Hokkaido — If you’re only able to make one Japanese ski trip in your lifetime, it should be to Hokkaido. This powder-filled region above mainland Japan features legendary resorts like Niseko, Furano, and Rusutsu. But these ski resorts are home to lift lines during busy days. With an estimated 110 ski resorts on the island, there are alternatives worth considering.
In a video guide by YouTuber The Slippery Slope, the avid skier breaks down which ski resorts are worth visiting in Hokkaido. He gives a snippet on each major ski resort’s strengths, weaknesses, pass affiliations, sidecountry options, and which types of skiers should visit. He also dives into what the major cities are like on the island. He and his “friend” sprinkle in some dry humor to make it an enjoyable watch, even if you don’t plan on going to Japan anytime soon.
Takeaways
For most people, the first Japanese ski resort that comes to mind is Niseko. While the snow quality is great there, it has drawbacks. These include crowds, the cost of visiting, a corporate feel, and upper-mountain lifts that are pizza-box single chairs, which leads to congestion. He doesn’t dive into it, but guests often bring up the interconnectivity between the four ski resorts as another issue.
One interesting takeaway is that there’s a fifth ski resort located near Niseko. Moiwa is fun but smaller, and it has become more popular in recent years.
The other two major ski resorts in Hokkaido are Furano and Rusutsu. Furano is a well-rounded resort, but has seen more crowds in recent years. Rusutsu features some memorable tree skiing and a snow-covered amusement park, but is expensive.
The best Indy Pass option is Kiroro, which is accessible from the ocean city of Otaru. It has great options for inbounds and backcountry skiers and riders.
As he mentions throughout the video, if you do go into the backcountry, bringing avalanche gear and a friend are essential.
Avoiding crowds, which have become prevalent at major destinations, is still possible. This is done by going later in the season and not chasing the resorts with the biggest dumps from powder cycles.
Image/Video Credits: The Slippery Slope
