Hokkaido Drift
Hokkaido Drift is a small owner operated company based in Asahikawa Japan year round, providing a professional and personalized experience based on your groups skiing or riding ability. Tours include a powder packed week of sliding, comfortable lodging, mouth-watering dinners and soothing onsens insuring a hassle free authentic stay, while day tours can give you the freedom to explore and dine as you choose unlocking its secrets. The mission of Hokkaido Drift is to take the guess work out of your powder experience, providing the transport and knowledge getting you to the right resort on the right day, and in the right spot to get those fresh lines you've been searching for.
Originally from New Zealand, Aaron first experienced a Hokkaido winter in 2008 and was instantly hooked. He moved permanently to Asahikawa in 2022 with his family. With more than 15 years chasing powder in Central Hokkaido, one season working as a resort host and two seasons as a professional guide, he has obtained a deep knowledge of the resorts and backcountry in this amazing area.
Hokkaido Drift Terms & Conditions
Payments
A 50% deposit will secure your reservation. Once the deposit is received, the remaining balance must be paid within two months of the tour date. All tours booked inside of two months of a tour date must be paid with 24 hours for the booking to be confirmed. Once we receive your full payment, we will email you a copy of the receipt. Credit card payments may be made through our secure website via Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
Guest Cancellation
Once we receive written notification that you are canceling your trip the following fees will apply. Of the total price of the reservation, a fee of 25% will be charged for all cancellations made more than 4 months before the start of your trip. Cancellations made between 2 and 4 months prior to the start of your program will be charged a 50% fee. Cancellations made with less than two months of advanced notice will not be refunded. Unfortunately, due to the time sensitive nature of our business, and the difficulty in re-booking a trip close to the departure date, we cannot make exceptions to this policy.
Please note Hokkaido Drift cannot be held responsible for snow conditions. Trips cannot be cancelled or amended on the basis of snow conditions. No refunds will be made if you voluntarily leave a tour for any reason after the trip has begun. Refunds will be at the discretion of Hokkaido Drift if you are involuntarily forced to leave a trip for any reason. No refunds will be given for any accommodation, transport, meals, services, lift tickets or any component of the tour not utilized. All bookings made are subject to the booking terms and conditions under which these services are provided.
Cancellation by Hokkaido Drift
Hokkaido Drift reserves the right to cancel any trip prior to departure, including a confirmed trip, due to circumstances beyond our control. If this occurs you will be given the option of changing to another trip or receiving a full refund. Hokkaido Drift is not responsible for any incidental expense you have incurred as a result of your booking (i.e., airline tickets, equipment purchase or third party equipment rentals, hotel reservations, etc..)
If Hokkaido Drift cancels a trip due to an act of God such as a natural disaster, volcanic eruption, or other unforeseeable naturally occurring event which impedes the safety of our program, the terms under the section, “In the event of an act of God such as a natural disaster, or any other unforeseeable naturally occurring event that destabilizes or otherwise makes skiing/riding unsafe” will apply.
Due to the inherent risk involved in alpine pursuits, and in the interest of your safety, Hokkaido Drift strongly recommends all participants to bring insurance that provides full medical and emergency evacuation coverage. Hokkaido Drift will NOT provide insurance for participants on any Hokkaido Drift tour. If a participant does not have proper insurance documentation he/she will be liable for her own medical and emergency evacuation expenses and will receive no refund, date change, or any kind of compensation from Hokkaido Drift . Please take this seriously and lean on the side of caution.
Hazard Management and Skier/Snowboarder Responsibilities
Managing risk is Hokkaido Drift's number one priority. We manage significant hazards inherent to side country pursuits (e.g. avalanche, inclement weather, tree-accidents, rock fall, and high winds) but cannot eliminate them. Please clearly understand that skiing/riding in bounds and out of bounds is an inherently hazardous sport and both actions are only undertaken with the full knowledge and consent from the participant that these are inherently dangerous activities. You are choosing to engage in an activity in which skiers/snowboarders have been injured and worse. While these accidents are indeed infrequent, they may occur at any time and be out of our control. We ask that participants acknowledge that risk, and make their own choices about whether or not to engage in this activity. We ask that each participant is physically and mentally fit, is properly attired and equipped, and continues to assess him/her-self throughout the trip to ensure as safe a time as possible. We ask that participants honestly and accurately describe themselves, in terms of fitness, health and skills, and their equipment to their guide, and that they adhere to the advice of their guide.