Asahikawa Ski Resorts

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Asahikawa Hokkaido
Asahikawa Hokkaido
Furariito Alley Asahikawa
Furariito Alley Asahikawa
Asahikawa City Japan
Asahikawa City Japan
The pedestrian street Asahikawa
The pedestrian street Asahikawa
Asahiyama Zoo Asahikawa
Asahiyama Zoo Asahikawa
Lots of cool little bars in Asahikawa
Lots of cool little bars in Asahikawa
Lots of Asahikawa dining options
Lots of Asahikawa dining options
Asahikawa Japan
Asahikawa Japan
Views from the JR Inn Asahikawa
Views from the JR Inn Asahikawa
Asahikawa has various ski areas nearby
Asahikawa has various ski areas nearby
Use Asahikawa as a base for Central Hokkaido ski areas
Use Asahikawa as a base for Central Hokkaido ski areas
Asahikawa Hokkaido
Asahikawa Hokkaido
Asahidake is close to Asahikawa
Asahidake is close to Asahikawa
Backcountry skiing in Central Hokkaido
Backcountry skiing in Central Hokkaido
You can day trip to Kurodake
You can day trip to Kurodake
Kurodake is an amazing powder destination
Kurodake is an amazing powder destination
Furano is close to Asahikawa
Furano is close to Asahikawa
Kamui Links is an Asahikawa ski area
Kamui Links is an Asahikawa ski area
Tokachidake
Tokachidake
Backcountry skiing near Asahikawa
Backcountry skiing near Asahikawa

Asahikawa Ski Resorts

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Asahikawa

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The city of Asahikawa Japan makes a great base to visit the various nearby ski resorts, either as part of a hosted multi-resort tour or a DIY trip.

Ski Areas Near Asahikawa Japan

Asahikawa ski areas include:

Kamui Ski Links is only 20 minutes from Asahikawa City (20km east) and is accessible via shuttle bus or car. Kamui Ski Links is a no-frills ski area with super cheap lift tickets. Another drawcard for powder hounds is that off-piste and tree skiing is permitted, and there are good sidecountry areas that are easily accessed from the lifts.

Asahidake is another no-frills ski area with inexpensive lift tickets. It’s about one hour drive from Asahikawa Japan (46km to the east). Asahidake is only suitable for advanced and expert riders because it is one big off-piste playground for powder hounds.

Furano ski resort is a mainstream resort with a wide range of on-piste terrain for all ability levels and it's an off-piste skiing haven. The lift infrastructure is good, and as such the lift tickets are a little more expensive than Kamui Links. Furano is 57km south of Asahikawa (about 1 hour drive).

Tengu cat skiing is located at the former Kitataisetsu ski resort. The powder here is particularly delightful!

Kurodake is about 70km east of Asahikawa. Kurodake is an off-piste paradise akin to the ultimate slackcountry experience, and strangely for Japan, it has some steep gnarly terrain. The only downside is that the ropeway is only open for part of the season.

Tokachi-dake is about 57km southeast of Asahikawa. This is a backcountry ski area that offers the ultimate in deep, deep and deeper, but you have to earn your turns to reap the rewards.

Another Asahikawa ski area is the little Pippu ski area which is 25km northeast of Asahikawa City.

If you're up for a decent drive, Nayoro Piyashiri is 89km north of Asahikawa. You're unlikely to find any competition for the fresh powder at Piyashiri!

One advantage of staying in Asahikawa is that each morning you can check out the conditions at each resort and decide which one takes your fancy. Whichever one you choose, there’s a high likelihood of finding the great powder that Hokkaido skiing is famous for. And unlike Niseko and the ski resorts near Sapporo, these Central Hokkaido ski resorts aren’t near the ocean so the powder isn’t just dry; it's superb. These ski areas near Asahikawa provide Japan skiing at its finest.

Where is Asahikawa Japan?

The city of Asahikawa is located in the middle of Hokkaido, the north island of Japan. Asahikawa is northeast of Sapporo, approximately 1.5 hours by train.

Joining a guided multi-resort tour or renting a car provides the most flexibility to sample multiple Asahikawa ski resorts, but as an alternative there are shuttle buses or public transport options to get to some of the ski areas.

Asahikawa Hotels

Asahikawa accommodation consists primarily of hotels. There are various Asahikawa hotels that are located conveniently near the train station, the main shops and the restaurant district. Some of the Asahikawa hotels are very reasonably priced and there are also a couple of accommodation options for those travelling on a shoe-string.

Asahikawa Hotel Listings

Asahikawa Activities

The city has a population of about 360,000 so the downtown area is small enough to largely access on foot, yet the city is big enough to be vibrant and exciting. Asahikawa is full of restaurants, bars, and department stores that will delight any shopping-loving female (who’s less than a size 10!). There are various activities to do in and around Asahikawa for those who don’t want to play on the snow, including the renowned Asahiyama Zoo.

Culture

Asahikawa Japan not only provides access to great skiing and snowboarding, but the city also allows visitors to experience Japanese culture that hasn’t been “resortified”. Outside your hotel, don’t expect many people to speak English beyond a couple of basic greetings, and don’t expect to see too many other Westerners. Some may view this as a bit of a travel inconvenience, but for adventurous travellers the huge advantage is that you’ll find the genuine Japan in Asahikawa.

Weather

Asahikawa holds the record for the coldest temperature in Japan with a chilling -41degrees C in 1902. Thankfully it’s not always that cold in winter! Average low temps are about -14 degrees Celsius however when we've visited, it is always really cold with temperatures around minus 25. And even though we’ve seen it many times before in Japan, we've been continually amazed and entertained by the local girls walking around in their short skirts with bare legs! The stilettos accompanying the outfits are also amazing, considering the slippery roads and footpaths on which our Sorrel (Caribous) boots struggle to keep grip.

Why Stay in Asahikawa?

Asahikawa provides a great base to sample multiple ski resorts, some of which have fantastically cheap lift tickets. And at night time you can hang out in a great city where you’ll find plenty of authentic Japanese culture, and an abundance of dining and drinking options.
Tours That Include Asahikawa

Safari (Road Trip) Tours

Hokkaido Storm Chaser
GUIDED STORM CHASING SAFARI
7 Days | 6 Nights | 6 Ski Areas
Ability: Strong Intermediate to Expert
Chase the storms and access the deepest and best quality snow conditions on the day in the Otaru area and Central Hokkaido's world famous deep dry powder.
Price p/p Displayed price may cary slightly due to exchange rates fluctuations
Base/invoice currency is JPY
Price includes 13% tax.
USD 2,849
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The Powder Triangle Tour
POWDER CHASER or PROGRESSION
8 Nights | 7 Days Guided Skiing/Riding
Ability: Strong Intermediate to Expert
The Powder Triangle is an adventure for those who want an amazing Hokkaido Mountain Experience that explores 3 zones of Hokkaido: Otaru, Furano & the vibrant city of Asahikawa.
Price p/p From price is based on quad-share
Base/invoice currency is in Japanese Yen inclusive of tax
*Display price may vary slightly due to fluctuation in exchange rates.
USD 2,237
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Hokkaido Fix
NISEKO, CENTRAL HOKKAIDO & SAPPORO
8 to 10 Days
Ability: Advanced to Expert
This CUSTOMISABLE guided backcountry tour starts in NISEKO & then heads to CENTRAL HOKKAIDO in pursuit of some of the deepest & driest snow on the planet. The tour finishes with a day chasing powder around Sapporo (TEINE & KOKUSAI).
Price p/p From price based on twin/triple-share based on group of 5 (per person) for 8 day trip for 2023-24 season.
Base/invoice currency is in JPY inc taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
USD 2,237
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See all Safari (Road Trip) tours that visit Asahikawa here

Single-Base, Multi-Ski-Area Tours

Asahikawa Freeride Tour
GUIDED FREERIDE TOUR ASAHIKAWA AREA
7 Days | 6 Nights | 5 Days Riding
Ability: Advanced
The city of Asahikawa is an ideal base. Explore the restaurants & bars by night, and by day the guides will take you to the best Central Hokkaido ski area depending on the conditions. Guided freeride trip of the off-piste & sidecountry of ski areas.
Price p/p
USD 2,750
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See all Single-Base, Multi-Ski-Area tours that visit Asahikawa here

Single-Base, Single-Ski-Area Tours

Hokkaido Northside
GUIDED SIDECOUNTRY & BACKCOUNTRY
7 Days | 6 Nights | 5 Days Guided Skiing
Ability: Advanced to Expert
The Hokkaido Northside Kurodake Tour incorporates a mixture of lift assisted sidecountry plus backcountry touring, with a focus of riding at the famed Kurodake, renowned for being steep & deep. You will be rewarded with face shots of the deepest & driest powder on planet earth!
Price p/p From price is based on per person min 3 people on tour
Bas/invoice currency is JPY
Displayed price in other currencies may vary slightly to actual due to exchange rate fluctuations.
USD 2,618
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See all Single-Base, Single-Ski-Area tours that visit Asahikawa here
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