Within the middle of Hokkaido we discover the chance for bottomless powder and nostalgic chairlifts that ship newbie & knowledgeable skiers and snowboarders to a panorama of fluffy powder and lovely views.

Right here is an summary:

Earlier than you board the chairlift at one in all Asahikawa’s ski resorts, you can be shocked. Shocked by the for European and North American ridiculously low cost costs:

For instance, at Pippu Ski Space a Day Ticket prices lower than 20€ – and that features a go to to the Onsen subsequent to it!

A Household cross for one grownup and one baby incl. the Onsen go to prices precisely the identical, and a Season Go at Pippu prices a mere 275€ – for comparability, if you happen to go ski in Vail or Aspen a one Day Ticket on the Weekend will value practically that a lot. Evidently, going snowboarding in Japan may be very reasonably priced, if you happen to go for just a few days and even the entire season, you’ll not have to take out a mortgage the identical manner you might need to if you happen to go snowboarding in Switzerland, Austria or the USA. 

Arriving in Asahikawa

On a wet day final autumn I obtained an E-mail which invited me to go snowboarding within the Asahikawa space. I like snowboarding, I like Japan and being invited to go snowboarding within the house of deep powder within the prime season is certainly a dream come true. I didn’t lose a second to answer, and on a sunny day in late January I boarded my aircraft in Vaasa which might take me first to Helsinki, then onwards to Tokyo and Asahikawa.

In Asahikawa I caught the final Bus to the middle, from which it was 5 minute stroll to my Lodge.

Once I arrive in Japan my night routine is straightforward: Go eat Ramen, head to the Onsen after which off to mattress. 

Fortunately Ramen Santōka, the very best Ramen Restaurant in Asahikawa, was nonetheless open and was not out of soup (which occurs, as I needed to expertise later that week!) and so I sat down with a scrumptious bowl of Ramen and was in culinary heaven. After that I made use of the Onsen on the Lodge, which was so enjoyable that I slept incredible.

The following morning I used to be able to discover Asahikawa on foot. I’ve spent just a few days on this vibrant metropolis final fall, which you’ll be able to examine right here, so it was good to see the town in white with a lot of snow.

Within the afternoon I then met my companions for this journey: Bernard, Jordan, Chihiro, Yuki and Yohei. Collectively we went via this system of the following few days after which went to have dinner collectively on the native Craft Beer Brewery Taisetsu Ji Beer.

It is a Jingisukan Restaurant, the place you grill your personal meals. It’s fairly well-liked in Japan and undoubtedly one thing each traveler to Japan ought to strive!

As we have now a candy tooth, Jordan took us to her favourite Café: Change Taste. It is a should go to once you’re in Asahikawa as not solely is it fully distinctive with a beautiful décor, in addition they make scrumptious truffles and desserts.

Pippu Ski Space: Straightforward Facet Nation with a standard Onsen end

it’s gonna be a superb day when large, fluffy snowflakes are pouring down from heaven.

We went to discover Pippu Ski Space right now and after just a few heat up laps on the blue and purple slopes our small group went into the facet nation simply off the large chair elevate. Even within the afternoon we nonetheless discovered some candy pockets of Japow (Japan Powder) and coming again onto the Strawberry slope everybody had large smiles – time to go for an additional sidecountry run!

Like every good ski resort you have got just a few Lunch choices at Pippu, and I went for the native trout and rice bowl and a Miso soup. The trout for this dish was caught close by, and the rice was from Hokkaido – a scrumptious and wholesome dish which had me prepared for an extended afternoon of extra snowboarding!

I visited Pippu later this week alone and placed on my skins to go off into the simple powder tree runs which begin only a 10 minute hike up the mountain.

The panorama right here was magical, like out of a Studio Ghibli film: Stunning bushes lined in a lot of snow, and a serene panorama lined on this great dry, fluffy snow which skiers and snowboarders journey to Japan for from throughout the globe.

These powder runs are straightforward, enjoyable, secure and you find yourself again on the slope after your forest run, from the place you’ll be able to take a chair elevate again as much as head into the forest once more.

Funnily sufficient I met two Instagram associates from Finland that day at Pippu – picture our frequent shock after we realized that we meet 8.000 km from house as a substitute of a Finnish ski slope!

The Bottomline is that Pippu Ski Space is incredible for each absolute newcomers and extra superior skiers who need quick access to the facet nation.

Pippu has a Ski Faculty and through my visits the native college students have been snowboarding with their faculties right here, and I completely cherished their laughter of pleasure once they have been snowboarding down the slopes.

The climate can change rapidly all through the day, from snowing closely to sunshine and much views in minutes.

The Bus trip to Pippu prices 650 Yen and takes about an hour from Asahikawa, and naturally the very best factor about Pippu Ski Space – other than the snowboarding – is you could go soaking within the Onsen subsequent to the ski resort, actually a 2-minute stroll from the primary chair elevate! I’d go right here with the household in a coronary heart beat, or with associates who wish to ski straightforward powder runs with out skinning up the mountain.

Snowboarding on the Dwelling of Fluffy Powder: Kamui Ski Hyperlinks

Kamui Ski Hyperlinks is the most important ski resort round Asahikawa – however the day cross prices a mere 23€ and a few cents! This will get you entry to the Gondola and 5 double chair lifts, in addition to their 25 groomed, super-wide slopes.

There’s a number of issues which Kamui is renown for – their fluffy, dry powder snow is one, of which they get on common 8 meters per yr. A lot powder means there’s superb facet nation runs at Kamui, and if you happen to head to the Northern Slopes you’ll be able to expertise it even inside bounds of the ski resort. This ski resort has a handful of ungroomed powder runs inbound, which implies you’ll be able to entry them from the slopes and are available out again on the Gondola.

I attempted a few of their extra superior black runs via the bushes, they usually have been tremendous enjoyable and never too onerous – preferrred for individuals who wish to study powder snowboarding in secure situations.

Talking of studying: We had Ryoji Mizutani with us within the morning, one of many official Kamui ski guides. He confirmed us the very best runs of this little gem, and answered all our questions. I met Ryoji later within the week once I was skitouring on Sanpou-San within the Tokachi Mountain Vary of the Daisetsuzan Nationwide Park – extra on that in a bit – and he’s an exquisite information, who in the summertime is engaged on his personal Lavender Farm!

There’s a number of busses going from Asahikawa to Kamui each morning, the bus trip takes round an hour and it’s 700 Yen one-way. Make sure you be on time – although in case the bus is full, there’ll arrive a alternative bus some 10 minutes later.

The bus leaves from Kamui within the afternoon beginning at 14 o’clock and takes once more an hour and prices the identical. Should you go by bus you must have 700 Yen in cash with you, or a 1.000 Yen invoice – that’s the most important invoice which is accepted, and also you don’t wanna be the foreigner with a ten.000 Yen invoice who can’t pay his bus trip. 😁

Kamui ought to be in your must-visit listing once you head to Japan to ski.

It’s has a mere 92.000 guests per yr, which implies even on a busy Sunday you received’t keep in line to the Gondola longer than 5 minutes. Or if you happen to’re there by your self, even shorter – as they’ve a line for singles who’re completely satisfied to hitch a not absolutely occupied Gondola. That is one thing I want European ski resorts additionally would supply, as a result of nothing is extra annoying than standing in an extended line and seeing Gondolas not using at capability!

Did I point out the superb snow and the super-wide slopes, which imply that even on a busy Sunday it feels such as you’re there on a Monday morning? The good facet nation and engaging Pizzas on the Prime? A Fischer Rental Base which helps you to hire the newest tools?

Good – now you’ll go to Kamui Ski Hyperlinks in your subsequent journey to Japan!

With the Gondola up Asahidake

Mount Asahi (旭岳, Asahi-dake) is a mountain positioned close to the city of Higashikawa and the tallest mountain on Hokkaido with an elevation of two.291 m.

There’s a Gondola which operates each 20 minutes in winter, and it might get VERY busy on powder days – so that you wish to be there early to keep away from the strains. I visited the mountain with Jordan and our Information Suzuki Yoshihiro.

Suzuki-San took us to the fumaroles, then we had a tea break on the Asahidake Refuge (旭岳石室) after which skied again to the Sugatami prime station. I had all my skitouring gear with me, so Suzuki-San and me went down the Intermediate course to the underside station of the ropeway. Clearly alongside the best way we headed into the secure facet nation, and JAPOW was loved with large smiles!

Asahidake has groomed runs from the Sugatami prime station again right down to the Ropeway, and the simply accessible facet nation is what attracts heaps of skiers from throughout the globe and Japan right here.

Nonetheless, you must solely head right here into the powder facet nation when you have got a beacon, shovel, probe and ideally even an Avalanche Airbag with you, and know the right way to use them.

The highest of Asahidake can rise up to 13 m of snow per yr, and it’s a critical mountain – the day I visited it was -15°C, and with windchill it felt like -26°C – and this was on the backside, so on the prime station it was considerably colder – and quite a bit windier, too! Moreover due to the simple entry and the heaps of snow there’s usually a excessive avalanche hazard, so don’t go alone and by no means with out the proper gear!

As we had each the gear and time we went up as soon as extra, and once more it’s superb how situations can change in a brief period of time and elevation: Whereas it have been white-out situations with excessive winds on the prime, just a few hundred meters down the mountain there was sunshine and nice views.

I completely cherished this little tour to Asahidake, additionally as we stayed within the Bear Monte Lodge proper subsequent to the Ropeway Station, which had large rooms and a super-tasty Buffet.

Between the Lodge and the Ropeway Station is the Asahidake Customer Centre which is a ravishing Museum – and free, too! I realized quite a bit in it, and acquired impressed about future journeys to the area – plan in a go to once you head to Asahidake.

On my relaxation day I went to go to the stunning city of Biei, which is well-known for the Shirogane Blue Pond, the Shirahige waterfall, Seven Stars Tree and naturally the Zerubu-no-Oka flower fields – which now within the winter have been merely very lovely rolling hills lined in snow.

I explored along with Hattie, from Dohoku Native, the river facet in Biei on snowshoes, which was an easy and enjoyable journey. The snowshoeing alongside the shore of the river was tremendous satisfying, and Hattie was very educated in regards to the flora, fauna and historical past of the realm.

As I needed to catch my trip again to Asahikawa we walked with our snowshoes in hand again to city, with a brief cease on the Shiki-no-tou Tower from which you have got a tremendous view over this little city of barely 10.000 inhabitants. To spherical issues out, I additionally had a scrumptious tender serve ice cream earlier than heading again to Asahikawa!

A skitouring go to to Daisetsuzan Nationwide Park

On my final day in Japan I used to be in for a deal with: A protracted skitouring day on Sanpou-San within the Tokachi Mountain Vary of the Daisetsuzan Nationwide Park, along with Yukinori Otsuka and Yosuke Noto – each are ski and mountain guides, and Yukinori can be a really gifted photographer.

Our day began very early in Asahikawa, from the place we drove for round an hour to the beginning of our skitour on the Tokachidake Onsen. 

Skitouring right here requires the correct tools and also you shouldn’t head out on this mountain with no beacon, probe and shovel. The Strategy is round 30 m down an almost 75° slope, after which we put the skins on and hiked for an hour.

The sky was blue, the solar was shining, it was a freezing -26°C however all three of us had large grins because it was completely excellent, the sort of day you dream about once you plan and picture a visit. We had many first powder strains today, put our skins on and off half a dozen instances, and saying that it was an ideal day can be an understatement.

We noticed just a few different teams all through the day, however the truth that we made first powder activates each descent offers you an concept that it is a large mountain with loads of house for everybody.

Carry your avalanche equipment, meals and drinks for an extended day trip – and luxuriate in, this was about the very best skitouring you’ll be able to have in Japan!

Practicalities: The place to Sleep, Eat and Ski

If you wish to be on-line along with your telephone whereas in Japan, get an eSim from Airalo. It really works a deal with and means that you can use Google Maps, Translate and the whole lot else for as little as 3$/ GB. I like to recommend their 5 GB Package deal if you happen to keep lower than two weeks, after which merely top-up your account as wanted. Use the Code HENDRI0415 to obtain 3$ to get you began!

Flying to Japan is super-easy and you too can fly on to Asahikawa, which has one of many most-reliable Airports in Japan. You’ll find the very best connections from your house airport by way of Journey.com.

Professional-Tip: Add in a few days in Tokyo on the best way house – see our Tokyo Ideas right here!

Use Reserving.com to seek out the right Lodge in your keep in Asahikawa and e-book it straight away.

I can extremely suggest the Lodge WBF Grande Asahikawa which has spacious rooms for all of your ski gear, a incredible Onsen and a really tasty breakfast buffet.

The AMANEK Asahikawa is the most recent Lodge in Asahikawa and is true off the Most important Road and a 2 Minutes stroll to the railway station.

The OMO7 Asahikawa (https://reserving.tp.st/PxlVjSZl) is a correct ski lodge on the town and has it’s personal shuttle service, and can be very child-friendly – the best alternative if you happen to go together with the household to ski in Japan!

Should you’re going to Asahidake and wish to keep shut, then you’ll be able to’t get nearer than the Bear Monte (https://reserving.tp.st/68lJNssb). It’s a 3 minute stroll to the Ropeway Station and I completely adored the big library which was very inviting, with many fascinating books and comfortable chairs and sofas. 

Should you don’t have a beacon, shovel and probe then purchase all three in a set (https://www.bergfreunde.eu/avalanche-beacon-sets/?pid=10239) and secure cash!

To learn to use them go to a course domestically or exit into the mountains with one of many superb guides I used to be snowboarding with: 

Yukinori Otsuka http://yukinori.internet

Yosuke Noto https://www.wildoor.jp

Ryoji Mizutani https://nakafu-mb.com

Suzuki Yoshihiro https://www.instagram.com/survival_nature_guide/

Tracy Lenard from Niseko Mountain Guides, https://www.nisekomtnguides.com/ gives week lengthy excursions and can guarantee that you’ve got a incredible powder vacation.

If you wish to discover Biei then accomplish that with Hattie from Dohoku Native: https://www.dohoku-local.com

There are such a lot of super-tasty Eating places in Asahikawa that I solely listing my three favourites:

Ramen Santōka is the Greatest Ramen Store on the town. I completely LOVE their Ramen – they’re so tasty that my mouth is watering proper now, simply interested by them!

If you wish to splurge on Dinner and need a conventional Japanese expertise then it’s important to go to HATAGO. Have a Japanese pal show you how to make a reservation because it’s very talked-about, after which ensure to strive the Sashimi which have been godly.

Lastly, Change Taste is a Café which gives probably the most tastiest treats, from Parfaits to cheese cake and extra. This place is completely attractive and preferrred for {couples} who need a romantic Café!