A first-timer’s guide to skiing in Japan

Unlike the high jinks and vibrant apres-ski scene that permeate the Alps and Rockies, Japan offers a meditative experience on its slopes. Skiing here is an almost reverent affair.

“It’s not about lounging in the sun or partying between runs,” said Sari Levy, 46, who lives in Telluride, Colorado, and just returned from her second ski trip to Japan. “It’s all about the snow and ski, ski, ski.”

There’s hardly been a better time to follow that directive. Japan is currently enjoying a banner ski season. The Hakuba Valley, the country’s largest ski area, has already recorded an impressive 370 inches of powder, marking its snowiest season in over a decade. With resorts staying open well into April and possibly May, there’s ample opportunity to carve fresh tracks.

And what tracks! Japan is known for taking Western institutions — whether whiskey, jazz or 7-Eleven stores — and refining them into something of its own. Skiing is no exception. Introduced to Japan in 1911 by a major in the Austro-Hungarian army, Theodor von Lerch, on Mount Kanaya, skiing has become an integral part of the nation’s outdoor culture, with more than 500 resorts on its mountainous islands.

At the heart of Japan’s ski experience is the snow itself: light, dry and delightfully abundant. This divine powder, known as “Japow,” is the result of Siberian Arctic wind sweeping across the Sea of Japan, where it collects moisture before crashing into the towering ranges on Japan’s northern islands.

For most skiers, the fluffy, dry snow that seems to fall almost daily is the stuff of dreams.

With the US dollar currently strong, and lift tickets, hotels and meals often more affordable than at Western resorts, a ski trip to Japan can feel like a bargain. The price of an international flight is easily outweighed by the relatively low cost of access to endless powder and excellent facilities.

“It’s actually cheaper for me to fly to Japan and go skiing there than to spend a week at a place like Aspen or Vail,” Levy said.

The big choice is deciding among the resort areas on the two islands that dominate the ski scene: Hokkaido and Honshu.

HOKKAIDO: POWDER PARADISE WITH A WESTERN TOUCH

For many skiers, Hokkaido, Japan’s second-largest island, is the powder paradise. The island’s resorts combine world-class terrain with modern hotels, international dining options and infrastructure reminiscent of Vail or Snowbird.

Most visitors fly into Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport, a major hub connected to Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok and other Asian cities. Alternatively, the scenic overnight high-speed train ride from Tokyo is a uniquely Japanese way to travel to this winter wonderland.

Niseko United

A three-hour bus ride from Sapporo and New Chitose Airport, Niseko United is a favourite among American skiers, particularly because it accepts the Ikon Pass. The resort is spread across four villages at the base of Mount Niseko Annupuri, with lifts and gondolas that carry skiers above the tree line. From there, adventurous souls can descend into wide bowls, long straightaways and exhilarating tree runs through dense pine forests.

Niseko also offers off-the-beaten-path experiences, including a guided ski ascent and descent of Mount Yotei, the imposing 6,227-foot volcano that towers over the valley.

All-mountain ski passes: 10,500 yen, or about US$68 (S$91), a day.

Where to stay: Niseko Northern Resort An’nupuri, a funky mid-century modern ski lodge, is a family-friendly option, with everything from laundry facilities, ski rentals and lockers to a minimart and an on-site onsen, or hot spring. The mountain’s beginner slopes are next door. Doubles start at 12,600 yen. Shiguchi exudes Zen-like minimalism and elegance in five luxuriously renovated traditional wood farmhouses nestled on a forested hill. Each can accommodate up to six people and comes with a private onsen. There’s also a spa and a fine Japanese restaurant attached to the inn. Doubles, including breakfast, start at 180,000 yen.

Where to eat: The Barn by Odin offers fine Japanese fusion dining in a glassy modern version of a traditional Hokkaido barn. Tasting menu with wine pairing is 7,000 yen. Afuri specialises in ramen and tavern food with homemade noodles and has an excellent bar and stunning views of Mount Yotei. Dinner with sake, 5,100 yen.

Sapporo

Perched above the vibrant city of Sapporo, Sapporo Teine offers a unique blend of urban experiences and world-class powder. Skiers and snowboarders can enjoy a more intimate alternative to Niseko, with north-facing slopes that catch snow directly off the Sea of Japan. The resort’s varied terrain provides sweeping views of not only the sprawling city below but also the rugged coastline.

Passes: 8,200 yen per day.

Where to stay: JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo is a luxurious modern hotel connected to the train station in the city centre. Ask for a high floor for views of the city and mountains. Doubles start at 20,000 yen per night. Sapporo Stream Hotel, with a sleek, Scando-modernist vibe, opened last year in the entertainment district. Doubles start at 11,000 yen per night.

Where to eat: Join the line of locals in Soup Curry Garaku, a revered rustic joint specialising in Sapporo’s signature curry dish. Dinner with local draft beer runs about 1,100 yen. Sapporo Beer Garden serves delicious local lamb dishes that you can drown with draft mugs of the famous local brew. Dinner with beer, 1,800 yen; an all-you-can-eat-and-drink option goes for 5,280 yen.

HONSHU: GLIDING INTO JAPANESE CULTURE

Japan’s main island blends skiing with cultural immersion. Resorts are often set in picturesque ancient villages, giving visitors the opportunity to mix sport with tourism. Honshu is more likely to have clear, blue skies — a reprieve from Hokkaido’s perpetually stormy weather.

Nozawa Onsen

Nozawa Onsen, one of Japan’s oldest ski resorts, is a rare blend of old and new. The resort is as renowned for its dozen public onsens — some thought to date to the eighth century — as it is for its diverse terrain. Nozawa Onsen remains a charming village that has sidestepped the over-commercialisation of many modern ski destinations. The village’s narrow alleys, lined with shrines and temples, offer a glimpse of traditional Japan, where visitors still sleep on tatami mats and dine close to the floor.

Skiers meander through these atmospheric streets, heading toward 19 lifts and gondolas that whisk them up Mount Kenashi. The mountain’s name — meaning “the bald” in Japanese — couldn’t be more misleading, as its peak is blanketed in powder-dusted pines. On a snowy day, the scene resembles an ancient woodblock print, frozen in time.

Though Nozawa Onsen’s setting evokes a deep sense of tradition, its lifts and gondolas have been undergoing an extensive overhaul in recent years. The result is a resort that marries historical charm with modern facilities.

Passes: 7,300 yen a day.

Where to stay: Kiriya Ryokan is a family-friendly inn with excellent meals near the moving walkway to the lifts. Rooms start at 15,000 yen a night. Lodge Nagano is a simple budget lodge with an ideal location right next to the lifts. The starting price is 5,500 yen a night in a shared bunk room with breakfast included. Private doubles start at 14,000 yen.

Where to eat: Hamachozush is an old-school sushi restaurant with floor or bar seating. Dinner with sake is 5,800 yen. Hakugin is a slope-side restaurant with hearty Japanese mountain food like miso ramen and tonkatsu pork cutlets. A meal with beer is 2,100 yen.

Hakuba Valley

Farther north, Hakuba Valley, Japan’s largest ski destination, owes much of its fame to the 1998 Winter Olympics. Just a two-hour ride from Tokyo via high-speed train, the valley draws skiers from around the globe, especially since its resorts accept the Epic Pass. Comprising 10 resorts under a single lift ticket, Hakuba’s vast and varied landscapes are streaked with over 200 runs that cater to all levels — from alpine slopes above the tree line to powdery trails winding through birch forests, and challenging mogul runs nestled in between. The scenery here is unusual, as the resort is walled in on all sides by a forested palisade of white-topped peaks.

Passes: 9,700 yen a day.

Where to stay: As its cosy alpine design suggests, Hotel Goryukan was built to serve skiers, with ski storage, laundry facilities, an inside-outside onsen and a prime location near the lifts. Doubles start at 44,000 yen a night. Hakuba Tokyu Hotel is a family-friendly ski hotel — room designs include a campground, a tree fort and a planetarium — in the heart of the valley with shuttles to the resorts. Doubles start at 25,000 yen.

Where to eat: Izakaya Hie is a popular log cabin restaurant serving traditional small-plate tavern dishes such as fried chicken skin, beef sashimi, fresh oysters and pickled vegetables. Dinner with beer is 2,400 yen; reserve well in advance. Soba-Syubo Zen offers excellent soba and tempura in a cosy locale. Dinner with sake, 1,400 yen.

Myoko Kogen

For skiers in search of isolated, often empty runs, Myoko Kogen is a respite from Japan’s more commercialised resorts. Three hours by train from Tokyo, this relatively secret snowy Shangri-la is home to nine independent resorts surrounding 8,051-foot Mount Myoko. A longtime favourite among older Japanese skiers and snowboarders, Myoko retains an old-school charm, with timeworn lifts and a nostalgic bucket gondola. Myoko’s steep runs and the valley’s famed medicinal onsen combine exhilarating snow and serene relaxation — without the glitz.

Passes: 7,200 yen per day.

Where to stay: Akakura Kanko Hotel is a ski-in, ski-out “grand hotel” built in 1937 and stylishly modernised in 2016. Doubles start at 15,500 yen. Hotel Taiko has Western-style and Japanese rooms centred on a therapeutic hot spring and spa. Rates start at 31,000 yen.

Where to eat: Restaurant Shibata is a family-run institution where everything from crispy tofu to Wagyu beef is served. Dinner with beer, 1,500 yen. Restaurant by A.I.R. specialises in innovative, plant-based, fixed-price meals around a communal table. An eight-course meal with wine pairing, 22,300 yen.

Blanche Takayama

Although Blanche Takayama enjoys cult status among Japanese skiers, few Westerners know about it. Three hours from Tokyo by train and taxi, it’s a ski-only resort — no snowboarding allowed (though that ban is tentatively scheduled to be lifted on Mar 17), much to the chagrin of ski purists. The resort provides an intimate atmosphere, with only five lifts. Gently sloping, powder-covered runs through dense forest offer a serene playground for those seeking solitude.

Passes: 4,000 yen a day.

Where to stay and eat: Shirakabako Ikedaike Hotel is an elegant resort 6 miles from Blanche Takayama. It straddles an enormous indoor-outdoor onsen and features an exquisite nightly Western and Japanese dinner buffet. Rates start at 27,000 yen a night, with breakfast.

Finn-Olaf Jones © The New York Times

This article originally appeared in The New York Times