The road over Mt Ponkutosan to the north of Kutchan rises through a tunnel, then slowly lowers you into the valley that leads to Akaigawa Village. A solitary traffic light and intersection is the only interruption in our journey.
Forty kilometres later, we turn right into the resort and snake towards one of the two hotels, the Piano Hotel, looming on our right, then drive up to the Mountain Hotel and Mountain Centre car park. The resort is spread out before us with runs and lifts sprawling upwards and outwards. An escalator carries us up to the mountain centre, past the aroma of fresh melon bread. Northwave radio is broadcasting from the resort and people are milling around waiting for instructors.
Kiroro has only become a reasonable day trip from Hirafu in the past three years, after the opening of Route 393 that intersects the Otaru – Akaigawa highway. The one-and-three-quarter-hour journey has been cut to about one hour. The resort was originally built by Yamaha, hence the name Piano for the main hotel that is 500m from the Mountain Centre and serviced by a shuttle bus that runs every 13 minutes. Kiroro also receives an average 14m of snow per year.
We take our time getting organised. Kiroro is a relaxed place and when Nagamine 1 starts at nine o’clock, we hop on the lift to start with a warm up on the Powder Line. Two hooded, detachable quads take us to the top of Nagamine Peak, looker’s left from the Mountain Centre. On a clear day you can see the Sea of Japan if you loop around to the north-facing back bowl. Skier’s left is a steady intermediate pitch, which is not groomed until 10 o’clock in the morning. The powder is knee deep and flies around us. There are two other skiers carving perfect turns in unison with matching silver ski wear, an elderly couple from Sapporo.
We head down to the Kiroro Gondola. The Nagamine No 1 course back to the gondola is the course that most people cite to prematurely judge Kiroro. The long green run, especially at the bottom, is a challenge for boarders or skiers without the right wax. However, the resort provides a free wax service in front of the Mountain Centre.
The truth is that Kiroro provides the perfect progression of terrain for any skier or snowboarder, ranging from technical powder runs through the gullies and ridges of Hangman, just underneath the Gondola, or the consistent, steep powder tree runs in Finding Your Feet. For beginners the Centre courses make Kiroro the perfect place to learn.
The Kiroro Gondola takes 15 minutes to get to the peak of Mt Asari and travels for 3300m, covering 800m of vertical. In three years skiing at Kiroro, the longest I have waited in line for the gondola is four minutes. Normal service is to click out of our skis and walk straight on to the lift uncontested. The gondola climbs up the centre of the resort from the Mountain Centre.
The whole place has the feel of an American resort, with the ski school (Annie’s Ski Academy), restaurant, rental shop, ski patrol, lift ticket office and genuine ski-in/ski-out hotel, all in one central space surrounded by majestic peaks.
As well as the gondola, four other lifts start at the Mountain Centre and spread out into the bowls like a crooked hand. Once you ski down to the base area you have the option of the Nagamine lift, Yoichi Express Lift or Asari Lifts to take you to the other sides of the huge skiable terrain. Most of the lifts have foot rests and wind guards to maintain speed when the wind gusts pick up.
Without the hundreds of condominiums and powder seekers that other resorts have, the snow is allowed to accumulate rather than the new snowfall – skied out, new snowfall – skied out cycle that other resorts experience. Much like Niseko 10 years ago, Kiroro provides fresh, deep turns in dry powder well into the afternoon.
A day lift pass is ¥5000 and excellent value for the eight lifts providing access to more than 20 runs. Yet, Kiroro feels bigger than that. The alpine vista, Mt Yoichidake looming at 1440m to the south, adds a sense of the dramatic, a feeling of scale and great size.
From the Kiroro Gondola, which drops you off at 1140m, the Asari Dynamic course sits atop a broad ridge and funnels down to the Centre A, B and C courses. Kiroro powder, however, is in the numerous tree runs off to the sides and out of view from the piste and the lifts.
We drop into a small stand of trees and immediately ski into waist deep powder that hasn’t been touched for days. Several turns lead us to a small run out and into another stand of trees. We pause beneath a buckled Silver Birch to survey the similar lines further up the ridge and further down below us. The scale of it is immense, the terrain technical and loaded with fresh snow. Below us, three large bowls descend upon the single, tight track that provides our run out. The track weaves through huge onsen holes, reminding us of the need to stay safe.
On the other side of the valley, between the Nagamine Peak and Asari Peak, vast open fields of snow all head down to the same valley floor, endless lines through Silver Birch trees and old pine.
By the time the Gondola closes at three thirty, we have managed nine laps. The snow has been suffocating, the terrain challenging.
We grab a coffee from the vending machine and browse the ski and board shop before jumping back in the car for the one hour drive back to Niseko.
Snow continues to fall as we leave, silent and persistent. I notice that the Kiroro sign has almost disappeared under an enormous wave-like cornice. I take a photograph – it seems appropriate.