One of the most famous winter destinations for travelers across the globe seeking the best powdery snow, Hokkaido is a winter wonderland at its truest. From December 1 until May, the White Season at Niseko Village provides a myriad of winter activities for all ages at its five luxury hotels. The first Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Japan, Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is an ultra-luxe ski-in/ski-out retreat in the alpine haven. The Niseko Village Snow School offers ski and snowboard lessons for first-timers or anyone in need of a refresh, with private and group lessons curated for kids and adults. Those wanting to experience the rare opportunity to make the first tracks on a snow cat before the lifts open for the day can join a Niseko Village Snow School guide to descend a pristine black-diamond powder run before the mountain opens to the public.
Off-the-beaten-path to the east lies the winter destination’s biggest secret: a sparsely inhabited, deep winter landscape in the intimate countryside. The Hokkaido Snow Tour is one of Walk Japans newest tours in this overlooked, expansive pocket of Japan. With a maximum group size of 12, the 8-day/7-night tour walks along cliff-tops overlooking the seas—or over the frozen seas themselves, where they will witness fishermen fishing through ice holes—with ample onsen hot spring along the way, before ending at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Shiretoko Peninsula (“shiretoko” meaning “the end of the earth”). The calm and quiet onsen resort town of Utoro marks the official end of the tour, with captivating views of the endless Sea of Okhotsk.
