Japan’s winter snow has its own name – they call it “Japow!" Photo / Mike Kilcoyne; Unsplash
Japan’s winter snow has its own name – they call it “Japow!" Photo / Mike Kilcoyne; Unsplash
If you’re not quite ready to give up the ski slopes in NZ, Julian Ryall has a suggestion - head to Japan.
Just like champagne, there is an audible fizz as my skis carve through the frothy white snow.
The powder here, on the slopes overlooking the town of Niseko, is regarded by winter sports gourmets as some of the best in the world. It is, indeed, so perfect that Japan’s winter wonder even has its own name – they call it “Japow!”
The powder in Niseko is considered some of the best in the world. Photo / Eric Ward; Unsplash
And the beauty of Niseko, in the heart of Hokkaido, Japan’s most northerly main island, is that just as New Zealand’s ski season is coming to an end, the fun is just getting underway here.
Less than 100km west of Sapporo, the largest city in a prefecture that is the most untamed in Japan, Niseko was little more than a hamlet with little in the way of winter sports infrastructure as recently as 30 years ago. Legend has it that the potential of the town’s slopes was first spotted by Australian ski bums looking for new challenges.
Legend states that Niseko's slopes were first spotted by Australian ski bums looking for new challenges. Photo / Oliver Dickerson; Unsplash
Today, it has four main resorts on the flanks of 1308m Mount Niseko Annupuri – Hanazono, Hirafu, Niseko Village and Annupuri, known collectively as Niseko United – with more than 47km of groomed slopes and superb back-country access. That has made Niseko – the name in the local Ainu dialect means “a cliff jutting out over a riverbank deep in the mountains” – perfect for winter sports beginners, families and the far more adventurous.
Siberian weather systems grace Niseko with a whopping 15m of snow each season. Photo / 123rf
Niseko can thank its geographical location for the prodigious amounts of snow that it receives every winter. This part of Hokkaido benefits from sub-Arctic weather fronts that originate in Siberia, virtually guaranteeing consistently good falls of light, powdery snow and guaranteeing an extended season. The slopes are typically open from late November until early May and it is not uncommon for Niseko to receive more than 15m of snowfall over the course of a season.
Niseko often receives more than 15m of snowfall over the course of a season. Photo / Kristian Klausen; Unsplash
The Niseko United resorts can be skied on a single lift pass, with Annupuri on the western edge of the area and well-known for a mixture of terrain, including four gates for backcountry access. It is strongly recommended that anyone exploring off-piste for the first time in Niseko travel with a local guide.
Niseko Village has the most family-friendly feeling and can also offer snowmobiling, snow rafting, snowshoe expeditions and reindeer sled rides in addition to the downhill opportunities.
Hanazono is on the far east of Niseko United and can also serve up snowmobiling, cat skiing and snow tubing, on top of its reputation for both forest routes and long, groomed ski and snowboard runs.
Hirafu's laid out in an upper and lower district, chock-full of cafes and boutiques. Photo / 123rf
The Hirafu district of the town sprawls down the slopes from where the ski lifts begin to turn. It is effectively divided into upper and lower halves of the town, bisected by the main road that skirts the base of the peak. Being a relatively new community, the upper area effectively follows a grid pattern that is easier to navigate than most Japanese towns.
Cafes, coffee shops and brand-name ski boutiques line the main roads, with a number of high-end restaurants to choose from of an evening.
The apres-ski scene in the town is also returning to the intensity for which it was famous before the pandemic, Wild Bill’s can generally be expected to live up to its reputation, while the Tamashii Bar is inevitably going to be lively. For youthful visitors, the mantra appears to be ski all day and party all night.
Niseko United boasts four top-drawer resorts and a nifty 47km of groomed slopes. Photo / 123rf
In the same way that the town has been transformed by the arrival of snow fanatics, the hostels that put up Niseko’s ski pioneers have largely been replaced. A stroll through the lower town will reveal some stunning – and clearly very expensive – chalets that are the retreats of people who take their winter sports very seriously, while four-star hotels pop up with remarkable regularity. The 190-room Setsu Niseko opened in December 2022, not long after the Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono, which is conveniently ski-in/ski-out on the northeast side of the mountain.
And while all the new additions to Niseko’s accommodation options are undoubtedly luxurious, it is still hard to beat Haku Villas.
Just metres from one of the mountain’s ski lifts, Haku Villas has just four full-floor villas with accommodation for up to 19 guests, as well as a stunning penthouse that meets every need of 16 people in cosy luxury. Each property has a sauna and a concierge is on hand 24 hours a day.
Each floor has a private outdoor onsen on the spacious deck that overlooks Mount Yotei, often described as the Mount Fuji of Hokkaido. It has the same elegant outline and, with a sheen of snow, it is dazzling when it catches the sun.
How to get there
Air New Zealand flies direct from both Auckland and Christchurch to Tokyo’s Narita Airport. All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines operate daily flights to Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport, along with low-cost carrier Peach Aviation. From New Chitose Airport, pick up a hire car - be sure to reserve an English-language navigation system and snow tyres in advance - and drive the 107km to Niseko, a journey that should take around two hours.
Alternatively, break your trip up in Tokyo and take a “shinkansen” bullet train from central Tokyo all the way to Sapporo and collect a rental vehicle from one of several operators with offices close to the station. Niseko is just over 90km to the west.
Alternative ski resorts
Zao Onsen
The largest winter sports resort in Tohoku, Zao Onsen is also famous for its “snow monsters”, the pine trees on the upper slopes that accumulate snow and take on the form of terrifying creatures.
With 57 runs spread across Yamagata Prefecture’s stunning 1661m Mount Jizo, Zao has something for all abilities and some excellent “onsen” hot springs to soothe post-ski aching muscles.
Naeba
One of the most popular resorts in Japan, thanks to its proximity to Tokyo and rail links that make it a day trip from the capital, Naeba takes advantage of 1789m Mount Takenoko in Niigata Prefecture.
The resort has 21 trails, including a 4000m course, and has staged a number of international winter sports competitions.
In Ainu lingo, Niseko means a "cliff by a riverbank in the mountains". Photo / 123rf
Hakuba
Hakuba is another resort with a reputation for serving up top-class powder snow. In the mountains of northwest Nagano Prefecture, the resort operates no fewer than 200 ski runs across 137km of piste at 10 resorts the length of the valley.
