Clutching my skis as I pose for a picture on the pristine, crisp white slope, I am the epitome of all the gear and no idea.
Yes, I have a fancy black velvet ski jacket and a big confident smile on my face, but inside I want to run back to a world of warmth and comfort – if only I knew how to move on these damn skis.
I have discovered I am not a natural on the slopes – but there are far worse places to find this out, as I pop my ski cherry on the beautiful mountains of Niseko in north Japan.
It may have taken a 12-hour flight from London to Tokyo, followed by a 95-minute flight to Sapporo, the capital city of the northern, mountainous island of Hokkaido, then a two-hour drive to Niseko Village, our home for four days – but, goodness, was it worth it.
Here, the sky is clear and blue, the air is unbelievably fresh, and the scenery – our backdrop is the majestic Yoti mountain – is guaranteed to deliver Insta-envy.
Inside the resort
The Village is in the heart of the Niseko United Ski area, which interlinks with other ski nearby resorts to create 2,191 acres of terrain strategically located at the base of Mount Niseko Annupuri.
No matter how well, or bad, you ski, there are 70 runs to choose from, as well as some off-piste terrain – which is ‘brilliant’ according to the far more able and adrenaline-fuelled skiers on my trip, who also tell me that this place is a far cry from the slopes of Europe.
Niseko is known for its legendary powder snow – known as Japow – because it is extremely light and fluffy, and despite it being the end of the season, we are lucky enough to get an unexpected fresh flurry during our stay.
While some resorts closer to home might have to use cannons to create artificial powder, here the west to east flow of the wind carries cold air over the relatively warm sea of Japan, sucking up moisture and forming dense clouds along the way. This means the area can often expect an average of 18 metres of snowfall (some of the highest in the world).
Being Japan, there’s something very faultlessly organised about our stay. After collecting our boots, skis and helmets (following a quick but thorough fitting the night before), we can ski – or in my case Bambi – in and out of the hotel, which I’m told is a bit of a rarity.
There are other differences too – while Europe is famed for its mountainside apres-ski offerings, here in Niseko there is barely no such thing. While there are plenty of bars, restaurants and hotels at the bottom of the slopes – and you can ski in and out of the clubhouse called the Mandala Club – the party vibe is distinctly muted, even with a bunch of Brits on tour, and there’s only one cafe halfway up the hills.
Here, everything feels stiller, calmer – but no less exciting or enjoyable.
I spent six hours on day one learning to ski – and by the end I was still choosing to fall over instead of stop and failed to get the hang of slowing down and speeding up. That’s not because of my amazing teacher – my learner companion had it sussed within a few hours – I was just a bit rubbish.
Even so, by day two, after another couple of intense hours on nursery slope – and with the help of some lovely crunchy fresh snow – I went up in a ski chair to attempt my first run.
With most of it far less steep than the short nursery slope I’d been trying to navigate, my nerves soon melted away as I made my way down the hill. Managing to do it without even so much as a wobble made my confidence soar. It was only when I watched the video back did I notice all the kids whizzing past me as I went at about 0.0001 mph – but I didn’t care. I had learned to ski. Sort of.
Sloping off
There’s no doubt that this is a ski-lovers dream resort, but for me it was everything but the skis that made me fall in love with Niseko, as there were so many other ways to explore our stunning surroundings.
Within the resort was a new development called Niseko-yo, where visitors could follow a sculpture trail by contemporary artist Frank Woo, drink evening cocktails at the bougie Mandala Club, enjoy some well-earned pizza at Baby Crosta, or maybe try a sashimi lunch at the Hilton Hotel and some dim sum and ramen at Gogyo restaurant.
However, it was the activities that took us into the Japanese woodland that really stole my heart.
One morning we took some snowmobiles out and were expertly guided through a forest where our bikes bumped and glided through the barely-touched powder. Unlike my skiing, we were super-speedy and it was an adrenaline-pumping ride where the fresh air and wind whipped against Cheshire cat smiles hidden under our helmets.
Then there was snow walking, where we attached contraptions to our feet and went out for an hour-long adventure through the trees. As someone who loves to hike I really embraced the sound of the snow crunching under foot and taking in a new gulp of clean, fresh air with each step.
And I was grateful for all the activities as when it came to the food, it was beyond plentiful. (Thankfully, as one can imagine, it was also pretty healthy).
Plates aplenty
Suppers were full of endless plates of sashimi, pickles and Wagyu. One ‘marmite’ delicacy was sea urchin. Presented as a beigey dollop, the unusual texture and taste (a bit pasty, certainly fishy) had the crowd divided.
At one restaurant we made our own DIY ramen, where beautiful marbled slithers of Wagyu were presented alongside a plate of all sorts of mushrooms and greens, all ready to be plunged into a steaming bowl of stock.
Our most amazing eating experience though, was saved for the last day, where we dined at the In the private dining room at the far end of the hotel called Sushi Nagi, a long table-bar seats just eight people.
Called an Omakase dinner, the sushi chef got to work before our eyes, chopping fish in a delicate frenzy, blowtorching other bits for extra flavour, delivering plate after plate of beautifully curated seafood.
The naked spa
There was also another Japanese tradition that made the trip all the more magical and that was the Onsen culture.
People had told me about the hot spring areas where people bathe nude after cleaning their bodies, and I must admit I was a little ‘British’ about stripping off and sharing a pool with strangers.
But after giving myself a good scrub and that first tentative step into our hotel’s outdoor onsen – there was an indoor one too – I soon realised people were far more enamoured with the view (once again) of the snow-covered trees and clear, still skies than they ever would be with my ass.
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It was yet another pinch-me moment, as I sat there just watching the steam from the warm mineral-rich water rising as it hit the cold air, as the dusk turned to darkness and stars began to twinkle through the trees as snow gently landed on their branches.
An unforgettable adventure
There’s no doubt that travelling over 5000 miles to learn to ski might seem a bit extreme when we have so many beautiful slopes on our doorstep, but what my trip taught me was that even though we were staying at a ski resort – hitting the slopes was only a small part of our adventure.
Plus, there’s opportunity to explore so much more while there – if I had more time I would have definitely made the most of touching down in Tokyo, or taken a bullet train to Kyoto or Hiroshima.
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Skiing in Japan is a bucket-list tick no doubt, but that’s only the tip of what this great place can offer.
What you need to know
Our trip was to Niseko Village in Hokkaido, Japan.
There we stayed at Hinode Hills, where a 1 Bedroom Suite started at JPY 97,900 (approx £501) & 2 Bedroom Suite from JPY 144,800 (approx £742 dependent on exchange rate at time of booking per night during the winter season)
We also stayed at the Higashiyama Niseko Village, A Ritz Carlton Reserve, where rooms start from JPY96,000 (approx £596, dependent on exchange rate at time of booking) per night during the winter season, on a room-only basis.
More information about the resorts is available on the YTL Hotels website.
The nearest airport is Sapporo, where flights from London go via Tokyo and a return trip in November start at £401 according to Skyscanner.
The prime time for skiers to visit is mid-December to March, as it is typically the snowiest season, with the best snow in late December, January and February.
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