For 6 of the past 7 years I've been very fortunate to winter in the Shiribeshi subprefecture on the island of Hokkaido, northern Japan.
Shiribeshi has it all - a rugged coastline, mountains, volcanoes, geothermal onsens, rivers, lakes, and marshes, with four distinct seasons all at an agricultural pace of life.
A lift accessed winter season stretching from the end of November through to the first week in May, with an average annual snowfall of 12m. Far from average!
Spring skiing until the end of July most years, followed by cool, dry summers playing golf, walking in the mountains, and swimming in the sea.
And to cap off the year an Autumnal colour show to rival that of New England.
My home from home this winter is Eggshell cabin in Higashiyama, with views of the Niseko Village area of the Niseko United.
The four connected ski areas of the Niseko United - Niseko Annupuri Kokusai, Niseko Village (formerly Higashiyama), Niseko Hirafu, and Niseko Hanazono - or Niseko as it's known to locals and visitors alike is the most popular area on Hokkaido.
In addition there are the two operating but unconnected ski areas of Niseko Moiwa and Niseko Chisenupuri, the cat skiing operation on the former Niseko Weiss Ski Ground, and ski touring opportunities on the closed Niseko Iwanai Kokusai Ski Ground.
I took a drive around the area to see where the snow had fallen and to catch the last of the Autumn colours
Haro-no-taki waterfall and permanent closure area between Niseko Village and Niseko Hirafu
Mt Yotei
Mt Iwaonupuri - going to take a lot more snow to cover up those rocks
Mt Annupuri Back Bowls from near Goshiki Onsen
A room with a view - the view to Niseko Village's slopes from MQ (Mike's Quarters in Higashiyama)
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?
DAY 3 : SATURDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2012
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Pulled an all nighter watching Wales lose to Samoa in rugby and then had a relaxing, indoor day avoiding the torrential rain and low lying clouds. Like being back in Wales.
Dinner with Ian M at Niseko Pizza. Great to catch up with Cezar.
T-7 days to Opening Day at Niseko Hirafu.
Not looking good at this stage.
DAY 4 : SUNDAY 18 NOVEMBER 2012
0 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Woken by the rain at 4am, and then when I roused at 10am the world was white.
A room with a view
I drove to Kutchan to pick up provisions and had a look at Asahigaoka Ski Area
And the nearby shrine and cemetery
Not a bad place to end up. Under metres of snow each winter. A fitting end.
The residents of Kutchan had prepared for the change of seasons. Gardens all over the town are filled with blue teepees.
Their function?
To protect the miniature trees from the heavy snowfalls of winter
I shovelled before I went to Kutchan and I shovelled when I got back.
With no sign of the snow letting up and the mountain transforming every hour I arranged with Glen to make an early start the following morning up to the Ace Hill restaurant in Niseko Hirafu.
I waited until 6.45 for Glen to show and then set off up the mountain on my own in the blue before sunrise.
Skinned pretty much straight up the front face of Niseko Hirafu - Alpen to Green run to the top of the King Quad Lift #2 and then the Beginners Access run to the Ace Hill rest house.
And if you're visiting Niseko this winter and want your memories captured forever, get in touch with Glen.
He's based in Rhythm Snowsports on Hirafu-zaka (the road heading up to the Alpen Base area) and offers professional images in digital and print formats and fully edited movies of your time in the Niseko Resort Area.
Last January Glen took the stills to accompany the Hokkaido segment in this season's Warren Miller movie 'Flow State'. So he has form.
24 at the door, and up on Ace Hill? A little bit more!
84 cm base depth at Ace Hill. Not bad for 3 days.
I dropped in off Ace Hill and immediately sank to my waist without bottoming out to grass. And that's 104 cm for me.
Then it was turn after turn with the snow billowing all around me and cascading over my shoulders.
But as I hit the lower mountain the snow got too deep / the slope got too mellow (depends on your viewpoint) and it was straight running and poling to get to the groomed track.
The last pitch down to the Alpen base area was effortless and floaty, and I was up and down in 90 minutes.
With cold temps and a little more snow forecast, tomorrow will be great. And Opening Day on Frday even better.
But I'll be heading out of town tomorrow for Opening Day at Kiroro.
After all it is free
After all it is free
DAY 8 : THURSDAY 22 NOVEMBER 2012
11 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
Glorious drive over to Kiroro this morning.
Sunshine, blue skies, white clouds, but I pulled in to the car park to see no lifts turning.
I walked into the main area and it was a ghost town.
Opening Day is tomorrow. Doh!
Still better that than being 'a day late and a buck short'
Snow coverage top to bottom with the groomers making the pistes perfect for tomorrow.
Rather than drive back home I went to the seaside instead.
Drove to Iwanai and then down the coast towards Suttsu before heading back inland on the Rankoshi road.
Snow has fallen at sea level this winter, but the warmer temperatures and sunshine of the past couple of days has melted it all away.
But there'll be plenty of opportunity to see snow on the beach in December and January.
On the way in to Iwanai town there's a beautiful temple set above the road with wonderful views of the ocean, the defunct Niseko Iwanai Kokusai Ski Area and its peak Iwanai-dake.
Kikoin Temple, Iwanai
Golden Statue at Kikoin Temple
A decorated statue with Niseko Iwanai Kokusai Ski Area in the background
The Guardians of the Temple
The ski area looked good in the sunshine but it's going to take a few more storms before the cut runs fill in.
Iwanai port with the snowcapped mountains of the Shakotan Peninsula
Iwanai coastline with the snowcapped mountains of the Shakotan Peninsula
The black sands of Cape Raiden
Tomorrow is Opening Day at Niseko Hirafu.
Here's a little blast from the past, Opening Day for the 2008/09 winter. Groundhog Day?
Saturday 22 November 2008
Plans to get first chair went out of the window when I woke at 7:45 and I got to the bottom of the Ace Quad just as Glen was being whisked up the hill on first chair. Good effort son.
It was odd to ride the chair after hiking these past weeks and to see tracks plural as opposed to my solitary line on the mountain.
I honestly didn't think we'd have opening day earlier in the week, and I'm still amazed that 3 solid days of snowfall was all it took to get the lifts turning.
I picked up my season pass yesterday which was a big improvement on the debacle last season when the season pass office opened at 8:20 on opening day.
And when I got to the Ace Hill I was met with a very unexpected surprise. Patrol and the grooming crew had opened the hill back down to the base of the quad.
I've been very critical of the Grand Hirafu mountain ops but today they exceeded my expectations. Kudos.
And the conditions?
Best opening day I've had. The snow was deep, light, consistent and with very few people on the hill there was plenty of pow to go round.
Even the sun made an appearance for 15 mins or so.
Rode with Wild Bill's barman Ben Gillespie for the morning and had a blast. It was great to put the laps in.
Ben launching off the summer access road
----------
Here's hoping that tomorrow brings the same. Or better
Last edited by After all it is free on Thu 22-11-12 12:14; edited 1 time in total
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.
Excellent photos, including the ones at the coast. Looks fascinating
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Thanks rob@rar.
Some very cool things to see and do on Fantasy Island.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Mike Pow, having tempted me to do three short trips I'm now beginning to think about a more extended stay in the next couple of years. Maybe three or four weeks to get a better flavour of the place
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.
Can't recommend it highly enough rob@rar.
March is the best month for travelling around and actually seeing things in my opinion.
And within minutes of the first chair heading up the sun disappeared and the snow started coming down.
The runs available today were Center off the Ace Pair Lift #3, and Kokutai, Green & Alpen off the Ace Quad Lift #2 Center 4.
A decent amount of terrain considering the mountain was grass five days ago.
The groomed runs were soft and springy and the ungroomed snow was knee to waist deep powder with tracks filling in each run.
I met up with Nikki Langley who arrived in the village last night.
Nikki and I worked together at Camp Echo in NY state and it was he who convinced me to spend the 2005/06 winter at Keystone, Colorado where we shared an apartment.
He's in Hirafu for his first Hokkaido winter, working at the rental & servicing shop for NBS.
Nikki seeing what all the fuss is about and helping to cover the sasa
Great to see you Nikki and great timing.
The snow stopped around 1 and it's been cold and clear since.
Hopefully more terrain will become available tomorrow.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Sat 24-11-12 10:16; edited 1 time in total
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?
Mike Pow wrote:
... the ungroomed snow was knee to waist deep powder with tracks filling in each run.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thanks nozawaonsen.
Snowing hard as I type. Off to the hill I go
After all it is free
After all it is free
DAY 10 : SATURDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2012
14 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
NISEKO : THE NEXT GENERATION
New snow overnight had filled in most of yesterday's tracks and made previously closed runs doable today.
Still just Ace Quad Lift #2 Center 4 and Ace Pair Lift #3 chairs open but when the day ticket costs a mere JPY 2,000 (15 quid; 19 euros; US$ 24) and the snow is already as good as many places get on their best days of the season there can really be no complaints.
Today I had the pleasure of skiing Niseko Hirafu with two of Niseko's up & comers, 9-year old skier Kai Martin and and 11-year old boarder Conrad Mitchell.
Both live year round in Niseko and both try to get out on the mountain as much as possible. School gets in the way a bit though.
Kai doing the Sasa Slalom in to lower Onsenzawa
Conrad airing in to and out of lower Onsenzawa
Kai getting air below the Ace Hill restaurant
And skiing it out
Conrad getting air below the Ace Hill restaurant
We dropped in to Konayuki and the boys were popping off the snow covered rocks and rollers with ease but unfortunately I ballsed up the videoing.
Hopefully I'll have another chance this winter to catch them in full flight.
Conrad and Kai back at base
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.
DAY 11 : SUNDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2012
7 cm in the past 24hrs at MQ
After getting to sleep at 4am from watching Wales get thrashed by New Zealand in rugby and waking at 8.30 am, I missed the bluebird powder start to the day that hopefully some caught and captured for posterity.
Afer all, November bluebird powder mornings are as rare as unicorns in the Niseko Resort Area.
7cm of fresh, superlight powder around my house, between 15-20 cm up on the mountain.
Ready to go at 9.45 and I bumped into Nikki and two of his housemates, James from Wellington, New Zealand and Lee from Quebec, Canada.
The four of us rode together for a couple of hours, never really catching the sunshine at its brightest.
We found a little pow though.
Thanks for your patience guys & gal.
Nikki riding under the Ace Pair Lift #3 chair
James riding under the Ace Pair Lift #3 chair
Lee getting deep in Konayuki (Powder Snow)
And once we found the goods in Konayuki, we lapped it up.
Nikki flying in Konayuki
Lee flying in Konayuki
Nikki going deep in Konayuki
James going deep and spinning in Konayuki
James the Wraith
Lee getting down & up in Konayuki
Nikki breaking on through
And to top off an excellent day, the moon rising over Mt Yotei
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Mike Pow, was wondering if you could help out with some info. Am going to be out in Japan mid-Jan to Feb. Was wondering if you knew any good places to get cheap lift tickets? I keep reading on accom sites how they give discounted tickets but was curious what the deal actually is? I know the resort has a saporro + lift ticket deal which looks good and going to go for that.. But otherwise, where in resort's a good idea to get them?
Additionally.. when was the last time you skied Furano? We're going to be there for a few days and wondered if we should just use it as a base and ski Tomamu, Kamui and Asahidake? Or if they're not as strict anymore? We will have a rental car when we're in Furano, so getting around shouldn't be an issue.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
