A yen for perfection

I was thigh deep in snow and my skis felt like they had been set in cement. I couldn’t move and was wondering whether anyone would ever find me or was I to play out the rest of my days alone, freezing in the woods. After quite a long spell spent wriggling myself free, I giggled and thought – if trying to get out of powder is the biggest worry of the day, I’m doing pretty well.

Japanese winters provide perfect conditions for skiing, snow falls relentlessly for months and on the slopes the first tracks of the morning are quickly covered by a new thick white sheet of the white stuff.

Niseko, on Japan’s north island of Hokkaido, has become famous in recent years for its abundance of light, silky powder snow, but since the devastating earthquake in 2011, there’s been a massive decline in the annual influx of snow junkies.

Just short of 500 miles north of Tokyo and a three hour drive from Sapporo airport through beautiful Narnia-like countryside dotted with Japanese wood cabins, the odd convenience shop and miles and miles of fields glowing with fresh snowfall, Niseko remains a skiers’ paradise.

Last winter the region experienced its best snowfall in 50 years (28m during the season), and there’s hopes for another bumper season this year. With fewer people on the slopes and many companies offering bargain deals on holidays to win back the ski community, there really couldn’t be a better time to visit.

Niseko is the biggest ski area on Hokkaido, with more than 60 runs. While divided up into four main ski resorts _ Niseko Annupuri, Niseko Village (formerly Higashiyama), Hirafu and Hanozono – each is connected by an all mountain ski pass or via the local bus shuttle. Hirafu and Hanozono are the most popular but securing an all-mountain pass will enable you to ski some of the quieter slopes of Niseko Village and Annupuri on busier days while enjoying the rest of Niseko at off peak times.

Night skiing is available until 9pm and off-piste skiing in the back country,accessed through special gates or hiking to the peak of Mount Niseko Annupuri, is definitely something to write home about. And while there is a distinct lack of very steep, long ski runs compared to North America and areas in Europe, the reliable and consistent snowfall that produces some of the best “champagne powder” skiing in the world gives Japan the killer advantage.

Sampling Japanese natural hot pools surrounded by stunning alpine beauty is an another must on any itinerary. After exhausting the endless powder runs, terrain parks, groomed pistes and night skiing on empty slopes, sit back and rest your aching limbs in the local Onsen, traditional open-air hot volcanic springs, full of natural medicinal minerals where inhibitions about bathing naked are left with your last piece of clothing in the changing room.

Onsen are public baths and the Japanese regard foreigners who make a fuss about being nude with an air of puzzlement and bemusement, so leave your modesty at home.

There are plenty of affordable onsen in Niseko, and two of the best outdoor ones are to be found at the Niseko Hilton Hotel in Niseko Village (with some spectacular views of Mount Yotei) and at Hotel Niseko Ikoi Village at Annupuri, both at a cost £8 a visit.

Food is an integral part of any Japanese holiday and you don’t have to love sushi for the experience to be a real culinary treat. Yakitori bars, which serve a selection of skewered grilled meats, can be found in abundance in Niseko, but those wanting a more authentic Japanese dining experience should head to the nearby quieter town of Kutchan for traditional Japanese Hotpot.

This is the authentic Japanese dining experience where you are presented with hot towels and traditional indoor slippers before being served an eclectic mix of mouthwatering food including local favourites Hokkaido Tori Nabe (hotpot), sashimi, traditional Japanese edamame (green beans) and for the more adventurous, horse or chicken hearts.

Après ski night life is best found in Niseko’s main hub, Hirafu. Try Big Foot in lower Hirafu, a trendy Australian spot, Blo Blo on the main street with its own ice bar designed by local ice sculpturer Hiro Takenaka or Gyu Bar, one of the best Japanese bars in town, accessed through an Alice-in-Wonderland-like fridge door. Everything in Hirafu is geared towards making the most out of a ski holiday – from expensive cocktail bars to all-you-can-eat-and-drink bars (nomi tabe hodai). To make any trip to Hokkaido complete, venture on the train two hours north east to Sapporo, Japan’s fifth largest city, and catch the famed Yuki Matsuri snow festival that grips the north island in February each year. The huge ice sculptures, ephemeral works of art, depict historical events, political encounters, ancient buildings, celebrities, stars of the screen and iconic figures ranging from beautiful Japanese geisha to the ubiquitous Japanese cartoon character Hello Kitty.

Japan is a land of idiosyncrasies; mist-coloured mountains provide the backdrop for futuristic necropolis cities, while ancient temples are just a few miles form new-age karaoke bars. Niseko is no exception – there are technologically advanced heated streets but no ATM machines, electronic lift passes but no internet facilities and endless champagne powder-filled slopes and practically no one here to enjoy them.

Getting there

KLM to Amsterdam connecting  via Seoul to Sapporo, Japan, costs around £688 return during peak  season.

Niseko is two- to three-hour-drive from Hokkaido’s New Chitose  Airport, just outside Sapporo. The  bus is the cheapest form of transport from the airport in winter. One-way  will cost about £18, or £30 for a round trip. See www.tokyotravelpal.com to book tickets online.

For those who want luxury check  out the Vale Niseko Hotel and Apartments, from £40-£69 per  person per night. See www.thevaleniseko.com

Pensions or Guest Houses are  the most common form of accommodation in Niseko. We recommend Bamboo Lodge (www.lodgebamboo.com) or Owashi  Lodge (www.owashilodge.com) in Niseko, both usually between £22-£28 per person/per night.