Hidaka Kokusai Ski and Snowboard Terrain

As you drive through town on approach to the Hidaka Kokusai Ski Area, it looks pretty dramatic with its steep slopes that loom above the town. When you arrive at the base and see the little mellow slope and snow play areas, Hidaka Kokusai looks like a completely different ski area because it benches out part-way up the ski slope and the upper areas are not visible.

The terrain is naturally divided, with the two lower lifts providing mellow terrain, and two upper lifts service intermediate and advanced courses. 

Lifts

Hidaka Kokusai ski area has 4 fixed grip double chair lifts that they can run at a decent pace, depending on the number of beginners. One of the lifts has a safety bar whilst the two lower lifts don’t have safety bars which may be a bit scary for beginners.

Night skiing is just for the terrain off the first lift.

Lift Tickets

Lift tickets are very inexpensive and you can buy even cheaper 2 hour, 5 hour, and one-time tickets.

Hidaka Snow

The Hidaka Ski Resort doesn’t usually receive the same masses of snow as the Hokkaido ski resorts near the west coast or those to the north that score dumps from the prevailing snowstorms, especially early in the season. Hidaka needs more southerly storms to get lots of snow, and these aren’t as common.

On average, the snow base only peaks at about 70cm, which is about what’s required to consider the off-piste terrain.

The top elevation of Hidaka Kokusai Ski Area is only 754 metres, which is reasonably average for a Hokkaido ski resort.

When it does get snow from the northwest, the quality of the Hidaka snow is usually really dry. The northwest facing slopes help to maintain the snow quality, but once there is a melt-freeze cycle, the slopes stay icy.

Hidaka Ski Season

The ski resort is usually open from late December through to mid March.

For the Beginner

Beginners have two courses which are accessible from the two lower lifts. The slope near the base is nice and wide.

For the Intermediate

Each of the four lifts has an intermediate course and the #4 advanced run is also good for intermediate riders. Those wanting to practise on ungroomed snow can play on the other two “advanced” runs.

Advanced Skiing On-Piste

Like a lot of small Japanese ski areas, the black runs are not that steep and won’t keep advanced skiers and snowboarders entertained for very long.

There is a little bit of off-piste to the side of the groomers that you could lap on a powder day.

Off Piste Skiing and Riding Hidaka

The off-piste zones have varied trees, and some areas are quite sparsely vegetated. Skiers’ right of the 3rd chair lift has good pitch and quality tree skiing with good spacing. There is a heinous gully but there is a little bridge across it and plenty of spots for egress. There is also a little bit of tree skiing between the 2 courses on the top lift. The feasibility of all this of course, is dependent on the amount of snow cover.

Off-piste skiing is not permitted but various locals do it and the staff don’t seem to actively police it, so long as you don’t blatantly ski right near the lifts.

There is also a little sidecountry to skiers’ right which requires some considered route selection, whilst the sidecountry to skiers’ left looks tasty but it ends up in no-mans-land.