By the time my boots finally touched the snow-dusted streets of Hokkaido, I had read enough about it to feel like I'd already been there. The northernmost of Japan's main islands, Hokkaido often plays second fiddle to Tokyo's buzz or Kyoto's temples in most guidebooks, but anyone who has been will tell you - it is nothing like the rest of Japan. And that is exactly what makes it so special.
Where Tokyo moves at a pace that demands attention, Hokkaido does the opposite. It is slower, colder, and somehow more spacious. Here, the landscapes stretch out like quiet haikus-volcanoes rising in the distance, hot springs steaming in the middle of silent forests, and ski slopes that pull you into their rhythm whether you are ready or not. I was not. This was my first brush with skiing, and I chose Hokkaido because every serious skier I knew said: "There is snow, and then there is Hokkaido snow."
Powder Snow And First-Time Falls
Skiing, I learned quickly, is one of those things that humbles you within minutes. I spent my first few hours tumbling, sliding backwards, and trying to stand up without making it a group activity. But there was something exhilarating about it. The snow here is famously powdery-dry, light, and soft enough to break your fall, or at least soften the blow.
My base for this trip was Club Med Kiroro Grand, nestled deep in the snowbelt of Hokkaido. It is an all-inclusive resort, which generally means it is great for families, but what stood out to me was how it caters to both first-timers and seasoned skiers. The resort is practically built around the snow. It enjoys an astonishing 21 metres of powder annually - far more than Niseko - and boasts more than 160 days of skiable terrain. You can ski in and ski out. And the sheer scale of their ski zone was unlike anything I had imagined - kilometres of connected slopes, chairlifts that rise endlessly into the mist, and views that hit you out of nowhere.
Inside the resort's heated ski-locker room, brand-new Rossignol gear awaited, and by morning, the lift pass was already in my pocket. Their beginner zone is brilliantly laid out: a gentle practice slope starting just beyond the resort before leading to the slightly steeper "Family" run and, after a day or two, up to Nagamine's more challenging beginner terrain.
The best part? The instructors. I was paired with a spirited Japanese-French woman who taught me that the only way to learn skiing was to fall 10 times and get up 11. "Do not look at your skis. Look where you want to go," she kept saying. It sounded like life advice.
Club Med Kiroro Grand On The Slopes
The resort is truly ski-in, ski-out, with 23 runs served by 11 gondolas across Asari and Nagamine mountains, altitudes ranging from 520 m to 1,180 m. Lift passes, adult group ski lessons, and kids' programmes are included; private lessons are available at extra cost.
Beyond The Slopes
Hokkaido wears its winter quietly, in towns like Otaru - a canal town with historic glass-blowing studios and sake breweries. In Sapporo, life revolves around careful adaptation to six months of snow. And there are onsen everywhere-steamy, communal, and serene. Stepping into hot water with snow falling around you is an experience that remains with you long after you leave.
The Food Will Spoil You
Hokkaido's culinary reputation is well-earned, and it doesn't skip a beat at Club Med Kiroro Grand. I learned there was more than buffet extravagance: an Indian head chef and Maldivian sous‑chef had refined the menus. The main buffet, Yoichi, was an "all‑day gourmet" feast: sushi and sashimi, cheese, dumplings, DIY ramen, pizzas, pasta, daily roast, green tea mochi, and that fabled white‑chocolate bread.
Three speciality restaurants added flair: Kaen (yakiniku grill), Ogon (Chinese‑style hot‑pot), and Ebisu (12‑course sushi evenings). I fell in love with lobster bisque, crab, oysters, Wagyu, and every slurp of ramen and Sapporo soup curry.
Snack corners kept energy levels up during the day, and cocktails or draft beer flowed freely in the evenings. The baristas served machine coffee later in the morning-an almost inevitable sacrifice in ski‑resort life.
Who Is Hokkaido For?
It is for people who want to feel rather than do-the hush of snow, the ease of falling, then standing again. If you're new to skiing, Kiroro's coaching structure means you'll progress fast, and its terrain adapts to your pace.
Club Med Kiroro Grand is no mere family resort - though it excels at that - it is a mountain resort that reads its terrain and caters to a wide spectrum of skiers with excellent instruction, seamless logistics, and world-class powder. Its heated lockers, rental services, included lessons and lifts, and direct access to powder make learning stress‑free and skiing intuitive.
The Quiet Kind Of Magic
Travelling to Hokkaido in winter demands commitment: bundling up, enduring short daylight, navigating buses or private cars up winding roads. But it repays you with deep winter, culinary richness, onsen calm, and skiing that does more than tire you-it transforms you.
On my final morning, fresh snow muffled the world. I watched a man fall repeatedly on the slope. He got up, laughed it off, and went down again. No fuss. No drama. Not even a glance backwards. That simple acceptance of falling and getting up is what Hokkaido and Club Med Kiroro Grand taught me. And maybe - that's the purest seasoning of all.
