hero media

A guide to choosing where to Ski in Japan

International Traveller
With more than 500 powder-topped ski resorts to choose from in Japan, deciding what snow field is best for you can be trickier than learning the snowplough turn.

Here we break it down with the help of Marcus Williams, General Manager of SkiJapan.com

Where to go if you’re a family

Transportation in Rusutsu

Ski field: Rusutsu

Location

Two hour bus ride from Chitose Airport in Hokkaido

Why families love it

The large theme-park-style hotel has some particularly family-friendly facilities including an indoor wave pool, merry-go-round and games room, which is always a hit for kids.

 

Meanwhile parents love the ski in/ski out convenience of the resort hotel, as well as the one- and two-bedroom apartment layout in the Rusutsu Tower Hotel.

 

Out on the slopes are wide open runs that are immaculately groomed, along with some incredible tree runs perfect for getting deep powder runs.

 

In essence, Rusutsu is quite the people pleaser, suitable for true beginners to advanced skiers and snowboarders alike.

Hot tip

There are lots of activities to take part in around the resort other than skiing.

 

At the more subdued end of the spectrum are idyllic horse rides through the snow, or speed things up with a snow mobile ride on the resort’s powder-covered golf course.

Where to go if you’re a snowboarder

Snowboarders love Cortina

Snow field: Cortina

Location

40 minute-drive from Hakuba Ski Resort in the Nagano Prefecture, Honshu

Why snowboarders love it

Being a good sized resort with plenty of varied terrain, Hakuba Cortina is home to only one main hotel meaning crowds are minimal.

 

Expect lots of good tree runs with steeper pitch – ideal for those deep powder days.

 

Or for those feeling adventurous, there’s some very good side country easily accessible from the lifts.

Hot tip

If you fancy doing a day trip from Hakuba, buy the lift pass-onsen-lunch deal that allows you to ride hard all day, feast on a hearty lunch then wrap up the day by relaxing in the Hotel Green Plaza onsen. It’s worth it!

Where to go if you’re an advanced skier

Hakuba advanced terrain

Ski field: Hakuba

Location

Situated on Honshu, it’s best accessed via a bullet train from Tokyo, followed by a one-hour drive to the resort

Why advanced skiers love it

Hakuba spoils you for choice. There are 11 resorts that call Hakuba Valley home, but you only need one lift pass to cover it all.

 

Offering steep terrain and incredible back country touring options, Hakuba offers a vast 960 hectares of skiable terrain to explore.

 

Hot tip

Hakuba have a strict approach to off-piste skiing with it being heavily policed in some resorts. Sign up for a backcountry tour where a guide will take you to some of the best backcountry terrain in the area.

Where to go if you’re a luxury lover

Niseko at night

Ski field: Niseko

Location

Two-and-a-half hour bus ride from Chitose Airport in Hokkaido

Why luxury lovers love it

Rated Japan’s best ski resort in both the 2014 and 2015 World Ski Awards, Niseko boasts an impressive array of accommodation including luxury chalets, apartments and resort homes, including a number of convenient ski in/ski out options.

 

Throughout the cosy village are restaurants catering to all tastes, as well as fine dining and degustation experiences. There’s also no shortage of in-resort services and support.

Hot tip

Hire deluxe gear from Niseko Base Snowsports and have the ability to change your equipment every day to suit the conditions.

 

You’ll also enjoy free locker use, saving you the hassle of carting your ski’s to and from the lifts.

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

Where to go if you’re a party animal

Niseko ski resort in Hokkaido, Japan.
Niseko ski resort in Hokkaido, Japan.

Ski field: Niseko

Location

Two-and-a-half hour bus ride from Chitose Airport in Hokkaido

Why party animals love it

Don’t expect Las Vegas, most Japanese ski resorts are quiet with the favourite ritual after skiing being an onsen before drinks and dinner at a local Izakaya. Niseko and Hakuba have the most options when it comes to letting your hair down. You can have a quiet drink or party till the early hours of the morning.

Hot tip

Izakaya’s are casual Japanese restaurants that serve food to accompany a large array of drinks. They are great places to enjoy small dishes of local produce with ice cold beer, wine, spirits and of course, sake.

Where to go if you’re a regular

Shiga-Kogen at Myoko Kogen, Honshu

Ski field: Myoko Kogen, Honshu

Location

In the Niigata prefecture on Honshu, expect a four-hour train ride from Tokyo

Why regulars love it

Myoko Kogen is one of Japan’s oldest ski areas made up of three separate resorts Akakura, Myoko Suginohara and Ikenotaira Onsen.

 

Akakura is renowned for some of the best vertical and longest runs Japan has to offer. The resort averages 14 metres of snow every season and is rich in history, culture and traditional onsen.

 

Better yet for families, it has a great ski school offering English speaking lessons, as well as a kids club program for kids three years and older.

Hot tip

Visit Jigokudani Monkey Park to see the snow monkeys relaxing in a hot spring onsen. There are a number of operators offering day tours from Myoko Kogen and surrounding resorts.

 

SkiJapan.com is a fully licensed travel agent, specialised in planning and booking Japanese ski holidays for Australians.

 

All experienced consultants can organise your entire Japan snow escape with special packages, including airfares, accommodation, lift passes, transfers, stopovers, travel insurance, guided tours, ski/snowboard lessons and rental.

Want to see more stories from International Traveller in your Google search results?

  1. Click here to set International Traveller as a preferred source.
  2. Tick the box next to "International Traveller". That's it.
International Traveller

International Traveller

View profile and articles
hakuba valley skiing
Japan

The only Hakuba Valley skiing guide you’ll ever need

Offering top-performance powder and more than 200 runs, Hakuba is one of the best places to ski in Japan. This Hakuba Valley skiing guide covers everything first-timers need to know.

Read more
Diamond Princess from Glover Garden
Japan

This cruise along Japan’s coast visits volcanoes, temples and atomic bomb sites

What does it mean to rebuild beauty in the shadow of catastrophe? A springtime cruise along Japan’s southern coast reveals the answer.

Read more
ANA aircraft flying
Japan

Win return flights for 2 to Tokyo with ANA, worth $9334

Win return economy flights for two to Tokyo from Sydney or Perth with All Nippon Airways.

Read more
temple with a view of Mount Fuji japan
Japan

7 reasons why Japan is the ultimate destination for multi-generational travel

Japan is one of those rare destinations that appeals across generations. And while travelling here is not without its challenges, thoughtful planning and the right accommodation can make the experience easier.

Read more
hero media

5 things every hotel needs for a more restorative stay

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
    Continue
    Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

    The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

    1. Easy access to good food

    meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20
    Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

    One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

    In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

    In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

    Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

    At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

    While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

    It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

    2. Better sleep options

    Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room
    Sleep deeply with Novotel.

    There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

    For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

    The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

    3. More ways to move

    woman hiking around queenstown new zealand
    Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

    Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

    At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

    Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

    4. Better connections

    Novotel Sharm El Sheikh
    Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

    One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

    Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

    A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

    5. Location is everything

    Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld
    Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

    Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

    All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

    Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.