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SAPPORO, JAPAN 2009!

By an overwhelming vote, ski club members selected JAPAN as the location for Hawaii Ski Week 2009. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ski at 3 different resorts on Hokkaido and attend the annual Sapporo Snow Festival in early February 2009. 

Ski-in, ski-out hotel with twin beds and buffet breakfast were included.

A Lift Pass provided skiing access to all 3 resorts on the Niseko-Annupuri Mountain (Grand Hirafu, Higashiyama, and Annupuri are connected with each other at the top of the mountain and connected at the base by free shuttle buses).

There were hotel accommodations at Niseko Ski Resort (for 4 nights) and a hotel in Sapporo (for 2 nights) to attend the Snow Festival

Mountain statistics:

Acreage: 2,191 acres

30% beginner, 40% intermediate, 30% advanced

Top elevation: 4,295 ft.

Base elevation: 984 ft.

Number of lifts & gondolas: 38

Lift hours: 8:30am to 9:00pm (Hirafu offers one of the biggest night skiing areas in the world.)

Number of runs: 57

Number of mountain restaurants: 17

Longest run: 3.5 miles

Annual snowfall: 39 ft. to 49 ft. of powder snow

More trip details:

These 3 Niseko resorts receive Japan's lightest and driest powder snow.

Snow reliability (constantly snowing in this area)

Virtually no lift lines

English trail maps, signs and information announcements; restaurants are now also offering English menus because of all the Australians and British who have discovered Niseko.

Niseko, being part of a volcanic range, boasts a collection of great onsens (hot spring baths)

"Hirafu's apres-ski scene rocks" (the hotel is located in Hirafu)

For the snowboarders, Hirafu has a half-pipe, tabletop jumps, and lots of natural quarter pipes and hits.

There are mogul fields and tree runs for the more experienced skiers.

Non-skiers are offered several optional day trips for sightseeing.

NISEKO SKI RESORT/SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL, JAPAN
Sunday, February 8 to Monday, February 16, 2009

FULL PACKAGE PRICE PER PERSON: $2,350.20
LAND PORTION ONLY: $1,160


FULL PACKAGE INCLUDED:
* Roundtrip airfare from Honolulu to Tokyo on Japan Airlines (JAL)
* Roundtrip airfare from Tokyo to Hokkaido
* Ground transfers throughout the tour
*Two nights lodging with two American breakfasts at the Ramada Hotel
Sapporo
* Five nights lodging with five buffet breakfasts at the Niseko Kogen
Hotel
* 4-day Niseko United All Mountain Lift Pass
* English-speaking assistant on several segments of the trip

TRIP ITINERARY:

February 8 (Sunday) Leave Honolulu at 8AM on Japan Airlines (JAL)

February 9 (Monday) Arrive in Sapporo late at night.
2 American breakfasts are included at the Ramada Hotel Sapporo.

February 10 (Tuesday) Full day in Sapporo to see the Snow Festival.

February 11 (Wednesday) Spend half a day more in Sapporo before
continuing on to Niseko (2.5 hours away by charter bus). Arrive in
Niseko with ample time to check into our hotel and to rent our ski
equipment.
5 buffet breakfasts are included at the Niseko Kogen Hotel

February 12 - 15 (Thursday - Sunday) 4 full days of skiing in Niseko
with the Niseko United All Mountain Lift Pass included, giving skiing
access to all 4 resorts on the Niseko-Annupuri Mountain (Grand Hirafu
& Hanazono, Higashiyama, and Annupuri, connected with each other at
the top of the mountain and connected at the base by free shuttle buses)

February 16 (Monday, Presidents' Day holiday in the US) Leave
Niseko in the morning, catch an evening flight out of Tokyo and
arrive back in Honolulu at 6:15 AM on the same day (Monday).

2008  Whistler, BC
2007  Park City
2006  Vail

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