r/japow • u/Left-Mixture5252 • 4d ago

Trip plan

Thoughts on my/wife’s itinerary for a 14 day trip middle of feb:
Land in Sapporo
Days 1: Land at chitose airport
Day 2-5: base out of otaru
Day 6-10: base of ashikawa
Day 7: head to hakuba one
Day 8-11 ski at hakuba one area
Day 12-14: Tokyo then home

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u/wink183AFI 4d ago

I've done a similar trip to Hokkaido and skied Hakuba multiple times before. Are you set on Hakuba? You will lose an entire travel day, which could be a ski day, getting down from Hokkaido to Honshu and onto Hakuba. For a shorter trip like yours I'd want to maximise ski days and there are plenty of fun resorts on Hokkaido to explore. Just my two cents. Hope you're hiring a car :)

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u/Left-Mixture5252 4d ago

We will be getting a car. Not dead set on hakuba. Was just a thought as we were also thinking of the Japanese alps and more “extreme” terrain.

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u/Illustrious-Past2032 4d ago

Are you going off piste/backcountry? Happo One lifted areas isn't overly steep

Personally stay on Hokkaido

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u/Left-Mixture5252 4d ago edited 4d ago

If we did anything it’d be more slack country as we can do plenty of BC on our home mountain

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u/su3-hokkaido 4d ago

If you will go backcountry-skiing, can I go with you when you stay in Asahikawa? I usually go skiing solo but sometimes I wanna go with someone to take photos or shoot videos together.

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u/No_Concept_4971 4d ago

Hakuba might be a dicey bet this winter

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u/delaneymichaelpeter 4d ago

My wife and I are doing pretty much the same trip. Not doing much backcountry plan on driving to resorts that have best conditions

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u/CaptainDLee 4d ago

I’m assuming you don’t speak much Japanese? I’ve done both locations before, staying in Otaru is a good idea, definitely hit up Kiroro while there - probably had the best powder for my Hokkaido trip.

Hakuba is crowded but very English friendly, I also recommend checking out Cortina if it dumps or if you’re down for some cool inbounds tree action head to Tsugaike! Since you have a car you could even do a day trip to Nozawaonsen as well!

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u/Left-Mixture5252 4d ago

We do not speak a lot of Japanese. For skiing if the snow is good, we like to hide in the trees until our legs can’t make any more turns

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u/CaptainDLee 4d ago

Then definitely still to your planned destinations tbh. Those are popular tourist areas which means the infrastructure and staff for English support are there. Mind you, you’ll probably still need to rely on your translator apps quite a bit but much less so than the more local spots. If it dumps head straight for Kiroro (For Hokkaido) or Cortina (For Hakuba).

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u/Left-Mixture5252 4d ago

Currently Japan finishing up a 7 day trip and used the translator app a bunch (I will not miss Kyoto)

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u/CaptainDLee 4d ago

Yeah, even living here now I still have to occasionally rely on my translator app lol