Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort opened on Sunday, December 1st. Sapporo native Yuhei Yamada reports on the first skiing experience, which was more comfortable than usual this year!
December 1st (Sunday) 9am -2℃ 80cm of snow on the summit Cloudy with occasional sunny spells
The ski season has finally begun in Hokkaido. This year, Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort opened nine days later than scheduled. Every year, you can enjoy light powder from opening day, and long lines for gondolas used to be a popular attraction
There was a long line first thing in the morning, but when I got there, the wait was much shorter than I'd ever experienced, and I was able to exchange my online ticket and board the gondola. I thought it might be empty this year because other ski resorts, such as the Niseko area and Furano, were also opening at the same time, but when I looked back at the base area from the gondola, all I could see was a full parking lot
I was pleasantly surprised to see that the upper Echo Quad lift, which was added a few years ago, and many of the runs were open, making the skiing less crowded and making it much more comfortable
The courses available for skiing are the Woody Course, the Forest Course, the upper part of the Swing Course, and the Echo Course.
As powder snow is available from the start of the season, cheers echoed from the slopes first thing in the morning. Local riders took to the slopes with vigor, eager to be the first to get on the fresh snow. The floating sensation of sliding through powder. The feeling of your center of gravity melting into the snow is a fresh surprise no matter how many times you ski
Once we'd eaten up most of the powder, we had a jump session on the uneven terrain. We carved our way up to the jumping points on the nicely leveled woody and echo courses. The session with the junior and senior high school students, who were releasing all the pent-up desire to ski that they'd been building up over the summer, brought back memories of that passion
During the session with them, the girls were the ones who were pounding away on the rough, steep slopes from the first day of the season. Meanwhile, the parents' feet were getting sore, and the boys were gradually falling silent in the gondola... Boys, do your best!
Even from the opening day, students on school trips have been coming to the resort. The appeal of Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort is that the runs are wide, allowing everyone from beginners to advanced skiers to choose the line that suits them best. There is ample space to maneuver, so you won't feel stressed by crowds
The students on their school trip also seemed to thoroughly enjoy their first skiing and snowboarding experience on the spacious courses. This year in particular, they must have been anxiously waiting for the opening to be confirmed. Since the snow conditions were unpredictable until the last minute, the joy they felt when they found out they could enjoy skiing and snowboarding as planned was all the more intense. Their smiles brought a cheerful atmosphere to the entire slopes
As I took a break from skiing, I heard cheers of joy coming from somewhere. I turned around and saw some students on a school trip starting a snowball fight. At another point, some local riders were throwing snowballs at each other every time they stopped. The snowballs were made from light powder so they didn't hurt, so it was very impressive to see them smashing snowballs at each other with all their might, with smiles on their faces
The contrast between the open sea and the silvery white world
In the morning, thin clouds spread across the sky, but as time passed, the sun began to shine in patches. By the time we reached the top of the mountain by gondola, the sparkling blue sea appeared before our eyes, and its beauty took our breath away. The Sapporo area, with its many ski resorts close to the sea, offers a special view of the interweaving snowfields and sea. Even though we only had a short time on this day, we were able to fully appreciate the beauty of the scenery, and there were moments when we truly thought, "I want to ski here again."
After-ski: Hot Springs and City Sightseeing? How to Enjoy the Sapporo and Otaru Area
The first day of Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort's opening arrived, with the excitement of the first skiing still fresh. This year, the resort was blessed with comfortable skiing conditions and beautiful scenery, and many people, from local riders to students on school trips, enjoyed the snowy mountains in their own way. Opening day is not just the start of the season, but a special day to reaffirm expectations and passion for winter
Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort is not just great for skiing, it's also a great place to visit the surrounding area. It's recommended for those who want to enjoy sightseeing in Sapporo and Otaru during their trip, or for those who are planning to ski or snowboard with limited time on a business trip. There are also a variety of hot springs to stop by, including Jozankei Onsen near the ski resort, Koganeyu Onsen if you're heading back to Sapporo, and Asarigawa Onsen if you're heading towards Otaru. Even if the ski resort is closed due to bad weather, another attractive feature is the flexibility to change your plans and visit a popular local day-trip hot spring like Hoheikyo Onsen
Additionally, if you stay in central Sapporo or the Otaru tourist area, you can enjoy a different urban experience than snow resorts and hot springs. After a pleasantly tiring day of skiing or snowboarding, you can combine a luxurious soak in a hot spring and sightseeing, creating a truly "Hokkaido" experience
With beautiful snow, Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort has ushered in the long winter. Powder snow will fall almost every day during the peak season, further deepening the resort's appeal. We are excited to see what scenery this special slope will offer this season