound or a complete beginner, if you’re staying in Niseko and fancy a day trip to somewhere less crowded, Moiwa is a great option.

Rishiri

Rising dramatically from the sea off the northwest coast of Hokkaido, a cone-shaped volcano crowns the little island of Rishiri, a destination for true powderhounds. There are no ski lifts, and very little in the way of tourist infrastructure. Instead, it’s all about ski touring — following a guide up through the woods, before riding untouched powder all the way back to the sea.

Be prepared: strong winds sometimes scour the mountain, rendering large sections of it unskiable. But if you get the weather window right, this is perhaps the ultimate Japanese experience: staying in simple lodges, eating fresh seafood, bathing in unpretentious onsen and carving your own path through virgin snow. Hokkaido Powder Guides offers 10-day Rishiri tailor-made tours for groups, including guiding. Prices on request.