“…an uninterrupted panorama of the Northern Alps…” Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field is hidden behind a highway and a gondola station, leading some to assume that it's small potatoes. However that preconception is soon dispelled as they arrive at the centre of a 360º panorama that take in the Northe… Read More
Tsugaike Kogen “…the highest terrain park in the Hakuba Valley…” Tsugaike Kogen is one of the Hakuba Valley's biggest resorts, and transforms from a highland oasis of colour in the off-season to a powder paradise in winter. The twelve courses within its 155 hectares are connected by 27 l… Read More
“…one of the Hakuba Valley’s pioneering ski resorts…” Happo-One is one of the Hakuba Valley's pioneering ski resorts, with roots stretching back to the 1920s. Today it remains at the forefront of the development of snow sports in Japan, and with plenty of excellent-quality powder, is one o… Read More
“Non-stop fun at one of Hakuba's youngest resorts” A distincitvely Gen Y resort in comparison to the many baby boomers in the Hakuba Valley, Hakuba 47 was born in 1990 but has since risen to prominence as one of the valley’s premier all-season resorts. Its winter scenery is nothing short o… Read More
“…incredible views of the the Japanese Alps…” Hakuba Goryu has an ideal balance of courses, from those that will see you instinctively asking yourself whether your life insurance policy is up to date before you drop in, to mellow kids parks, and everything in between. Starting from the to… Read More
Gold medal-winning powder The Hakuba Valley is where it all went down during the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics; medals were hotly contested, but at the end of the day, everyone that experienced the kiss of its powder and the excitement of its curves was a winner. And it was all just another chap… Read More
A kaleidoscope of colour all year round... It’s a sobering -20°C, and you’re standing in a giant igloo filled with the glow of luminescent reds, pinks and purples. The colours warm the interior with a charming glow that evokes fairy floss, big tops and other childhood pleasures, and cast an… Read More
“…don’t be shy to go exploring…” Kamui Ski Links is within close reach of the Hokkaido Powder Belt transport hub of Asahikawa, and has 10 powder-laden courses set between 751m and 150m on the 799m Mt Kamui-yama. For an easy introduction to Kamui, head to the four mellow, compacted runs clo… Read More
A place of never ending fun - in and out of the snow” Whether it’s your first snow holiday or your 100th, a holiday at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is a new kind of holiday experience you must try. Located between Asahikawa, New Chitose and Obihiro Airport, the resort is accessible by train or car w… Read More
The powder is on ice in Japan's coldest place In the centre of Japan’s skier and boarder holy ground, Hokkaido, is Tomamu, a small mountainous area unlike any other. Tomamu belongs to the village town of Shimukappu, known as the coldest place in Japan, and in winter, the skiers and boarders alike … Read More
To go where no piste has gone before Tokachidake is nature in the Hokkaido Powder Belt 'as is'. There are no lifts, no groomed runs, and no crowds; just pure powder to be enjoyed. The area consists of Tokachidake, a 2,077m high volcano, and Tokachidake Onsen, a hot spring village dotted with … Read More
“…one of Hokkaido Powder Belt’s best resorts.” Furano Ski Resort has some of the lightest, driest powder in Japan there is to be enjoyed. Peeling off the embankments as you criss-cross down the slopes, it falls finer and drier than resorts near the coast thanks to lower inland humidity, an… Read More
Real powder, and the real Japan Manicured fields of lavender, sunflowers and other colourful blooms, carpeting gently undulating hills with mountain peaks over the horizon. Administratively a city, quintessentially still a country town, Furano has Eden-like qualities that have attracted televi… Read More
Furano / Tokachidake / Tomamu / Kamui / Asahikawa / Asahidake / Kurodake It's official. Powder has acquired the status of a religion on Hokkaido, with some of its staunchest exponents found spreading the gospel throughout the Hokkaido Powder Belt. There's not a lot of convincing to be done about … Read More
Home of Hokkaido's larger-than-life snow festival The Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri) is one of the biggest highlights of the winter season in Japan. For a week in February every year, hundreds of ice sculptures and statues take over Sapporo's Odori Park, and Tsudome and Susukino … Read More
Fall in love with Hokkaido's historic port The town of Otaru is known as a port town and where Hokkaido's railroad network sprung out of back in the 1800s. Not only is it one of the more warmer places in Hokkaido but it is rich in history, romance and seafood and has a welcoming mood for visit… Read More
A naturally blessed town surrounded by agricultural lands and hot springs, including the renowned Konbu Onsen It’s no secret that Australians love Niseko and its deep, fine powder but Niseko has a few lesser known secrets up its sleeve. Niseko Town, or Niseko Cho in Japanese is quietly tucked… Read More
“Grand Hirafu is in better shape than ever…” Grand Hirafu celebrated one of its best seasons to date in 2013-14. The powder took a bit longer than usual to arrive, but once it did the resort was open until the beginning of May, receiving some nice powder dumps like the 25cm recorded the ni… Read More
Once you’ve been, you’ll never get enough… Of all the reasons to visit Niseko on a snow holiday, the most important one is, has and always will be one thing: powder, and lots of it. The powder which comes with cold winds all the way from Russia is served fine, dry and in bulk from November to… Read More
Explore Japan’s own soul food region Known as Naha City’s kitchen, Kousetsu Ichiba, the city marketplace is the most liveliest, flavourful place to learn about Okinawa’s distinctive food culture. It has been the locals’ go-to place for grocery for over 60 years, and with the growth of Okinawa… Read More
