Lifts & Terrain
Appi Kogen Ski and Snowboard Terrain
Appi Kogen receives abundant snowfall and considering the many runs to suit various ability levels, Happy Appi is very happy indeed!
The major strong point of Appi is the groomed runs. The quality of the grooming is exceptional. They place a lot of pride in manicuring the slopes, and on Sundays they even re-groom the Shirakaba run at midday. Appi Kogen is also shrewd enough to know when to stop grooming. Thankfully they don’t groom right out to the sides of the piste, and they leave quite a number of runs ungroomed.
At 282 hectares comprising 45km of slopes, Appi Kogen is a medium to large resort by Japanese standards, but it’s rather small compared to Canada, USA or European ski resorts. As is somewhat typical of a Japanese ski resort, the runs at the top are much steeper than at the base. Black runs at the top transform into red (intermediate) runs which then change into green runs. The only problem is that in some areas (e.g. Second Slopes, Sailer) the lifts run the full vertical, so beginners can’t actually access the green runs without first going down a red or black run, and advanced skiers have to meander along painfully long green trails. The trail to the Sailer gondola in particular provides plenty of time to contemplate life.
Neverthless, the terrain lay-out has a lot of positives. There aren’t any complete flat spots like you find at many other ski resorts in Japan, and the lifts are well placed such that you don’t have to skate, pole or hike. The only small exception is the short uphill slope to get to the Nishimori Lift.
In keeping with its very conservative and old school ethos, Appi still has a small area serviced by three lifts that are for two plankers only.
Lifts
Appi has some very good lifts including a couple of gondolas and three detachable quads with hoods, but it also has lots of old double clunkers.
Appi can experience lift queues on the weekends at the base areas, but weekdays are absolutely fine.
Night skiing is available if you’re keen and are happy to freeze your bits off. Three lifts are open which service some parts of the beginner terrain.
Lift Tickets
Lift ticket configurations include a 5 hour pass, an 8 hour pass, or 2 or 3 days. Lift tickets are some of the most expensive in the country, but you get good value for money considering the infrastructure and facilities on offer. Discounts are available for those staying at Appi accommodation, which includes any of the pensions.
Snow and Weather Conditions
It snows a lot at Appi Kogen, particularly in January and early February when the powder can be rather tasty. The statistic for the average snowfall per season is cited as 8 metres, but the true amount is more than that because Appi records the amount of snowfall each day
after they’ve squashed it down with the grooming machine. Everyone else in the world measures snowfall as the amount of snow that falls, but Appi wants to be unique by under-reporting their volume of snowfall! Only in Japan!
The quality of the powder is generally better than the Nagano area, but it’s generally not as dry as Hokkaido powder. The theory goes that the precipitation is picked up from the Sea of Japan, and as the storms pass by the Hachimantai area, much of the moisture is dropped on the snow monsters (the ice caked trees). By the time the weather hits Appi, the snow that falls is dry. Well that’s the theory anyway!
Many of the slopes are north facing, which keeps the snow in reasonable condition. However even though “Kogen” means “highlands”, Appi Kogen is at a reasonably low elevation so sometimes it gets icy and becomes Crappi Appi. And thankfully the snowmaking facilities are generally only used in December to get the season started.
Like other
Honshu ski resorts, Appi Kogen has a propensity for windy conditions which may close many of the lifts. Thankfully there are plenty of alternative activities on offer.
For the Beginner
The only downside for beginners is that some of the great terrain is inaccessible without first going down a black or red run. Nevertheless the beginner terrain is fantastic and up there as the best in Japan. Unlike some other Japanese ski resorts where the green runs are dark green or the slopes are completely flat thereby requiring some skating, the pitch at Appi is absolutely perfect. The runs near the accommodation and resort centre are appropriately mellow, and confident beginners can tackle the Yamabato course.
Intermediate Ski and Board Terrain
Appi Kogen has some really good intermediate terrain, but once again the unusual layout of the lifts prevents intermediates from accessing a major proportion of the red runs unless they are prepared to go down a black run first. Thankfully some of these black runs are groomed so confident intermediates will enjoy schussing down these long runs. The skill-up zone is also lots of fun because it has various waves and banks.
Appi has dedicated areas for novice mogul skiers. Similarly Appi is a great place for intermediates to learn to ride powder, either on the sides of the runs or on the “light powder runs”. The latter are runs that are groomed in the early evening thereby leaving any powder that falls overnight.
Skiing and Boarding For the Kids
Appi is incredibly well suited to children. The little kiddie winks can learn to ski in the dedicated fenced off kids’ area, the Appi Sponge Bob Park. The area is serviced by magic carpets and costs ¥800 for children aged 3 and over and ¥200 for a guardian. The park also has lots of play features and other activities for kids.
The beginner terrain at the base area is also perfect for learning whilst Mum and Dad maintain a watchful eye. The terrain parks are also in this area; plenty of fun for the little kids (and the not-so-little kids).
For The Shredder
Like many other Japanese ski resorts, Appi has abandoned the half pipe concept and has retained only a couple of small terrain parks, neither of which have big jumps. The Challenge Park has a small kicker, wave and box and is for beginners. The Fun Area is for intermediates with a kicker, rail, and box. Do these parks sound like they’ve been named around the wrong way?!!
Appi Advanced Skiing
Appi has some good on-piste black runs. The ungroomed runs off the Nishimori Lift have a pitch of up to 32 degrees and are a lot of fun on a powder day; join the queue for the 9am show down.
Another favourite is the long Second Sailer run that has a maximum pitch of 34 degrees. It’s bliss on a powder day or a mogul field if it hasn’t snowed in a while.
For advanced riders, the real fun can be found in the off-piste and slackcountry (see below).
Expert Ski and Snowboard Terrain
There are no super steep slopes at Appi. That being said, when the snow’s going off, most experts will be very contented just playing in the powder.
Appi Off-Piste Skiing
Unlike many other Japanese ski resorts that have realised that they need to relax the approach to off-piste skiing in order to attract the much needed international market, Appi has fervently remained old school. Off-piste skiing is taboo and there’s a risk you’ll lose your lift pass if pulled up by the patrollers. It’s really tempting to ski under the lift lines, especially under the Sailer quad, but if you did the locals would probably have a heart attack!
However it is possible to ski and snowboard off-piste with lots of discretion. The trees aren’t deciduous so it’s possible to hide amongst the foliage, and if you disguise yourself as the white rabbit (the symbol of Appi winter) then the world is your oyster! It’s almost advantageous that off-piste skiing is banned at Appi because very few people go in there to take your freshies. There are lots of good tree skiing opportunities at Appi with the Nishimori area being a particular highlight.
Appi Sidecountry
Going out of bounds is obviously frowned upon too. The Nishimori area has superb slackcountry (aka side-country) options amongst the beech trees whereby no hiking is required to get back into the ski resort. Once again the chances of revelling in the steep and deep are very high.
Mt Nishimori also has some great backcountry skiing and boarding.
Appi Ski Resort Season
Appi enjoys a very long season from early December to May as a result of the bountiful snowfall, the north facing slopes, and careful grooming. The best powder is on offer in January and early February. If you prefer sunny days go to Appi in March, but be aware that from the end of the March onwards, some parts of the resort are closed and the activities and transport options scale back significantly.