 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone,
I have finally put together a trip to Hokkaido with my friend after talking about it for many years. We’re not getting any younger so we decided to do it while our joints still work! One skier and one boarder, both fairly advanced. Keen to do mostly lift accessed off piste and maybe 1-2 days guided back country. We are trying to keep our options open and will rent a car for 10 nights and 9 full days skiing in early February.
We plan to stay in SE Hokkaido for 5 days and then Central Hokkaido for 4 days and we will pick resorts by where has the best fresh snow. I am not massively keen on Niseko due to crowding (so I hear) but would maybe head there for a day.
In the SE (5 days) we plan to do:
- Sapporo Teine
- Kiroro
- Rusustsu
Maybe a day at niseko or Kokusai.
In Central (4 days) we plan to do:
- Furano
- Tomamu
- Asahidake (guided)
- Kamui
We won’t necessarily achieve all the above. If conditions are fantastic in one particular central resort we may spend more time there for example.. we are quite open.
I have a few questions if a well seasoned Hokkaido skier could answer?
1) Would it be better to base ourselves in Otaru or Sapporo (or do both) in the SE?
2) Are we missing some gem in the SE or does that list look good?
3) We are thinking to base ourselves at Furano for central but is Asahikawa (or somewhere else) a better base?
4) Any gems missed centrally?
5) Does the above make sense or are there any words of wisdom that might make us change the plan?
Thanks in advance for any help!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've skied every place you mention and I still love Niseko the best. So I'd def not miss that. In my fifteen years going it has got busier - no doubt - but you can still get fresh lines all day long. It's just knowing where to look... And the key IMHO, is starting the day in Hanazono. Def suggest stay Asahikawa for Asahikade/Kamui - OMO hotel excellent and great price, loved it last year. Teine is an absolute banger too if you can hit it with good snow. Kokusai I really enjoy too, but the patrol are fierce, so be careful with cutting ropes...
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| wiigman wrote: |
| I've skied every place you mention and I still love Niseko the best. So I'd def not miss that. In my fifteen years going it has got busier - no doubt - but you can still get fresh lines all day long. It's just knowing where to look... And the key IMHO, is starting the day in Hanazono. Def suggest stay Asahikawa for Asahikade/Kamui - OMO hotel excellent and great price, loved it last year. Teine is an absolute banger too if you can hit it with good snow. Kokusai I really enjoy too, but the patrol are fierce, so be careful with cutting ropes... |
Thanks for the quick reply! I already have 3 nights booked in Sapporo.. would you recommend doing 2 nights near Niseko/Rusutsu as well to complete the 5 days?
Would you recommend Asahikawa over Furano for the second stay? I am a bit worried about dotting around too much because having one location allows us to go where we want depending on weather but if we had say 2 days in Furano we would want to probably do Furano and Tomamu those days and then for Asahikawa do asahidake/kamui.. if we just stayed at one or the other we could pick where to go depending on weather.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I like Otaru but Sapporo works just as well
If you're doing just the one day and finding your own way around then Sapporo Kokusai is much more snowboarder friendly than Kiroro
If you do stay in Otaru, don't discount day to night skiing at Otaru Tenguyama with spectacular views of the ocean and Otaru at night
Also Asari has a great pitch and is normally deserted
As wiigman recommends, Asahikawa for your Central base
Pippu is a real gem
And make sure you have good intel / pick the right day to go to Asahidake. It's a long drive to find out the only lift (tram) is closed.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Mike Pow wrote: |
I like Otaru but Sapporo works just as well
If you're doing just the one day and finding your own way around then Sapporo Kokusai is much more snowboarder friendly than Kiroro
If you do stay in Otaru, don't discount day to night skiing at Otaru Tenguyama with spectacular views of the ocean and Otaru at night
Also Asari has a great pitch and is normally deserted
As wiigman recommends, Asahikawa for your Central base
Pippu is a real gem
And make sure you have good intel / pick the right day to go to Asahidake. It's a long drive to find out the only lift (tram) is closed. |
Thanks for the information Mike. Kokusai sounds like a better idea then. I’m not a fan of flats. We are really looking for decent lift served off piste. We may do a day or 2 of proper backcountry but with 9 days I don’t want to be completely destroyed!
Can I ask what makes Asahikawa a better location for central than Furano? I looked in a few other forums and Furano seemed to generally be the winner.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I love Otaru so would stay there. And I liked Teine and Kokusai better than Kiroro.
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@nclboarder, sent you a PM.
Asahikawa vv Furano:
IMHO A has better accommodation/cheaper, better atmosphere, better eating out (Sushi train) etc.
We paid something like £50pppn for OMO 7 hotel (last winter) including excellent brekkie.
Love the way you can choose between Kamui (30 min drive), Pippu (30 min), Asahidake (55 min) and Furano (70 min).
Kamui is a belter on a board...
Stayed in Sapp last time to do Teine and Kokusai and loved it/them. Again, perfect on a board re lack of flats.
https://www.fall-line.co.uk/sapporo-teine-japan-ski-resort/
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| nclboarder wrote: |
| Mike Pow wrote: |
I like Otaru but Sapporo works just as well
If you're doing just the one day and finding your own way around then Sapporo Kokusai is much more snowboarder friendly than Kiroro
If you do stay in Otaru, don't discount day to night skiing at Otaru Tenguyama with spectacular views of the ocean and Otaru at night
Also Asari has a great pitch and is normally deserted
As wiigman recommends, Asahikawa for your Central base
Pippu is a real gem
And make sure you have good intel / pick the right day to go to Asahidake. It's a long drive to find out the only lift (tram) is closed. |
Thanks for the information Mike. Kokusai sounds like a better idea then. I’m not a fan of flats. We are really looking for decent lift served off piste. We may do a day or 2 of proper backcountry but with 9 days I don’t want to be completely destroyed!
Can I ask what makes Asahikawa a better location for central than Furano? I looked in a few other forums and Furano seemed to generally be the winner. |
What wiigman said
Depends if you want to walk / take a short drive to the slopes or experience a real Japanese city with all that has to offer
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I, too have skied all those resorts.
My base was Furano which worked well for me.
But, there are members here with way more experience than me.
Whatever, you are going to have a fabulous experience, of which, I am very jealous.
I have a picture of Asahidake taken the last time I was there which is now my permanent screen saver.
Heaven on earth!
Mind you, the first time I went you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. I could have been anywhere!
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| wiigman wrote: |
@nclboarder, sent you a PM.
Asahikawa vv Furano:
IMHO A has better accommodation/cheaper, better atmosphere, better eating out (Sushi train) etc.
We paid something like £50pppn for OMO 7 hotel (last winter) including excellent brekkie.
Love the way you can choose between Kamui (30 min drive), Pippu (30 min), Asahidake (55 min) and Furano (70 min).
Kamui is a belter on a board...
Stayed in Sapp last time to do Teine and Kokusai and loved it/them. Again, perfect on a board re lack of flats.
https://www.fall-line.co.uk/sapporo-teine-japan-ski-resort/ |
Here is a pic of Wiigman on a board in Kamui
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Thu 17-10-24 19:16; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And my favourite that I snapped at Asahidake and put it on a wall in my office
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Fri 18-10-24 3:45; edited 1 time in total
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@mooney058, Oh yeah 
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Great photos and thanks for all the help everyone. Think we have settled on the following with great advice from wiigman:
-Sapporo 3 nights
Teine, Kokusai maybe Rusutsu as well
-Kutchan 2 nights
Niseko, maybe Rusutsu
-Furano 4 nights
Transfer to Furano and hit some night boarding
Furano, Kamui, Asahidake maybe Tomamu
-Head back to Sapporo for a night near the airport then over to Shanghai.
Still not decided if we stick with Furano base or switch/split it with Asahikawa. Ultimately we will go wherever the weather takes us in the south west and in central.
Got myself a new Bataleon Party wave plus on sale for £320 for the trip. Also just invested in a pair of Burton Reserve Gore-Tex bib pants (£370 in U.K. but picked up a pair for £140 in USA to my Aunt in Chicago who is bringing them over next week at a wedding). Getting very excited now!
Another question for the guys here: Is the visibility fairly poor given all the falling pow in Hokkaido? I currently use Oakley flight decks with a prizm jade lens which is pretty good for most conditions in Europe but thinking whether it’s worth to pick up a prizm hi pink for super low light?
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You know it makes sense.
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@nclboarder, When the viz is that bad cos of the falling snow, you’ll either be skiing trees/brush/bamboo and when you do need to ski open pitches the snow is that great that you don’t need any viz you can get away with anything - yes, you need good goggles but if you’re already happy with what you’ve got I wouldn’t think you’d need to go for another lense - see you out there, this won’t be your last trip.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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So much of Japan’s skiing is below tree line, visibility really isn’t an issue. Unless you make it one by going into the alpine zone when it’s snowing…
Save the alpine zone for the blue bird sunny day, I’d say.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks for the replies.. That’s good to know. Will stick with my current lens then and if I start experiencing white out conditions, I will just pick up a pink lens when I’m out there!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@nclboarder, Oakley usually have a pre-season sale, or have the last couple of years. Worth keeping an eye out for some Flight Decks with hi-pink as if you do get a google full of snow, it's so good to just be able to grab a full spare set (rather than just lens) out of your backpack.
Hi-yellow (now discontinued) I'm using 80% of the time on Hokk. Still the best IMHO for stormy days and night skiing. But hi-pinks will be almost as good. In short, yellow best for low light; hi pink give you a bit more at the top end (i.e. more comfortable/usable when sun is out a little/trying to show).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thanks wiigman. I was looking for a hi-yellow but they don’t seem to make them anymore?
Would the persimmon lens be the same as hi-yellow? I can pick up a pair of flight decks with persimmons for £95.
Edit: picked up a pair of flight decks with Hi-pink Iridim on sale in the US for £84 
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