Wowee! Ani has some impressive backcountry terrain that goes on and on, and unlike Hakkoda which it’s sometimes likened to, there is some pitchy terrain. Last time we visited we went out with a local Japanese guide who took us to very mellow spots (which is all too common). This time we had freedom to explore and got to ride steeper lines, and in many areas there were divine, widely spaced old growth trees with lovely snow. Hopefully the insta video provides a bit of an idea of some of the fun we had!

Since we let the cat out of the bag on Ani some years ago it has become busier and the low hanging fruit powder gets tracked out, but it’s still quiet. Despite it becoming a little more known amongst powder hounds, it’s probably not a place that will blow up. It’s not like Rusutsu with its easy to navigate tree skiing straight off the lifts that are relatively safe. Ani has amazing terrain, but it requires some orienteering nous, other backcountry skills, the desire to do a bit of skinning to work for your powder, and it takes some effort to get there. These factors are likely to keep the powder chaser numbers low, and the limited accommodation options and guides will also put a cap on visitors.

Hotel Fusch has definitely got busier, which was where we stayed last time when we were the only guests, whereas this time we’d heard that the hotel was full and Junko was struggling to keep up with the cooking required for all the guests.

We stayed at the aptly named Lodge Anaba (it means “secret spot” or “hidden gem”) which had just opened. This place was awesome! You’ll see our review here.

If you’ve got an adventurous spirit and happy to work for some of your turns, we’d highly recommend Ani.

You can see how we rated Ani on our Honshu ski resort ratings.
See our video here

We found a unicorn ski resort! If you’re not sure what a unicorn ski resort is, it’s one with the highly sought-after combination of lots of snowfall, great advanced and expert terrain, and low crowds. Sounds dreamy doesn’t it?! And unlike some quiet Japanese ski resorts where you really worry whether they’ll remain financially viable, at least the Ani Gondola has some summer and winter pedestrian tourists (the latter definitely won’t steal your fresh powder because they’re just looking at the snow monsters on Mt Moriyoshi). That being said, the ski resort would happily appreciate some more lift ticket sales.

It was so refreshing to visit Ani Ski Resort, especially after we’d just come from Niseko and all its fabulous craziness. Going to Ani was like skiing in Japan was back in the good old days. The staff were so happy to see us and chat to us, we were the only gaijin there, and the only powder chasers there. And the food in the cafeteria was half the price that it was at Niseko.

We visited in a season where Puki Yuki was in a bit of a bad mood, so we didn’t score over-the-shoulder blower powder, but we could certainly appreciate the allure of the place. Ani was a real gem!

We stayed at Hotel Fusch down the road, and that was an old-school experience too. The owner was a real joy to watch in action.

You can see our thoughts on the pros and cons on the Ani overview page and see how we rated it on the Japan ski resort ratings.
See our video here

Backcountry was amazing, definitely a highlight of my trip. The best pow days I had were here, on and off the ski runs.
Get a guide and get out there!

The food, facilities and folks were wonderful too, not crowded and super affordable.
See our video here

Where to start with this place?! First of all, it's basically all yours. During the three pow days we rode we hardly encountered other people in the lodge much less on the snow. What a pleasant change from the chaos of Hokkaido's holiday resorts. Lift tickets are incredibly affordable, and they even ran a dirt-cheap snowcat when the gondola was grounded by weather. Despite being cheap and empty, the base area had everything we needed. Everyone who worked at Ani was super friendly and the food was excellent. I had a really tricky splitboard problem on my first day, and the repair folks went way out of their way to help me fix it.

OK, let's get to the important stuff: the riding. Wow! Don't be fooled by the trail map. If all goes well you won't be needing that very much. Although a fun day of epic pow laps awaits just beneath the upper chair, you don't want to be stuck with only your resort gear at Ani. Bring your backcountry setup and route finding skills (i.e. hire a guide or pack your GPS) to access what Ani really has to offer. From the top of the gondola, a 20-30 minute tour out either ridge leads up to partially buried mountain huts and shrines. From here you can drop into any of the river valleys for some of the best steep tree skiing anywhere. Keep touring along the ridgetop for another 20-30 minutes and you'll find yourself on the top of an abandoned ski resort where perfectly spaced glades (or wide open runs) are literally all yours. At the end of the day drop under the gondola line, slash your way down to the gully bottom, and take a short tour back up to the groomer to sail victoriously down to the parking lot.

The bottom line: This place has all the potential for adventure and maybe even better access/layout/riding than its closest comparable mountains: Asahi-dake or Hakkoda. All for less money and with fewer crowds. Get it before the world finds out!
See our video here

I’ve been skiing in Japan for many years and I almost lost it on my first day at Ani. It really is the last backcountry-playground hidden gem, as more and more previously unknown ski areas get more crowded, especially in Hokkaido and Nagano.

I’d say this spot is the best fit for the backcountry enthusiast, and not a great fit for someone looking to ski easily accessible pow with zero effort. If you’re willing to put in even a 30 minute hike here and there, Ani will pay you back gorgeously!

Backcountry experience or a guide is required here for sure as it’s in the same vein as Asahidake or Hakkoda. I had to post a review because everything on the internet says getting there is super inconvenient but it’s only 40 minutes from ONJ airport and the ski hill has a shuttle bus that’s coordinated to match the flight schedules. The price is 3,000yen for the one-way transfer.

Cool spot, can’t stop thinking about it even in the summer.
See our video here