Top 5 Reasons to Ski Japan

TOP 5 REASONS TO SKI JAPAN
PUBLISHED BY • LGA BLOG | WORDS & PHOTOS • Jeff Robertson

Have you been dreaming of that deep Japanese powder?

If you have a crew of friends that search for new adventures, or are in search of a solo mission, this is the winter to enjoy the epic powder Japan is known for. Every year Japan is our go to destination for those that want to ski the best snow of their lives and for less than a heli-ski trip in Alaska! Our ski trips to Japan are our favorite and with over 20 years of guiding experience, our team will show you the goods.

Here are our Top 5 Reasons to Ski Japan this winter:

Japow Snow!

Yes, the rumors and stories are true! You have seen the photos and videos, you’ve heard the legendary tales of bottomless Japanese powder or aka JaPow, and it’s all true. Last year was a low season by Japan standards (most places would be stoked to receive this much snowfall!) but our Japan ski tour guests were constantly raving day after day saying, “that was the best snow I’ve ever skied” or “that was the best ski day of my life.”

Our guests and guides got treated to some incredibly deep days and for some of our seasoned guides they were reporting top 5 ever ski days. Our team and guests had one day at an undisclosed location (we keep some stashes secret!) were over 3 feet of fresh powder had fallen overnight on top of another 18+” inches from the night before, and it was time for the snorkel! Our groups last year only saw the sun a couple of days as it was constantly snowing.

The snow is light, it snows consistently due to the storm patterns, the terrain is vast, and if you ski with the right guides, it will be untouched nirvana. On top of being one of the most consistent places for deep powder, the weather forecasters are predicting Japan could have one of its biggest ski seasons in years due to ocean temps. It’s time to book a flight and join one of our LGA guided Japan ski trips!

Japan Backcountry & Resorts

The backcountry skiing in Japan is filled with a lifetime of deep powder turns to explore. On Honshu and Hokkaido, there are many mountains to do ski tours through. There are over 500 ski resorts in Japan (there were 1200 at one time!) ranging from modern facilities like Niseko to ski resorts with 2 lifts that access you to a powder skier’s heaven.

Our LGA Japan Ski Tours visit roughly 6 to 8 different resorts per trip so every guests gets to explore new locations on a daily basis. We also have access to Heli skiing in Japan and Snowcat skiing if the groups want to add-on this experience. Given the frequency of the snow storms, our guides will do their best to add in a day of ski touring if the conditions permit.

We leave our trips open and flexible to optimize the experience. Each day our guides will take you to the best snow, find the deepest snow, and access areas of untouched powder. Numerous side/backcountry options at each of our locations offer guests the chance to explore the other side of each resort. Most ski days start before 8 am and end around 4pm or as long as your legs can make it!

With so much to explore, its time to book your next Japan ski trip.

Japanese Culture

Bottom line, it’s a place everyone needs to visit as the culture is one of the best we have experienced. The culture is represented in a wide range of unique artifacts and the fascinating history of Japan. The Japanese people are incredibly respectful, very kind, are punctual and timely in all aspects of life or work.

Japan is a very safe place to travel as the laws are rarely broken, the cities and ski resorts are well maintained, and like Switzerland trains or planes never arrive late. The culture is so unique that you can buy just about anything you want from vending machines which are located everywhere you turn. For around a couple of US dollars, you can get snacks, hot/cold coffee, beer, and more from the thousands of vending machines in the country. Many of our guests love to try the Sake but no trip to Japan is complete without trying the Japanese whiskey as they are starting to get pretty good at it.

Plan Your Ski Trip To Japan!

This is a perfect opportunity to enjoy everything that Japan has to offer and the endless powder on one of our 10-day Japan Ski trips. Our team takes all the planning and stress out of your trip by including airport transfers, all accommodations at our partner hotels where we can pass on the savings to you, all lift tickets, 2 LGA Guides, all ski/resort transportation, all breakfast, 2 group dinners, and trips to local onsens.

Our guides have over 20 yrs experience guiding through Japan and we know the best spots. We also have access to areas that many other do not so you won’t be skiing over other people’s tracks. Our guides love skiing powder and have spent countless hours dialing both inbound and the out-of-bounds terrain.

Hopefully, the decision will be easy – as airfare prices are at some of the lowest in years. It’s great to enjoy the winter at your home resort or maybe take a ski trip out west with your friends, but there is always that one trip every year that you will remember. Most of these trips come from skiing deep snow and exploring new areas that you may not have heard of before or finally going to that far off destination that you have seen countless videos and pictures of deep blower powder from.

Don’t wait another year, grab your friends, pack your skis, as our Le Grand Adventure Tours Japan ski trip is calling!

VIEW JAPAN TRIPS

Japanese Food

The food is incredible and you will find great chefs at all restaurants. We highly encourage our guests to eat at the small restaurants inside of the houses hosted by locals. You will truly feel like you have been welcomed into their home. I guarantee you this will be some of the best food you have every had! You will eat the best sushi of your life, but note not all places serve sushi rolls like you find at most US establishments. Here, you will find the freshest pieces of tuna and salmon as well as items you have never heard of before.

Japan’s menu is more broad than rice and fish. You will find fresh curries, omelettes in Furano that have to meet a certain criteria to be labeled as an “omelette of Furano”. Enjoy home-made crispy gyoza (Japanese dumplings), cook-it-yourself grills with a variety of meats and vegetables, and our personal favorite, the legendary Ramen noodle bowls. Our team has tried these all over Japan and after a long day of skiing powder, there is something incredibly satisfying and warming about a massive bowl of freshly made hot noodles. These are a go to for all powder skiers in Japan!

Micro brews, Sapporo’s, Asahi, and many other cold beverages can be found throughout the country. The breweries are a great experience if you like to sample the local varieties.

Japanese Onsens

The onsen is a big part of the culture in Japan. You will find these in hotels, resorts, cities, and in nature for you to enjoy away from the crowds. We have a couple of secret onsens we go to on our backcountry tours that are perfect after a long day of skiing.

A majority of the onsens are fed by natural hot springs which are abundant in Japan. All of the hotels we stay at either have private onsens available for free to all guests or discounts to the larger ones at the local onsen houses. You will find saunas, steam rooms, a cold tub (yes, this feels very good after skiing and a hot soak!), and everything you need to relax.

All onsens are separated by female/male, indoor and/or outdoor, a wash station, and a set of rules for everyone to prepare themselves for the onsen. Tattoo’s are not allowed in some onsens and they may ask you to cover it up if possible. It’s pretty hard to find a better après routine than a cold beverage to celebrate the day, an onsen, and a fresh homemade meal.