Cultural heritage and innovation, rich gastronomy and of course sake.
But did you know that Japan is the country with the most ski resorts in the world and with the highest amount of snowfall in a season?
Japan, apart from many things, is synonymous for "powder" with snowfalls between 10 and 18 meters a season. Seasonal winds from the Euroasian continent, pass through the warm currents of the Sea of Japan, forming clouds loaded with the best snow on the planet, the famous "Japanpow".
A destination that offers an incredible mix of senses. There is this amazing gastronomy, the kindness of its people, the beauty of the landscapes and the cultural heritage. And then we have the ski-able terrain with its open slopes and incredible forests, but above all, its "Deep Powder"
Japan has two different destinations, each with its own characteristics and qualities:
Hokkaido Island: known in antiquity as Ezo, inhabited in the past by the Ainu, Nivkh and Orok people. It's the second largest island in Japan, located north of the main island, Honshu, separated by the Tsugaru Strait. Hokkaido Island capital is Sapporo.
The Japanese Alps: located in the center of the main island of Honshu, within the Nagano region that hosted the 1998 Olympic Games.
HOKKAIDO |ISLAND
Hokkaido has two main sub-areas where the best ski on the island is centered:
Shiribeshi: which includes the outstanding ski resorts of Rusutsu, Kiroro and Niseko United. The latter is the result of the union of 4 resorts: Niseko Village, Annupuri, Hirafu and Hanazono. All of these around the Niseko Annupuri mountain 1307m above sea level.
Kamikawa: with the outstanding areas of Furano and Asahidake, the latter is synonymous for freeriding and one of the mythical ski places in Japan.
JAPANESE |ALPES
In our trips to the Japanese Alps, we focus without despising others, in three destinations:
Hakuba Valley: home to 11 ski resorts, the most prominent are Hakuba 47, Goryu, Cortina, Happo-one and Iwatake. It is located 350 km northwest of Tokyo.
Nozawa Onsen: it was the first resort in Japan, its great charm apart from the ancestral town, is in the quantities of snowfall it receives every winter.
Myoko Kogen: exists of several ski resorts, with its biggest attraction in having the most vertical and longest lines that Japan offers.