Question: Skiing in Japan

[Mudgirl630]

Hi all.

I have been thinking about getting the small group ski trips together in/to Japan.

Just as an idea, who might be interested in such ideas? This is just a survey, nothing else.
I just wanted to see how popular this idea might be in this forum. I meet SO MANY people who are interested in skiing in Japan, but not sure how.

Just wanted to see if I can get your opinions here.

Truly appreciate it. Thank you.

 

[santacruz skier]

It's been on my radar......... I'd like to hear more. Skied a couple of days with @alison wong and she told me all about her trip to Japan. Think she may have posted a trip report.

Also interested in South America.

 

[Mudgirl630]

It's been on my radar......... I'd like to hear more. Skied a couple of days with @alison wong and she told me all about her trip to Japan. Think she may have posted a trip report.

Also interested in South America.

Thanks!
If I get enough positive responses, I would definitely have something started.
I know many people are interested in general, but to get to Niseko could be a bit tricky because of the launguage challenges in any rural areas in between Tokyo and Niseko.

 

[Chuyi]

Niseko is easy. It's full of Aussies. There are direct buses from Chitose (CTS) airports.
The hotels are fully booked by August. Make sure u get travel insurance that covers skiing cuz patrol will send u a bill if rescue off piste. IMHO skiing in Niseko not so great. The top is always closed due to poor viz. Even touring in Niseko gets crowded. The food is not authentic cuz too many Gaijin (gringos).
Avoid the week of Chinese new year. Sapporo snow festival is great but the island gets crowded.
I like Rusutsu better for an all inclusive experience including onsen+ lots of tree skiing. Furano is cheaper, the snow is colder but less snow with more options 4 touring.
SkiJapan.com will help you plan/reserve. Tomamu is a fun resort has a club Med hotel and also hoshino hotels.
Japanese hotel prices are per person. If you can drive on the left in snow going around to small resorts is also fun.

 

[Mudgirl630]

Niseko is easy. It's full of Aussies. There are direct buses from Chitose (CTS) airports.
The hotels are fully booked by August. Make sure u get travel insurance that covers skiing cuz patrol will send u a bill if rescue off piste. IMHO skiing in Niseko not so great. The top is always closed due to poor viz. Even touring in Niseko gets crowded. The food is not authentic cuz too many Gaijin (gringos).
Avoid the week of Chinese new year. Sapporo snow festival is great but the island gets crowded.
I like Rusutsu better for an all inclusive experience including onsen+ lots of tree skiing. Furano is cheaper, the snow is colder but less snow with more options 4 touring.
SkiJapan.com will help you plan/reserve. Tomamu is a fun resort has a club Med hotel and also hoshino hotels.
Japanese hotel prices are per person. If you can drive on the left in snow going around to small resorts is also fun.

I know Noseko is more than 40% Aussies. Well, at least it was before the pandemic.
I am Japanese. I grew up in Japan.
Learned the basic in skiing in Nagano when I was a kid.
But I have not skied there since then.
I personally think Hakuba is much nicer.
As far as I know, Niseko gets a lot of power, but not steep. Because Niseko area is full of foreigners, to experience Japan, one needs to go elsewhere also.
How many times have you skied in Japan?
Thanks so much for your input!

 

[Chuyi]

Hokkaido used to be my yearly ski trip from 2014-2020. I moved to Utah to ski more.

 

[Mudgirl630]

Hokkaido used to be my yearly ski trip from 2014-2020. I moved to Utah to ski more.

I see. Thanks

 

[ilovepugs]

I’m interested!!!!!!!! Would have to be 2024 but it was already something we have as a potential trip on our schedule.

 

[Mudgirl630]

People asked me about skiing in Japan as soon as I mentioned that I am Japanese.

If and when I move a head with it, I will let you know. Thanks

 

[Eera]

Question back - what would you do to make yourself stand out from all the other operators who do ski trips to Japan? I don't know whether it's because I'm in Australia and we are one of the major markets, but I regularly get bombarded with adverts for agencies who'll do private, family and group ski vacations.

Skiing vacations in Japan are not difficult to do in the slightest, but, what I would be interested in is some form of additional tour where you get to see the regional and remote areas of Japan - because let's face it, the majority of resorts are pretty international in their operation.

Japan is going to be a destination vacation for the majority, so value adding for me would be to actually see Japan outside of the Tokyo / Osaka / Kyoto easy-to-do routes and go around the countryside and harder to access places where there is a language barrier and some local knowledge about hidden gems would really make a massive difference.

 

[Mudgirl630]

Hi.

Indeed, going to Niseko is nothing knew for example.
There are many other ski areas in Japan. Just that Niseko happened to be well known.
If one would like to experience Japan in general, needs to hit the rural areas.
One would have a major language difficulty in rural areas of Japan for sure and would be hard to get to because you need to take local transportations. And one would not get away just speaking English in Japanese style hotels, Ryokan, in rural areas.
For now, I am just testing the water.
If it seems I cannot make it worth while doing it, not gonna even try.

Thanks for your questions and inputs.