Heading to Japan for the first time in 26-27 and want a basic outline of where to choose? this is my 101 for beginners looking to learn the ropes about Japan and where they might like to go! warning these are the more popular places, but they are popular for a reason!

First you need to decide which island you want to ride:

Honshu:

Pros:

More Resorts, closer to Tokyo accessible via shinkansen, prone to big dumps

Cons:

Shorter season, Warmer, bigger snow storms means longer periods without daily topups at times

Hokkaido:

Pros:

Colder, more powder snow, snow stays fresh longer, more “top up” snow, longer season

Cons:

Less massive dumps, adds another leg of travel to the north island for many travellers

Now you need to decide when to go:

My advice, I personally dont head to Japan until after Christmas, the season just often starts later than in North America or Canada.  Jan-March are the best times, with March sometimes being a bit hit and miss, but the base is usually great and you can ski no matter what.

How long to go for:

This depends on so many things, but I would try to go for at least a week, this gives you a good chance for fresh snow.

Which resorts:

Honestly there's too many to name, Japan has over 500 active ski areas, not including backcountry etc.

Honshu most popular:  Hakuba, Myoko, Shiga Kogen, Gala Yuzawa, Madarao, Nozawa Onsen

Hokkaido most popular: Niseko, Kirroro, Furano, Rusutu