Resort Skiing & Snowboarding
It's becoming a well-known secret that Hokkaido has some of the best powder in the world! Regular dumps of light and fluffy snow make resort and backcountry skiing & snowboarding simply incredible.  

Our English-speaking guides have spent years riding throughout Hokkaido and have intimate knowledge of the mountains, both on and off-piste. A guided skiing & snowboarding tour typically includes transportation by private vehicle, all-day guiding, apres-ski hot springs, hotel transfers and nightlife tours.  

For advanced riders, the chance to be shown the best sidecountry runs at each resort through a knowledgeable and safety-first oriented guide is precious. For beginners, learning to ski or snowboard in Hokkaido means you almost always land on soft and forgiving powder snow, relegating the icier terrain in North America and Europe cringe-worthy. 

Top Resorts in Hokkaido

Teine Resort

Teine Highland & Olympia Resort is located just minutes from downtown Sapporo. It hosted the downhiil women's slalom event in the 1972 Olympics for a reason: It's steep terrain and powder days are legendary. Teine is one of the hidden gems of Hokkaido's winter scene, and the terrain is suitable for all levels - from beginners to thrill seekers. 

Teine is one of our favorite mountains. We know it inside and out. The side-country trails off the lifts are spectacular and uncrowded - but you have to know your way around to get to the best of the best. Worry not, we'll have you riding untouched powder all day!

Driving time from Sapporo: 45 minutes
Resort size: Medium
Side-country runs: Excellent

Kokusai Resort

Kokusai Resort is a favorite with locals for a few good reasons - it's convenient, has good public transport, a range of on-piste runs and nice facilities. Best of all, Kokusai gets absolutely slammed with powder snow storm after storm.
 
However, the side-country off-piste runs are hard to spot so you will definitely want a seasoned guide to show you around and keep you riding the freshest snow on the hill.  

Driving time from Sapporo: 60 minutes
Resort size: Medium
Side-country runs: Quality

Rusutsu Resort

As the flocks of riders head to Niseko, those in the know stick to Rusutsu Resort. No lift lines, highly developed glade runs, wind-sheltered and with great views, Rusutsu boasts dozens of runs for each level of skiing/snowboarding, so you can hit the appropriate terrain for your level and still meet your friends to ride the lifts together. 

Rusutsu is also a powder mecca, and the vast expanse of off-lift tree line runs is awesome. However, beware the flat sections or you'll be swimming out and burning up. Our HNT guide will keep you clear of the draining flat grounds and have you riding the best lines on the mountain. 

Driving time from Sapporo: 90 minutes
Resort size: Large
Side and backcountry runs: Excellent

Niseko Resort

Niseko, the king of powder kings! Ride the vast and legendary side and backcountry, utilize all 4 resorts on the all-mountain pass via 27 lifts and 3 gondolas, take a snow-cat tour to the far and beyond - and then gorge yourself on authentic pizza, great izakaya fare and the infamous night life libations before collapsing into your walking-distance hotel. 

We can arrange all of your travel needs to Niseko, provide all-mountain guiding, nightlife pub crawls and field-trips to the surrounding areas (Lake Toya, Noboribetsu Hot Springs, Edo-period village, Shakotan Penninsula).
Contact us for more information 

Driving time from Sapporo: 2.5 hours
Resort size: Large
Side and backcountry runs: Excellent

Kiroro Resort

Kiroro Resort, located just beyond Otaru, is a wonderful family resort (think day care!) that has a little something for everyone. Located just a few kilometers from the Sea of Japan, Kiroro gets absolutely hammered with snow, often recording twice the snowfall levels of other nearby resorts.

Kiroro has mellow beginners' runs, intermediate runs around the peak, and a slew of lift-accessible tree runs for the powder hunters. Our guides will navigate you to and around the resort so you can enjoy your time as much as possible.   

Driving time from Sapporo: 75 minutes
Resort size: Medium
Side-country runs: Above Average

Furano Resort

The conditions at Furano Resort, as well as the tranquil countryside atmosphere of Furano Town with its wide-range of accommodation options, makes Furano a great option for both families and other travelers who are interested in Japanese inaka (rural) culture. Furano is rare among the great powder mountains in that it offers more blue-bird days than nearly any other resort, without compromising on the feather-light snow quality. 

Furano has mostly beginner and intermediate trails, but with its ultra-modern high-speed lift services, you'll be able to ride efficiently all day. Our guides will show you some great side-country trails that even many locals don't know about. Furano is also perfectly located for sightseeing side-trips to Tokachidake, "wild" hot springs and Biei's Blue Pond. 

Driving time from Sapporo: 2.5 hours
Resort size: Medium
Side-country runs: Above Average

Other Resorts

Interested in visiting lesser-known resorts around Hokkaido? We can guide you there.
Other resorts of interest include:
  • ​​​​Mount Yubari - Uncrowded slopes, good powder, solid park riding, 90 minutes from Sapporo​​​
  • Sahoro Resort - Uncrowded slopes, gladed runs, gondola, hotel accommodation, 2 hours from Sapporo
  • Kamui Ski Links Resort - Uncrowded slopes, gondola, hit-or-miss powder near Asahikawa, 2.5 hours from Sapporo
  • Asahidake Resort - Gondola, excellent backcountry, lift+accommodation packages, regular powder dumps, great early/late season option, hot springs, 3 hours from Sapporo
  • Kurodake Resort - Gondola, excellent backcountry, hotel accommodation, frozen waterfalls, hiking, hot springs, great early/late season option, 3 hours from Sapporo
  • Nakayama Toge Resort - Along with Niseko, it's usually open through Golden Week in May, solid park & kickers, minimal facilities, 60 minutes from Sapporo
  • Tomamu Resort - Uncrowded slopes, hotel accommodation, backcountry, 2 hours from Sapporo
  • Otaru's Mount Tengu Resort - Uncrowded slopes, regular powder dumps, backcountry, gondola sightseeing in Otaru, 45 minutes from Sapporo