A Guide to Skiing Powder in Japan

Big snow (most of the time), Little hills

There is no doubt that Japan is blessed with snow that is as abundant and reliable as just about anywhere in the world. However, fresh powder is never a given and we waited 12 days for the powder taps to turn back on (but when they did, they stayed firmly on for a week). Snow stats are always unreliable, but Google’s AI reckons Niseko saw 20-25 days of snowfall in December, January and February this winter – a total of 6-7 metres and about the same as Revelstoke, probably Canada’s snowiest resort.

Statistics on resort size are notoriously hard to compare and unreliable, but we’ve tried anyway and the results give you the idea. What is less debatable than acres or metres is the number of ski lifts. Niseko United (the whole Niseko ski area and Japan’s largest by far) has 14 gondolas and express chairlifts compared to 92 in France’s Three Valleys and 22 in Whistler Blackcomb. However, in Japan one ski lift typically serves one run while in the Alps or North America a single lift might serve three or more runs.

Niseko in numbers - how does it compare with some of the world's premier resorts?

Data was collected from multiple sources and is approximate, intended to be illustrative and may not be directly comparable. * Non-metric units as acreage is most commonly used by US ski resorts.

What is clear is that Niseko may well be the snowiest major resort in the world, but the mountain itself is relatively diminutive. By acreage or length of runs, it would be around #40 in North America and well outside Europe’s top 100.

Niseko is just one of many resorts in Japan and, in many respects, is the least representative of the country, being a major tourist destination. However, its location and relative size make it an obvious base or start point. For a strong skier, three days is probably plenty in Niseko unless you get lucky with heavy and consistent snow to freshen things up every day.

“Pitch & Putt” skiing

We think the real charm of Japan lies in travelling around and exploring the smaller hills, driving around, taking antiquated lifts and ski touring to find fresh powder. Some of our best days were in the smallest resorts where we found powder stashes tucked away off the back.

Whether using lifts or ski-touring, the pitches are invariably short (especially on Hokkaido where the difference between top lift and base is less than 1000m – about half of most major Alpine resorts) and often begin and end with a heavily skied traverse with some nice turns in between. Doing short powder laps is to skiing what pitch & putt is to 18-hole golf, but it’s great fun and gives you frequent breaks to catch your breath.

While Hakuba and some of the volcanoes on Hokkaido offer some steep pitches, most of the skiing in Japan is pretty mellow so big skis and snowboards are a must for maintaining speed in deep snow. The ubiquitous birch forests offer enough space and visibility to make it great fun to bounce through deep snow until you encounter adventure skiing through thicker forest towards the base. Exploring to find the best exposure is worthwhile – mountains that stand in isolation can offer all kinds of conditions in close proximity within their 360 degrees – from heavenly powder to wind-scoured and sun affected.

Groomers, Gates and Guiding

Getting off groomed runs is why almost everyone goes to Japan. It works more like North American resorts than European ones in that the “off-piste” terrain is controlled via gates which are opened by ski patrol once the terrain has been secured – ducking under ropes can lead to your lift pass being confiscated (which isn't to say that it doesn't happen). Queuing before the lifts open (and again at the mid-station) is the norm and the “powder zones” can swiftly turn into mogul fields. Guiding is of variable quality and finding a guide with the language skills, local knowledge and expertise can be a challenge. That said, a good guide is invaluable when it comes to finding fresh tracks and the runs with enough pitch to maintain speed in deep snow.

Crowd mitigation

Japan’s prolific powder might be skiing’s worst-kept secret and the lift-queues are fast becoming as infamous as the face-shots. Low elevations mean a short, incredibly intense season and because many of the mountains are conical, unlike the “bowls” found in bigger mountain ranges in North America and Europe, going up the mountain tends to concentrate the crowds on a narrow peak rather than dispersing them.

If you are can throw money at the problem, booking first tracks programmes or cat-skiing significantly increases your chances of finding fresh tracks. Just don’t expect to do this the night before a powder day – you’ll have to book well in advance and take your chances on conditions. Alternatively, you can earn your powder turns by ski-touring and split-boarding, often assisted by pizza-box chairlifts, in which case, just 20 minutes’ effort can make all the difference. Good guiding is the key to success here - knowing where will give you the greatest return on uphill investment.

Hotels, Restaurants & Resorts

Japan’s ski industry is enjoying a renaissance after the bust that followed the boom of the 1980s (which left some surprisingly ugly developments and dilapidated lift systems). Older hotels can be cramped and dated, but the pace of development in Niseko is high and newer ones can be sleek and stylish. Outside Niseko, the options generally range from uninspiring to uncomfortable.

The food has always been good and continues to be superb (provided you like fish and are an adventurous eater). The renaissance has yet to arrive on the administrative side and, with the exception of a handful of areas, Japan isn’t as technologically advanced as you might imagine – expect quirky booking procedures, paper filing systems, faxes and cash payments.

Top Tips for success in planning a ski trip to Japan

1. Get a guide. Without good local knowledge, you’re likely to be following the crowd and have little chance of finding fresh tracks.
2. Be prepared for early starts. With multiple resorts to explore and lifts opening at 8.30, if you’re going for fresh powder, you’ll be wanting to set the alarm well before 7am.
3. Travel around. Both Hokkaido and Honshu have a wealth of smaller resorts and the most obscure ones can be the highlights. What’s more, localised weather systems and wind can mean snow conditions vary greatly within a small area. Make the effort to escape Niseko and reap the rewards.
4. Pack your big skis or snowboard. The combination of largely mellow terrain and deep snow means you’ll want some width and length to float. Also, rental kit is surprisingly dated so we suggest taking your own fat skis or fish snowboard.
5. Forget about heliskiing and book cat skiing. While it does exist, heliskiing in Japan is limited to a single mountain and the same weather that delivers copious snow makes flying sporadic – so the chances of success are slim. Cat skiing is a far better option – the scale and geology are far better suited to cats and blizzards don’t stop play. There are a number of cat-skiing operations offering single and multi-day programmes. Booking in advance is essential.
6. Be prepared to earn your turns. Whether you go full backcountry or lift-assisted, ski-touring or split-boarding to get away from the lift systems is essential in our opinion.
7. Go for the culture – a ski pilgrimage to Japan is as much about the destination as the snow. Learn some basic Japanese, savour the food (both the weird and the wonderful) and embrace the softly spoken, respectful nature of the people.

In Conclusion

Relatively consistent, heavy snow, cheap lift tickets (by comparison with eyewatering prices in the US and Canada) and good value eating out have given Japan a reputation as a wallet-friendly, deep-powder, interesting ski destination. In many respects it is, but the reality is more nuanced.

The (white) gold rush has resulted in crowds from all over the world (not just in Niseko) putting pressure on (often antiquated and poorly designed) lift systems and driving big increases in prices (accommodation in particular). Contrary to popular belief (and Instagram) it doesn’t snow all day every day, so like any resort skiing, you still need a good degree of luck to get deep, cold snow.

For intermediate skiers and snowboarders with limited experience of skiing powder, Japan has a lot to offer. It’s a great place to learn to ski “off piste” or “backcountry” and there is a high chance that you’ll be able to ski laps of fresh (but not necessarily untracked) snow. Short descents, mellow pitches and controlled access mean that lack of skill, experience or fitness need not be barriers to entry.

For strong skiers looking for deep, untracked snow, as long as the weather cooperates, it is out there, but you’ll be competing with an international field of thousands of powder-hungry skiers and snowboarders, so be prepared to earn your turns (by getting up early, travelling around and skiing uphill) or pay to play (with guiding, first tracks programmes and cat-skiing).

For any passionate skier or snowboarder, as long as you are realistic about the competition to find fresh snow and aren’t expecting long runs, steep terrain or blue sky, Japan is a fantastic pilgrimage and a fascinating destination. If you want long runs and untracked snow, heli-skiing (elsewhere) might be a better solution and not much more expensive.