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Ski Japan
Japan is made up of four main islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. The islands mostly feature mountainous terrain and numerous lakes. The cities
are Western influenced yet distinctly Asian. They bustle with activity and the people are among the friendliest and most courteous of anywhere in the world.
The Japan Alps in Central Honshu is the busiest skiing area in the country and the ski season here runs from December to May. Most of Japan’s ski resorts are
scattered around Central Honshu and on Hokkaido Island to the north, while Nagano prefecture to the northwest of Tokyo in central-west Honshu offers the best
choice.
The 1998 Winter Olympics were held in Nagano. Nozawa Onsen is one of Japan’s most extensive ski resorts, but it doesn’t permit snowboarding. The ski
and village facilities here are superb and there are free hot springs dotted around the town. The slopes here are well groomed for beginner and intermediate
skiers, while experts have some mogul runs near the top of the mountain and one very long slope. Accommodation and après-ski options are also good, but
prices are expensive in the high season. Not far to the south is Shiga Kogen is a collection of 22 major ski resorts that are interconnected by trails and
buses.
The mountain is given over to all types of resorts, with some being quiet and others well geared for the tourist hordes. Prices are generally cheaper
than at Nozawa Onsen and there is greater hotel availability at the lesser resorts. North of Tokyo, Appi Kogen is one of Japan’s best ski areas, with
well-groomed pistes and trails for all levels of skiers and snowboarders. There is mogul terrain galore here, deep powder, loads of ski lifts and excellent
après-ski facilities.
Other top resorts in Japan include Niseko, Furano and Asahi Dake in Hokkaido as well as Sun Alpina and Zao on Honshu. Tokyo’s Narita
International Airport receives the bulk of air traffic into Japan and has excellent access to Tokyo and farther afield. While Narita is the main point of
entry into Japan, Osaka-Kansai International Airport is also a busy hub with excellent transfer options by road and rail. Other airports in Japan include
Chitose and Sapporo on Hokkaido Island. Japan is crisscrossed by well-maintained expressways and bullet trains provide fast access to major points.
You can snowboard at Nozawa Onsen, it is a great place for boarding. Another resource you might find useful in planning a Japanese Snow Holiday is Ski Resorts Japan Websitehttp://www.ski-resorts-japan.com. It has info on Hakuba, Shiga Kogen, Myoko Kogen & Nozawa Onsen. There are trail maps, web cams and resort info to give you a better idea of the great snow conditions.
