5 Reasons Niseko Should be in Your Plans for 2015/16

There's plenty to love when it comes to the Niseko winter, which over the years has built its reputation on the enormous quantities of light, dry powder snow that blanket the resort each year from November through April.

There has never been a better time to knock the world's best powder skiing destination off your bucket list, and here's why.

Everyone knows that Niseko lays claim to some of the best powder skiing on the planet. In December 2014 alone, there were fourteen 20cm+ powder days and a cumulative snowfall of well over 560cm.

While Niseko skiers and boarders were busy playing in the deep, dry Hokkaido powder, the French were watching the grass grow on the French Alps. Canada’s Whitewater resort (renowned for its powder) was doing marginally better by offering “fresh tracks” in snow that had to be carted into the resort on dump trucks.

Don’t gamble on a ski holiday in Europe. Lock in Niseko for 2015/16 and find out why people keep coming back, year after year.

Our confidence in Niseko was proven to be well-founded when it completed the clean sweep at the 2014 World Ski Awards, claiming awards for Japan’s best ski resort, best ski chalet, best ski hotel and best boutique ski hotel.

Japan was the only country of the 21 represented where one resort dominated so completely! Take a bow, Niseko!

Night skiing in Niseko is one of the resort’s best kept secrets and offers riders an experience that will blow them away. Almost the entire resort is lit up until 8:30pm each day, the powerful floodlights not only giving skiers access to groomed runs, but also some of the best off-piste and tree skiing areas.

Crowds tend to be lighter after dark, which means it is not uncommon to find that the day’s tracks have been filled in by nighttime, rewarding riders who venture out with some of the deepest, driest turns of the day. Have a look at the video below and you’ll see what we mean!

Also check out our 5 reasons you need to try night skiing in Niseko.

The yen slid to a twelve-year low against the US Dollar in May, 2015 and has not recovered much since, meaning you’ll likely get more bang for your buck when you book your 2015/16 Niseko holiday.

That’s good news for those looking to take advantage of Niseko’s excellent shopping. A number of new places have opened for the in the last year, so don’t forget to leave plenty of room in your suitcase!

Niseko is Japan’s only truly international ski resort, and is continually improving and evolving the services, facilities and accommodation available to guests. The 14/15 winter season welcomed some fantastic additions to the town, making it especially worth the trip over. Some of our favourites include:

Ki Niseko – Niseko’s newest luxury ski-in- ski-out resort hotel
Gondola Snowsports – Now the official international snowsports school of Niseko Grand HIRAFU resort
Nozomi Views – Beautiful modern luxury apartments with the latest in furnishings and fittings
An Dining – Niseko’s latest fine dining experience, featuring award-winning celebrity chef Shinichi Maeda
Le Cochon – Classic French cooking returns to Niseko! Head chef Kazuhiko Kojima opens up the former Kutchan favourite in Hirafu after a three year stint in the south of France