Japan Ski Touring 2026

Our 2026 Japan Ski Touring trips will expand on our now annual forays into the lesser known Aomori & Hakkoda areas as they offer absolutely amazing opportunities for lift assisted ski touring in addition to some amazing roadside exploration and epic volcano summits. That trip will be followed by some exploration further north in the central Hokkaido area. The first trip, into the Aomori zone, will be Each trip is 7 days long and set-up to run as a stand-alone adventure but if you wanted to join for more that one just let us know!

Trip Options:

10-Day Aomori Spring, Hakkoda & Hachimantai Trip:

About as far north as you can get on the main island of Honshu is Aomori city, the snowiest inhabited city on earth! It also happens to be our personal favorite area in Japan to ski as it doesn't tend to have any crowds, the snow tends to be deeper than any other Japan destinations and the terrain is great with long runs, big volcanos and perfectly spaced trees. For this trip we will explore 3 of the best zones in the Aomori area:

BOOK 10-DAY AOMORI, HAKKODA & HACHIMANTAI TRIP

• Part 1, Aomori Springs: For the first 3 days we will be based out of the sea-side town of Ajigasawa in a hotel that's perched above the ocean. From there it's a short drive to the Aomori Springs Ski Resort on the northern slopes of the volcano Mt. Iwaki. Using the Aomori Springs ski lifts we can gain access onto the large volcano and explore some of the best tree skiing we've found in Japan. With long and consistent fall-line pitches, perfectly spaced trees, soft snow, and amazing views of the ocean, this area is hard to beat. There's also the opportunity to summit Mt. Iwaki for some alpine skiing and views when the clouds break and we get some sunny weather.
• Part 2, Hachimantai: After our time skiing in Aomori Springs we head south a little bit to the town of Hachimantai for 3 days. This zone is home to over 7 ski resorts with amazing opportunities for lift assisted ski touring as well as numerous roadside ski touring areas and of course another iconic volcano, Mt. Iwate. The summit of Mt. Iwate even offers a short ski run into the crater, much like Yotei, just without all the crowds! Never heard of this area? That's why it's a great place to explore.
• Part 3, Hakkoda: Our final 3 days will be spent exploring the powder paradise of Hakkoda. The area has a ring road that surrounds a group of peaks, including more iconic volcanos, that get an amazing amount of snow. The road often has vertical walls along the side that are 10' (3m) high! Even better, there's a ropeway (tram) that provides a 650m lift up onto a high bench near the summit of some of the peaks that can be used to get a head start on a day of ski touring.

As it can be hard to ski 9 days in a row we have added a rest-day in the middle. For the rest day we will take anyone interested in a tour of Aomori City and area with potential stops at Japan's oldest ski manufacturer, an onsen, a snowmonkey refuge, etc. If you've been to Japan before and want to check out a new area, this is it! Aormoi really is the STATE OF JAPOW (as the t-shirt says). We also offer an option for guests to join us at the Tokyo Grande Sumo Tournament before the trip starts, a fun and unique way to spend a day in Tokyo.

6-Day Aomori Spring & Hakkoda Trip:

This trip is a slightly shorter version of the 9-day Aomori adventure. We forego the Hachimantai zone and focus on Aomori Springs and Hakkoda, two absolute gems!

BOOK 6-DAY AOMORI & HAKKODA TRIP

• Part 1, Aomori Springs: For the first 3 days we will be based out of the sea-side town of Ajigasawa in a great hotel that's perched above the ocean. From there it's a short drive to the Aomori Springs resort on the northern slopes of the volcano Mt. Iwaki. From there we'll use the Aomori Springs ski lifts to gain access onto the large volcano to explore some of the best tree skiing we've found in Japan. With long and consistent fall-line skiing, perfectly spaced trees, soft snow, and amazing views of the ocean, this area is hard to beat. There's also the opportunity to summit Iwaki for some alpine skiing when the clouds break and we get some sunny weather.
• Part 2, Hakkoda: This powder paradise consists of a ring road that surrounds a group of peaks that can  After that we'll head over to Hakkoda, not so much a ski resort as it has only 2 groomed runs but an epic backcountry area that's accessed via a ropeway.

We also offer an option for guests to join us at the Tokyo Grande Sumo Tournament before the trip starts, a fun and unique way to spend a day in Tokyo.

6-Day Central Hokkaido Trip:

BOOK JAN 26-31 CENTRAL HOKKAIDO TRIP

BOOK FEB 1-6 CENTRAL HOKKAIDO TRIP

We’ll hit the inland powder highway on Hokkaido for some amazing skiing, beautiful natural onsen pools and of course some great food. With stops at various locations including Asahidake for a few days with fingers crossed for a bluebird summit day. The Hakuginso zone skiing peaks such as Tokachidake, Maetokachidake and Furanodake. And, depending on weather, a stop at Furano or Kamui for some storm skiing or Tomamu for some amazing backcountry. This package will get you a well rounded look at what the less-touristy areas of Hokkaido have to offer.

The Scene:

Now half the fun of a Japan ski touring holiday is checking out the local culture and of course the local food. Japanese apres ski culture always involves a long soak in an Onsen, a traditional natural hot spring, to ease tired muscles. That is followed by an amazing meal. Sushi, ramen, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, omo-rice and more might not mean much to you now, but they’ll soon become favorites!

Of course no foreign vacation is complete without sampling some of the local beer and spirits! Not to worry, Japan’s famous for its amazing Scotch and Sake, but of course it also has a booming craft brewery scene that begs to be sampled as well. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Foodie, fine beverage connoisseur or an avid skier just looking for some filling food at the end of a big day you will be more than happy with the local offerings.

Waiver & Risk Management:

As you know, outdoor activities involve numerous hazards including, but not limited to, avalanches, crevasses, rockfall, slips and falls, equipment failure, poor weather, etc. And while we do our best to anticipate and mitigate these hazards we cannot completely eliminate them. So, as with anything fun, you will be required to sign our Participant Release to take part in one of our courses or trips.