Powder Skiing on Hokkaido, Japan

The journey will begin in Sapporo, where the group will meet for a couple days of rest and relaxation before heading to the mountains. These days will include an outing to one of the many ice festivals of the region. The ice festivals are world famous for incredibly intricate and elaborate snow and ice sculptures. Some are 20-30 feet high, certainly a sight to behold!

After Sapporo, the group will travel to Furano, a small, rural town with a fantastic ski resort. Furano was an agricultural village long before adding a ski resort nearby. There are several "cottage industries" to explore in Furano including a winery and cheese shop of local cheeses. You will feel the local Japanese culture here, with less international visitors.  In addition to skiing each of the four days, we will have opportunities to shop and wine taste. 

Following Furano the group will head to Niseko for a full week of endless powder. Niseko is the largest and most international of the four areas we will enjoy.  The stay in Niseko will include day trips to the resorts of Risutsu and Kiroro. With three interconnecting areas wrapping around part of the volcano, we'll find endless runs, changing snow conditions, and each run will be an adventure.

Patti Polinsky will be leading the trip along with Takeo Kuraishi, a Japanese ski instructor and language guide. The price includes all hotels and transportation to and from Sapporo, and all breakfast at the hotels.