Niseko ski trip from Australia: what to know first

A Niseko ski trip from Australia works best between late November and the first weeks of spring, when Hokkaido has deep, dry powder while Australian resorts are bare. Plan on a flight to Tokyo, a second flight to Sapporo, and about two and a half hours by road. Book early, because Niseko fills up.

This guide covers when the snow arrives, how to get there, what to expect on the mountain and how to think about the cost of a week.

Sources for this section: Powderlife, Niseko season 2008/09 starts tomorrow (20 November 2008).

Why so many Australians go

Niseko sits on the northern island of Hokkaido, and its winter is the mirror of ours. When Sydney and Melbourne are hot, the snow is at its best. Powder falls often, and it is light and dry.

The crowd has grown fast. Web Japan reported in March 2006 that the number of Australian skiers visiting Hokkaido had doubled each year, with 8,000 expected that winter. JETRO, Japan's trade body, reported in May 2008 that foreign skiers at Niseko had grown about tenfold over the previous five years. An Australian ski resort company has also bought one of Niseko's ski areas.

You will hear a lot of English in the village of Hirafu. One travel writer who visited in early 2007 described the village nightlife as dominated by foreigners, with Japanese guests a small minority.

Sources for this section: Web Japan, Hokkaido Attracts Tourists from Australia and Asia (16 March 2006); JETRO Australia, Australian Investors Ski into Nagano (5 May 2008); Japan-guide.com, Niseko and the Australian invasion (28 February 2007).

When the snow comes

Lifts open when there is enough snow, so the start date moves each year. Last season, Grand Hirafu opened its lifts on 21 November 2008. Only one run was open at first, and skiers rode the lift back down. Niseko Village opened a day later. Rusutsu, another resort in the area, opened the same day as Hirafu.

Hanazono hoped to open on 6 December. Annupuri had not given a date on 20 November. That is a good reminder that early season is a gamble. A trip in the first week of December can mean a few runs, not the whole mountain.

If you want full terrain, aim for later in the season rather than the first days. Ask your agent or the resort what is open on your dates before you pay a deposit.

Sources for this section: Powderlife, Niseko season 2008/09 starts tomorrow (20 November 2008).

Getting there from Australia

Most Australians fly to Tokyo first, then take a domestic flight to Sapporo. Shin-Chitose Airport serves Sapporo. Japan-guide.com's 2007 report notes a jumbo jet flight between Shin-Chitose and Tokyo Haneda. Check which Tokyo airport your international flight uses, because a long transfer between airports can eat your day.

From Sapporo, Niseko is about two and a half hours by car, according to the same report. The author landed in Sapporo around 9 a.m., found that the convenient bus and train links to Niseko left before 9, and hired a car. If you land in the afternoon, book a transfer in advance. Driving on snow in a country where traffic keeps to the left, with a different road sign system, is not for everyone.

In 2006, Web Japan reported that Qantas flew direct between Cairns and Sapporo's Chitose Airport twice a week, a trip of about seven hours. That may not run in your winter, and it does not leave from Sydney or Melbourne, so allow for a change on the way. Look at the airline timetables when you book, because they change.

Sources for this section: Japan-guide.com, Niseko and the Australian invasion (28 February 2007); Web Japan, 16 March 2006.

On the mountain and in the village

Niseko is not one hill. Several resorts share the same mountain, including Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village and Annupuri, and each has its own lifts and passes. Hanazono sits close by. Powderlife reported that season and multi-day passes went on sale early at the Kogen Ski Centre in Hirafu, so ask what your pass covers before you buy.

The snow can change fast. Early in the 2008 season, wind was blowing snow off the upper slopes at Niseko Village, even after fresh snowfall. Pack goggles, a face cover and warm layers. Bring your own gloves and thermals, since you know your fit.

This is general information, not medical advice. Unsure about your fitness for a week of skiing at altitude and in the cold? Your own doctor is the right person to ask, and your travel insurance should cover snow sports.

Sources for this section: Powderlife, Niseko season 2008/09 starts tomorrow (20 November 2008).

How to budget a week in Hokkaido

We have not found a trustworthy price for a standard week, and costs change with the yen, so we do not give one. Instead, list these costs and get a quote for each:

1. Flights: Australia to Tokyo, then Tokyo to Sapporo, return.
2. Transfers: bus or private car from Sapporo to Niseko, both ways.
3. Beds: the biggest cost, and the one that rises most in peak weeks.
4. Lift passes: compare a pass for your whole stay against a day ticket.
5. Hire and lessons: skis, boots and any classes.
6. Food and drink: village meals add up over seven nights.
7. Insurance: a policy that covers skiing off the marked runs, if you plan any.

JETRO has noted that Niseko is full at the busy time of year and that land prices there have risen faster than anywhere in Japan. For a visitor, that means booking early is the best way to keep a budget in check.

Sources for this section: JETRO Australia, Australian Investors Ski into Nagano (2008).

Before you book

Make sure your passport stays valid for the entire trip. Compare at least three quotes. Ask each one what happens if the lifts are not fully open on your dates. Keep your first trip short, and add days next time once you know the place. For other winter options closer to home, see our Australian ski season guide.

Sources for this section: Powderlife, Niseko season 2008/09 starts tomorrow (20 November 2008).

Sources

1. Powderlife, Niseko season 2008/09 starts tomorrow, 20 November 2008: powderlife.com
2. JETRO Australia, Australian Investors Ski into Nagano, 5 May 2008: jetro.go.jp
3. Japan-guide.com, Niseko and the Australian invasion, 28 February 2007: japan-guide.com
4. Web Japan, Hokkaido Attracts Tourists from Australia and Asia, 16 March 2006: web-japan.org