Japan becomes hot new ski holiday destination

Japan seems an unlikely choice for a winter sports holiday but it has cropped up in a number of winter sports brochures and ski operators say it is selling well.

Japan has three major resorts, Niseko, Rusutsu and Furano, situated on the north island of Hokkaido where the powder is legendary.

Cold winds sweeping in from Siberia dump up to 50 feet in Niseko every season and the resort has lots of steep runs and off-piste for more advanced skiers.

Most of the lifts are modern and swift, which is what you'd expect in such a hi-tech nation, and hotels are of an international standard offering both Japanese and western rooms (with futons or beds) and a choice of Asian and western cuisine.

Onsens, or traditional outdoor bathing areas, are a feature of most hotels in Japan, providing somewhere to soothe away the day's aches and pains.

Package prices start at around £1,000 for flights, transfers and half-board accommodation, which is steep compared to Europe but roughly on a par with North America.

Learn to ski packages start at £179, which is cheaper than in many European resorts. There is no language barrier as Australians arrived in Japan's ski resorts long before the Brits and many signs are in English. The quality of instruction is good as many of the instructors are Antipodeans.

Once you're there, Japan's ski resorts offer surprisingly good value. One of the reasons Crystal Ski started featuring the destination was the devaluation of the yen, which has made everything in Japan so much more affordable to us Brits.

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