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Destinations

Asian ski destinations in focus.

A sidetrip to Otaru revealed the stark reality of Japan’s overtourism problem
3 months ago

A sidetrip to Otaru revealed the stark reality of Japan’s overtourism problem

A recent trip to Hokkaido gave my partner and me the chance to return to Otaru – a town we remembered as a quaint, seaside escape popular with domestic tourists, …
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Why a recent visit to Asahikawa forever changed the way I’ll plan ski holidays in Japan
4 months ago

Why a recent visit to Asahikawa forever changed the way I’ll plan ski holidays in Japan

Last season I posed a question to our Ski & Snowboard Japan Facebook group on what people considered the best ski town in Japan. The responses trickled in: Nozawa Onsen, …
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Veteran pro snowboarder and coach reveals why Sapporo stands out among the world’s top ski destinations
9 months ago

Veteran pro snowboarder and coach reveals why Sapporo stands out among the world’s top ski destinations

My name’s JJ Thomas. I’m from Golden, Colorado, and now live in California. I’m a professional snowboarder who has been riding for 30 years. I competed on the US halfpipe …
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Myoko Snowsports co-founder Tom Langtry on “Sugi” and the future of Myoko
12 months ago

Myoko Snowsports co-founder Tom Langtry on “Sugi” and the future of Myoko

Myoko Snowsports has recently announced a new snow school at Myoko Suginohara Ski Resort. While other higher profile changes apparently coming to Sugi are a relatively recent development, plans for …
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A skier’s tribute to Sapporo Teine, “one of the best places to ski in the entire world”
2 years ago

A skier’s tribute to Sapporo Teine, “one of the best places to ski in the entire world”

As I begin writing this piece today, I am sitting in a rather humble ski lodge in northern Japan. It’s not modern, or especially cool, and yet, it is arguably …
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Rishiri Island is “one of the most secluded skiing destinations in the world”
2 years ago

Rishiri Island is “one of the most secluded skiing destinations in the world”

Rishiri Island remains a relatively untouched destination in northern Japan with just over 5000 inhabitants and a circumference of around 60km (37 miles). At the very centre rests Mt. Rishiri, …
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Impressions of Niseko as a first time visitor
3 years ago

Impressions of Niseko as a first time visitor

I’ve had the pleasure of skiing in the alps for close to 20 years and over that period of time, I’ve come to know what to expect. From the overpriced …
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Aizu is a powder skiing paradise and one of Japan’s last ‘secret spots’
3 years ago

Aizu is a powder skiing paradise and one of Japan’s last ‘secret spots’

A wonderful natural world of mountains, forests and sparkling lakes, but it is less than two hours by train from the heart of Tokyo. It starts with amazing, light snow …
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Seki Onsen, the family-run ski resort with two lifts and “more powder snow than one could ever hope for”
3 years ago

Seki Onsen, the family-run ski resort with two lifts and “more powder snow than one could ever hope for”

More than 100 years ago, the sloping land above Seki Onsen was gradually cleared for firewood. At some point around the time skiing was first introduced to Japan, a lightning …
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Skiing in Gulmarg: advice from an 11-season veteran
4 years ago

Skiing in Gulmarg: advice from an 11-season veteran

Meet Yanik Turgeon: a self-professed “ski bum”, who arrived in Gulmarg for the first time in 2009, fell in love, and keeps going back year after year (that is, until …
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