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北海道, Hokkaidō

42.8047° N, 140.6875° E - Japan in early March 2018

By Nick Russill

April 2^nd, 2018

Drone aerial view of the outskirts of Niseko

Mesmerising aerial view of snowy trees near Niseko

a LOT of snow here - until the day we arrived, it had snowed every day of the season!

why is the road wet? It is geothermally heated.

Iwanai (岩内町) - A day trip

Iwanai is one of the oldest towns in the region that started as a seasonal fishing location c. 1450, and developing into a year-round village in the mid-18th century. Citizens of Iwanai whose families have been native for many generations have a peculiar "fisherman" accent to their Japanese, distinct to others living in the region. It is a truly bleak place; westerly exposure to the Sea of Japan chilled by constant icy blasts from Siberia. It reminded me of remote East Greenland communities and Alaskan settlements I've visited in the past.

Snow piled up everywhere, even on the beaches

Shiribetsu River Estuary - not a soul in sight

snowboarding hirafu

I must add, not typical this queue. The resort had been shut due to high winds.

Pretty picture, crap snow! Just 30 minutes of sun on the fresh powder destroyed it making it like concrete.

Impressive photo! Drone panorama of Niseko Hirafu. Four photos @ 3 second exposure stitched together.

Thanks to our guide, Natalie, we were able to enjoy some brief windows of the legendary Japan powder snow offpiste in Rusutu.

Mount Yōtei (羊蹄山)

A 1,898 m stratovolcano that last erupted in 3550 BC, although the smell of sulphur can often surprise the sense of smell when descending the nearby slopes of Niseko.