Hokkaido Two Week Detour – 340,000 JPY:
20th January to 1st February 2013

Niseko Area Powder Experience week – 90,000 JPY (basic package only):
20th to 27th January or
17th to 23rd February, 2013

We only run one Hokkaido Two Week Detour per season, so get in quick if you want a place on this amazing powder trip. And we’re offering an early booking discount of JPY 20,000 on this epic Detour, if booked before 31st August 2012!

Please note: we can arrange additional Powder Experience weeks if you have a group of 4 people or more.

Contact us now.

Bob laying over a toe-side in the pow

Niseko Moiwa is a favourite among our staff here at Powder Detours. It’s small and personal, with fun rolling terrain, easy-to-access side-country bowls, and almost no lift lines.

Moiwa is also where a very important figure in the area known as Shinya-san hangs out. Shinya is the head of the Niseko Avalanche Institute and has been running the backcountry gate system in Niseko since it began. He even has a run named after him over in Hanazono – Legend of Shinya!

Our crew with Shinya from the Niseko Avalanche Institute

That’s the end of our Powder Detours for 2011/2012. Thanks to all who joined in – we hope you had an amazing time playing in the amazing Hokkaido powder.

Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more photos – coming very soon!

One of our Detours' coaches/guides, Biff-san, enjoying the Moiwa powder

The whole crew at Rusutsu

Today however we had no fresh snow

So we spiced it up a bit with some of our guys deciding to jump on the opposite discipline for the day, trading in their skis for a board and vice-versa. We had a blast!

But it’s snowing again now, so with our last day tomorrow Moiwa is calling our name.

And apparently he goes by The Zen Master too. Can’t reveal his real name… that’s top secret.

Every lesson he teaches, every session he coaches, every guided trip he leads; those on the receiving end of Biff’s wisdom frequently come away with some form of an ‘ebiffany’. And we’re not exaggerating this in the slightest. Check out The Zen Master in action…

Biff is here in Niseko for the whole season, teaching private lessons and guiding Powder Detours. If you’re a telemarker and keen to explore Hokkaido’s best spots, come and join Biff for a trip this year.

Read more about Biff here.

At Niseko Academy we provide a number of different instructor training courses and an exclusive private lesson service.

This winter we’ll be producing a series of video tips for skiing, snowboarding and telemarking. In the meantime, check out this little powder video we filmed last March…

The fact is that Hokkaido was almost unaffected by the sad events that occurred in Japan’s Tohoku area last March. The Hokkaido Government have been monitoring radiation levels in Hokkaido and have been publishing the results in multiple languages on this website.

Hokkaido Government says:

“Radiation measurements have been made once daily since 22 October. This follows the Japanese government’s decision to lift the restriction in the emergency evacuation preparation zone on 30 September, confirming a marked decline in radioactive emissions from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and concluding that the emissions would not increase again soon. There will be additional measurements when any unusual readings are recorded.”

So if you’re still undecided about a trip to Hokkaido this winter, please don’t let concerns about radiation deter you from coming to Niseko and skiing/snowboarding some amazing powder.

This is a five-day ‘intro-to-pow’ coaching camp aimed towards intermediate skiers and riders that have less experience in powder.

We’ll have the same highly experienced and qualified coaches helping you progress your powder skiing/riding abilities and find the best daily locations. However, opposite to our Two Week Hokkaido Detour this Detour is 80% coaching-based and 20% guiding-based.

It’s still about amazing snow. It’s still a fully mobile and flexible daily itinerary taking you to the best spots available in the Niseko area each day.

We have scheduled two Powder Experience Weeks for 2012 so far:
* 16th to 20th January, 2012
* 20th to 24th February, 2012

We can schedule additional Powder Experience Weeks if you have a group of four people or more.

Check out the PDF itinerary here.

The 2011 Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated a large stretch of the east coast of Honshu (Japan’s main island). The initial focus was to assist the survivors with food, shelter and medical assistance. The current relief efforts are in providing accommodation and basic infrastructure to the affected areas. Rebuilding those communities will take considerable time and resources but given the manner in which the whole country has rallied around, coupled with generous support from overseas, the future is positive.

As if to add insult to injury the tsunami also affected the cooling systems at the Fukushima Nuclear power station resulting in the widely publicized reactor meltdowns and release of radiation. In many ways the resultant media frenzy overshadowed the humanitarian disaster that was unfolding in the coastal areas of Eastern Honshu.

The initial emergency responses were to cool the reactors in any way possible to prevent core meltdowns. This turned out to be unsuccessful with a resultant escape of nuclear radiation. The situation has stabilized with efforts now focused on preparation to decommission the reactors.

There are a number of options for those wishing to provide support including the Red Cross.

Visitors to Japan and Hokkaido

What can you expect?

Visitors to Hokkaido and Niseko can expect exactly the same as it would be every winter season… a beautiful and safe environment with the same amazing snow!

All of the main Hubs into mainland Japan (Narita, Handa and Osaka) are operating as normal. Transportation services around Japan are operating as normal accept in the immediate area of the Fukushima Daiichi power station and the coastal areas hit by the tsunami.

Direct transfers are also available to Chitose Sapproro (Hokkaido’s main gateway), from Seoul, Hong Kong and mainland China. If for any reason visitors to Hokkaido wish to avoid transferring through Tokyo, flying through Hong Kong is highly recommended.

Tsunami affected areas of Japan

Is it safe to visit Japan?

With the exception of the immediate area around the Fukushima Nuclear power station, the rest of Japan is perfectly safe. Regular updates on radiation levels in Japanese cities are available here.

For more updates aimed specifically at tourists coming to Japan, visit the Japanese National Tourism Organisation’s site here.

Is the food safe to eat?

All the food supplies in Japan are being continuously checked and are perfectly safe…. and just as delicious as before the earthquake.

Our Perspective

The events in March 2011 were incredibly saddening and the following weeks were heart-breaking for anyone in Japan at the time. We were about 99% unaffected physically up here in Hokkaido, with the exception of our somewhat more empty slopes in springtime.

Of course, tourism throughout Japan has seen a downturn as a result, but we sincerely hope the recent events don’t affect people’s decision on visiting Hokkaido next winter. We will be operating as normal… the same great trips, finding the same amazing powder. Come and join us in winter 2012!

It was truly and awesome trip. Great people, fun places and we found fresh snow almost every single day! Check out Quinten (aka ‘Peanut’) one of the snowboarders on this year’s trip at Niseko Moiwa…

We have started a Facebook page, where we’ll be uploading lots of photos and video from the trip. Watch out for our brand new promo vid coming very soon – it’s gonna be super-slick!