Japan is becoming increasingly popular as on of the best winter destinations in the world. The mountains in the Central highlands and the Northern regions are blanketed with abundant snow making it an excellent spot for ski enthusiasts. With a picturesque landscape of extinct volcanoes and snow clapped mountains it affords a unique skiing experience for the ski lovers. Nature has blessed Japan with some of the deepest, lightest and finest powder snow that makes it an incredible ski spot. There are over 600 resorts in Japan where one can enjoy skiing and snow boarding activities.
Adventurous skiers and skate boarders are heading to Japan to explore and enjoy the ultimate in skiing experience. In fact there are a variety of choices when you are wondering where to plan and station your ski holiday and realistically it comes down to the following three choices.
Niseko
On the northern end of Japan is a popular ski resort. This ski resort is very popular among the Australians and can be rightly said as the most frequently visited Japanese ski and snow board resort by the foreign travellers. It is well-known for its dumps of powder snow, excellent tree skiing, vibrant night life and exuberant hospitality. Niseko has a huge ski area with consistently abundant, high quality snow and stunning scenery making it an irresistible ski destination spot. It is an ultimate powder destination as it receives up to 20 meters of light, dry snow during the winter months. A wide array of star restaurants to local hot spots serve both Japanese and Western cuisine. You can taste udon, tofu dishes, ramen, tempura, crab, sushi and even shrimps.
It offers extensive night skiing facilities, snow mobiling, cat skiing, snow shoeing, dog sledding, snow rafting, snow tubing and hiking at mount Yotei. The Sapporo snow festival that displays an impressive collection of snow statues and sculptures is something one should not miss.
Rusutsu
Is an impressive resort with three mountains to ski all interconnected with ski lifts and one lift pass. These long runs offer a stunning ski scenery of the pacific ocean, Lake Toya, volcanic Mt Yotei and the rugged Mt Niseko. During summer this resort operates a fun-filled amusement park with a variety of attractions. The other attractions include a variety of restaurants, shops, stores, pool facilities, golf and hot springs. Skiing on the long runs amidst the breathtaking scenery makes Rusutsu a unique place to enjoy skiing. The exceptional feature of Rusutsu is the gentle green runs close to the resort which provides an excellent spot for the beginners to master the technique of skiing. In short the variety of short runs and the powder quality makes it an ideal ski spot.
Furano
Located to the east of Sapporo is yet another excellent skiing spot with ideal snow conditions. This resort is located at the juncture of two peaks offering extensive long runs where World Cup races were conducted. Besides this there are a few wider and gentle slopes for the amateurs. If you are an adventure lover there are terrain parks and down hill courses too. Besides skiing and snow boarding other winter activities include the snow mobiling, dog sledding, parasailing and snow rafting. There are also numerous hotels and restaurants that makes stay at Furano pleasant, comfortable and reasonable.
The world’s best powder snow, perfectly groomed slopes, the unique and rich culture of Japan, spectacular scenery, the hot water springs, the exciting festivals and the typical food of the ski resorts are among the reasons to take a ski hoilday to Japan. Plan a holiday to Japan and enjoy a memorable skiing experience.
