Japan has almost 7,000 islands, which were once individual elevations of a single enormous mountain range. Millions of years ago, this mountain range detached itself from the Asian mainland, which was the origin of today's Japan. So it is not surprising that 80 percent of the country is mountainous - and offers a unique backdrop for skiing.
But Japan is not only geographically suitable for winter sports. There is also plenty of snow: the Siberian cold air absorbs large amounts of moisture on its way from the mainland to the sea, which then snow off again at the summits of the Japanese mountains. Especially on the northern island this snow is very dry and even has its own name: Sushi powder. In the Niseko ski resort, more than 15 metres of this special snow fall every season!
Internationally, the ski resorts that hosted the Olympic Games are best known. In 1972, the best winter athletes in the world competed in Sapporo and 26 years later in Nagano. World Cup races also took place in Naeba or Morioka. With hundreds of skiing areas in Japan there are many more to explore.
