“Where’s your other pole?” asked the lift operator as he took my skis off the gondola. Explaining that I fell off a chairlift higher up the mountain, he took my number and said, “Let me see what I can do.”
Sure enough, 30 minutes later, the lift had climbed up through waist-high powder to find the lost pole for me. Incredible service enough? In the Alps, perhaps, but not in Japan. Nothing in this highly efficient country is too much trouble.
Efficiency aside, there are so many reasons why Japan is a bucket list destination for British skiers: incredible snow, quality infrastructure, endless ski areas (there are more than 600) and culture. But I had stumbled a bit on a previous visit to Hokkaido, in 2018, when I struggled to navigate the food, cultural differences and constant freezing temperatures while suffering from the inevitable nine-hour time difference clock.
Definitely a must try, this winter Club Med offers a new opportunity to break Japow (Japanese powder snow), without the culture shock, with the opening of its newest property, the Kiroro Grand. In recent years, the French managed brand has dominated the ski holiday market with its all-inclusive formula and I was hoping that a Western breakfast, a proper bed and a conversation in English would give me the beat and help me the make the most of a trip around the world. skiing.
Abundant snow on your doorstep
Skiers mainly go this far east for the mythical, cold, dry and impossibly light powder snow that Japow is famous for. Formed when cold air from Siberia blows over the sea of Japan, raising moisture that falls heavily on the mountains, this legendary powder falls in Kiroro on the northern island of Hokkaido.
The resort now has two of four Club Med mountain residences in Japan, and Hokkaido’s westernmost ski area – 43km west of Sapporo – which receives a staggering 21m of snow each season.
To make the most of it, like all Club Med properties, the Kiroro Grand is ski-in. No walking in the snow or catching a ski bus at the end of the day, this unrivaled facility made all the difference to my jet-lagged-addled body, as did the heated ski lockers and equipment room, which immediately welcomed me. from the side. slopes.
A helping hand on the slopes
On the mountain, I whizzed gleefully around many of the 23 piste (a mixture of red, blue and black) and enjoyed the orderly lift service. Queues form here on a powder day but the staff are extremely polite, with the attendants brushing snow off the chairs and carrying your skis on and off the gondolas without question.
There’s nothing worse than knowing your bearings at a resort, especially when you’re sleep-deprived – Club Med’s group lessons and daily guides, for all abilities, offer a welcome helping hand and are in included in the price of your holiday.
Familiar art
In 2018, I struggled with the almost constant diet of sushi and sashimi, especially when served for breakfast. Before heading out on the hill in the cold, I need familiar nutrition: fruit, yogurt and eggs but not onsen eggs—a Japanese specialty of slow-cooked hot spring eggs with a unique (read: raw) texture.
Although Kiroro Grand offers Japanese (and other Asian) fare, I feasted instead on fried or scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon, tomatoes, bread, croissants, pancakes, yogurt, granola, fruit… a whole smorgasbord of it The mealtime buffets are different. high quality kitchens throughout.
“We don’t like the word buffet,” corrected Marc Letourneau, Club Med’s general manager for Japan and Korea. “We prefer the term specialty corner, because it’s less about quantity and more about quality and live show cooking with chefs from around the world.”
And it was first class: one night oysters the size of soup plates were freshly shucked for guests, and another evening, delicious Zuwai snow crab was cracked and served with fresh mayonnaise. Another evening, feeling particularly jet-lagged, I chose to comfort myself with lasagne and fill up on energy-boosting greens courtesy of the huge fresh salad bar. Having all meals included saves you the headache of making restaurant reservations, which are booked weeks in advance at smaller Japanese resorts.
English Ease
Like most visiting Brits, I’m afraid my Japanese is limited to them arigatou, summary and sayonara (thank you, sorry and bye). On my last visit, the lack of English translation in the smaller ski areas I visited was difficult to figure out – especially when ordering food.
With an international reputation, Club Med’s Japanese resorts are popular with visitors from Korea, China, Australia and the USA, as well as Europe, meaning that English is the common language – even when guests greet their meet in lifts, onsens and while chatting at the bar. Sadly, perhaps, it made life a little easier.
Easy-to-use après-ski
The après-ski scene in Japan is very different from that of the Alps or North America. It is submerged and centered around bathing in hot springs – or onsen. Club Med offers the best of both worlds.
The Kiroro Grand has a huge stage in its old ballroom with après-ski snacks and nightly entertainment from acrobats such as Cirque du Soleil to a great band flown in from France for the season. The hotel also has a natural hot spring to offer the full Japanese experience – you bathe naked except for a modest towel, showering beforehand and leaving your shoes at the door.
Creature comforts
There’s a reason why Club Med is dominating the ski scene – now with more than 20 winter resorts around the world. “We make things easy,” says Letourneau.
Before you arrive, you can view and amend your booking on the guest hub, book lessons and order equipment. On arrival, you are given a wristband that spares you the tedium of searching for your wallet throughout your stay. Most activities and extras are included – yoga, fitness and cooking classes and a great kids’ club – as well as specialty restaurants, premium alcohol, spa treatments and private lessons.
Most importantly, each room has a proper bed (no futons in sight), a kettle (for a morning cuppa), an iron and ironing board, charging points and bathroom products (handy for lightening your luggage).
Admittedly, the point of traveling to Japan isn’t to ruin the whole experience, but a Club Med vacation strikes the perfect combination of convenience and familiarity with Japanese culture and cuisine – leaving plenty of time. you to explore the world famous snow. Seriously came here for.
Fundamentals
Club Med (clubmed.co.uk; 03453 676767) offers seven nights all-inclusive at Club Med Kiroro Peak, Hokkaido, from £4,186, including meals, lift passes, lessons, equipment hire, flights and transfers, based shared by two adults. .
Abigail was a guest at Club Med.