Category
Snow and Ice
ActivitiesSnow and Ice
Japan’s reputation for the best snow on Earth is well earned — Niseko’s international powder scene, Nagano’s dense concentration of resorts, and Tohoku’s quieter, heavier-snowfall hills that never quite make the international lists. Our complete guide to skiing and snowboarding in Japan covers all of it, region by region, alongside dedicated coverage of backcountry touring, avalanche awareness, and the annual Japan Snow Guide. Browse below for resort deep dives, trip reports, and season-by-season updates.
Japan Snow Guide
Hakuba Ski Resort Guide
AOKIKO/KIZAKIKO LAKE AREA As you drive or take the train from Omachi, before entering Hakuba, there are three resorts arou...
Backcountry Snowboarding
Riding the White Horse
The winter sports capital of Japan’s main island is undoubtedly Hakuba, where no less than 12 ski resorts can be found in close pr...
Backcountry Skiing
Skiing Godzone
Welcome to your new summer holiday powder-fix retreat. Fast becoming the holiday destination of choice for skiers with many wo...
Spirit of Silence
Homesick in a Huge Country
Late last year I made my way to Canada for some telemark skiing, and I have just returned home to Japan. Before this trip my trav...
Tottori
Board All Day
On a mission to complete a full day of riding, our plan was surf and then snow, so we headed to The North Shore and Big Mountain....
Snowshoeing
Agony in the Land of Oze
The mizubasho (Japanese skunk cabbage) blooms across the marshland as tourists snap their shutters along the paved forest road. S...
Snowboarding
Catching up with Michael Baker
Owner, Powder House Lodge & Hakuba Real Estate Michael Baker arrived in Japan from his native Australia 12 years ago t...
Features
The Powder Kingdom of Tateyama
“Clack, clack, clack.” The echoes of our footsteps bounce back from the walls. The atmosphere of this place strangely brings to m...