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
Island hopping in Okinawa: From one eclectic world to another Okinawa is made up of 160 islands that are full of life on and off the islands. There is no way to appreciate Okinawa without exploring these islands, and letting the local guides take you on a journey filled with gorgeous subtro… Read More
Connect with Okinawa through the beauty of its traditional culture The traditional arts and culture of Okinawa comes from the perfect harmony of man, nature and spirit. The experiences you can find on the main island completely reflect that harmony and with it, you’ll be able to create a st… Read More
// Are you ready for a little challenge for a big prize? Okinawa is made up of 160 islands, all rich in nature and all filled with a timeless, tropical atmosphere unlike anywhere else in Japan. It’s located in the southernmost part of Japan right next to the East China Sea and the Western Paci… Read More
Adventure, admire and appreciate: There’s an exquisite mixture of liveliness and calmness that fills the air of Okinawa; is it the subtropical atmosphere and climate? Is it the rich and vibrant marine life? Is it the mystical jungles or the historical World Heritage sites? Whatever it is, Jap… Read More
A FESTIVE WINTER VISIT TO KOIWAI FARM Iwate's iconic dairy farm has the goods for a fun day out An easy day trip from Morioka, Koiwai Farm is a delicious stop for dairy lovers on a visit to Iwate. The farm is the source of some of Japan's best milk, butter, cheese, ice cream and gelato, and with … Read More
THE WINTER MYSTIQUE OF GEIBIKEI GORGE AND HIRAIZUMI Discovering Iwate's World Heritage-listed Buddhist sites, and one of Japan's 100 famous landscapes GEIBIKEI GORGE Winter cruises on the Satetsu River through Geibikei Gorge depart throughout the day from December to February, and can be… Read More
SNOW HOLIDAYS SOUTH OF MT IWATE Three great snow resorts just an hour from Morioka Enjoying picturesque views and abundant snowfall in winter, the Shizukuishi, Amihari and Iwate Kogen areas are all tailor-made for a great snow holiday in Iwate. They lie to the south of the prefecture's symbolic … Read More
THE CITY OF TREES AND WATER Exploring Morioka, Iwate's historic castle town Morioka's famous rock-splitting cherry blossom tree, the "Ishiwari-zakura" is almost as old as the history of the city as a prominent feudal castle town. This beautiful feature of the local heritage trail is believed to … Read More
UNTOLD BEAUTY Hachimantai is a nature lover's paradise Make sure you bring an extra SD card when you visit Hachimantai, because chances are you'll find it hard to put your camera away. The area is dominated by a vast section of Towada-Hachimantai National Park, and puts on a mesmerising disp… Read More
