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Skiing in Japan - advice, tips

FayGoneAstray

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hi
Has anyone skied in Japan? Considering a possible trip over Xmas to see friends living in Tokyo - and if we go wondering if we tack on some skiiing in early January. Family of 4. We would be on Epic pass. Does anyone know of any reputable companies that organize guided ski groups in Japan (Epic resort) which I guess is Habuka. This could just be meet to ski (day tour) or something more packaged and organized from Tokyo to a resort for a few days.


We are of various abilities but husband and 12 year old (advanced skiers - they do double Whistler blacks for example) would likely want to do off piste, steeps and get the most out of such a trip and I'd want them with an experienced English speaking guide (safe, reputable, experienced guides -doesn't need to be private they could join a small group of other English speakers for example).

I (cautious, slow, low intermediate, nervous disposition) probably would want a lesson on skiing powder and maybe join a english speaking guide around the mountain (do they have free mountain guides?). My youngest would be 9 and is a higher intermediate (was starting Whistler blacks this past season with her ski group) - she's faster than me I guess we'd ski together but she's out skiing me).

We ski Whistler in terms of terrain and conditions we are used to. Do we need powder skis? How expensive is it? I don't know where to start to look into this to see if it is possible at all in terms of $$$ either this year if we do travel or else a trip to plan in future years.
 

scandium

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I've only been to Madarao, which will probably be too tame for your family unless they go backcountry - it is more of an intermediate area overall, and the tree skiing is through gladed areas. It does have the bonus of having official tree skiing though, and we had no problem finding a great Aussie instructor when we were there.
 

Mudgirl630

Angel Diva
Hi
Has anyone skied in Japan? Considering a possible trip over Xmas to see friends living in Tokyo - and if we go wondering if we tack on some skiiing in early January. Family of 4. We would be on Epic pass. Does anyone know of any reputable companies that organize guided ski groups in Japan (Epic resort) which I guess is Habuka. This could just be meet to ski (day tour) or something more packaged and organized from Tokyo to a resort for a few days.


We are of various abilities but husband and 12 year old (advanced skiers - they do double Whistler blacks for example) would likely want to do off piste, steeps and get the most out of such a trip and I'd want them with an experienced English speaking guide (safe, reputable, experienced guides -doesn't need to be private they could join a small group of other English speakers for example).

I (cautious, slow, low intermediate, nervous disposition) probably would want a lesson on skiing powder and maybe join a english speaking guide around the mountain (do they have free mountain guides?). My youngest would be 9 and is a higher intermediate (was starting Whistler blacks this past season with her ski group) - she's faster than me I guess we'd ski together but she's out skiing me).

We ski Whistler in terms of terrain and conditions we are used to. Do we need powder skis? How expensive is it? I don't know where to start to look into this to see if it is possible at all in terms of $$$ either this year if we do travel or else a trip to plan in future years.
I grew up in Japan. Learned the basics as a kid there. I was in Nagano.
As for Niseko, there are more than 40% Australians there, so no language gap. But to me, to experience true Japan, not great because of that. Then again, that was pre-pandemic.
Hakuba in Nagano is the most luxury ski area in Japan but not as well known as Niseko. You can find a lot more steep area.
Niseko is not steep in general, but they get the most powder. But there is another area, east of Niseko, that get even more powder. The name escaped me. The town is rural and small. Not well known. A bit more challenging to get to it.
We have MANY ski areas in Japan. Just not well know like these two areas.
 

elemmac

Angel Diva
I went to Japan in 2020 (right before Covid shut everything down), but visited Hokkaido and had very different objectives than what you describe. So, I’m not sure I could be much help for your trip, at least directly. However, I will attest to the wealth of knowledge that the website/forums @marzNC posted above can provide.

I created a two week itinerary for me, my husband and 5 of our friends…it was an amazing trip and I owe so much of that to the Australian ski forum linked. I highly recommend checking it out and asking questions.

If you happen to change course and visit the north island, I’d be more than happy to share some insight on the places I visited.
 

Mudgirl630

Angel Diva
Hi
Has anyone skied in Japan? Considering a possible trip over Xmas to see friends living in Tokyo - and if we go wondering if we tack on some skiiing in early January. Family of 4. We would be on Epic pass. Does anyone know of any reputable companies that organize guided ski groups in Japan (Epic resort) which I guess is Habuka. This could just be meet to ski (day tour) or something more packaged and organized from Tokyo to a resort for a few days.


We are of various abilities but husband and 12 year old (advanced skiers - they do double Whistler blacks for example) would likely want to do off piste, steeps and get the most out of such a trip and I'd want them with an experienced English speaking guide (safe, reputable, experienced guides -doesn't need to be private they could join a small group of other English speakers for example).

I (cautious, slow, low intermediate, nervous disposition) probably would want a lesson on skiing powder and maybe join a english speaking guide around the mountain (do they have free mountain guides?). My youngest would be 9 and is a higher intermediate (was starting Whistler blacks this past season with her ski group) - she's faster than me I guess we'd ski together but she's out skiing me).

We ski Whistler in terms of terrain and conditions we are used to. Do we need powder skis? How expensive is it? I don't know where to start to look into this to see if it is possible at all in terms of $$$ either this year if we do travel or else a trip to plan in future years.
I forgot to mention that I know someone who can be very helpful to get a trip to Japan together. She is going to have plan ski touring Japan. If you would like to get in touch with her, please let me know.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Here's an example of advice that experienced Aussies provide to a newbie working on plans for a ski trip to Japan in 2022-23. In this case, the travel group is two families with young kids.

 

FayGoneAstray

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
How is it skiing all that powder? I don't have much powder experience - the little I do it's west coast powder which is not that really true light fluffy stuff! How fat skis do you need??
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
How is it skiing all that powder? I don't have much powder experience - the little I do it's west coast powder which is not that really true light fluffy stuff! How fat skis do you need??
Just as in the Rockies, there are also groomers at mountains that get deep powder storms. Fair to say that people who have only skied in Australia have very little powder skiing experience. From what I've read, they still have a good time in Japan.

For what it's worth, my Alta ski instructor (over 20 years experience at Alta, plus 10+ years before that) doesn't want anyone taking a powder lesson with him to be on skis more than about 100 underfoot. That applied to me as a petite woman with some powder skiing experience 5-6 years ago, as well as my friend who is a man over 6 feet and had little powder skiing experience.
 

Chuyi

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Lift tickets in Japan are cheap $50-60/day. Make sure you get some sort of travel insurance that includes skiing if you ski off piste even in resort. The resort will send u a bill if they have to rescue you off piste.
I have only been to Hokkaido. I have skied quite a few resorts. I don't like Niseko (it's Aussie land). The resorts are linked on the top but the top is closed when it snows. So all the time. If you have to choose in Niseko Annapuri.
Rusutsu is my favorite ski in & out. Direct bus from chitose airport.
Furano also has a direct bus from CTS. Most hotels have a little shuttle that's takes u to resort if you want cheaper accommodations.
For your family club med may be best option as it includes everything. Tomamu is a nice resort.
Book in August otherwise there will be no availability.
 

rivarunnamomma

Certified Ski Diva
Can anyone recommend where to rent a winterized campervan (RV/motorhome) in Hokkaido? I assume most would be based at the Sapporo airport. We're heading to Hokkaido in January for 10 days on a guided tour of Central Hokkaido. They visit a different area each day, depending on the snow, mostly lift-assisted slack country but a couple of full days of backcountry touring to (active - gulp!) volcanos. After that, we're going to spend another two weeks on our own. (I will post a trip report when I get home.) Not sure yet if we're going to rent a car/stay in hotels or rent a campervan. We rented one a few years ago for a month on Honshu but the company doesn't allow vehicles to go to Hokkaido. Any suggestions are appreciated!
 

Chuyi

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
There is a volcano in daisetsuzan NP. There is a gondola that goes high up (long lines) then u hike up. The very top is super icy (my team opted out, very few people hiked that part) It's beautiful just hard to get a weather window to go up. Skiing down lines of fresh pow.
There r couple of volcanos around niseko. Mt Yotei is a tough hike +weather.
if u have never gotten training my advice to get avalanche/beacon training before u leave. Practice at ur local the beacon park. Then use their crash course as refresher. That way it becomes muscle memory.
 

elemmac

Angel Diva
Can anyone recommend where to rent a winterized campervan (RV/motorhome) in Hokkaido?
Take a look at the forum MarzNC posted in this thread:
I've learned a lot about planning ski trips to Japan from the Aussies.

I know I've read multiple trip reports on there from people that have rented campers and toured around, I'm sure a quick search will bring up multiple recommendations.
 

snoWYmonkey

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I brought my 106 underfoot skis and they were perfect for the powder I was hunting for and found each and every day. 11 resorts in 12 days both Hokkaido to the north and closer to Tokyo and Nagano.
Don't be afraid to use the airport luggage transfer services to get your gear to the ski area. It was a bit of pain lugging it on and off trains.
 

rivarunnamomma

Certified Ski Diva
Take a look at the forum MarzNC posted in this thread:

I know I've read multiple trip reports on there from people that have rented campers and toured around, I'm sure a quick search will bring up multiple recommendations.
Thanks @elemmac!
 

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