Kamoidake Kokusai

Kamoidake Kokusai sits in Central Hokkaido between Sapporo and Asahikawa, operating only its East zone since reopening in 2021. The mountain gets solid Central Hokkaido snowfall and stays uncrowded—on weekdays you might feel like you have the place to yourself, especially when ski racers and defence force personnel aren't around. The riding is straightforward: intermediate-friendly runs with some pitch at the top, wide enough to flow, with a new terrain park adding some variety.

Off-piste is where Kamoidake shows its character. There's tree skiing within the resort boundaries that seems to be tolerated, plus easy trees just outside the fence. Head further into sidecountry and you'll find cliffs and gullies that demand careful navigation or a guide. The former West area, accessible via shuttle, has mellower courses and more treed terrain if you're willing to put in the effort. Lift passes are cheap and the base has an onsen, though the old hotel barely seems operational.

The tradeoff is real: two slow pair lifts and only five courses mean this place works best as a day trip from Furano or Asahikawa, not a multi-day destination. The vertical is modest, and beginners need to descend an intermediate run just to reach the beginner terrain. If you're hunting quiet powder days and don't mind modest infrastructure, Kamoidake rewards the effort. If you need variety and modern lifts, look elsewhere.