There’s something about Aomori Spring that adds up to more than the sum of its parts. Like many resorts in Japan, it’s not big and the runs aren’t very long, but the place has a unique feel that makes you want to come back.
More importantly, it’s very snowy and very cold. When it’s warm further south, it usually stays cold in Aomori, as it’s on the north shore of the main island, just across the water from Hokkaido. This remoteness adds to its charm. It’s often deserted on weekdays, and the people who work here say it feels a bit like living on an island. On a clear day, the views are stunning.
The fact that the US snowboard team comes here to train (and to mess around in the trees) suggests that there must be something to it.
It’s also Japanese snowboarding superstar Ayumu Hirano’s home resort and has Japan’s designated national training ski and snowboard halfpipe – the biggest of only three superpipes in Japan. It normally opens mid-January (check before you go) and is open to the public when not being used for competition.
Where else in Asia can you cross paths with Olympic athletes on empty slopes?
Lifts and terrain
Aomori Spring is as much about the powder as the park. It has 525m of vertical and four lifts: the gondola, two quads and one pair (the second pair is now permanently closed). There are 14 official courses and six “at your own risk” off-piste zones.
The Aomori Spring course map. Image: aomorispring.com
The resort is roughly split into three sections: the central green runs served by Quad 2, the intermediate section to skiers left from the top of the gondola or Quad 1, and the expert section on a separate peak served by the Diamond Lift.
You can go anywhere on the hill that isn’t roped off – and there isn’t much that’s roped off. That’s not to say you can’t get yourself lost or into trouble. It’s just that the resort trusts skiers to look after themselves and not to go into the trees without the right equipment and knowledge, or failing that, a guide or someone who knows their way around.
Aomori Spring resort and Mount Iwaki. Image: aomorispring.com
While most ski resorts don’t let people ski under the gondola, this doesn’t seem to be an issue here, as the line under the gondola is often as busy as the official courses. The attitude here is that everything is at your own risk.
As with many northern Honshu resorts, the pitch could be steeper (30 degrees on official runs, probably a little steeper in the trees). There are some decent-length runs, but they are greens or partial greens and flat in places. Still, the groomers are good quality, and there are steeper sections at the top.
The view from the top of the gondola at the end of the day looking down towards Panorama Course on the left and Skyline Connector on the right
Aomori Spring is an excellent place for beginners as there aren’t many here, so the base area, slopes and lifts are never crowded. Intermediates will also have a great time if they are willing to head into the trees and explore the endless mellow lines between the trees. If you aren’t confident in the trees, this is the place to come to work on your skills.
On paper, it doesn’t look like there’s much on offer for advanced skiers and riders, but what they have is exceptional. The Diamond Lift accesses an ungroomed black and red run and three “at your own risk” zones with open trees.
Diamond Lift, Diamond Course, Twister Course, and DG-1, DG-2 and DG-3 tree runs can be seen in the distance from the Rockwood Hotel
DG-1 runs under the lift and is the easiest of the three, benefiting from the fact that you can’t really get into trouble. DG-2 is the steepest and has interesting ridges and drops before collecting into a gully/track (that can get a bit hairy) and exiting to the left. DG-3 is longer and runs either side of a gully before turning right to exit through tight trees. If you’re first down, both DG-2 and DG-3 need skiers to set a track before snowboarders can exit.
The widely spaced trees in the steeper “At Your Own Risk Area” DG-2
There’s a multitude of lines, and if it’s a weekday, you can get fresh tracks all day, and even one or two days after a storm. Again, these runs aren’t long, but for low-competition lift-accessed tree runs, it’s about as good as it gets. The chair can be very cold when it’s windy, and this area of the mountain is often colder with more snow than the rest of the resort. Because of this, Diamond Chair sometimes doesn’t open until after 10 am after snowfall as they need to clear the chairs.
Aomori Spring is on the itinerary of a few Tohoku-based multi-resort guided tours (such as those offered by the excellent Japan Ski Tours). There are both easy-access sidecountry routes and longer hikes up Mount Iwake above the lifts. You can book the resort’s qualified local guide on the website.
Even when the hotel is full, the resort doesn’t get busy. At peak season, sometimes you might have to queue for 15-20 minutes for the Gondola as they don’t fill every seat, but this usually only happens on weekends or when it’s windy and they slow the gondola. There are rarely more than a handful of people in the chairlift queues.
Aomori Spring is on the Indy Pass, so holders can collect two free one-day passes here.
Snowfall
They don’t report snowfall figures here, but it’s safe to say it’s very snowy. Aomori City, which is only just above sea level, gets 8m of snow a year – 3m more than Saporro. The snow is light and fluffy, and well-preserved by the mostly north-facing slopes. It can get a little stormy and windy at times.
Accommodation and Resort Services
ACCOMMODATION
There’s only one place to stay in the resort: The Rockwood Hotel. It’s a nice, stylish, upmarket hotel. When you come here, you can’t help but wonder how a hotel this good ended up in the wilderness. There really is nothing else around.
Half the rooms face the ski slope, as does the restaurant, which has beautiful big windows (so often, even ski-in ski-out hotels in Japan make you eat breakfast in a room without windows).
A standard twin room at the Rockwood Hotel. Image: aomorispring.com
There is cheaper accommodation about 30 minutes drive away, but it’s worth staying at the Rockwood, even if it’s just a couple of nights to get the full experience.
RENTAL & RETAIL
Rental equipment ranges from ¥5,000 for a standard ski or snowboard set to ¥7,000 for high-end models. Jackets and pants are also available, and kids’ equipment is cheaper. They don’t rent or demo powder-specific snowboards.
SNOWSPORTS SCHOOLS
There are a limited number of English-speaking instructors, so enquire and book early by email or telephone.
Alternatively, The Ride Side, a Singapore-based company, runs English-language ski and snowboarding camps and guided tours here.
Attractions & Activities
ONSEN
The onsen is well worth a daily visit. The water is incredibly hot and has no smell. There are plenty of semi-closed-off shower areas and a decent-sized indoor onsen. The smaller outdoor bath looks out onto the forest and ocean – it’s even possible to see Hokkaido on a clear day.
The outdoor onsen at the Rockwood Hotel. Image: aomorispring.com
BARS AND APRES-SKI
There’s one bar in the hotel, which has an upmarket lounge feel and table service. Most of the time, the Olympics Channel is on the big screen TV showing sports like curling, ski jumping, or cross country. It’s usually quiet and only open at peak times.
The stylish bar at the Rockwood Hotel
Dining
The Rockwood Hotel is half-board, so a breakfast and dinner buffet are included in the room rate. There’s a good selection of Japanese and Western food options, and alcohol is served from a bar area.
The self-serve restaurant at the Rockwood Hotel
The food is a good standard, but it can get cold quickly, so make sure you’re down early. You can also get bar snacks and good quality pizza on certain days in the bar.
A selection of Japanese food from the buffet
For lunch, there are a few options. The Ramen House, at the bottom of Quad 1 lift, at the opposite end of the resort car part to the gondola, serves large portions of excellent ramen and gyoza.
Spicy noodles at The Ramen House restaurant
There’s also a café next to the gondola, and sometimes, there’s a pizza truck next to the Quad 1 lift.
Culture & Ambience
There’s a different vibe at Aomori Spring. While most of the smaller off-the-beaten-track resorts in Japan are very simple with basic facilities, things are more refined here. The crowd is more international, with Asian tourists, Aussies and North Americans, but it’s not rowdy at all – the hotel attracts an older crowd of more affluent travellers in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s.
There aren’t hoards of clanking ski boots in the morning, there are no queues for anything, and you never feel you need to hurry to get ahead of the masses. Aomori Spring is winter sports as it should be: remote, comfortable, stunning scenery, stress-free and lots of fluffy, dry snow.
Getting to Aomori Spring
When you look at a map of Japan, Aomori Spring seems a long way from Tokyo, but this can be deceiving. Fast trains go from Ueno in Tokyo to Shin-Aomori Station in just over three hours; then, it’s an 80-minute drive to the Rockwood. You can also fly to Aomori airport. Direct flights are available from Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, Kobe, and Nagoya in Japan and Seoul in South Korea.
A longer road trip is a possibility from Tokyo, stopping off at any number of ski resorts close to the E4 motorway that runs all the way from Tokyo to Aomori, such as Minowa, Zao Onsen, Geto Kogen, Hachimatiai Shimokura or Appi Kogen. Aomori Spring is also a potential stop-off when going to or from Hokkaido. It’s mostly easy driving, but 4WD and snow tyres are a good idea. You could also make a one or two-night trip to Aomori Spring when using Morioka as a base.
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