When trying to imagine what it would be like to ski in Japan, I pictured a minimalist ski resort. I saw chic local skiers in monochrome outfits elegantly swishing down the slopes, before stopping for sushi and ramen. I assumed revellers would drink whisky, sake and beer in the evenings, although perhaps not to quite the same level of excess as in Europe. Skiing in Japan seemed exotic. Did I know the Japanese ski uphill, joked one wag before I left.

Skiers can come straight off the mountain to find a restaurant for a bowl of spicy udon ramen

To reach Niseko Village, the most famous ski resort in Japan, I had to take a long 14-hour flight from London to Tokyo, followed by a short flight up to Sapporo, the capital city of the northern, mountainous island of Hokkaido, then a two-hour drive to Niseko. When I arrived, the snow looked thick, even in early March. The skies were blue. All the hotels in Niseko village have views of Mount Yotei, an active volcano reminiscent of Mount Fuji. Jetlagged, I lay on my bed staring out at the mountain, trying not to fall asleep before I went to have my boots and skis fitted.

Niseko Village is one of the resorts at the foot of Niseko mountain, an area referred to as ‘Niseko United ski area’. The area is famed, I was told, for its powder snow. It’s the sort of spiel you hear about a place and don’t quite believe. But on the first evening I arrived, the slopes were dusted with yet more snow, even though they aren’t particularly high. I awoke to a bluebird day, but in comparison to what one might expect to see in European resorts, there were far fewer people hoping to ski on the fresh powder. Skiing in Japan just felt far more........

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