"The Deepest Snow on the Planet"


Each year at NCMG we offer what we call the "rotating tap". These trips are for people that have skied with us before and want to try something new. In the winter of 2018 we offered a rotating tap trip to Hokkaido in Japan. With all of the stories about the deepest, driest snow and storms that would dump meters upon meters of snow, we simply had to experience this for ourselves. Needless to say we were blown away. Japan consistently lives up to its reputation, so we added Hokkaido to our yearly offerings. In addition to legendary powder, Japan offers a unique cultural experience with amazing food, wonderful hosts, and beautiful hot springs (onsen). There's nothing quite like grabbing a bite of sushi out of your pack before dropping into deep Japanese feathers!

Backcountry skiing in Japan
Trip Details

This trip will include 6 days of skiing based out of two locations on Hokkaido - Niseko and Furano. Both of these locations offer virtually infinite options for backcountry tours or "sidecountry" laps at numerous local ski areas. Each day we will travel from our lodge via 4x4 van to find the best snow. En route we will grab lunch at one of Japan's famous quirky convenience stores (a unique cultural experience in its own right!). After a full day of powder skiing, we will soak in one of the local onsens followed by an amazing dinner. This will be the general day to day flow.

We combine two areas on Hokkaido to give us the best options to find great powder in a variety of terrain: Niseko and Furano. Niseko is the bustling center of skiing on Hokkaido but has easy access to a plethora of backcountry terrain and some of the most famous powder on Earth. Furano is quieter and is more backcountry oriented with outstanding touring in the trees and beautiful alpine terrain on the volcanoes. 

Our trip includes the following:

  • Professional guiding
  • All ground transportation during the trip (starting in Niseko and ending at New Chitose)
  • Welcome dinner in Niseko
  • All breakfasts
  • All dinners in Furano (included with our lodging--some of the best food we've ever had!)
  • Any lift tickets utilized during the trip
  • An optional cultural day in Sapporo following the trip

Not included:

  • Airfare
  • Lunches
  • Alcohol 
  • Dinner on nights 2 and 3 in Niseko 
  • Transfer from New Chitose airport to Niseko
  • Onsen fees
  • Miscellaneous incidentals
Itinerary

Day 1 - Meet in Niseko in the early evening for a briefing and welcome dinner

Day 2 - Ski in the Niseko area 

Day 3 - Ski in the Niseko area

Day 4 - Morning skiing in the Niseko area then drive to Furano

Day 5 - Ski in the Furano area

Day 6 - Ski in the Furano area

Day 7 - Morning ski in the Furano area then drive to the Hotel near the New Chitose Airport

Equipment List
Available Guides
  • Profile picture for user Jeff Ward

    Jeff Ward

  • Profile picture for user Larry Goldie

    Larry Goldie

  • Profile picture for user Josh Cole

    Joshua Cole

  • Profile picture for user Steph Williams

    Steph Williams

Skills Required

Proficiency in alpine touring or splitboarding 

Advanced level skiing or snowboarding ability