Countless centuries before skiing became a designer downhill distraction for the upwardly mobile, Stone Age hunters were strapping elongated bits of bark to their feet as they set off in pursuit of a reluctant reindeer or an elusive elk in Central Asia’s Altai region. Indeed, if primitive rock paintings are to be believed, cavemen were keen proponents of this winter pastime some 5,000 years ago or more.
Today, while the required equipment is certainly far more ergonomically engineered, the sport has never been more popular. In fact, every season, more and more would-be snow pros and nursery-slope novices head for the hills, some destined to descend in grand style and some inclined more towards Instagram ignominy under the harsh hashtag “skifails”.
No matter what your level of ability, however, you are sure to find a welcome in Kiroro, a little-known skiing resort tucked away in northern Japan’s Hokkaido prefecture. Although more than 100km away from the nearest international airport, it’s a spot that has one particular attribute that makes getting there well worthwhile – blindingly brilliant snow.
Anyone even vaguely au fait with skiing knows that snow quality makes all the difference when it comes to the sheer enjoyment of the sport. And, with Kiroro enjoying a snowfall of more than 20 metres every year, you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere where the subsequent enjoyment is any more sheer. If that wasn’t enough, the flakes that fall upon the resort are said to be among the world’s lightest and most powdery.
The sheer volume of the annual snowfall has also granted Kiroro the longest skiing season in the region – from November to May. Thanks to the gently sloping and heavily-forested Yoichi mountains that Kiroro straddles, it’s possible to experience pretty much every skiing variant there – alpine, cross-country, off-piste and back-country. Even for the few who are ski-averse, there are tempting alternatives on offer, notably snow banana boats, buggies and rafts.
While a fair number of travellers who pack the slopes every winter opt to stay in nearby Sapporo and only take day-trips to Kiroro, for those who want to maximise their ski time, there are actually two five-star hotels on site – the Sheraton Hokkaido Kiroro Resort and The Kiroro, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel. While the Sheraton is a ski-in, ski-out resort located at the base of the slopes, making it ideal for dedicated skiers and adventure seekers, The Kiroro is more of a laidback, luxury resort.
It has been designed to have a particular appeal on those for whom skiing is more of a leisure activity. It is here after a long day skiing (or skiving) you can soak in a traditional onsen (Japanese public bath) filled with mineral-rich waters from a natural hot spring. Alternatively, you can detox at the hot stone sauna and relax as the warmth washes away any lingering après-ski chill.
After any such session of well-deserved rejuvenation, thoughts may naturally gravitate towards matters more culinary. Thankfully the local Hokkaido fare is anything but disappointing. While the beef from this part of the world is deservedly held in high renown, it is the shabu shabu – a form of Japanese hotpot – that truly deserves the plaudits. As with its Korean counterpart, the diner gets to cook their own thin slices of meat and vegetables and there is, in fact, something almost primeval about roasting your dinner-to-be by a searing fire, while the elements surge and roar just a wall’s span away.
Suitably replenished, your next best bet is a trip to the nearby Ice Star Resort – an igloo-shaped bar and restaurant fashioned entirely from snow, which, understandably, has to be reconstituted every year once summer takes its toll. With pretty much everything within made from ice – the tables, the bar counter, the shot glasses, the DJ console and even the seats – some kind of padded trousers are probably in order.
On weekends and festive occasions, those hardy souls who can brave yet further cold should then take a nocturnal stroll Kiroro Square-wards where the sky will be ablaze with the resort’s well-rehearsed firework display. As you experience the snow-framed aerial pyrotechnics, you may have to pinch yourself just to help reality reassert itself lest you become lost in what amounts to a zero-degree Disney diorama.
Despite its winter season being so undeniably enchanting, it would be folly to think that Kiroro has nothing to offer over the span of its relatively-short summer. While its trademark lush, soft snow is absent, its freshly-uncovered foliage is the perfect backdrop for hiking or mountain biking, with the Yoichi summit a popular destination and one where you can discover an array of concealed cataracts and culverts.
No visit to Kiroro, however, would be complete without a trip to Otaru, its 30-minutes-distant sister town. Not so long ago a key commercial hub and the focal point of the region’s fishing industry, it has now morphed from an overworked wharf into a charming tourist-friendly town, complete with picturesque town squares, colourful houses and authentic eateries.
At the heart of this quaint slice of regional Japan is the meandering Otaru Canal, itself one of the most scenic attractions the town has to offer. With several bridges straddling this winsome waterway, you are all but guaranteed to find the perfect photo op, one that is destined to secure slack-jawed admiration wherever you ‘post’ it.
With the envy of distant digital chums assured, there should still be time to wander around the town’s glass workshops, admiring the creations of the local craftspeople or even trying your hand at making your own. Make sure you don’t spend your entire shopping budget here, though, as the next stop on your schedule should be the Otaru Music Box Museum, a true paradise for the retail-minded. Housed in a building dating back to 1902, The Japan Times wasn’t overstating the case when it described this particular institution as housing an “absolutely phenomenal” variety of musical novelties.
Indeed, two whole floors of the museum are dedicated to music boxes of every shape and size, with the more classic examples taking pride of place. As you browse through the array on offer, let the ambient music lull your senses as you fully immerse yourself in the moment. It could turn out to be the most singular instant in a trip that’s far from short on competing enchantment.
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay