Pro Snowboarder and Halfpipe Champion on Shredding Slopes and Exploring Sapporo’s Heart and Soul

There’s so much to see and do, you can’t fit it all in one trip!

A usual snowboarding trip for me in the States means driving hours to get to a resort, staying in a hotel, spending 6 to 10 days non-stop snowboarding, and not much else. It’s fun, of course, but in Sapporo, you can enjoy the perfect balance of snowboarding and being a tourist! The airport is so close that you won’t exhaust yourself with any additional travel after landing. You can fight the jet lag in the comfort of the city, pick up anything you may’ve forgotten to pack and explore a diverse range of ski resorts right on your doorstep. And when you’re not on the slopes, you can visit the city attractions or escape to the wilderness in Jozankei and feel completely detached from the city, while still being a short drive from downtown. Each part of Sapporo is unique and within close proximity—you can discover something new every day.

A big part of what makes Sapporo special is the people.

Everyone I met on this trip was so kind and friendly. I enjoyed linking up with the locals and going on side quests to their favorite restaurants and places. It really opens your eyes to the history and culture of the place. I was taken aback by how personal the dining experiences were. At each restaurant, I got to share conversations with the workers and the other diners—people just start talking to you.

All the personal touches made the experience all the more memorable, like enjoying authentic sushi while speaking to the chef himself as he made it in front of me. Or getting to pick out which kind of beans I wanted my coffee brewed with. Something like that seems so simple, but it makes the whole experience.

The city’s ski resorts are so unique, they could be on completely different continents.

A lot of times when I go snowboarding around the world, the ski resorts in a particular location are very similar, but that wasn’t the case here. Sapporo Teine offered the steepest terrain that I’ve ever ridden in Japan. It has something for those who want more aggressive riding to beginners. At Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort, I was blown away when I saw the Sea of Japan—you don’t expect a seaside view when riding in the mountains. There was a surprising variety of runs that branch off from the gondola.

Each resort was perfectly manicured—the groomers and terrain parks were amazing. We even saw the local schools out for their snowboarding classes. It’s great that kids are being introduced to the sport that we love and have dedicated our lives to. Who knows, maybe one day some of these kids will go on to be professionals.

Seeing something I’ve only ever seen online in real life was incredible—I was like, wow, is this where my fellow competitors learned how to ride halfpipe?

I hadn’t heard of Sapporo Bankei Ski Area before, but as soon as I walked into the lodge and saw the video that was playing of people riding the halfpipe, I was like, wait a minute, I know that pipe! I found out that Sapporo Bankei Ski Area has the only international-standard halfpipe in Hokkaido, and it’s the one that I’ve seen in videos from many of my friends on the Japanese snowboarding team. Although it was still too early in the season for the pipe to be up and running, I saw them making it and it looked like it was really coming along. The talent coming out of Japan in snowboarding and skiing is unbelievable, so it was cool to visit a location where some of them have most likely trained or learned how to ride.

Sapporo has something for everyone. Whether you’re an experienced skier or snowboarder, a first-timer looking to learn, or just here with family and friends to explore the city, you’re guaranteed an unforgettable trip. And hey, if you’ve never stepped foot on a snowboard before, what better place to give it a shot than in Japan?