white-hot

Japan is a white-hot playground for ski bunnies, writes Lonely Planet.

Japan's best ski resorts are found in the Japanese alps region of Central Honshu (mostly in Nagano and Niigata prefectures) and on the northern island of Hokkaido.

The former lays claim to the highest mountains, while the latter has the deepest and most regular snow. Both regions offer first-class skiing.

If you're interested in doing some sightseeing in cities such as Kyoto, Nara and Tokyo in addition to your skiing, you might consider hitting the resorts in the Japanese alps. If skiing is your main goal, then Hokkaido might be the way to go (although, to be fair, the difference is really only one quick internal flight).

What follows is our very biased list of the five best ski areas in Japan.
This is just to whet your appetite - there are more than 600 that haven't been mentioned here.

Niseko: As far as most Australian skiers are concerned, "Niseko" is how you say powder in Japanese. This is understandable, since Niseko receives an average of 13m of snow annually.

Happo-one: Nagano-ken's Happo-one (hah poh oh nay) is the quintessential Japanese alps ski resort. With the sprawling Hakuba mountain range as a backdrop, it offers eye-popping views along with excellent and varied skiing.

Shiga Kogen: Also in Nagano-ken, Shiga Kogen is the world's largest ski area, with an incredible 21 different interlinked areas, all connected by trails and lifts and accessible with one lift ticket.

Nozawa/Onsen: This quaint ski resort/village tucked high up in Nagano-ken is the closest thing you'll find to Switzerland in Japan.

Rusutsu: Hokkaido's Rusutsu is luring skiers away from super popular Niseko. Rusutsu gets regular dumps of deep powder snow like Niseko, and allows skiers and boarders to enjoy it on piste and off piste (there are some great tree runs and the management doesn't try to prevent you from enjoying it).

'MX' 28/4/09

april snow in niseko

Tracey McGown writing in the ‘North West News’ provides some good reasons why you shouldn't settle for barely a metre of snow in June [in Australia] when you can have four metres in April.

“Grand Hirafu on the north island of Hokkaido is full of surprises like the Irish pub and a Tex Mex restaurant but it is the snow that will astound you most of all. You only have to mention the name to those who have been before to watch their eyes glaze over.

It is when you start talking to people the true secret of this ski village is revealed - fantastic skiing even now.

Once upon a time Queensland school holidays were in August--slap bang in the middle of the best snow conditions in Australia. Then they changed to late June and September, the most unreliable times for skiing.

Many have already surrendered to the siren song of the Japanese ski fields - on average 12m of snow falls annually and with six weeks holidays to fill in January this market has taken off. There is of course another secret to this winter wonderland destination that many people do not know - the ski season runs until May.”

feedback

Comments from members and guests this season.

thanks Toa & Manu

Snow will still be abundant in Niseko until the lifts close, traditionally in Golden Week (the first week in May), but the season is basically finished with the end of winter bookings at the lodge. Lodge manager Toa and his brother Manu are now on their way home to New Zealand after running a very professional operation during the 2008/09 winter season.

Oz: four lodges, three resorts, one lift pass

The acquisition of the Falls Creek and Hotham ski lifts by Arctic Capital in 2008 means that the owner of the Perisher ski lifts now operates two-thirds of the total ski lifts and controls about three-quarters of the skiable terrain at the major Australian alpine resorts.

A benefit of this new business arrangement for Australian Alpine Club members is that the combined ski lift companies are offering an Early Bird 'Super Season Pass' (before 28 May 2009) that will enable lift access at Falls Creek, Hotham and Perisher.

Australian Alpine Club Niseko members will be able to use this 'Super Season Pass' while enjoying their reciprocal booking rights and staying at either the Anton (Hotham), Dinner Plain, Falls Creek or Perisher lodges.

Early Bird 'Super Season Pass' prices are $1099 for adults and $570 for children. Details here.

Media: 'Hottest thing in the Snowies'

annual general meeting

Date: 26 May 2009
Time: 7:30pm
Venue: Royal Brighton Yacht Club
(details to follow for members)