I lived 9 years in Japan. Skied in Hokkaido, Nagano, Niigata, and Aomori. About 15 days a season. Then lived 7 years In California. Skied Kirkwood, Squaw, Heavenly, Sierra at Tahoe. Finally lived 2 years in Salt Lake City. Skied Alta, Snowbird, Solitude and Brighton. Skied about 20 days a season in the USA. My honest opinion is that Japan wins almost on all aspects. Better snow, less crowded, much easier to get to the resort, much much cheaper, nicer people, more tree skiing, much better food/beer and those onsens. The only things that is better in the USA is that the US resors have a bit harder terrain meaning steeper and more challenging. So Japan #1, Alps #2 and the USA #3. I will retire in 6 year. Will move to Sapporo.
How about Canada though. I love whistler, but I have never skied anywhere else, going to ski in Neisko and Hakuba this year. Looking forward to the trip, but it seems most resorts in Japan lacks in bound alpine terrain, that’s why I want to go to Hakuba as it seem to provide more of a semblance of west coast mountains in terms of views. Expect for the crowd, whistler seem to combine all the pros from Japanese and American resorts?
I visit Japan every year from Scotland as my son lives there. The skiing is exceptional and the people are polite and welcoming. You make valid points about the USA and I have skied there on a number of occasions , but in my very humble opinion Japan wins every time. I can't discount Europe either as it's (for me) easy to get to but can be very busy......Great VID
Thanks Dave :) Honestly the people are sometimes better than the snow and the skiing. We are visiting Europe for the first time in early 2025 so can’t wait!
I think i came across your son's youtube comment in a separate unrelated video. He said he was Scottish as well living in Japan, specifically in Hokkaido.
I'm from Colorado, but I've been skiing in Japan twice (now planning a 3rd time) and it's just such a different experience there. Deep snow is all but guaranteed and as long as you stay away from Niseko, you'll never see any crowds.
I live in Hong Kong and go to Japan every year unless my family want me to go back to Europe with them. Compared with either Europe or the US the lift systems in Japan can be dated to say the least and the mountains are generally lower as well. But its the snow that keeps me coming back, I have been going since 2012 and I have NEVER been disappointed. If you avoid places like Niseko, Hakuba or Nozawa then it is easy to avoid the crowds and the feeling of having your own private lift served powder field is just unbeatable
I'm from Montana so used to excellent snow and low crowds. Japan rocks. It's an easy bus ride from Sapporo to Niseko. Lines there only backed up a little on the gondola or the stupid lines to take the single chair to the top. You could walk up faster than waiting in line and riding that lift. Food was amazing. Can't wait to go back.
The bus system in Japan is unmatched and the quality of them are amazing. Always lines at the base gondolas or lifts but once up in the mountains it’s hard to find a crowd :)
It’ll be my first trip to Japan to ski in February, I hope it doesn’t disappoint. The bar for me is quite high as I’ve skied Colorado, Utah, Tahoe and BC numerous times as well as Switzerland and Austria. Europe is next level when it comes to the mountain scenery and culture although the actual snow quality is not as good as North America. Piste preparation and lift infrastructure and size of the resorts are fantastic in the North America. The POW better be worth it.
Referring to Hokkaido IMO the best snow is out of the resort boundaries. Yes the powder is of very high quality, but the terrain never gets much beyond a solid blue run in Utah. We had one of our best inbound days skiing at Rusutsu, it's worth the drive. The high point from my trip was skiing off the summit of Asahidake, the highest point on the island. Hit as many onsens as you can!
IF you're in Canada just stay there lol. Much better snow quality than most of the resorts in the states and some gnarly weird terrain especially near the Revelstoke area.
Would definitely love to hit Japan at some point. Having skied in the US for many years, my favorite and most consistent place to go is Salt Lake. I've been lucky enough to stay slopeside a couple times up in LCC during big dumps and it amazing. Have also hit good snows in Jackson Hole and Targhee (staying at the resort). The Cottonwoods have definitely gotten insane. Avoiding weekends helps but even then powder days are a madhouse with traffic and slopeside around Alta or Snowbird gets more expensive every season. Great vid, thanks for sharing. Will dig in a bit more into Japan but have heard for years about the epic pow skiing, which is the main goal when I get to go.
@@newagain9964 Def would be a long trip. But the consistent pow seems amazing. Utah has been extremely good to me the past 5-6 seasons, cannot complain there at all.
Agree with vast majority of what you said. But it is definitely not more expensive to go skiing in America than japan. If you're staying at high-end accommodations you may be correct, but if you look for budget-friendly options in the United States , you can go pretty affordably. I've never paid more than $300 for a round trip flight from the East Coast. If you buy an epic / ikon day pass tickets can be well under $100 per day for a lot of great Mountains in america. For instance I'm going to Vail in March With Friends. We all have our own bedroom in a nice condo. We have a four-wheel drive car rented. And we're flying into Eagle Airport which is right next to vail. The cost of lodging airfare and car rental is only $650 per person.. you can't even get a flight to Japan for that price from New York
@InvalidWatermelon I realize that. But he stated pretty clearly that it's cheaper to go to Japan from america. And I was giving the perspective of an American that goes on quite a few ski trips. I thought that I was more qualified to give you some realistic information on pricing from America. I felt obligated to stop the disinformation!!! Lol
@@carterfan80 Lift tickets are ridiculously overpriced in the US. That’s a fact. $100 a day with the Epic/Ikon is not affordable. So, I’m laughing now.
Good points. It just depends what you want to ski on, and do afterwards. Japan in 2025 for us, but definitely going back to Europe in 26. We prefer Europe out of all of them. Price is similar and the skiing options, weather and terrain size take a lot of beating. 12 days in Europe vert wise this year i.e 90km, was just about as much as we did in our whole season in NZ this year, so you definitely rack up the distances.
An excellent very helpful review, thank you. I live in the UK and have skied extensively in the US and if you are going for more than a week it saves you a lot of money to buy either the Epic or Ikon lift pass. Going to Japan for the first time next year and all in it is about 15% cheaper than a comparable holiday in the US if flying from Europe.
@@snowstash Thank you. Where are you going in Europe? If you like challenging off piste sking I highly recommend La Grave which has one lift which goes up to 3,500m and has no pistes.
We are off to Zugspitze, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Sölden, Mayrhofen, Hintertux, Kitzbühel, Saalbach-Hinterglem, Kitzsteinhorn & Schmittenhöhe A big loop from Munich into Austria and back to Munich. France has always been on the list and will be a future trip, La Grave is up there as one of the most extreme on the planet 🌎
@@snowstash Nice! Austria is great and if possible you should definitely spend a day at St Anton where some of the off piste os world class, especially with a guide. I hope that you have a great trip
I’m lucky to live in Japan, and ski in many different resorts, and I must say this video is 100% accurate. Just one thing; please take turns to come to Japan, we don’t love crowds, we already have enough of them in Tokyo 😅
I an sure Japan is awesome but the massive transportation cost and more importantly the grind is a no go for me. I can leave my house in the morning and fly to Utah and ski Alt-Snowbird in the afternoon. Japan may happen if my friends push for it but me personally I am good with the U.S., Canada and Europe. Japan is just to far. I have skied out West getting over 90 inches in a week. Is it really going to get better than that? Maybe. I will be going to Big Sky this winter and all I am hoping for is some decent snow and maybe 20 inches or so while I am there.
I have skied Austria, Switzerland, Baker, Whistler, Whitewater, Big White, Revy, Kicking Horse, Fernie, Castle, Kimberly, Louise, Sunshine, Norquay and a couple of urban hills. For day by day resort skiing I love my home hill Sunshine. Japan is a culture shift one does not experience in Europe or North America. The food is healthiest and generally more affordable in Japan. My season is long; Nov-May, I would not trade that for Japowder. It would be great if everyone could experience Japan, but there is no place like home Toto. Skiing is wonderful to recognize and experience uniqueness where ever you can ski! Some resorts are hugely overrated (Whistler) and over priced (Whistler). Don’t forget to consider value in your choice.
In terms of safety during the lift ride, the problem is that some chairlifts in the USA are not equipped with safety bars. This can be very dangerous, especially if you suddenly fall off or if there are children on the chair. Fortunately, all chairlifts in Europe have a safety bar (including a footrest)
Most people in the (western) USA don't put the bar down even if there is one. If you can't sit on a chair without falling off, you likely don't have the coordination to be skiing.
Statistically chair lifts are the safest way to travel. In 4000 days of skiing and 100,000 lift rides I have only been kicked off the lift once immediately on loading suffering nothing more that a bruised ego. Much more likely to get run into by a snowboarder or an 11 year old girl who makes all of 3 turns/run.
Lol these responses are hilarious. But I am one of those guys who is scared of heights and I use the bar because it just makes me feel better. Still, hilarious to say if you can't sit on a chair then you shouldn't be skiing.
For US resorts, local ski hills still exist. Loveland Ski Area is $120 for the day at window or only $50 for their Valley section. Even mega resorts can be affordable if you are willing to plan ahead. I'm literally going to Breck tomorrow staying in a ski in/out hotel (Beaver Run) for only $150 a night, plus I got the Epic pass so the more I ski, the cheaper it gets. I got in 13 days last season, which came out to $63 per day. To be fair, the best lodging rates are early season - I'll be a weekend warrior core season. I've never skied in Japan so I can't compare - just pointing out the US isn't as crazy expensive as you mentioned if you plan or skip the peak season. Keep in mind that most pass products go off sale in November or early December.
good video. im interested in Japan. but you failed in not showing us on a map where the Japanese resorts were . you just talked out thier names which i almost forgot immediately. I'd like to see them names and on a map visually. specifically the resorts up in Haikkado. same too for USA, however i know most of them and where they all are. Japan isnt known well by anyone, so a map pointing out the exact resorts would have been far better. maybe you could even edit the video and add it.
I lived 9 years in Japan. Skied in Hokkaido, Nagano, Niigata, and Aomori. About 15 days a season. Then lived 7 years In California. Skied Kirkwood, Squaw, Heavenly, Sierra at Tahoe. Finally lived 2 years in Salt Lake City. Skied Alta, Snowbird, Solitude and Brighton. Skied about 20 days a season in the USA. My honest opinion is that Japan wins almost on all aspects. Better snow, less crowded, much easier to get to the resort, much much cheaper, nicer people, more tree skiing, much better food/beer and those onsens. The only things that is better in the USA is that the US resors have a bit harder terrain meaning steeper and more challenging. So Japan #1, Alps #2 and the USA #3. I will retire in 6 year. Will move to Sapporo.
I love you. Thank you!
Sounds like you have made the most of life! Sapporo is an incredible place to retire 😃
How about Canada though. I love whistler, but I have never skied anywhere else, going to ski in Neisko and Hakuba this year. Looking forward to the trip, but it seems most resorts in Japan lacks in bound alpine terrain, that’s why I want to go to Hakuba as it seem to provide more of a semblance of west coast mountains in terms of views.
Expect for the crowd, whistler seem to combine all the pros from Japanese and American resorts?
Sorry forgot about whistler being pretty expensive too
???They have better snow than Alta? Champagne powder???
I visit Japan every year from Scotland as my son lives there. The skiing is exceptional and the people are polite and welcoming. You make valid points about the USA and I have skied there on a number of occasions , but in my very humble opinion Japan wins every time. I can't discount Europe either as it's (for me) easy to get to but can be very busy......Great VID
Thanks Dave :)
Honestly the people are sometimes better than the snow and the skiing. We are visiting Europe for the first time in early 2025 so can’t wait!
I think i came across your son's youtube comment in a separate unrelated video. He said he was Scottish as well living in Japan, specifically in Hokkaido.
I'm from Colorado, but I've been skiing in Japan twice (now planning a 3rd time) and it's just such a different experience there. Deep snow is all but guaranteed and as long as you stay away from Niseko, you'll never see any crowds.
Some resorts feel like a private resort if you visit on a Tuesday or a Wednesday
When is best month to ski? Considering snow quality and local holidays ?
Jan Feb is the best time for conditions. Avoid Chinese new year as some resorts are extremely packed that week.
I live in Hong Kong and go to Japan every year unless my family want me to go back to Europe with them. Compared with either Europe or the US the lift systems in Japan can be dated to say the least and the mountains are generally lower as well. But its the snow that keeps me coming back, I have been going since 2012 and I have NEVER been disappointed. If you avoid places like Niseko, Hakuba or Nozawa then it is easy to avoid the crowds and the feeling of having your own private lift served powder field is just unbeatable
We couldn’t agree more, the longest lift line we waited in was a gondola at the start of the day.
I'm from Montana so used to excellent snow and low crowds. Japan rocks. It's an easy bus ride from Sapporo to Niseko. Lines there only backed up a little on the gondola or the stupid lines to take the single chair to the top. You could walk up faster than waiting in line and riding that lift. Food was amazing. Can't wait to go back.
The bus system in Japan is unmatched and the quality of them are amazing. Always lines at the base gondolas or lifts but once up in the mountains it’s hard to find a crowd :)
It’ll be my first trip to Japan to ski in February, I hope it doesn’t disappoint.
The bar for me is quite high as I’ve skied Colorado, Utah, Tahoe and BC numerous times as well as Switzerland and Austria.
Europe is next level when it comes to the mountain scenery and culture although the actual snow quality is not as good as North America.
Piste preparation and lift infrastructure and size of the resorts are fantastic in the North America.
The POW better be worth it.
The pow is 100% worth it, it also is forecasted to be a good snow year in Japan this year.
Referring to Hokkaido IMO the best snow is out of the resort boundaries. Yes the powder is of very high quality, but the terrain never gets much beyond a solid blue run in Utah. We had one of our best inbound days skiing at Rusutsu, it's worth the drive. The high point from my trip was skiing off the summit of Asahidake, the highest point on the island. Hit as many onsens as you can!
IF you're in Canada just stay there lol. Much better snow quality than most of the resorts in the states and some gnarly weird terrain especially near the Revelstoke area.
You aren’t wrong 😃
Yeah. But which part of Canada…because it’s “3” ski regions are very diff.
Would definitely love to hit Japan at some point. Having skied in the US for many years, my favorite and most consistent place to go is Salt Lake. I've been lucky enough to stay slopeside a couple times up in LCC during big dumps and it amazing. Have also hit good snows in Jackson Hole and Targhee (staying at the resort). The Cottonwoods have definitely gotten insane. Avoiding weekends helps but even then powder days are a madhouse with traffic and slopeside around Alta or Snowbird gets more expensive every season. Great vid, thanks for sharing. Will dig in a bit more into Japan but have heard for years about the epic pow skiing, which is the main goal when I get to go.
Salt lake and the canyons are an incredible part of the world! We have been twice and loved it! Japan is awesome but for so many other reasons.
I’d like to go. But seating one a plane/traveling for 20+ hrs is far from ideal. Maybe if I was to reside there for a month. Sure.
@@newagain9964 Def would be a long trip. But the consistent pow seems amazing. Utah has been extremely good to me the past 5-6 seasons, cannot complain there at all.
I live and ski in Hokkaido. Kiroro doesn’t get 19m of snow a season. Last year they got about 12m.
Agree with vast majority of what you said. But it is definitely not more expensive to go skiing in America than japan. If you're staying at high-end accommodations you may be correct, but if you look for budget-friendly options in the United States , you can go pretty affordably. I've never paid more than $300 for a round trip flight from the East Coast. If you buy an epic / ikon day pass tickets can be well under $100 per day for a lot of great Mountains in america.
For instance I'm going to Vail in March With Friends. We all have our own bedroom in a nice condo. We have a four-wheel drive car rented. And we're flying into Eagle Airport which is right next to vail. The cost of lodging airfare and car rental is only $650 per person.. you can't even get a flight to Japan for that price from New York
Not everybody lives in the US
@InvalidWatermelon I realize that. But he stated pretty clearly that it's cheaper to go to Japan from america. And I was giving the perspective of an American that goes on quite a few ski trips. I thought that I was more qualified to give you some realistic information on pricing from America. I felt obligated to stop the disinformation!!! Lol
@@carterfan80 Lift tickets are ridiculously overpriced in the US. That’s a fact. $100 a day with the Epic/Ikon is not affordable. So, I’m laughing now.
@@michaelrandall9034 under 70$ a day with an epic 7 day pass. That is comparable to many nicer European resorts.
@@carterfan80 Japan $30 w/o temporary pass. The apres in Europe makes the US look like a joke.
I didn’t even mention the Vail bs.
Good points. It just depends what you want to ski on, and do afterwards.
Japan in 2025 for us, but definitely going back to Europe in 26. We prefer Europe out of all of them. Price is similar and the skiing options, weather and terrain size take a lot of beating. 12 days in Europe vert wise this year i.e 90km, was just about as much as we did in our whole season in NZ this year, so you definitely rack up the distances.
We are off to Europe in January 2025 and can’t wait. Japan for snow, USA for terrain and europe for vertical and everything else
An excellent very helpful review, thank you. I live in the UK and have skied extensively in the US and if you are going for more than a week it saves you a lot of money to buy either the Epic or Ikon lift pass. Going to Japan for the first time next year and all in it is about 15% cheaper than a comparable holiday in the US if flying from Europe.
Hope you have an awesome trip Neil! We are taking our first trip to Europe in January and are so pumped to finally ride the alps
@@snowstash Thank you. Where are you going in Europe? If you like challenging off piste sking I highly recommend La Grave which has one lift which goes up to 3,500m and has no pistes.
We are off to Zugspitze, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Sölden, Mayrhofen, Hintertux, Kitzbühel, Saalbach-Hinterglem, Kitzsteinhorn & Schmittenhöhe
A big loop from Munich into Austria and back to Munich.
France has always been on the list and will be a future trip, La Grave is up there as one of the most extreme on the planet 🌎
@@snowstash Nice! Austria is great and if possible you should definitely spend a day at St Anton where some of the off piste os world class, especially with a guide. I hope that you have a great trip
I’m lucky to live in Japan, and ski in many different resorts, and I must say this video is 100% accurate. Just one thing; please take turns to come to Japan, we don’t love crowds, we already have enough of them in Tokyo 😅
Thanks Visiedo! Second the fact of crowds in Tokyo but the moment you get out into the country side it’s nice and peaceful
I liked your narratorstyle. Missed nothing, not too much, exactly to the point. Good job!
Why thank you :)
I an sure Japan is awesome but the massive transportation cost and more importantly the grind is a no go for me. I can leave my house in the morning and fly to Utah and ski Alt-Snowbird in the afternoon. Japan may happen if my friends push for it but me personally I am good with the U.S., Canada and Europe. Japan is just to far. I have skied out West getting over 90 inches in a week. Is it really going to get better than that? Maybe. I will be going to Big Sky this winter and all I am hoping for is some decent snow and maybe 20 inches or so while I am there.
Big Sky will be amazing! Japan is more about the overall experience and plus the incredible powder :)
I have skied Austria, Switzerland, Baker, Whistler, Whitewater, Big White, Revy, Kicking Horse, Fernie, Castle, Kimberly, Louise, Sunshine, Norquay and a couple of urban hills. For day by day resort skiing I love my home hill Sunshine. Japan is a culture shift one does not experience in Europe or North America. The food is healthiest and generally more affordable in Japan. My season is long; Nov-May, I would not trade that for Japowder. It would be great if everyone could experience Japan, but there is no place like home Toto. Skiing is wonderful to recognize and experience uniqueness where ever you can ski! Some resorts are hugely overrated (Whistler) and over priced (Whistler). Don’t forget to consider value in your choice.
In terms of safety during the lift ride, the problem is that some chairlifts in the USA are not equipped with safety bars. This can be very dangerous, especially if you suddenly fall off or if there are children on the chair. Fortunately, all chairlifts in Europe have a safety bar (including a footrest)
Thousands and thousands fall per year. Not
a good portion of lifts in japan don’t have a bar either to be fair, probably north of 50% especially at smaller resorts
Most people in the (western) USA don't put the bar down even if there is one. If you can't sit on a chair without falling off, you likely don't have the coordination to be skiing.
Statistically chair lifts are the safest way to travel. In 4000 days of skiing and 100,000 lift rides I have only been kicked off the lift once immediately on loading suffering nothing more that a bruised ego. Much more likely to get run into by a snowboarder or an 11 year old girl who makes all of 3 turns/run.
Lol these responses are hilarious. But I am one of those guys who is scared of heights and I use the bar because it just makes me feel better. Still, hilarious to say if you can't sit on a chair then you shouldn't be skiing.
For US resorts, local ski hills still exist. Loveland Ski Area is $120 for the day at window or only $50 for their Valley section.
Even mega resorts can be affordable if you are willing to plan ahead. I'm literally going to Breck tomorrow staying in a ski in/out hotel (Beaver Run) for only $150 a night, plus I got the Epic pass so the more I ski, the cheaper it gets. I got in 13 days last season, which came out to $63 per day. To be fair, the best lodging rates are early season - I'll be a weekend warrior core season. I've never skied in Japan so I can't compare - just pointing out the US isn't as crazy expensive as you mentioned if you plan or skip the peak season. Keep in mind that most pass products go off sale in November or early December.
shhhhhhhhh!
🤐🤐🤐🤐
good video. im interested in Japan. but you failed in not showing us on a map where the Japanese resorts were . you just talked out thier names which i almost forgot immediately. I'd like to see them names and on a map visually. specifically the resorts up in Haikkado. same too for USA, however i know most of them and where they all are. Japan isnt known well by anyone, so a map pointing out the exact resorts would have been far better. maybe you could even edit the video and add it.
Thanks for letting us know Jim! We will ensure a full map is included in our next videos :)
Well no one but the Japanese, people who have gone there and.... well, not you.