Read the Article |  Adventure Guide: Skiing Japan's Backcountry

SKI AREAS: English-speaker Simon Bernard's Hakkoda Powder Snow Tours can guide you into the bountiful Hakkoda-san backcountry ($35 a day, $15 per gondola ride;  www.hakkodapowder.com). Pack your own avalanche beacon, shovel, probes, and compass. For higher vertical and a more resort-like experience, check out Hokkaido's Niseko ski area ($40 for a lift ticket; www.niseko.ne.jp/en), which is growing increasingly popular with Australian and American skiers.



 

GETTING THERE: Japan Airlines runs several 12-hour flights a day from Los Angeles to Tokyo's Narita Airport ($680; www.jal.co.jp/en). Transfer to Haneda Airport and hop a 90-minute Japan Airlines flight to reach Aomori ($245) or Sapporo ($227), the gateway city to the Niseko resort area.

WHERE TO STAY: The Sukayu Onsen Hotel ($85; www1.odn.ne.jp/~sukayu) is a ryoken, or traditional Japanese inn, that's a favorite place to recoup after a day on Hakkoda-san. 
 
RESOURCES: The Japan National Tourist Organization (www.jnto.go.jp) provides travel advice in English; Snow Japan (www.snowjapan.com) has helpful online reviews.  
—Rachel Scheer

Read the Article |  Adventure Guide: Skiing Japan's Backcountry

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