The perfect weather for powder snow has arrived
Late February 2022. Unusually for Hokkaido, heavy snowfall paralyzed transportation in many areas. Even in parts of Sapporo, snow removal was not completed in time, and it was difficult for even a single car to pass through back roads. Due to not only the snowfall but also the strong winds, ski resorts around Sapporo were blessed with heavy snowfall, but the upper areas were closed and gondolas were suspended
For two days, from February 28th to 29th, I decided to participate in the "Hokkaido Powder Liner" monitor tour, which will take me around the surrounding ski resorts while staying at Jozankei Onsen, known as Sapporo's inner sanctum. Jozankei Onsen is a tourist spot with a hot spring atmosphere, located about 45 minutes by car from downtown Sapporo. There are large hotels and inns lined up along the national highway, and many cozy hot spring inns around the Toyohira River
It's a place you'd normally pass by, but if you use it as a base, you'll actually be within 60km of Kiroro, Niseko, and Rusutsu, and only about 25km from Sapporo Kokusai. Teine isn't too far away either. While it's easy to get caught in traffic on the way to and from each ski resort from the city, you can get there quickly from Jozankei Onsen. While it's hard to resist enjoying the entertainment district of Susukino when you come to Sapporo, savoring the bounty of the north while soaking in a hot spring before heading out for a relaxing day of skiing is a novel combination.
Also, while not included in this tour, there's a lesser-known BC tour route around Jozankei Onsen. If skiing is your number one priority and you have limited time, there's no better place to do it.
For several years now, photographers like Neil Hartman and Sho Nakata (photographer for this article) have been based in Jozankei Onsen and have been visiting various places. Located in the middle of the triangle connecting Niseko, Kiroro, and Sapporo city, this place seems to be in good condition no matter where you go. This time, we tried to experience it for ourselves
There are many ski resorts in mind, but where should we go on the first day?
This tour will be accompanied by two guides, Sasaki Daisuke as the main guide and Terui Daichi as the sub-guide. Up until now, when I have skied with Sasaki Daisuke, there have been almost no days when the conditions were bad, so expectations are high whether we like it or not, as a sign of good luck. There were already signs of this with the snowfall up until the day before
Many of the participants who gathered for the briefing held the day before the tour are accustomed to backcountry skiing and powder skiing, so it seemed like they were all in sync. Excitement was building. As mentioned earlier, the day after the rough weather, the two guides were carefully considering their destination. Taking into account various pieces of information gathered in advance and the opinions of people who had been there, they decided to head to Kiroro on the first day.
Leaving Jozankei Onsen at 7am, they headed for Kiroro via Sapporo Kokusai. On the bus, Sasaki Daisuke gave a brief explanation of why they chose Kiroro.
First, the upper part of the ski resort had been closed the day before, so there were no people in the powder zone. The wind was blowing from the southwest, so it was easier to aim for the northeast-facing slopes that were less affected by the wind. The weather forecast for Rusutsu, another candidate, was poor, so after taking into account a combination of various weather conditions and listening to the opinions of locals, Kiroro was the place to be
"The way the snow accumulates changes depending on the wind direction between Jozankei and Kokusai. In Jozankei, the snow was sitting directly on top of the trees, but beyond Kokusai, there was no snow on the trees. This is also due to the influence of the wind. Even a difference of just a few kilometers can make a big difference."
Even while on the bus, Daisuke Sasaki would call out to the participants if he noticed something of interest. When viewed from this perspective, the scenery outside the bus window, which we casually gaze upon, can indeed be a treasure trove of information
We rode the bus for about an hour and a half on the local roads. When we arrived in Kiroro, the sky was slightly cloudy with a light snowfall. It wasn't sunny, but we could see the slopes, so it didn't look like we'd have any trouble skiing. We immediately prepared to ski and headed up to the summit. This time, we'd not only ski at the ski resort, but also at the backcountry area accessed from the gate. For this reason, we checked our safety gear, including avalanche transceivers, in advance. With two guides, the risks of skiing at the backcountry were reduced, and we were able to ski with relative peace of mind
Thanks to the snow that fell the day before accumulating all day, the slope accessed from the upper part of the ski resort is covered in fine snow. The first run through the trees is a moderate slope with an elevation difference of about 100m. We stop along the way to keep our pace, but the truth is, we don't want to stop. When we step on our skis, we feel the snow on the surface, and the snow that hits us is blown up in fluffy clouds. It's a very satisfying run. Looking around, the other participants are also making turns at such speed that they almost forget to stop, as the snow is better than we'd imagined. This is truly a place that our guide had carefully selected
From there, we alternated between skiing and riding the gondola for about four hours until our lunch break. Most of the slopes we skied on were pristine and untracked. We enjoyed the fresh snow, focusing on tree runs that were less affected by the wind
After a one-hour lunch break, we skied so hard that we boarded the Kiroro Gondola just before it stopped running at 3:00 p.m. Perhaps it was a tour with a high level of skiing, or perhaps the two guides had a good pace. Either way, we were very satisfied with the tour, which saw us skiing through the powder without a hitch until the end, and we ended our first day with a straight bus ride back to Jozankei Onsen
The first thing to enjoy after returning to the inn is a soak in the hot springs. The Jozankei mountains can be seen right in front of the large public bath, and as you slide into the bath, your cold body warms up from the inside out. The water soaks away the fatigue from skiing down the many slopes, making you feel relaxed. I pampered my body after skiing during the day, knowing that hot springs and skiing are inseparable. This alone is enough to make Jozankei Onsen your base of operations
Strategy meeting to decide where to go on the second day. Next up is Niseko
That evening, we were briefed on where we would go the next day. Having been guided on the good slopes of Kiroro on the first day, there was no way anyone would have any doubts about where we were going. On the second day, we decided to go to Niseko, where snow clouds were expected to remain in the early hours but the weather was expected to be good
On the second day, we left the inn just before 6:30 AM. The journey to Niseko was a little longer than the previous day's trip to Kiroro, but the travel time was roughly the same as the winding mountain roads of Kiroro, and we arrived at Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu at 8 AM
The ski resort was hit by a snowstorm and visibility was very poor. The snow looked good, but the weather was worse than expected, and the participants' expressions were clouded. Then photographer Yoichi Watanabe showed up. This time, he was joining us as a guest guide. With his deep knowledge of every corner of Niseko, our guide Daisuke Sasaki
"Let's have Yoichi guide us today!!"
I said, and Yoichi replied,
"No, Daisuke should be the guide, haha."
While frolicking, we head towards Center Four, the ski resort's iconic lift. First, we take off down the famous Super Course. Niseko has almost no ropes separating the courses within the ski resort, so you can ski freely anywhere. The courses are covered in powder snow from the previous night, and no matter which way you ski, fresh snow will fly up. We can hear the cheers of locals from all around
As we were walking, the snow was so thick that it was impossible to see the surrounding scenery, but after one run, it began to subside, and before we knew it, the blue sky had spread and Mount Yotei stood in the distance. The participants could not hide their surprise at the weather, which was just as they had been told the previous day, that although there were still snow clouds early on, the weather would be generally good. Suddenly, the perfect conditions arrived, with good snow and good weather. When guest guide Yoichi saw that the weather had cleared, he started moving faster
"Now is the time to go skiing in the powder together."
"Let's go!" he called out, and we all headed towards the gondola and started skiing. With Mount Yotei towering before us, we all enjoyed the fresh powder all the way to the bottom. It's rare to be able to ski in such good conditions. It was a moment when all the participants shared in the joy
We traveled from Grand Hirafu to Niseko Hanazono Resort, checking out powder skiing spots as we descended to the base. The wind picked up midway and the lift back to Grand Hirafu stopped, so we ended up taking the shuttle bus from Hanazono back to Grand Hirafu, ending the second day. Then we returned to Jozankei Onsen and the tour disbanded
Tour Summary: A stay at Jozankei Onsen with only possibilities
We hit powder on both days of our two-day tour. This was all down to the excellent judgment of our guides. Not only did we choose the ski resorts, but the guiding also covered which slopes at each ski resort had fresh snow and where we could ride comfortably, which was very satisfying.
The large number of ski resorts to choose from from our base in Jozankei Onsen was undoubtedly one of the reasons why it was easy to hit powder. Over these two days, we experienced firsthand how just crossing one mountain pass can result in completely different conditions from Jozankei. In areas where we regularly ski, it's easy to roughly predict what will happen, but it's still difficult to accurately predict what will happen in places we only visit once or twice a year.
If you add a backcountry tour to your selection in addition to the ski resort, your chances of skiing in powder snow will increase dramatically, barring extremely bad weather. Hiring a guide is especially recommended for Hokkaido beginners, or those who want to make sure they have a great time in a limited amount of time
Jozankei Onsen offers a variety of accommodation options, from luxury hot spring inns to long-established inns and condominiums. A change of pace from a stay in the bustling city of Sapporo, a stay in Jozankei Onsen Sapporo style allows you to fully enjoy the hot springs while increasing your chances of hitting powder snow. We highly recommend incorporating this into your winter skiing plans
Photo/ Tsutomu Nakata
Check out the tour report video
This season is back! Powder Hunt in Jozankei with Daisuke Sasaki, we're looking for participants for the monitor tour
This year, applications are open again for a tour that allows you to stay at Jozankei Onsen and select slopes based on the conditions on the day at Sapporo Kokusai, Niseko, Rusutsu, Kiroro, etc. As with last season, the tour guide will be Daisuke Sasaki of International Mountain Guides
This tour is titled "Jozankei Onsen Stay Monitor Tour",
・Those who have experience in backcountry or side country skiing, or who are able to move around and ski downhill without the need for help from others in backcountry or side country skiing
・Those who are willing to answer a questionnaire after the trip
is a condition for participation
Departure dates are January 13th and February 17th, with prices starting from 66,000 yen for a 2-night, 3-day stay and 88,000 yen for a 3-night, 4-day stay (2 people per room)
Applications for each course will close once the maximum number of participants is reached, so be sure to check if you're interested