Josef, IFMGA mountain guide, takes you on a 12-day ski trip combining a lot of freeriding with some ski touring in the best spots of Hokkaido: Niseko, Kiroro, Rusutsu, Moiwa and Mt Yotei.
Group
1 Day
Jan - Mar
High
Intermediate
Enjoy skiing in the lightest powder snow on Earth. Join this exciting freeride ski trip in Niseko and its surroundings!
Niseko is one of the most famous ski resorts in Japan. Located in the island of Hokkaido, it receives (in average) a jaw-dropping amount of 18 meters of snow per year.
Our itinerary will consist of 9 days of skiing, including short hikes. Besides, there'll be 1 or 2 optional days of backcountry ski touring.
Niseko: it has 4 ski resorts: Hanazono, Annupuri, Grand Hirafu and Niseko Village. Besides, this area has probably the best night skiing in the world, with illuminated deep-powder runs.
Kiroro: a pretty undiscovered location that receives a great amount of snow.
Rusutsu: you can find the best tree skiing here. There's also a side-country park, ideal for those willing to try some freestyle.
Koukusai, Moiwa: these are smaller resorts… absolutely hidden gems!
Sapporo Teine: the steepest terrain in Hokkaido, with amazing ocean views.
We'll be based in Kutchan, a small village with easy access to Niseko and Sapporo area. We'll rent a house for the whole group and eat food cooked by our chef, on a friendly and unique atmosphere.
Furthermore, we'll visit some Onsen (hot springs), restaurants with delicious Japanese food and bars for relaxing after skiing all day. So prepare to have a lot of fun!
Even though you can find an itinerary below this description, flexibility will be key in this trip. I'll adapt the trip according to the weather conditions, as well as the requirements of the group members. I will always be looking for the best snow!
During the trip, we'll do video-analysis of your technique and give you specific tips to improve your skills in deep snow.
In addition, you'll receive an Avalanche Training Session, to learn about avalanche rescue and how to move safely on a backcountry terrain.
You should be able to ski comfortably on most black slopes and be reasonably fit. However, you don't need to be an expert skier or snowboarder. The idea is to work on your powder technique!
You can join an existing group if you are traveling on your own or gather a group of friends (up to 5) for a private guide.
Besides, if you want to travel around Japan after this trip, I can help you with some local tips and flights arrangements. You can also let me know if you want a shorter trip.
Please get in touch with me if you want to join this freeriding trip in Japan! It will be my pleasure to guide you here and make sure you spend an unforgettable time.
And in case you're looking for a similar trip with more ski touring and less freeriding, you should consider this road trip and backcountry ski touring in Hokkaido.
- Accommodation included
- Guiding fee
- Transport during the trip
- Lifts tickets
Keep in mind that the price may vary according to the time of the year.
The price also includes:
- Breakfast
- Ski Pass
- Free hire of Scott Freeride Skis in Japan (no need to bring your own)
- Free hire of Avalanche equipment in Japan (Transceiver, Probe and Shovel)
- Avalanche Training Session
- Evening presentations
- Video analysis
Evening: Avalanche Safety Presentation.
Evening: Night Powder Skiing.
Ski-Touring in Niseko Area / Evening: Onsen.
(+ video filming).
Mt. Yotei Volcano / Evening: Onsen.
Evening: “Powder Ski Technique” presentation + Video analysis.
Evening: Good Bye Party
More info
Equipment: There's no need to bring your own equipment. Powder skis/snbs and avalanche equipment already prepared for you in Japan. | We can help you arrange flights too. Surprisingly, return flight to Sapporo (Japan) cost only around 580 EUR / 16 000 CZK. The sooner you book the cheaper the flight. After your booking I will get back to you and organize flights for you if you require. | If you already have accommodation, we will offer you discounted package without it. | Insurance - approx. 100 EUR (Travel and Cancel insurance (not taking the trip due to injury illness etc.), I can arrange it for you.
Meeting point
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4.9
(46)
Mountain Guide
I'm a UIAGM certified guide, skitouring-freeride and heliski guide. I'm a lifelong skier, climber and mountaineer, born in Prachovske skaly, a famous sandstone climbing area in the Czech Republic.
I've personally participated in 13 expeditions to 8thousander peaks and stood 5 times on an 8000m peak. I have guided guests on all continents (7 summits, etc..) in numerous treks, climbing or skitouring expeditions.
I run a guiding company in Prague and work for Patagonia, SKI TRAB and ABS avalanche backpacks. I spend my winter guiding in the Northern hemisphere, including heliski in Lappland (SWE), ski touring in Morocco or enjoying the best powder snow on earth in Japan.
The rest of the time I'm on expeditions in Nepal or South America and I spend most of the summer climbing in my hometown or guiding in the Alps.
I like Czech beer and food, passionate guests and jokes. If I'm not available my team will guide you instead.
Languages
English | Czech
Man
5
Climbing with guide Guillaume was absolutely a highlight of my 2-week Europe vacation. Originally, we were planning on climbing in the Calanques, but the park was closed due to wind and fire danger. Guillaume chose another amazing location (Pic de Bretagne) based on my climbing abilities and preferences and kindly offered train station pick-up and hotel drop off, which I appreciated very much. The multi-pitch route we did was not only fun but also the right amount of challenge, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The communication from the team (Gauthier) was prompt and clear—highly recommend!
Maxine
5
Luis Silva was a great climbing guide and belayer! He taught me how to do moves that were difficult and encouraged me to try routes that were challenging for me! Because of his encouragement, I managed to complete these routes! I really enjoyed the climbs and completed 8 routes in the Sesimbra/Azoia area. The weather was perfect, no direct sun and cool enough to enjoy the climbs. Explore-Share made booking an outdoor climbing experience in Lisbon extremely easy. Luis, our guide, was fantastic, and the platform’s organization was flawless.
Valeriya
5
You’re simply the best!!! :))) Explore-Share made everything easy and stress-free. Will definitely use again.
Joshua
5
We had Léo as a guide for our day climb in Fonty. We were blessed with a knowledgeable, warm, and instructive guide. Communication with Léo and Ivan was smooth and swift. Explore-Share was excellent in arranging everything for our day climb. The communication was quick, and the platform was easy to use, making our adventure stress-free.
Cami
5
Patrick was a great guide. He took us on an intermediate Via Ferrata at Passo Sella. Renato was quick to respond with any outreach on the Explore-Share platform. The booking process was straightforward, and once Patrick was confirmed, all went well. It was a wonderful experience, and I’d highly recommend the platform.
4.8
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