Arai

Japan’s newest ski resort and arguably its best kept secret is Arai. Although technically a ski resort it has been here since 1993, but was closed in 2006 and lay abandoned for ten years before the Lotte group bought the resort, and threw money at restoring Arai beyond its original glory... and more. It is an impressive (and luxury) resort before you’ve even clicked into your ski boots.

With over 250 rooms spread across four buildings Arai is five-star in every respect, with spacious, modern and super-comfortable rooms, game-changing restaurants, two indoor pools, a state-of-the-art day spa facility and so much more.

Above the resort comes a massive free-ride mountain, with only five lifts and even fewer pisted runs. This is a mountain for the experienced ski connoisseur, who craves fresh-tracks in the impressive fresh powder. However, the amount of snow is no problem, as the resort has employed one of the best avalanche forecasters in the business - Dave Iles from Whistler. He and his team spend their days working on the terrain to ensure it is safe to open.

We recommend Arai to the advanced crowd only, who want to escape the crowds of Europe whilst maintaining a luxurious ski experience.