Now that we are getting into the second week of December, we should have gotten the news of enough snowfall in the Japanese mountains. But the start of the season seems to be delaying year by year. As far as I remember, I used to go skiing as soon as we heard the news in December.
There is one thing which has changed dramatically during 30 to 40 years regarding skiing in Japan, the appearance of overseas skiers has changed the market dramatically and nobody will deny that skiing in Japan became one of the strongest motivations for winter travel in Japan. This week I will write about how you can make planning your skiing trip if you are coming to Japan in winter.
Niseko in Hokkaido is a relevant example of the recent change. Ski resorts in Japan are increasingly attracting skiers around the world. In Japan, the unprecedented ski boom of the early 1980s ushered in an era of skiing for everyone. In addition to the dramatic improvement in access to ski resorts by bullet trains and highways, the fashionable nature of skiing amongst young people was a key factor in this boom, and the image of skiing as a fashionable sport took hold, leading to an explosion in popularity. Ski resorts in Japan are popular among Europeans, North Americans、Australians and New Zealanders. The reasons are as follows:
Powder snow
Ski resorts in Japan offer high-quality powder snow at less than 2,000-meter elevations. On the other hand, you have to go much higher in Europe, and you also run the risk of high-altitude sickness. The temperature in Japan isn’t as low as at skiing resorts in Europe or North America.
Easy access from Tokyo
You only have to travel a couple of hours maximum to reach resorts from major cities in Japan. You get Niseko early afternoon by air and bus if you leave Tokyo early in the morning. You will be able to start skiing from the beginning of the day if you leave Tokyo at five in the morning by car. It all depends on the traffic, but theoretically, it is very much possible to have a one-day skiing trip at weekends. This is what I used to do. You can ski in some of the areas even after dark if you wish. Lots of skiing resorts offer nightery services.
Cost
The cost of a ski lift is relatively cheaper for visitors from Europe and the North America. For those who are coming from Australia New Zealand, the travelling cost is much lower than going to Europe. The biggest advantage for tourists coming from the southern hemisphere is that the Japanese season is the opposite of the southern hemisphere. They can enjoy powder snow in their mid-summer. Also, the current weak Japanese Yen is an additional advantage.
For those who are coming to Japan for the first time, it may not be so easy to make your plan. I hope the following information will help you to construct your itinerary.
Location
Roughly you have two choices, Hokkaido or Nagano. Your efforts flying to Hokkaido will be paid off by beautiful powder snow and hot spring. In Hokkaido, Niseko is the most favoured by foreign tourists.
Property price has been going up rapidly because of their popularity. Niseko’s distinguishing and successful points are they target wealthy foreigners. For instance, most signs and advertisements are in English. This town doesn’t make you feel like staying in Japan. For those who would like to experience Japanese culture, Niseko may not be the right place.
Nagano has much easier access from Tokyo when we compare it with Hokkaido. It takes less than an hour and a half by Shinkansen. It is your choice which ski resort you enjoy. Hakuba, Nozawa and Shiga-Kogen are major ski resorts in Nagano, and all of these places are accessible more or less than one hour from Nagano.
Accommodation
The type of accommodation relies pretty much on where you choose. For a resort hotel type, you can go to Niseko(Hokkaido) and Naeba(Niigata). If you prefer traditional Japanese onsen type of accommodations Nozawa Onsen(Nagano) may be the best choice. Choose a big ski resort first, you’ll find it easy to decide the type of accommodation. If you visit in the middle of winter (January to mid-March), I strongly recommend Nozawa because Nozawa always has enough snow and has easy access from Tokyo. A heart-to-heart experience with the locals is expected. Your ski experiences will be also guaranteed by the long distance of the courses.
Lift Pass & hiring gears
The cost of the lift pass and rental gear will be one of the headaches even though the price is relatively cheaper than in Europe and North America. One-day pass costs vary from 4,000 to 6,000 Yen. One-day pass tends to be more expensive in bigger skiing fields.
For those who are staying a long period in Japan, “Earth Hopper” can be a choice to save lots of money for the ski lift. Choose a ticket from three different categories and the ticket will enable you to buy one-day pass tickets for free up to a certain number of times. For instance, if you choose Earth Hopper Standard, you can buy a one-day pass up to 16 times. It all depends on how many days you ski. There are some conditions when you buy this ticket. You have to provide your identification data(Passport), and you must have a smartphone connected to a local line. Every time you buy a day pass, you must present it on your smartphone. You can’t share this ticket with your friend. Please check the details before you buy.
One day ski bus tour organized by the agent may be your choice if you are visiting Japan for sightseeing purposes and you want to ski for one day. You can’t go far, but you can choose a skiing field near Tokyo with around 10,000 Yen. One-day lift pass and ski equipment rental are generally included.
I’m afraid you may need some research and preparation if you try to make your ski experience cheaper and more memorable. One thing sure once you get on your track is the powder snow and the Japanese cultural experience will make it unforgettable.
One Stop
The cover photo is Manza Onsen in Gunma. It is adjacent to the Shiga Kogen in Nagano. This resort is located at 1,800 meters altitude. It is not as large as ski resorts I mentioned, but Manza Onsen offer beautiful powder snow and superb hot spring. This is one of my favourite! Please see the above.