For a lot of us, skiing is only one portion of the excitement when booking in a JaPow trip! It’s all about the events!
Whether you’re stopping in for some quick arvo après, soaking up traditional Japanese artworks at a local museum expo or watching some of the nation’s best riders battling it out at a rail jam, Japan’s mountain resorts offer up tonnes of fun, off-snow events worth checking out.
And when we say ‘tonnes’, we mean it. Looking ahead, there’s a heap of awesome events coming up for the remainder of the season, here’s a few of the ones we are most looking forward to:
PSA: If you don’t currently have a trip booked, you will absolutely be looking up flights after you hear what’s in store…. you’ve been warned!
Niseko’s Best Upcoming Events
Sapporo Snow Fest
When: 04 Feb 2025 – 11 Feb 2025
If you’ve ever found yourself watching Instagram reels and fantasising about your dream holiday in Hokkaido, you’ve most likely come across videos of the Sapporo Snow Festival. Featuring meticulously carved ice statues; snow sculptures the size of buildings, and an illustrious array of food trucks and other local attractions, the Sapporo Snow Festival is an essential winter event for tourists and locals alike.
Spanning three different locations over a week-long event, the Sapporo Ice Festival acts as a celebration of both Sapporo as a city, and Japan as a nation, with a vast majority of the sculptures commemorating monumental moments in the history of Japan, while also offering a slew of fun activities that’ll keep you and the family well and truly entertained.
The perfect option for those looking for a fun-filled rest day from the slopes.
Where:
The Snow Festival is broken up into three different locations, each offering something completely different from each other:
Odori Site: The Odori site is located in the centre of Sapporo city and offers 1.5km of snow sculptures.
Susukino Site: Located a minute walk from Odori Park, the Susukino site offers expertly crafted ice sculptures, ice bars, and ‘Fureai Hiroba’ plaza, where you can sit or ride specialist made ice sculptures.
Tsudome Site: The Tsudome site features a handmade snowsports park with slides specifically crafted for families to enjoy snow rafting down, as well as other attractions such as build a snowman, snowball challenger and footgolf for the young ones to enjoy.
Niseko Snow Dome Experience
When: Late December 2024 – Late February 2025
Where: Behind Hirafu Jujigai bus stop
Missed out on Team Labs when you stopped through Tokyo or Osaka? Don’t stress, Niseko has its own projection mapping experience! Running from late December 2024 to late February, 2025, The Niseko Snow Dome Experience showcases a snowy multi-purpose dome, located within the heart of central Hirafu, offering ethereal projecting mapping shows, a luxurious cocktail bar which serves up drinks in ice glasses and one of the best photo opportunities in Hirafu.
The 27th Otaru Snow Light Path
When: 08 Feb 2025 – 15 Feb 2025
Where: Otaru City
A beautiful harbour town loaded with picturesque canals, traditional infrastructure and some of Hokkaido’s best sushi, Otaru is a magical place to explore on one of your days off the slopes, and there’s no better time to explore than when the entire city is illuminated for the 27th annual Snow Light path.
Ezo – The Silent Beauty of Japan, Photography Exhibition
When: Now until March 23, 2025
Where: Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono, 1F Branded Residences Ski Valet
Based in Niseko, Hokkaido, Rujipart is a photographer known for capturing the authentic beauty of the region’s landscapes and wildlife. With a poetic approach, Ruji transforms Hokkaido’s natural world into visual narratives that remain true to the subjects, stirring deep emotional connections and inviting viewers to experience the serenity and untamed wildness of nature.
Snow Machine Niseko
When: 11 Mar 2025 – 14 Mar 2025
Where: Multiple venues around Niseko
Hosted between the 4th to the 9th of March in Hakuba, and the 10th to 15th in Niseko, Snow Machine guarantees to be one the largest international events Niseko has ever seen, promising thousands of eager punters coming to town to revel in the festivities, support local businesses, and see some of the worlds largest touring acts descend upon Japan’s mountain ranges for what’s a two-week non-stop party.
Mad Dog Jam
Date: Held annually at the beginning of March.
The term ‘send it’ is well and truly ingrained in ski and snowboard culture, but nothing quite sums it up like Moiwa’s Mad Dog Jam. A competition without the competitive edge, Mad Dog sees Niseko locals coming together to send the biggest and most ludicrous tricks in their playbook, all with the intention of having fun.
Banked Slalom
Date: Held annually at the beginning of March.
No matter what style of rider you are, you’ll always appreciate a solid carving technique. So if you want to hone in on that edging, check out the best of the best at Moiwa’s Banked Slalom! A perfect day out for riders of all ages looking to see local shredders showcasing their tight turning ability in a specially designed course.
Niseko Shootout
Date: Held annually at the beginning of March.
A staple of the Niseko events calendar, the Niseko Shootout offers a large-scale event showcasing the creativity of Niseko photographers and videographers, providing local creatives the opportunity to showcase their hidden talents behind the lens in front of thousands of stoked spectators.
Tsukasa Home Presents Powder Freeride
When: Feb 15th
The longest-established and most free-spirited freeride competition in Hokkaido, Kiroro’s Powder Freeride offers punters a chance to see some of the best riders in the world battling it out while also presetning the oppourtunity to freeride new gear with test rides and fitting sessions as well as a lecture by POW JAPAN on the day of the competition and the day after.
Rhythm Rail Jam
When: March 1st
Where: Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu Freeride Park (LOCATION UPGRADE)
Rails, riders, and rad vibes: Rhythm Rail Jam is officially back, and this time, we’re turning up the stoke for the biggest showdown yet!
We’re talkin’, the gnarliest jibs, sickest lines, and butters so phat you could spread ‘em on toast–all in front 2,000 frothed out onlookers – now, that’s something to send it about.
For 2025’s event, the Rhythm crew taking over Grand Hirafu’s iconic Freeride Park, where they’re promising to put on the craziest event to date. Expect huge raffles, food trucks, pop-up bars, DJs, and some of the gnarliest lines Niseko’s park scene has ever seen.
For those who have been before, it’s easy to see why the Rhythm Rail Jam stands up as the biggest and best showcase on the annual Niseko event calendar. For those that haven’t, it’s truly something that needs to be seen to be believed.
Hakuba’s Best Upcoming Events
Snowskate Day!
When: February 8 – February 9
Where: Rhythm Wadano
A no-board, snurf, snow-skate, Yukiita – it doesn’t matter what you want to call it, snow-skating is damn fun. Having marked itself as one of Niseko’s hottest events last winter, the Make Yukiita crew will now be descending upon Hakuba to construct a state of the art snowskate event for all to enjoy.
Hakuba Winter Comedy Festival
When: Held from the 12 – 19th of February, 2025.
Where: The Clubhouse
Want to know the best way to unwind after a day on the slopes? An onsen followed by a nice glass of wine and a belly full of laughs! For the 2024/25 winter season, Hakuba’s ‘The Clubhouse’ will be showcasing the Tokyo Comedy Club’s best of the best for a handful of limited shows that’ll be sure to bring an uplifting spirit around the village – just in time for some spring skiing.
Freeride World Tour Qualifiers
Date: Jan 27th – Jan 30th
With the Freeride World Tour, only two things are set in stone: the starting point and the finish line, everything else is completely up to the riders individual style. As you can imagine, it makes for a pretty exciting watch, attracting visitors from all over the world, who descend upon the Hakuba valley for a one week competition in the Happo-One backcountry.
78th Annual Happo-One Risen Slalom
When: 27th, 28th February
One of JaPow’s longest running events, the Risen Slalom sees a collection of the nations best skiers battling it out over a multi-day event to be officially crowned Hakuba’s king or queen of slalom skiing.
Waku Waku Jam
Date: Normally held towards the start of March.
Anyone who rides park in Hakuba knows that Jigatake is one of the valley’s best kept secrets. While 47, Tsugaike and Iwatake have the established reputation of hosting Hakuba’s biggest terrain park, Jigatake’s ‘Hike Up Park’ hosts a collection of kickers, waves, rails and boxes that riders of all skill sets can enjoy, making it the perfect place to host a high energy springtime event for Hakuba’s best park riders to come out and showcase their bag of tricks.
Chanmero Open
Want to compete in an event but unsure if you’d rank up next to the other competitors? The Chanmero Freeride is the one for you! A three event series spanning across the entire winter season, the Chanmero Freeride is one of Hakuba’s best displays of local freeriders. The only entry requirement? You must love snowy mountains.
Furano’s Best Upcoming Events
Korua Shapes Demo Day
When: February 1st 9:00- 3pm
If there’s one thing every snowboarder can agree on, it’s having a deep rooted desire to try out a Korua Shapes board. There’s just something about them. So simple, yet so elegant, with the bright pop of red constantly popping out from the base–they’re impossible to ignore.
So if you’re in the Furano area and want to finally test out a Korua deck, get down to Rhythm Furano’s exclusive demo day!
Kan Kan Mura
Date: Held between late December to late February.
Embark on a truly magical New Year’s celebration at Kan Kan Mura. With an enchanting snow dome, cosy snow cafe, Japan’s longest Snow Tubing course, and a dazzling array of illuminated snow sculptures all on offer, Kan Kan Mura promises an unforgettable and festive experience to welcome the New Year.
Bonchi Powder Festival
Date: Feb 3-4
One of the biggest events of Furano’s winter season, the Furano Bonchi Powder Festival (Furano Ski Festival) brings together all your favourite things – hot drinks, beers, wines, food trucks and fireworks– together for two days of constant celebrations and good times.
Few events you’re keen to check out? Why not book a last minute holiday with a Rhythm Trips package! Everything you need in one package, what’s not to love? Oh, and did we mention all Trips packages booked for this March also receive 20% off all Rhythm inclusions?
