Mountainwatch Guide to Tomamu – In the Centre of Hokkaido’s Powder Belt

Mountainwatch | Travel

Hokkaido, Japan’s second largest island and most northerly prefecture, is renowned for its quality snow, consistent winter storms dropping huge volumes of the lightest, driest powder snow on the planet.

The best quality snow is found in Hokkaido’s interior, in an area known as the Hokkaido Powder Belt which runs 200km north-south and covering an area of 15,000 square kilometres. Its distance from coast ensuring low temperatures and minimal humidity and the resulting snowfall is the best powder in all of Japan.

The Hokkaido Powder belt includes a number of ski areas, including Hoshino Resorts’ Tomamu, an accessible resort which is just seventy minutes by train from Chitose International Airport.

The resort consists of 29 ski runs, accessed by five chairlifts and one gondola, and covers 123.9 Hectares. Tomamu has a relatively high elevation for Hokkaido resorts, with the base at 540 metres and the peak at 1239m, giving a healthy vertical drop of 699 metres. The offers a variety of terrain with plenty of long, groomed runs and is complemented by fun tree skiing.

There is also a big beginners’ area and a couple of terrain parks with some basic features and jumps. The ski school caters for all ages and standards and an excellent kids’ program where the focus not just on learning to ski, but also fun and adventure.

The Terrain

Tomamu has a well-deserved reputation as a family resort but it also has plenty of options and, most importantly, plenty of powder snow for advanced skiers and snowboarders. It receives an average a seasonal snowfall of 9metres and has large variety of terrain, including a good amount of inbounds tree-skiing, and powder-chasers will be well-satisfied.

The most challenging terrain is found in the aptly named “Experts Powder Areas”, off-piste areas with a steeper, consistent fall line and well-spaced trees. To access the area you need to register at the resort reception, download an app and helmets are compulsory. There are also lower angled, more sparsely treed sections that are perfect for adventurous intermediate riders and those looking to improve their off-piste skills.

The Backcountry

Outside of the resort boundaries there are many backcountry options and the resort offers expert guiding for both Ski Touring and Cat Skiing. The ski touring caters to all levels of experience from introductory backcountry tours to expert.

The cat skiing tour to nearby Mt Karifuri is something special, a luxury snow cat taking you deep into the backcountry where the guide ensures you safely enjoy multiple runs of untracked powder. The all-day tour includes lunch and numbers are limited.

Facilities and accomodation

Hoshino Resorts Tomamu offers four-star ski-in ski-out accommodation and is well-serviced with a wide variety of restaurants and retail options. There is also One of the highlights of a visit to Tomamu is the Ice Village where a handful of ice houses serve as bars, reading corners, shops and snack stops. There is even an ice chapel which is popular for weddings while the lighting throughout the village creates a beautiful “winter wonderland” atmosphere.

There is also a Club Med Tomamu where the all-inclusive packages include accommodation, lift tickets, group snowsports lessons, meals and drinks. It is located near the beginners area and a short walk/skate to the gondola and next door to the indoor “wave pool” and is a great option for families.

Tomamu has something for everyone, it’s expert area and backcountry offering many options for advanced skiers while beginners and intermediates have plenty of groomed runs to choose from. There is vast array of restaurants and other activities like snow tubing, horse riding and an indoor wave pool called Mina-Mina Beach, the perfect place to warm up and enjoy a fun reprieve from the cold weather outside.

Tomamu is a resort with many attributes, blending diversity, luxury, originality, convenience and service – and of course, beautiful light snow.

Getting there:

If you are flying in to New Chitose airport or coming from Sapporo, it is easy to get there by Train, around 70-minute trip to Tomamu station. Head here for the details and advanced ticket purchase.There are regular buses from Tomamu station to the resort

Buses operated by the Hokkaido Access Network run regularly from Sapporo and New Chitose airport and from the city of Asahikawa. Click here for details and bookings.

Driving it is pretty straightforward. Take the Sapporo  Sasson Expressway at Sapporo-kita IC, 120 minutes to Tomamu IC. From New Chitose airport Doto Expressway at Chitose-higashi IC, 90 minutes to Tomamu IC.

From Asahikawa/Asahikawa Airport 140 minutes by taking National Route 237 ⇒ National Route 38 ⇒ Road 1117 * Please take National Route 38 ⇒ Road 1117 instead of Road 1030.

Mountain Stats

• Elevation Top1239 metres
• Elevation Bottom540 metres
• Vertical Drop699metres
• Skiable Terrain 9 hectares
• Lifts 5 chairs, one gondola
• Longest Run 4.2km
• Beginner30%
• Intermediate40%
• Advanced30%
• Expert15%
• Total Number of Trails 29

For an idea on what conditions are like in Tomamu check out the Grasshopper’s Weekly Japan Snow forecast and our Furano pages