Destination: Hokkaido, Japan

The secret has been out for a long time. The island of Hokkaido, Japan is a world-class destination for backcountry skiing. Known for DEEP powder skiing and a unique cultural experience, Hokkaido is on the bucket list of most backcountry skiers that I know. 

Chest deep powder skiing in the trees of central Hokkaido. Jerry Isaak photo.

However watching ski films (even films as awesome as Japan: A Skier’s Journey) and knowing how to say “Arigato”, “Japow” and “Japanuary” isn’t adequate preparation for maximizing a ski pilgrimage to the land of the rising sun. 

So what can you do to make the most out of your trip of a lifetime to ski in Japan? 

Skinning up through the forest near Furano, Hokkaido. Jerry Isaak photo.

If you’re short on time, expertise, or both - hire a guide. Even if you are a competent, experienced backcountry skier in your home mountains, a qualified guide will help take the guesswork out of both the macro and micro elements of your trip. From the logistical elements of trip planning to the tactical decisions of tracksetting, ski guides will maximize your time and minimize the frustrations of travel. The Hokkaido Mountain Guide Association website offers a list of accredited Japan Mountain Guide Association (JMGA) guides based in Hokkaido. Alternatively, several internationally qualified guiding companies offer packaged trips to ski in Japan. 

If you want to plan and execute an independent ski trip to Hokkaido, there is no better resource than the HokkaidoWilds.org website. In fact, I haven’t come across a better planning resource for any other region in the world. They’re that good.

The not-for-profit group offers a brief organizational history and description on their website:

Founded in November 2018 by a Hokkaido resident from New Zealand, and supported by a number of Hokkaido local tourism associations and NGOs, we currently have over 300 ski touring routes, bicycle touring routes, hiking routes, and canoe routes on the site, with one new route added weekly. We also have detailed information about most of the backcountry huts in Hokkaido available for use by the public. All route documentation, from planning, photography, to written details, is researched and produced by the volunteer HokkaidoWilds.org team

The website offers numerous features that go well beyond the average trip report, including:

• Location-based search (find routes near you).

• Detailed route guides plus photos.

• GPX and KML route files for GPS navigation.

• Printable GeoPDF topographical maps – can also be used for navigation using smartphone apps.

• Official topo map references.

• Trailhead locations including public transport information.

• Hokkaido mountain hut information (https://hokkaidowilds.org/huts).

• Campsite locations and details.

• Onsen hotsprings nearby each trailhead and campsite.

• Safety tips and frequently asked questions, etc.

Let HokkaidoWilds.org guide you with route planning and also with the local cultural and outdoor practices. There are few more cringe-worthy and frustrating practices than when out-of-town skiers or tourists ignore or are simply ignorant of local customs and, as a result, potentially endanger access to popular mountain areas. In Hokkaido, visitors need to be aware of parking restrictions at popular trailheads. Hokkaido Wilds route guides highlight any parking restrictions and encourage “sustainable, responsible, and safe access” to the outdoors: “We seek to educate outdoors-people about Hokkaido’s unique cultural, historical, legislative and natural environment in order to encourage exploration with context.”

Screen shot of a Hokkaido Wilds map for the Asahidake zone.

Check out the Hokkaido Wilds website, drool over the beautiful maps and trip reports, and dream of powder turns, onsen-soaked evenings, and the best seafood of your life.