Ski & See Japan featuring Niseko

Tokyo is the start and end point of this tour and stands in stark contrast to the spiritual and old-world feel of most of your trip. You will spend a full day with a local guide who will show you the various sights in this behemoth of a city. Visit the Tokyo SkyTree and ride 350 meters up into the sky and enjoy stunning panoramic views of the city skyline. Venture to the famous Tsukiji Fish Market and whet your appetite for later when you will taste the freshest sushi in the world.

Make your way to Japan and we will look after you from there. Flights from any of the major hubs (Tokyo/Osaka/Nagoya) to Sapporo are included in your tour. Spend your first night seeing some of the sights and tasting the locals’ favourite: ramen noodles.The next morning transfer to Niseko resort by public transport and check into your resort centre hotel or ryokan. There are various types of accommodation options in Niseko, as with many ski resorts in Japan, e.g. self-catering apartments, fully serviced hotels (up to 4 and 5 star) and ski-lodges. No matter what accommodation we choose for you, we will ensure it has a relaxing onsen and is conveniently located with easy access to the ski-lift.

Niseko is probably Japan’s most popular ski resort town, and rightly so! The quality of powder, the long wide runs, the backcountry options, and the amazing facilities deserve such high regard. Niseko comprises of four resorts on the one mountain, Niseko Annupuri (1,308 metres). The three major resorts include Grand Hirafu (largest), Niseko Village, and Annupuri. You will be provided with a Niseko All Mountain Pass so you can access all resorts for the duration of your stay.
We usually base people in Grand Hirafu in the centre of the action.

A second day-trip to Rusutsu is a must. Covering more than 4,000 acres it is considered Japan’s single largest winter resort and has retained much of the Japanese atmosphere and traditions you would expect compared to neighbouring Niseko. Rusutsu receives over 13 meters of deep, light powder snow every year, making it one of the snowiest resorts in the world. With a broad range of long runs and a good mix of groomed trails Rusutsu has slopes for all levels. Factor in its superb night-ski options and other attractions like restaurants and shops, pool facilities and hot spring baths, and Rusutsu is a fantastic choice for family trips!

Residence of the emperor and capital of Japan from 794 to 1868, Kyoto holds extraordinary cultural and historical value. Among Kyoto’s sixteen hundred Buddhist temples and four hundred Shinto shrines are some of the most famous and important in Japan. Kiyomizu-dera Temple’s astonishing hanging veranda juts out over the mountainside, and several buildings designated as ‘national treasures’ can be found within the temple grounds. Kinkaku-ji, the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, is a Zen Buddhist temple whose top two stories are coated entirely in gold leaf and the temple has become an iconic symbol for the city. These are just two of the incredible seventeen UNESCO World Heritage Sites you photo-girlcan find in Kyoto.
Exploring Kyoto’s Gion district you can’t help but be taken in by the charm of the traditional wooden merchant houses or machiya (traditional townhouses) that form the façade of the street-front. Gion is also home to many of Kyoto’s best-known ochaya or teahouses, and it is here and in the surrounding streets that many go in the hope of catching a glimpse of geisha or maiko. As part of our tour you will have the rare and amazing chance to take part in an authentic tea ceremony and walking tour of Gion with a geisha or maiko.