Ski holidays in Japan delivered to you with ease

With over 11 different resorts to choose from, Hakuba Valley certainly has something to suit everyone. The gateway to the Nagano region, it famously hosted the Winter Olympics in 1998 and is only a short three hour hop from Tokyo. Hundreds of miles of snowy slopes means Hakuba is rarely too busy, plus its resorts have a nice selection of bars and restaurants to enjoy in the evenings. If you’re looking for family-friendly activities off the pistes, you can sign up to a snow monkey tour or try snowmobiling through miles of untouched powder.

Myoko Kogen is another awesome resort area located in Nagano. It’s been welcoming visitors since the 1930s (including the Japanese Imperial Family), making it one of the most historic skiing spots in not just Japan but the world. The resort is additionally home to both the longest and the steepest ski runs in the country, giving it plenty of appeal for more experienced skiers. If you’re going on a group ski holiday with children, you’ll find great kids’ ski schools in Myoko Kogen and hotel options that are either ski-in, ski-out or located right next to the ski lifts.

Niseko is probably the best known of Japan’s ski resorts and it’s found on the slopes of Mount Yōtei on Hokkaido. Made up of four different but linked ski areas, it’s a top choice for many Brits thanks to its friendly, English-speaking staff. Niseko’s popularity also partly comes down to the quality of the powder, the wide tree-lined pistes and the fact it’s the liveliest resort in the country. You’ll find a brilliant mix of eateries and bars in Hirafu Village, plus numerous off-piste activities like onsens and snowshoeing. The Sapporo Ice Festival is also well-worth a visit, too, if you’re skiing in the area in February.

For a balance of modern and traditional après, Nozawa Onsen – the birthplace of Japanese skiing – is ideal. Part of the Nagano ski area, the charming mountain village resort has built up a reputation as quite a lively place thanks to numerous bars, izakayas (informal Japanese pubs) and even a couple of karaoke venues. One of the best features of Nozawa Onsen has to be its namesake onsens. There are thirteen to choose from and they’re all free to use, giving you no excuse not to soak your muscles after several hours of skiing. And if you’re keen to tick night skiing off your bucket list, there’s opportunities for it throughout the ski season here, too.

Also located on Hokkaido island, Rusutsu is much smaller than neighbouring Niseko but far better suited to family groups. It’s spread out over three magnificent mountains, with around 40km of immaculately cared for slopes for skiers and snowboarders to contend with. Less crowded runs (many of which are easy blues), a quieter après ski scene limited to the hotels and various activities will appeal to those after a more relaxed getaway. You’ll also find a couple of convenient ski-in, ski-out hotels in Rusutsu, too.

One of Japan’s largest ski areas and a UNESCO biosphere site, beautiful Shiga Kogen in Nagano comprises 21 separate resorts with much of the area above 2,000m. Most of them are pretty traditional when it comes to accommodation and après, with little available beyond the hotels and guesthouses. Japanese visitors tend to spend their evenings eating and relaxing in the onsens. If you’re keen to do some off-piste skiing in Japan, Shiga Kogen is a paradise and has some of the steepest and longest runs you can find.