Frequently Asked Questions

1. When is the best time to visit Hokkaido for a ski holiday?     2. I am travelling on my own but want to join one of your trips – what are my options?     3. We want to book a trip(s) but want to get the best conditions – is there any flexibility to adjust our plans after we arrive?     4. Are all your trips run privately?     5. Is backcountry safety equipment required?     6. What hiking equipment is provided/required for backcountry touring trips?     7. Are your trips only open to guests staying at Black Diamond Lodge?     8. What time should I schedule my flights to arrive / depart?     9. What is the best way to get to Sapporo Chitose airport from Tokyo?

 

1. When is the best time to visit Hokkaido for a ski holiday?

   The ski season runs from late November until early May but as with anywhere in the world weather conditions vary from year to year. At the start of the season we need a fair amount of snow to fall in order to fully cover the underbrush (sassa grass) which stands close to 2 meters tall in the summer. Until we have received enough snow to cover the sassa, our ability to ride off-piste powder is limited and options can be restricted; but if you catch that deep early season day, you’ll likely have your pick of lines as the new seasonal staff will be just as unaware of where to find the goods as the short term visitor.

   Early December can sometimes bring heavy snowfalls setting us up early but generally conditions are a bit touch and go until about Christmas time when you can usually expect a sufficient base to have developed to get off the main runs and into the terrain you’ve all heard about and seen in the movies.

   By January you can expect coverage to be good and powder plentiful on all slopes. January and February offer the most consistent quality powder snowfalls with powder to be expected almost on a daily basis.  Remember though that even in one of the snowiest places on the planet, nothing is guaranteed and there is always the chance that you will catch that unlucky stretch of clear skies. Not surprisingly, January and February are the busiest months for ski tourism in Hokkaido so keep that in mind as accommodation can be harder to find if you are booking late and peak season rates apply to everything. Also the Sapporo Snow Festival and Chinese New Year fall in early to mid-February and these are big draw cards for a lot of visitors to the area. If these events are not of interest to you, then it is advisable to plan your trip outside of this time.

   March brings a huge change of pace as the bulk of international ski visitors disappear and we’re left with uncrowded slopes and often conditions equal to or better than earlier in the winter. If you’re interested in backcountry skiing, this is a great time of year to visit as you can count on a little more sunshine, longer daylight hours and a well developed base that facilitates easier entry and exit from the backcountry.

   By April, the season is coming to a close and most people are thinking about golfing, bike riding and surfing but the resorts are still open, the parks are well maintained and the long sunny days open the door to knock off some of the bigger ski traverses not possible during the winter months when the weather is to variable and the days too short.

2. I am travelling on my own but want to join one of your trips – what are my options?

   Single guests can select any trip from our 1 day trip menu and join on any of these trips at any time through the winter subject to availability and sufficient additional bookings.  Please inquire and we will fill you in on which trips are running on which dates or we will put you down for the trip of your choice on the date of your choice and await additional bookings to meet our minimum requirement of booked clients (3 for guided trips and 5 for unguided).

   If you are interested in a package tour, the Niseko Deluxe package is ideally suited to singles and we can book this package for you at any time through the winter. We also offer 2 PowerTrip packages which are open to any group size (maximum 12 on the trip). If you are interested in other multi-day packages, pricing is dependent on the number of people in the group meaning that it can be fairly expensive if you have a small group. In these cases, please inquire with us to see if we have another small group that is also looking for something similar over the same dates that we can put you together with.

    

3. We want to book a trip(s) but want to get the best conditions – is there any flexibility to adjust our plans after we arrive?

   At Black Diamond our goal is to take you to the best skiing/riding on offer on any given day and flexibility is a key component of making that possible so the short answer is yes!

   The most important thing for us is to have you booked in and on the schedule so that we have a guide available and are thinking about where best to take you. This also means that we will have the ability to get in touch with you prior to the trip to advise you of conditions and alternatives. After you arrive in town we recommend that you give us a call to discuss your trip, weather conditions and what’s happening around the island in terms of snowfall.  We do try to accommodate as many last minute bookings as possible but advance booking is highly recommended - especially during peak season (Christmas – late February) to ensure availability.

   On the scheduled trip date, if the tour that you have arranged is not looking like a great option for that day or for safety reasons we cannot run the planned tour, we will offer alternative options, postpone the trip or offer a full refund.

   The bottom line is we want to make sure that you have a better day with us than you could have had without our service.

4. Are all your trips run privately?

   Our trip pricing is based on a minimum of 3 people in a group up to a maximum of 6 clients per guide. If your group has less than 3 people in it, then we will mix you in with another group. When putting multiple groups together, we make every effort to match skill levels but on the occasion when things aren’t working out well, we have a few options available to split the group up – including sending an extra guide onto the mountain to meet the group or postponing the trip to another date for part of the group.

   If you would like to have a guaranteed private trip for you and your group, we offer this option for groups between 1 and 5 people at rates slightly increased from our regular pricing. The surcharge varies depending on group size so please inquire for details on rates if you are interested in this. For groups of 6 or more, your group will have its own private guide regardless at no extra charge.

5. Is backcountry safety equipment required?

   Backcountry equipment is required for all participants on any trip where we will be leaving the ski area boundary. We offer all of the necessary equipment (transceiver, shovel, probe and backpack) for rental or if you have your own please bring it. Backcountry gear rental is not required on trips that do not leave the ski area boundary.

6. What hiking equipment is provided/required for backcountry touring trips?

   For backcountry touring trips, we offer snowshoes and collapsible hiking poles for snowboarders. For skiers we offer climbing skins and alpine trekker touring bindings. “Trekkers” are a binding adapter which fit into any regular alpine ski binding and connect to regular alpine ski boots allowing skiers with a standard alpine ski setup to tour in the backcountry. Alternatively skiers can also fit into snowshoes which for first time backcountry skiers can be easier and less frustrating under certain conditions – particularly on steep climbs. Our guides will advise clients of which equipment is most suitable on the morning of the trip.

7. Are your trips only open to guests staying at Black Diamond Lodge?

   Our trips are open to anyone regardless of where you are staying. We do offer clients staying at Black Diamond Lodge special discounts off our trips and are able to keep all guests staying at BDL advised of trips running day to day but guests staying elsewhere are welcome to drop by the lodge or our Tours office in Hirafu village to stay up to speed on powder conditions around the island.

8. What time should I schedule my flights to arrive / depart?

   Sapporo Chitose airport to Niseko: Buses run regularly through the day so any time will work; however the last bus departs the airport at 9:30pm meaning your flight needs to arrive before 8:30pm in order to make it onto the last bus. If you are arriving later than this there are private transfer options available or you can spend the night near the airport and transfer to Niseko the following morning.

   Niseko to Sapporo Chitose airport: The first bus of the day departs Niseko at 7:10am arriving at the airport at 10:25am so flight departure times of 11:30am or later can be reached. If you depart earlier than this, you will need to transfer to the airport the night before staying near the airport or use a private transfer service.

   Sapporo Chitose to Sapporo city: Sapporo city is about 1 hour by train or bus from Sapporo Chitose airport so connections to an from the city can be made to meet any flight time.

   Sapporo Chitose to Furano: The last bus to Furano departs at 5:20pm arriving in Furano at 8:20pm so you will need to arrange your flight to land before 4:30pm in order to make this transfer. Alternatively private transfer services are available transfer or you can stay near the airport and transfer the following morning.

    

9. What is the best way to get to Sapporo Chitose airport from Tokyo?

   Sapporo Chitose airport is an international airport but has only a limited number of international connections available meaning that most people travelling to Hokkaido and Niseko will need to stop in Tokyo and catch a connecting flight to Sapporo. If you are unable to make arrangements (or fares are too expensive) for the domestic leg of your travel than you can book your domestic flight independently. Skymark Airlines and Airdo are Japan's domestic discount carriers connecting Hokkaido to Honshu and generally offer the best rates; however it is important to note that most domestic flights depart from Tokyo Haneda airport while most international flights arrive at Tokyo Narita airport.

   This means that if you have a domestic flight departing from Haneda, you will need to change airports. This is a very easy process and the Airport Limousine bus company offers the most convenient service. When you arrive at Narita and exit the customs control area into the main concourse, you will see bright orange Airport Limousine counters at regular intervals through the airport where you can arrange to transfer between airports. Guest services staff will speak English making it easy to arrange. Buses depart every 10-15 minutes, take about 1 hour and cost 3000Yen each way.

   Please note that if you plan to do this, you should leave at least 3.5 hours between your arrival time at Narita and departure from Haneda airport. If you leave this amount of time and your international flight happens to be late causing you to miss your connecting flight, both Skymark and Airdo will rebook you on the next available flight at no extra charge. They will require a printed document from your international carrier stating that your flight was late. This document can be obtained from airport carrier counters in the baggage claim area.