Hokkaido Skiing
Hokkaido skiing is incredibly rewarding for powder hounds. Hokkaido, the north island of Japan, is ideally located in the path of consistent weather systems that bring the cold air across the Sea of Japan from Siberia. This results in many of the Hokkaido ski resorts being absolutely dumped on with powder that is renowned for being incredibly dry. Some of the ski areas receive an amazing average of 14 to 20 metres of snowfall annually! You can check out the
Hokkaido snow stats to compare some of the ski areas.
Hokkaido Ski Resorts
Niseko is the powder capital of the world and as such is the most popular international ski destination in Japan. It doesn’t seem to stop snowing in
Niseko, which is one of the drawcards. Other famous destination ski resorts in Hokkaido (i.e. good for a multi-day stay) include
Rusutsu,
Furano,
Tomamu,
Sahoro and
Kiroro.
Hokkaido Japan skiing also consists of many ski areas that are somewhat off the beaten track for international tourists. These may be small or quasi-destination ski areas where you’d only want to stay for 2 to 3 days (e.g.
Asahidake,
Kurodake) or ski areas that are good for day trips (e.g.
Kamui,
Teine,
Pippu).
Ski Hokkaido or Ski Honshu? How Do They Compare?
The Hokkaido snow is generally superior to the powder in Honshu, the main island of Japan, and our
Japan ski resorts ratings indicate that Hokkaido comes up trumps with respect to the snow, with many ski areas scoring full marks. Even though many of the ski resorts west of
Sapporo (such as
Niseko,
Sapporo Kokusai and
Kiroro) are in close proximity to the ocean, the cold temperatures tend to keep the powder dry. The volume of snow that dumps on these coastal mountains is also generally higher than that in Honshu, with a few exceptions. Further inland in
Central Hokkaido there’s slightly less snowfall, but the quality of the powder is even better.
Hokkaido skiing has a reputation for being deep not steep, and whilst this is true of many of the Hokkaido ski resorts,
Sapporo Teine and backcountry areas such as
Kurodake and
Tokachidake blow this myth out of the water. As a generalisation, Hokkaido ski resorts are less steep than many of the high profile Honshu ski resorts, but when you compare skiing in Japan to some of the gnarly North American ski resorts such as Silverton, Whistler, Jackson Hole and Kicking Horse, all the Japan ski resorts seem really mellow!
The Hokkaido ski season generally starts earlier than Honshu because the north island of Japan tends to do much better for early season snow than Honshu, particularly at resorts such as Kiroro and Niseko. You can see the
Japan ski resort stats for an indication of the Hokkaido skiing season opening and closing times at the big resorts.
Hokkaido is not densely populated and has more of a rural feel to it than Honshu. Away from the big destination resorts such as Niseko, Rusutsu and Kiroro, many things are cheaper in Hokkaido than Honshu, and the more you get off the beaten track, the cheaper it is. The cuisine is also somewhat different to other regions of Japan, with much more emphasis on ramen and seafood specialties such as crab.
Hokkaido provides a great taste of Japan, but if you want to combine a ski holiday with some historical sightseeing, temple hopping, traditional Japanese architecture spotting, and generally just absorbing the Japanese culture, then Honshu is better than Hokkaido.
Where are the Hokkaido Ski Resorts?
See the map of the Hokkaido ski resorts by clicking on the map icon on the images at the top of this page. Many of the ski resorts are close together so you can easily sample multiple resorts, particularly if you go on a
Hokkaido ski tour or snowboard trip. Below are some of the towns/cities and ski resorts in Hokkaido, grouped according to location and also type of ski area to outline whether it's a major destination resort where you could easily spend a week, a minor destination resort that's good for a few days, a day trip only ski area, or a ski area that has a little accommodation at the base but is more suited to day trippers.
The ratings provided below are out of 5. The overall ratings take into account various factors, so destination resorts tend to score higher. See our
Hokkaido ski resorts ratings for more detail. The Powder Hound (PH) rating includes factors of snow quality and quantity, lack of crowds, likelihood of getting freshies, and advanced and above terrain that is easy enough to access from the lifts or with just a little work.
Near Niseko
Niseko is a popular Hokkaido ski resort that's 100km southwest of Sapporo and the New Chitose Airport (2.5 hours drive). You could use one of the Niseko villages as a base to ski at Niseko as well as nearby ski areas, or the town of Kutchan is a nice base, which is 7km from Niseko Hirafu.
| Ski Resorts Near Niseko |
| Ski Area |
Type |
Aspect |
Top
(m) |
Runs |
Lifts |
Overall
Rating |
PH
Rating |
Location
* |
| Niseko United |
major destination |
NE to SE |
1200 |
73 |
31 |
4.9 |
3.9 |
- |
| Moiwa |
major destination |
SSW |
800 |
8 |
3 |
3.9 |
4.3 |
12km SW |
| Rusutsu |
major destination |
N to E |
994 |
37 |
18 |
4.5 |
4.2 |
29km SE |
| Kiroro |
major destination |
NW to W |
1180 |
23 |
10 |
4.4 |
4.3 |
51km NE |
| Iwanai |
minor destination/
cat skiing |
N |
380 |
3 |
1 |
n/a |
n/a |
40km NW |
* distance relative to Niseko Hirafu
Near Otaru
The small city of
Otaru on the coast is a great spot to base yourself to visit various nearby ski areas, most of which are day trip ski areas (ie no or negligible accommodation at the base).
| Hokkaido Ski Resorts Near Otaru - Stats |
| Ski Area |
Type |
Aspect |
Top
(m) |
Runs |
Lifts |
Overall
Rating |
PH
Rating |
Location
* |
| Kiroro |
major destination |
NW to W |
1180 |
23 |
10 |
4.4 |
4.3 |
28km S |
| Sapporo Kokusai |
day trip |
E |
1100 |
7 |
4 |
3.7 |
4.3 |
24km SE |
| Sapporo Teine |
day trip |
N to NE |
1023 |
15 |
10 |
3.9 |
4.5 |
32km SE |
| Otaru Tenguyama |
ideal for day trip |
NNE |
532 |
6 |
3 |
3.5 |
4.7 |
3km S |
| Asarigawa |
ideal for day trip |
NE |
680 |
8 |
4 |
3.6 |
4.4 |
10km SW |
| Onze |
day trip |
NE |
308 |
9 |
2 |
n/a |
n/a |
15km SE |
* distance relative to Otaru train station
Furano / Central Hokkaido
Furano is both a destination ski resort and a town that can be used as a base to visit other
Central Hokkaido ski areas.
| Ski Resorts Near Furano |
| Ski Area |
Type |
Aspect |
Top
(m) |
Runs |
Lifts |
Overall
Rating |
PH Rating
|
Location
* |
| Furano |
major destination |
E |
1074 |
28 |
9 |
4.6 |
4.7 |
|
| Tomamu |
major destination |
SE to S |
1171 |
29 |
6 |
4.4 |
4.5 |
68km SE |
| Asahidake |
minor destination
/ backcountry |
SW |
1600 |
4 |
1 |
3.2 |
4.5 |
70km NE |
| Sahoro |
major destination |
E to NE |
1030 |
21 |
9 |
3.2 |
4.5 |
68km SE |
| Kamui |
day trip |
NW |
751 |
25 |
6 |
3.4 |
4.4 |
55km NE |
| Kamoidake |
ideal for day trip |
E |
467 |
5 |
2 |
3.4 |
4.7 |
47km NW |
| Kurodake |
minor destination
/ backcountry |
NNE |
1520 |
2 |
2 |
3.6 |
5 |
116km NE |
| Mt Racey |
ideal for day trip |
NW |
702 |
18 |
4 |
3.3 |
4.6 |
105km SW |
| MinamiFurano |
ideal for day trip |
NE |
600 |
4 |
2 |
|
|
41km SW |
| Tokachidake |
backcountry |
|
|
|
|
|
|
38km NE |
* distance relative to Furano
Near Asahikawa (Central & Northern Hokkaido)
The city of Asahikawa is the gateway to the northern Hokkaido ski areas and can also be used as a base to visit various Central Hokkaido ski areas for the day.
| Asahikawa Ski Areas |
| Ski Area |
Type |
Aspect |
Top
(m) |
Runs |
Lifts |
Overall
Rating |
PH
Rating |
Location
* |
| Canmore |
day trip |
W |
456 |
6 |
2 |
2.8 |
3.5 |
16km E |
| Kamui |
day trip |
NW |
751 |
25 |
6 |
3.4 |
4.4 |
21km SW |
| Pippu |
ideal as day trip |
WSW |
550 |
9 |
3 |
3.4 |
4.5 |
27km NE |
| Wassamu |
day trip |
SW |
347 |
7 |
2 |
3.2 |
4.7 |
41km N |
| Asahidake |
minor destination |
SW |
1600 |
4 |
1 |
3.2 |
4.5 |
45km SE |
| Horotachi |
day trip |
SE |
367 |
4 |
1 |
3.2 |
4.8 |
46km NW |
| Kamoidake |
ideal as day trip |
E |
467 |
2 |
5 |
3.4 |
4.7 |
55km SW |
| Furano |
major destination |
E |
1074 |
28 |
9 |
4.6 |
4.7 |
62km S |
| Kurodake |
minor destination
/ backcountry |
NNE |
1520 |
2 |
2 |
3.6 |
5 |
66km E |
| Hinata |
day trip |
E |
405 |
5 |
2 |
3.3 |
4.8 |
70km N |
| Piyashiri |
ideal as day trip |
SSE |
673 |
12 |
3 |
3.5 |
4.8 |
91km N |
* distance relative to Asahikawa train station
Near Sapporo
Sapporo is the capital city of Hokkaido and it's good for a stopover to get some Japanese city culture and can also be used as a base to visit some ski areas.
| Main Ski Resorts in Sapporo |
| Ski Area |
Type |
1°
Aspect |
Top
(m) |
Runs |
Lifts |
Overall
Rating |
PH
Rating |
Location
* |
| Sapporo Kokusai |
day trip |
E |
1,100 |
7 |
4 |
3.7 |
4.3 |
49km W |
| Sapporo Teine |
day trip |
N to NE |
1,023 |
15 |
10 |
3.9 |
4.3 |
20km NW |
| Fu's |
day trip |
NNE |
540 |
9 |
3 |
2.9 |
3.8 |
18km SW |
| Sapporo Moiwayama |
day trip |
SE |
448 |
10 |
5 |
|
|
9km SW |
| Sapporo Bankei |
day trip |
N |
483 |
17 |
6 |
|
|
9km SW |
* distance relative to Sapporo train station
Further Afield from Sapporo
Southern Hokkaido
Skiing with the Family
The main destination Hokkaido ski resorts have well developed facilities and some have lots of activities to keep the little folks entertained (e.g.
Tomamu). Ski areas that offer group ski and snowboard lessons for kids include
Niseko,
Furano,
Rusutsu,
Tomamu (resort and via
Club Med Tomamu), and
Sahoro (via
Club Med Sahoro).
Non-westernised Japanese ski resorts typically have only hotel or pension accommodation, so if you want the family to stay in self-contained accommodation (e.g. an apartment or house) you’ll find lots of options at Niseko and Furano, and a few options at Rusutsu.
Check out the
ski Japan family page for more information.
Cat Skiing Hokkaido
Hokkaido cat skiing is growing in popularity, because it's a great way to access fresh powder without having to hike for it. Cat skiing operations include
Iwanai Cat Skiing (near Niseko),
Shimamaki Cat Skiing (with transport from Niseko),
Rising Sun Cat Skiing (near Niseko), and
Chisenupuri cat skiing at the former Chisenupuri ski resort (adjacent to Moiwa Niseko). For those new to cat skiing or riding powder,
Niseko Weiss Powder Cats is a great choice.
Check out the
Japan cat skiing page for more information.
Heli Skiing Hokkaido
Or for the ultimate in scoring fresh powder, there’s also Hokkaido heli skiing near Niseko and Rusutsu with
Shiribetsu Heli Skiing.
Other Hokkaido Backcountry Skiing
Hokkaido is a treasure trove of powder stashes for backcountry skiing and split boarding aficionados. Some of the Hokkaido ski areas offer fantastic backcountry ski touring opportunities with initial lift assistance, and some of the best options are at Niseko, Kurodake, Asahidake, Kiroro, Tomamu and Furano.
For backcountry ski touring and split boarding with nil lift assist, Hokkaido provides plenty of options. The Daisetsuzan National Park is primo, particularly around the
Tokachidake area, and there are plenty of other amazing zones for powder in Central Hokkaido. Zones around Niseko are also rather popular, and a climb up Mt Yotei is almost a rite of passage if you can find the right weather for it. Or to really get away from it all,
Rishiri Island off the NW coast of Hokkaido, is a coveted destination, once again if the weather plays ball.
Check out the
Hokkaido backcountry ski tours options for more information on trips where you have to earn all your turns, or at least some of them.
Getting to Hokkaido Japan
For information on getting to Hokkaido, see our
travel to Hokkaido page, which includes tips on flights to Sapporo and Asahikawa. And see the
travelling around Hokkaido page for info on ski buses and other transport options.