Itinerary
The Powder Hunter
This itinerary has a very clear, uncomplicated objective. You want to ski Japan's best, untracked powder? Across both islands? Then the answer is simple: concentrate on the Central Hokkaido region, away from the crowds over in Niseko. And then head down to the Japanese Alps, but again eschew busier Hakuba or Nozawa Onsen and instead head straight to the highlands of Shiga Kogen. Mission accomplished.
This is not necessarily an itinerary to follow for the cultural traveller, though we can add on time in Tokyo, Kyoto and elsewhere in Japan of course. Instead we are focussing on the powder snow only.
You begin based up in Asahikawa City, which gives you easy access top Asahidake mountain - the best ski mountain in Japan - as well as Kamui and the cat ski operation over in Otoe. After several days here it is simply a short train ride south to Furano, the perfect base to explore nearby resorts of Tomamu and Sahoro - though you may just want to stay with the slopes on your doorstep and enjoy Furano itself.
Next it is time to fly south to Honshu Island, where you are met at the airport and take a shared taxi to Shiga Kogen. In keeping with the rationale followed on Hokkaido, we are eschewing the main ski resorts in the Japanese Alps and instead zero in on Shiga Kogen - a massive area, with few people and, due to altitude, more snow.
And what do you achieve? Simple. Powder, with no tracks. All day, every day. For two weeks.

Day-By-Day Itinerary
how much would this holiday cost?
Obviously, cost depends on which accommodation you choose, how many excursions and activities you want to book, whether you wish to include ski hire and local backcountry guides, etc. And this this itinerary, you really should...so we have. Therefore, an indicative lead-in price for this 16-day itinerary would be circa £4,300 per person, including on moderate accommodation (mid / low season), transfers, lift passes, private ski guides, rail tickets, snow monkey excursion and economy class flights from the U.K. This is based on four of you travelling together.
If you were to move the dates to January (but still avoiding Christmas & New Year / Chinese New Year), this would then rise by approximately a couple of hundred pounds per person. And, of course, if you wanting the finest, most luxurious accommodation then....the sky's the limit really!
We don't have to include international flights. However, by keeping it all within one package, your arrangements are protected by ATOL.
Different Snow strive to offer the most competitive prices in all instances. However, we pride ourselves first and foremost on quality - we are an independent specialist tour operator and, therefore, are not beholden to any supplier. We make our decisions based only on who's best in each and every instance.