There's More to Japan Than Powder!

Japan is like no other country in our programme and having skied at over 150 resorts worldwide I no longer want to ski anywhere else! There is something truly magical about skiing there, whether it’s the dramatic volcanic landscapes, the impeccable snow or the ultra-polite locals.

I always saw it as a destination for hardcore powder skiers and snowboarders but it’s so much more than that, both on and off the slopes.

From the quality of the snow and terrain to the uniqueness of the food and culture, keep reading to find out how Niseko compared to my last visit and how Jack, Scarlett and Toni found it compared to other resorts they’ve skied around the world.

Take a look at our Japan ski offers for an idea of prices, or for personal advice and a tailor-made quote, enquire online or call us on 01273 224060.

Now I know I just said that Japan is not all about the powder, but you can’t escape the fact that it’s the best in the world.

I'd been to Niseko before so I knew how good it could be and hoped that it would showcase itself to our team despite the fact that we were visiting early in the season.

It did not disappoint. After just five days of snowfall in November, December saw snow on all but four days.

We awoke on our first morning to blue skies after a night of snow and I was able to ride fresh lines most of the day just off the side of the perfectly groomed pistes.

Days two and three posed some visibility challenges due to almost constant snow, but as most of the terrain is below the tree line, it's still easy to see where you are going. In addition, most of the powder “experts” head for the off-piste/backcountry, so the resort itself stays really quiet.

Day three was the deepest - around a foot of fresh snow fell overnight on top of deep snow from the previous two days.

Wherever you’re staying, on a powder day my advice is to head over to Hanazono on the bus to catch the first lift. Hanazono has high-speed heated lifts and a gondola, so we spent less time making our way up and more time shredding down.

Jack - "As a first-timer to Japan, I had a preconceived idea of what the powder would be like. Just 9 days before we were due to fly I was glued to the Niseko webcam, praying for the snow to arrive. Upon arrival at The Green Leaf in Niseko Village, I was astonished by the early-season snow. It was deep, light and brought a huge smile to my face. I have never skied anything like it."

Scarlett - "On the first day of skiing we were blessed with a bluebird day. The snow was soft, deep and there was not a bit of ice in sight - perfect skiing conditions for anyone from a beginner all the way up to advanced. I had the best day of skiing in my life after the snow had really fallen on our third day. Everywhere you went there was untouched snow, even by the end of the day you could still nip off the side of the marked runs into the wide-open trees and find fresh powder."

Deep powder aside, the terrain in Niseko caters to all abilities and is surprisingly beginner-friendly. As well as the powder-hunters who visit every year, a lot of skiers and snowboarders from Japan and its surrounding countries come here to learn. The gradient is fairly mellow, with green runs from most lifts, and the snow is super soft which makes skiing and learning on piste a lot easier than on icy slopes (more fall-friendly too).

That said, my favourite thing about the terrain in Japan is the tree skiing. Having spent most of my life snowboarding in North America, I really appreciate amazing tree skiing where lots of powder can still be found days after a storm.

Niseko and Japan have some of the best in the world, not only due to the snow, but perhaps more importantly because the branches of the trees are above head height so you can see all the way down the tree run. This allows you to open up the throttle and select 'hero status' when making powder turns in the deep Japanese powder.

Jack - "A misconception about Japanese skiing is that you have to be an expert “powder hound and backcountry enthusiast” to enjoy it. It's just not true. There are loads of groomed pistes to enjoy, and plenty of powder by the pistes if you're looking to push yourself. Niseko is made up of 4 main areas: Annupuri is more geared towards skiers that are looking to build up confidence, Niseko Village and Grand Hirafu have most of the groomed runs with an extensive variety of terrain to enjoy and develop your skiing, while Hanazono tends to be quieter."

Scarlett - "If you’re an intermediate/advanced skier who’s looking to get into more off-piste or tree skiing in powder, Niseko is the perfect place to learn. Most of the slopes are at a gentle enough incline that the prospect of going off the piste is less intimidating, and many of the tree areas are wide open and without narrow turns. Backcountry areas are accessed via the main mountain system and you can hire local guides to take you to the best areas.

"In all four areas of the resort, you can get from (almost) the top of the mountain right to the bottom via a green run. Lots of the runs meet up regularly, so if you are in a group of mixed abilities you can ski runs that suit your ability and meet up just a little way further down the mountain - this way you can ski together without anyone skiing where they don’t want to."

Toni - "Having only ever skied Italy and mainly sticking to beginner slopes, being greeted with a bluebird day was the perfect introduction to skiing after five years. My lesson with Go Snow was incredibly helpful as we went over a few areas I had been struggling with. After this, I felt so much more confident and tackled Annupuri on our final day, which really is the perfect spot for beginners and intermediates. Being able to ski completely different runs and still end up at the base together was perfect for a group with very different abilities like us."

On my previous trip to Niseko I stayed in Hirafu Village, the largest base area where most of the bars and restaurants are. This time around I had to check out The Green Leaf in Niseko Village, as that's where most of our customers stay.

Well, The Green Leaf is now my favourite hotel in Niseko! It has everything you need on-site - ski storage, ski rentals, a small shop selling snacks, gifts and cool beanies and t-shirts and a private shuttle service that will ferry you from the hotel to the main Niseko Village area and onto Hirafu. The bar adjacent to check-in is the perfect place to après. Happy hour is from 3 til 5, the bar is open until 10 or 11 at night, and if you want to drink for longer you can make good use of the vending machines - something you will see a lot of in Japan. The rooms are comfortable and feature twin or king beds. All this and it's ski-in ski-out!

It's a smaller base area, but that means more convenience, more tranquillity and fewer lift queues.

When talking about The Green Leaf, you cannot omit its best feature. The onsen (or to use its proper name as it's outside, the 'rotenburo') sits atop a natural spring and there is no better way to relax after a day on the slopes. As is traditional in Japan there are male and female onsen and they're open 24 hours. So if like Jack and I you struggle to sleep on your first night, then why not take a dip at 4am and enjoy your own private onsen?

Jack - "The Green Leaf hotel is an absolute gem of a property. For its price point, it is the best value ski-in ski-out accommodation in Niseko. You can expect a warm welcome, easy ski access, friendly and attentive staff, and exceptional breakfasts catering for both western and Asian tastes. Don’t even get me started on the wonderful all-you-can-eat hot pot available in the evening. If you’re lucky enough to visit Japan and stay at The Green Leaf, make sure you order one!"

Toni - "The Green Leaf is in a fantastic location and the staff are all so friendly and helpful. The bar area makes up for the lack of après on the mountain (compared to what I've experienced in Europe) with some great deals and even better atmosphere. Whilst quiet while we were there, we were assured it is the place to be in the afternoons later in the season. There are fantastic options with the breakfast buffet, you can be as adventurous or safe as you like. The onsen was a perfect way to end a long day’s skiing or even after dinner and before breakfast.

"The on-site rental store worked incredibly smoothly. After popping a few details into an iPad, I was having my boots fitted within minutes. Each room also has a locker to store equipment."

As Jack has mentioned above, Goshiki in The Green leaf offers a stunning Hot pot evening meal. Think of it like a Japanese fondue but with two types of delicious broth in which you cook chicken, pork, beef and fish and a range of veggies.

In Niseko Hirafu, there are dozens of places to eat and a huge variety of cuisine on offer. On mountain, it's amazing value for money, whether you order Western staples of burgers and pizza or Asian delights including steaming ramen bowls and Katsu curry. You can even get hot meals straight from a vending machine!

Jack - "For me, a big reason for visiting Japan was to sample the local culinary delights. I loved the fresh seafood at Yang Shu Ten in Niseko Village and would highly recommend booking a table in advance to avoid disappointment. As well as the fresh sushi, we also ate tempura vegetables, ramen and, to wash down this feast, we drank burnt rice tea (a new one for me!) which was absolutely delicious and perfectly complemented the fresh ingredients that we were served.

"On mountain, the prices were excellent - a beef stew with Japanese omelette was around £11 and very substantial, while a very simple Japanese fried chicken with rice and pickled vegetables was around £8."

Toni - "The hot pot at Goshiki was our first taste of what the week had in store and from then on it did not disappoint. I think we can all say we managed to try something new whilst here. For someone who does not eat seafood, I was worried I would not find anything I would really enjoy, but can honestly say each meal just got better and better."

After a quick domestic hop from Hokkaido to the mainland, we had an afternoon and an evening to explore Japan's capital city.

Despite Tokyo being one of the largest cities in the world, it's still very easy to find green spaces with plenty of parks and gardens around to enjoy. Many of my customers who are doing a Tokyo city stop will know that I recommend staying in Shinjuku as it's probably the best place to tick off many of the Tokyo landmarks in a short space of time. Meiji Jingu Shrine, Golden Gai and the Metropolitan Government Building with its amazing panoramic views, are all easily reachable on foot or via the metro.

Scarlett - "After navigating ourselves around the Tokyo metro system, we reached Harajuku station and made our way to Takeshita Street. This street has all kinds of stores from creperies to fancy dress shops - it's the perfect place to buy souvenirs. From here we walked to the Meiji Jingu Shrine which is in a beautiful park in the centre of Tokyo - a strange juxtaposition to the bustling city surrounding it. We also visited Shibuya crossing, which is visited by thousands of people at a time."

Jack - "Tokyo for me was a city that came to life at night. Everywhere the pace quickened and there was so much to take in, including in the restaurants. I’d recommend going to a Yakitori restaurant if you want a real show. Although we were only in Tokyo for 12 hours or so it was easy to get a flavour of the city and we took in some of the popular attractions like Shibuya Crossing, Meiji Jingu Shrine and my favourite, the tiny bars of Golden Gai ('Golden Block' in Japanese).

"There are 100s of small personal bars to choose from (lots are free to get in but some do require a service charge to enter approx. £3/4 pp). A top tip would be to make sure you have cash to pay with as many do not accept cards. Drinks start from around 800 yen (approx. £5 at time of writing)."

Toni - "It really is larger than life in Tokyo and it's somewhere I truly believe everyone should visit at least once. The Golden Gai streets were a personal highlight, and with a bit of help from google translate we had a lovely time laughing and drinking with the locals. If you can, try to pre-book for your dinner reservation as it can be really difficult to get in somewhere at peak time.

It was after our first staff research trip 15 years ago that we started selling ski holidays to Japan. We were so taken by the powder, the resorts and the culture that we decided to bring the experience to our customers.

The skiing is just as exciting as in Europe or North America (if not more so!), and with a fascinating culture that is totally different to the UK, Japan offers an additional element of exploration to your winter adventure. We'd highly recommend that you consider Japan for your next ski holiday. It caters to beginners, intermediates and the advanced and is sure to leave lasting memories.

If you're looking for a Japan ski experience that's a little different, read my trip report from March 2023 when I embarked on a Nagano Ski Safari to Nozawa Onsen and Hakuba.

To learn more about Niseko, Tokyo or any of our Japan resorts, or for a tailor-made quotation, enquire online or call our team on 01273 224060. We're now on sale for 2023/24 in select hotels including The Green Leaf, take a look at our Japan Ski Offers for an idea of prices.

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