Winter Sports
73 percent of Japan is mountainous. In November, rain turns to snow and settles on alpine slopes from Hokkaido to Honshu’s Alps, and for the winter months, Japan boasts some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world.
Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost major island, has both climate and mountains to rival Canada’s more famous ski slopes. In the very centre of Hokkaido, the town of Furano is surrounded by mountains and has a six-month season lasting from late November to early May. Long time host to ski and snowboard world cups, Furano is renowned for well groomed runs as well as perfect powder, with slopes for all abilities.
Closer to Tokyo, wet air moving off the Sea of Japan guarantees heavy snow falls on the Japan Alps. Host to the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, the mountains around Hakuba, Shiga Kogen and Nozawa Onsen are dotted with ski resorts, popular with skiers and snowboarders alike. Slopes range from the gentle to the exciting, with off-piste skiing and snowboarding for the truly experienced and adventurous.