Skiing in Japan
Japan is becoming an increasingly popular destination for international skiers, especially the Australian market who benefit from short flights and less jetlag than travelling to North America. However, with an increasing number of direct flights and a similar travel time to resorts on the west coast of America, British skiers are taking more ski holidays to Japan than ever before.
So why visit Japan? If you ask the reservations team they will say one of the number of things - some visit for the famous crispy-dry powder, some to experience the unique night skiing whilst others it is for a totally different culture, sushi on the slopes or a post ski dip in an onsen. There are many reasons to visit Japan for a ski holiday!
The Skiing/Snowboarding
Most people who visit Japan are there to experience the famous powder, however it's not just for powder hounds. Furano has some of the best groomed runs we have ever seen, rivalling the attention to detail of resorts such as Beaver Creek and Vail. Even after several feet of fresh powder they will get the piste bashers out en mass, preparing the slopes for the day ahead.
Japan is also famed for its tree skiing, with large amounts of snow acculumatling between the wide spaced trees - it'd be the perfect introduction to tree skiing if you've never tried it before.
Off-piste skiing in Japan
There is a large degree of confusion about off piste skiing in Japan and this isn't helped by resorts having different policies.
In Furano there is a strict no off-piste skiing rule, and this strongly enforced with anyone not complying risking having their lift pass taken away. If you do want to explore the Furano back country, you can hire a guide. If you woud like further information on this, please just ask our reservations team.
However, in Niseko and Rusutsu it is much like skiing in North America, with skiing allowed pretty much anywhere within the boundary of the ski area. There are a few exceptions, however this is mainly for safety due to steep cliffs.
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