Japan Winter Trips
The Japan Snow Edit - Customise your own
The snow is lighter than anything you have skied before.The onsens have been flowing through these villages for centuries. When you click out of your bindings, it gets even better. Ramen, sake and tiny izakayas where you point at the menu and anything you order is the right decision. There is a reason this country ruins skiing everywhere else for people. You are about to find out why.
Japan Snow Trips
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Unmissable Moments
The Village Between the Runs
Most ski destinations have a village. Hakuba has a whole world tucked between the slopes. A pottery studio next to a ramen bar. A tiny sake shop run by someone who wants to tell you exactly where every bottle came from. A bakery that opens at seven and sells out by nine. Locals who've been skiing the same runs for thirty years. Between the mountains and the onsen and the izakayas, Hakuba's village is the part of the trip that fills in everything the snow days leave out.
Butter Hotel Bingo Night
You’d never believe it, but somehow in the middle of your ski trip, bingo becomes the main event. It’s loose, loud, slightly chaotic, and exactly the sort of mountain-town madness that turns strangers into mates and a story you’ll keep dragging out for years.
The Village Between the Runs
Most ski destinations have a village. Hakuba has a whole world tucked between the slopes. A pottery studio next to a ramen bar. A tiny sake shop run by someone who wants to tell you exactly where every bottle came from. A bakery that opens at seven and sells out by nine. Locals who've been skiing the same runs for thirty years. Between the mountains and the onsen and the izakayas, Hakuba's village is the part of the trip that fills in everything the snow days leave out.
Get Loose at Hakuba Après
You've had a big day on snow, your legs are spent and someone suggests ramen before heading back. One thing leads to another, and suddenly you're at Blizzard in Happo, stopping by Calico in Ecoland, and somehow ending the night at the Rabbit Hole in Wadano.
The Village Between the Runs
Most ski destinations have a village. Niseko has a whole world tucked between the slopes. A pottery studio next to a ramen bar. A tiny sake shop run by someone who wants to tell you exactly where every bottle came from. A bakery that opens at seven and sells out by nine. Locals who've been skiing the same runs for thirty years. Between the mountains and the onsen and the izakayas, Hirafu Village is the part of the trip that fills in everything the snow days leave out
The Village Between the Runs
Most ski destinations have a village. Hakuba has a whole world tucked between the slopes. A pottery studio next to a ramen bar. A tiny sake shop run by someone who wants to tell you exactly where every bottle came from. A bakery that opens at seven and sells out by nine. Locals who've been skiing the same runs for thirty years. Between the mountains and the onsen and the izakayas, Hakuba's village is the part of the trip that fills in everything the snow days leave out.
The Village Between the Runs
Most ski destinations have a village. Niseko has a whole world tucked between the slopes. A pottery studio next to a ramen bar. A tiny sake shop run by someone who wants to tell you exactly where every bottle came from. A bakery that opens at seven and sells out by nine. Locals who've been skiing the same runs for thirty years. Between the mountains and the onsen and the izakayas, Hirafu Village is the part of the trip that fills in everything the snow days leave out
The Village Between the Runs
Most ski destinations have a village. Myoko Kogen has a whole world tucked between the slopes. A pottery studio next to a ramen bar. A tiny sake shop run by someone who wants to tell you exactly where every bottle came from. A bakery that opens at seven and sells out by nine. Locals who've been skiing the same runs for thirty years. Between the mountains and the onsen and the izakayas, Myoko Kogen village is the part of the trip that fills in everything the snow days leave out. And unlike the more famous destinations, most of it still belongs to the people who actually live here.
The Village Between the Runs
Most ski destinations have a village. Myoko Kogen has a whole world tucked between the slopes. A pottery studio next to a ramen bar. A tiny sake shop run by someone who wants to tell you exactly where every bottle came from. A bakery that opens at seven and sells out by nine. Locals who've been skiing the same runs for thirty years. Between the mountains and the onsen and the izakayas, Akakura Onsen village is the part of the trip that fills in everything the snow days leave out. And unlike the more famous destinations, most of it still belongs to the people who actually live here.
WHAT MAKES JAPAN DIFFERENT?
Here is what nobody tells you before your first Japan ski trip. You will land, take the bus through the mountains, check into your lodge, look out the window at the snow falling on the village street and think: how has it taken me this long to get here? The powder is the thing everyone mentions. Light, dry and so deep it swallows you to the waist on a good day. Japan receives more snowfall than almost anywhere else on earth. But the mountain is only half of it. The other half is what happens when you hang up your boots at the end of the day. The lifts close and the villages come alive. Cobblestone streets. Timber buildings. Onsens so close to the lodge that you can be in the water within two minutes of coming off the mountain. Izakayas that stay open till late, where the sake arrives warm, and the ramen arrives steaming. Hakuba Valley with ten resorts spread across three valleys. This is the place to go if you want steep and deeper runs. Nozawa Onsen, a historical village that feels like stepping back in time. And Myoko Kogen, the next big thing everyone's talking about. Interconnecting resorts with small, local village vibes and it gets the most snowfall of all three. Come experience it for yourself.
Winter Trips at a glance
BEST POWDER
The honest answer is that every destination on this page receives more snow than most European resorts see in their best season. The powder across Hakuba, Nozawa and Myoko is lighter, drier and deeper than most skiers have ever experienced.
BEST RESORT
Nozawa Onsen. One of Japan's best kept powder secrets, and one of the most genuinely beautiful traditional towns in the country. Cobblestone streets, timber buildings, local eateries and thirteen free public hot spring baths that have been here for centuries.
BEST APRÈS
Hakuba Valley. After a big day on the snow, you’ll find yourself at Blizzard in Happo, stopping by Calico in Ecoland, and somehow ending the night at the Rabbit Hole in Wadano. On the way back you’ll get a feed at a local izakaya with a handwritten menu. The only way to wrap up a ski day.
BEST FOOD
An izakaya is essentially Japan's version of tapas. Small share plates, cold beers, where you can order mountains of edamame, agedashi tofu and gyoza, or push further into raw horse meat, fried stingray or gyoza wrapped in crispy chicken skin.
BEST LOCAL RITUAL
The public onsen. Every evening, after the lifts close, the villages of Nozawa, Hakuba and Myoko empty into their hot spring baths. There’s nothing quite like soaking in one of these after a full day on the mountain, with steam rising into cold mountain air and having absolutely nothing to do until tomorrow.
BEST "ARE YOU KIDDING" MOMENT:
When you wake up to 30, 40… 50cm of snow in the front yard before you’ve even made it to the resort. The car is buried. Everything is glowing white. Stoke levels are maxing out. You get to the resort and ski the deepest pow of your life. After lunch you get a full reset, with fresh tracks everywhere… because guess what?… it hasn’t stopped snowing all day!
Top questions from travellers
Can’t find what you need? Our team is just a message away.
Contact UsYes. Gloriously. But that’s what layers, onsens, and fireball are for.
People who are sick of relying on it being “a good season” to get out there on the mountain. Who are craving a destination where the quantities of snowfall is guaranteed. Solo travellers who want a week that is completely on their terms. Couples who want the mountain in the morning and the onsen in the evening. Groups who want the whole thing customized around them.
Honestly, f*cking good. Myoko, Nozawa and Hakuba receive snowfall in dumps that European resorts cannot match. There are no bad snow days in Japan.
No. The resorts across Hakuba, Nozawa and Myoko cater to all levels. Beginners can take lessons, intermediates will have the weeks of their lives and advanced skiers will find terrain and snow quality that challenges them properly. Lessons are available across all three destinations and can be built into any custom itinerary. Flag your level when you submit your quote request and we will build the trip accordingly.
An onsen is a natural hot spring bath fed by mineral-rich water from deep underground. After a day on the slopes, there's nothing better than soaking in the tub and feeling your legs come back to life for tomorrow's adventure.
Everything about these trips are customisable. Number of nights, group size, room configuration, number of ski days, lesson scheduling, rental gear, transfers and restaurant bookings. Fill in your preferences when you submit your quote request and we will build the trip around your group specifically.
