Luxury skiing options in Japan?
Dec 19, 2018, 12:43 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 76
Luxury skiing options in Japan?
Hi All,
we heard so much about the powder snow in Japan and onsens and wonder if it is worthwhile to make a trip from Europe to experience it. In Europe our favourites include L’apogee in Courcheval, the palace in st. Moritz, almhof schneider in Lech etc, so hoping to find something of those standards.
please share your wisdom!
we heard so much about the powder snow in Japan and onsens and wonder if it is worthwhile to make a trip from Europe to experience it. In Europe our favourites include L’apogee in Courcheval, the palace in st. Moritz, almhof schneider in Lech etc, so hoping to find something of those standards.
please share your wisdom!
Last edited by DonJ; Dec 19, 2018 at 12:44 pm Reason: Typo
Dec 19, 2018, 1:56 pm
#2
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,844
There's a brand new Park Hyatt opening up in Niseko on Hokkaido. Supposed to be ski-in, ski-out.
https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/ja...hanazono/ctsph
https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/ja...hanazono/ctsph
Dec 19, 2018, 4:02 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 187
There's not really many offerings in Japan that are equivalent to the classic European style ski hotels.
That said, there are some fine Ryokan style offerings. You'd just have to be prepared to adjust yourself to a very different experience where the rooms are quite spartan by western standards. "When in Rome" as the saying goes.
Typically a high end Ryokan in a Japanese ski village offers a reasonably large room with Tatami mats and Japanese style bedding, and in some cases where the area has natural onsen springs, some will offer a private onsen facility within the room itself, which is a wonderful experience.
One I would recommend if you are open to a Ryokan experience is Oyado Furuya in the Myoko Kogen resort. (Myoko is one of the major resorts in the Nagano area, about 90 minutes from Tokyo by bullet train). This Ryokan has private onsens in the rooms, one of the best locations in the village and has excellent food.
But the snow is what you're there for, and Japanese snow is a real phenomenon that must be experienced.
I've alternated in recent years between skiing Austria and Japan each alternate year. Austria has the best mountains, and some fine hotels, but Japan has the most abundant, uncrowded powder you can imagine. Last trip we had 3 metres of new fresh champagne powder snow over one week.
That said, there are some fine Ryokan style offerings. You'd just have to be prepared to adjust yourself to a very different experience where the rooms are quite spartan by western standards. "When in Rome" as the saying goes.
Typically a high end Ryokan in a Japanese ski village offers a reasonably large room with Tatami mats and Japanese style bedding, and in some cases where the area has natural onsen springs, some will offer a private onsen facility within the room itself, which is a wonderful experience.
One I would recommend if you are open to a Ryokan experience is Oyado Furuya in the Myoko Kogen resort. (Myoko is one of the major resorts in the Nagano area, about 90 minutes from Tokyo by bullet train). This Ryokan has private onsens in the rooms, one of the best locations in the village and has excellent food.
But the snow is what you're there for, and Japanese snow is a real phenomenon that must be experienced.
I've alternated in recent years between skiing Austria and Japan each alternate year. Austria has the best mountains, and some fine hotels, but Japan has the most abundant, uncrowded powder you can imagine. Last trip we had 3 metres of new fresh champagne powder snow over one week.
Dec 20, 2018, 6:41 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: CX DM
Posts: 125
The powder is insane, it is definitely worth your trip. Japan will not have European style luxury but you will be comfortable. We go to Niseko every winter. Have stayed at Suiboku, the Vale, and Aya. Aya has by far the best hard product. None have anything approaching excellent service; I try to think of them more as serviced residences rather than hotels, to manage my own expectations... However it is entirely manageable. Aya's boot room is efficient and that's really all that matters. We eat out every night at the excellent range of options in Niseko (note - book your dining well in advance of your stay).
There are several new high end places opening this season in Niseko however we are sticking with Aya as it combines ski-in/ski-out with close proximity to a lot of the best dining etc in town. Most of the new inventory is a fairly long hike uphill from the main area of town.
There are several new high end places opening this season in Niseko however we are sticking with Aya as it combines ski-in/ski-out with close proximity to a lot of the best dining etc in town. Most of the new inventory is a fairly long hike uphill from the main area of town.
Dec 24, 2018, 3:32 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
Depends on what your looking for, but one option is to stay Aman Tokyo and do day trips. It's one of the nicest hotels in world, and Tokyo has the best food in the world. It's 2 blocks from Aman to Tokyo station, and you can be on the lift within 90 minutes of leaving your hotel room. Green car on the Shinkansen is an extremely comfortable way to travel. If you're looking for the best skiing in Japan, you won't find luxury... but the post title is "Luxury skiing options in Japan" so if luxury is the your most important criteria this is definitely a decent option and the skiing can be incredible..... I've had many days of chest high powder in Kagura.
Dec 24, 2018, 4:44 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
Day trips are possible, but to me spending three hours per skiing day on a train, unnecessarily, completely defeats the purpose of a luxury hotel stay. Also, I in particular see no reason to choose the most expensive hotel in Tokyo as a place just to sleep after skiing. Aman Tokyo is best enjoyed as a “staycation” - even if one lives far away - i.e. for a relatively short stay with a lot of time spent on property.
I can appreciate why someone traveling on business or with an otherwise busy schedule would do day trips out of Tokyo to go skiing. But I do not see why anyone would choose to throw away thousands of dollars per night only to spend hours on a train and sleep in a bed.
I would just find the nicest possible accommodation convenient for skiing, preferably ski-in-ski-out or close enough to it, and then spend a week at Aman Tokyo - or any other good hotel - after the skiing to enjoy Tokyo.
Even if I wanted to spend a lot of money, I would look for a luxury private residence rental and/or helicopter options to enhance the skiing experience.
I can appreciate why someone traveling on business or with an otherwise busy schedule would do day trips out of Tokyo to go skiing. But I do not see why anyone would choose to throw away thousands of dollars per night only to spend hours on a train and sleep in a bed.
I would just find the nicest possible accommodation convenient for skiing, preferably ski-in-ski-out or close enough to it, and then spend a week at Aman Tokyo - or any other good hotel - after the skiing to enjoy Tokyo.
Even if I wanted to spend a lot of money, I would look for a luxury private residence rental and/or helicopter options to enhance the skiing experience.
Dec 24, 2018, 11:07 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,048
Day trips are possible, but to me spending three hours per skiing day on a train, unnecessarily, completely defeats the purpose of a luxury hotel stay. Also, I in particular see no reason to choose the most expensive hotel in Tokyo as a place just to sleep after skiing. Aman Tokyo is best enjoyed as a “staycation” - even if one lives far away - i.e. for a relatively short stay with a lot of time spent on property.
I can appreciate why someone traveling on business or with an otherwise busy schedule would do day trips out of Tokyo to go skiing. But I do not see why anyone would choose to throw away thousands of dollars per night only to spend hours on a train and sleep in a bed.
I would just find the nicest possible accommodation convenient for skiing, preferably ski-in-ski-out or close enough to it, and then spend a week at Aman Tokyo - or any other good hotel - after the skiing to enjoy Tokyo.
Even if I wanted to spend a lot of money, I would look for a luxury private residence rental and/or helicopter options to enhance the skiing experience.
I can appreciate why someone traveling on business or with an otherwise busy schedule would do day trips out of Tokyo to go skiing. But I do not see why anyone would choose to throw away thousands of dollars per night only to spend hours on a train and sleep in a bed.
I would just find the nicest possible accommodation convenient for skiing, preferably ski-in-ski-out or close enough to it, and then spend a week at Aman Tokyo - or any other good hotel - after the skiing to enjoy Tokyo.
Even if I wanted to spend a lot of money, I would look for a luxury private residence rental and/or helicopter options to enhance the skiing experience.
Dec 25, 2018, 1:06 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
Don't disagree. I've slept in a tent for good snow, but that's not what the OP was asking.
