It’s the time of year when my mailbox and social media feed are flooded with gnarly reels and tantalizing deals for ski vacations to Japan. But reading the fine print, the itinerary still requires multiple planes, Shinkansen trains, and/or caravans over multiple days—and the cost, no matter the exchange rate (or contribution from mom and dad), is still a shocking amount, and that’s before Wagyu and toro.
For now, head to Utah!
I'm not going to lie, Japan is beautiful any time of year, and the food, culture, and people are like no other. However, we’re talking about skiing, and if your piggy bank sounds like a cowbell and you don’t have the vacation time to jet halfway around the globe this winter, then Utah is a fantastic alternative.
It’s All About the Snow
Starting in Siberia, winter storms move along a southeastern trek and pick up moisture across the frigid Sea of Japan before hitting the mountains near the resort towns of Niseko, a two-hour drive west of Sapporo on Hokkaido, and Nagano, a one-hour bullet train ride from Tokyo on Japan’s largest island of Honshu. The result is snow with the look and feel of talcum powder.
It’s incredible…and incredibly familiar.
Alta Ski Area and the other Cottonwood Canyon resorts, Snowbird, Solitude Mountain Resort, and Brighton, are famous for their powder, the result of similar orographic conditions that carry Pacific Northwest storms over the Great Salt Lake until the saturated clouds stall over the Wasatch Mountains and release “powder” into the canyons below. Heaps of snow with low moisture content, i.e., Utah powder or Japow, are, for most shredders, functionally the same.
So, why go to such great distances to chase it?
When Will We Get There?
Japan sounds magical, until you discover you’d love a transporter or time machine to get there. From the United States, most major hubs have nonstop flights to Tokyo, but they take AT LEAST 11½ hours flight time, and that’s from LAX. If you have a connection and are flying coach,…please, tell me you have upgrade certificates. However, you still have to collect your baggage, go through customs, and transfer to Tokyo Station to board a Shinkansen (bullet train) to Nagano. If you’re trying to use your Ikon Pass at the Niseko resorts (which was the likely inspiration for this story), you’ll need to fly to Sapporo and drive two hours on mountain roads, which are unlit and unsalted. Think: Teton Pass. Definitely hire a shuttle. Finally, reset your calendar; not only did you lose a day traveling, but you also lost a day crossing the dateline.
Ten of Utah’s 15 ski resorts are located approximately one hour from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), a Delta Air Lines hub that offers nonstop flights and connections throughout the United States. Translation: You can take Delta’s Friday nonstop from Boston (BOS) to SLC at 6AM, arrive shortly after 9AM local time, grab your baggage and car or shuttle (all onsite), and be on the slopes BEFORE NOON.
Do you need to be back at the office by Monday morning? Ski or snowboard until 2PM on Sunday. Head to the airport and catch Delta’s nonstop flight back to BOS, departing at 5:30PM (times vary slightly depending on day and season), and getting in before midnight.
For giggles, here is a similar itinerary leaving Boston on Friday for Japan—Depart Boston (BOS) at 5:55AM (change in MSP)>Arrive Tokyo (HAN) on SATURDAY at 3:30PM (travel time:19hr 25min)…still have to get to resorts…Depart HAN on Sunday at 5:35PM (change in MSP)>Arrive BOS at 7:41PM (travel time: 16hr 6min).
Pro Tip: Watch the weather, and plan a last-minute powder ski weekend to Utah. For more availability and lower prices (from lodging to lift tickets), make it a midweek escape.
But I Love Japanese Food!
So do I! But, here’s the scoop: Wild Hokkaido scallops are in season from June to October; everything else is farm-raised.
There is no debate—especially from one in landlocked Utah—that the best Japanese food is in Japan. Yakatori, soba, ramen, sashimi, tempura…and so on, nowhere comes close. It’s like red wine in France, even the smallest place serves something better (and usually cheaper) than the best at home.
But we do have some stellar dishes. Here are JUST A FEW—
Sushi: Takashi, Kyoto or Aker in Salt Lake City; Chopfuku in West Jordan; Kita in Park City.
Ramen: Koyote, Tosh’s or Mensho in Salt Lake City; Jinya in Murray or Tonkotsu in West Valley City.
Japanese Sake and Whiskey: Bar Nohm, which also has one of Salt Lake’s best Anju (small bite) menus. Utah is also home to High West Distillery and Saloon, featuring its famous lineup of premium whiskeys.
Fusion (all the rage in Tokyo): Junah, the sister restaurant of Koyote, in Salt Lake City.
Tea Room: Matcha Cafe in Salt Lake City
I Really Want to Try an Onsen
I get it, onsens are uniquely Japanese, but for many, a great hot tub will do the trick. Moreover, you get to keep your bathing suit on (no clothing is allowed in onsens) and enjoy it with friends (onsens are typically private or single-gender) and those with body art (which is prohibited in many Japanese onsens and spas). There are numerous choices in Utah — from ski resorts, hotels and day spas — to enjoy a warm, relaxing hot tub. For a more Japanese-inspired soak, The Kura Door in Salt Lake City offers an ofuro bath, a private guided experience incorporating healing sounds, scents and savory teas. The Stillwell Spa at Alta's Snowpine Lodge allows clients to reserve a 30-minute private session in its Grotto. If you want to plunge into a natural hot spring, then head to Homestead Crater in Midway or hike up to the Fifth Water Hot Spring near Spanish Fork (note the distance from the winter trailhead).
Back to the Snow…
Skiing in Japan was fantastic, but was it worth the time, expense and jet lag? If you have access to The Greatest Snow on Earth®, that is a tough call. The seemingly endless, low-angle terrain at Hanazono reminded my traveling companions of the meandering traverses throughout Powder Mountain. Park City Mountain could double for Grand Hirafu. Annapuri had the low-key charm of Beaver Mountain or Cherry Peak. We dipped in and out of various resorts, including the tiny gem of Moiwa, which conjured images of 'Powder Fridays' at Eagle Point. We spent six snowy days (read: storms blowing in from Siberia) in off-piste bliss.
No, you don’t go halfway around the world to ski groomers. But were they the best ski days of the season? Nope. That award this season goes to a bluebird powder day at…a resort that shall go unnamed, but it was in Utah.
