On the surface you would think that Japan would offer so much in the way of adventure travel, that’s because it is quite a small country with a big population – but the fact is Japan offers loads of fantastic options. There’s Mount Fuji for the hikers, Okinwa for watersport enthusiasts. You can add the culture and also the iconic Japanese food.
There’s one more thing to add to the above list; a ski holiday in the Japanese Alps. Japan in my opinion is the best skiing in the world now, here are 5 reasons why:
The Powder
You only need to look at the Hakuba weather forecast to see that the powder dumps are very consistent year after year. Due to the geographic location of the Japanese Alps they are blessed with an abundance of powder every snow season. Hakuba boasts over 10 meters of snow every season, that’s the main ingredient you need to ski!
The Culture
If the powder doesn’t get you over the line then the experience of culture you will get in Japan is like no other ski location. Just off the top of my head I can name onsens, which are hot spring pools where you traditionally go in naked and relax in the hot waters. Also the hospitality in Japan is like no other and that continues on to the slopes, there’s no pushing and shoving or people arguing like I have found when skiing in other countries. The cultural experience was just as amazing as the snow for me.
The Food
Japanese food makes everyone’s mouth water and you’ll only get the best of it when you fly to Japan. It is not just sushi on the menu. My favourite is ramen because when you go to different regions they all have their own style. If you’re in Hokkaido then you can expect to be served up a hearty feast of noodles with meat, seaweed, sprouts and lots more tasty ingredients. After a long day on the slopes ramen is more than welcome and goes down well with Sapporo beer.
The Travel
It’s not that difficult to get to Tokyo now because there are many direct flights from both London and many cities in the USA. So heading out to the Far East has never been easier! Once you touch down the journey gets better because you will hop on the bullet train, the train will whizz you to the alps at speeds of 300 kilometres per hour. You can make all the bookings in advance or just use an experienced agent to take the stress out of it.
The Cost
Japan is budget friendly, the flight may be expensive because you’re traveling further than usual. But once on the ground the prices are way cheaper than compared to the USA, for example the lift pass is usually half the cost and eating on the slopes will only set you back between $5-$10, that’s impossible to find in other countries.
