Diving into the snow in Japan

Skiing at Club Med Sahoro, Japan. Picture: Chanel Parratt Source: National Features

There are activities for all ages at Club Med Sahoro in Japan. Picture: Chanel Parratt. Source: National Features

I'M NOT sure just whose idea it was to jump out of our hot tub and dive into the snow.

With steam rising from the water into the minus 10C air, snowflakes falling and surrounded by pine trees, I made a well choreographed leap.

Before I knew it, I was heading towards a pile of particularly fluffy snow, my skin tingling, trying to decide if it was hot, cold or just right.

I spent the next 20 minutes back in the tub, trying and failing to find fault with this Club Med resort situated in the centre of Japan's northernmost island, Hokkaido.

When you arrive at Club Med Sahoro, a slice of wintry paradise, you're warmly greeted by the staff (called GOs), who broadcast the number of languages they speak by sticking little flags to their name badges.

A stay at the four-trident (equivalent to 4-star) resort includes everything your room, all food and drink, lift passes, group ski and snowboarding lessons, as well as Mini Club and Junior Club for the kids, nightly entertainment, swimming pool, jacuzzi, the outdoor hot tub and more. Ski gear and equipment is available for hire.

After a quick rundown on how things worked, we were off to dinner.

The energy of Daichi, the resort's main restaurant, hits you like a welcome shot of sake.

Boisterous groups celebrate and families enjoy each other's company. Kids bump into new and old friends, taking themselves off to the buffet, relishing the independence of creating their own meals.

There are people from all over the world; on our visit, the French schools from Singapore and Hong Kong were on holidays and families from both had the place almost filled.

The food is good, fresh and varied. It's hard to imagine how they pull it off for breakfast, lunch and dinner but they do and with resounding success.

Dinners each night are usually themed Asian on our first, French on the second and Italian on the third. And you can help yourself to the well-stocked wine fridge.

The first night's meal seemed more like a la carte than buffet-style dining. Beef tataki (thin slices of seared beef) sat on beds of shredded leek with a wasabi sauce that packed a real punch.

There were also steaming bowls of shoyu (soy) ramen with a salty and slightly tangy broth. And sushi was in good supply, with nigiri, freshly cooked prawns and deep-fried tofu filled with sweet sushi rice disappearing quickly from my plate.

There are plenty of dishes to keep those with simpler tastes happy, too, such as roast lamb with steamed vegetables and gravy, grilled salmon with green beans and cherry tomatoes, curries, pasta and salads.

Breakfast included okayu rice porridge with finely chopped vegetables and delicate rolled omelets.

As Club Med is a French company, you know the bread is going to be good. Make sure you try the white chocolate loaf.

Next door at specialty restaurant Mina Mina, nabe is the main event. A portable stovetop sits in the centre of your table as you create your own steam pot, hot pot and ramen with local seafood and fresh vegetables from the self-serve bar.

We'd missed the nightly show by the time we finished dinner, so we organised our ski gear, booked our lessons and took ourselves off to bed.

A deluxe room at Club Med Sahoro is simple, with a gorgeous view of the Shintoko mountains and a very comfortable bed. A traditional Japanese-style room with tatami flooring, futons and a low-set table, it gives a real sense that you're in Japan.

Each day's activities start about 8am, when Mini and Junior Club Med first open. With skiing, snowboarding, indoor and outdoor games on offer, you can put your mind at ease the kids are going to have a great day (yes, even without you). Depending on your ski level, adult classes start between 8.45am and 9.30am.

With altitudes ranging between 400m and 1100m, Sahoro cannot claim to have the steepest runs. It is instead famed for incredible dry powder snow. There are two resorts in the area that use the 17 runs six red, five blue, six green and 3km of cross-country trail.

Venturing off the groomed slopes, Sahoro has enough tree powder to ride or ski for a week. There are seven chairlifts and the gondola, with the longest run stretching 3km and plenty of good-length cruising pistes, perfect for intermediates.

When I visited this month, the resort was about 80 per cent full but I felt like I was one of just a handful on the uncrowded slopes, which were groomed to perfection.

Expect excellent conditions from December to the end of March.

The ski-in, ski-out facilities make everything so easy, as do the GOs, who do a fantastic job entertaining children.

Parents can check children aged four to 11 into Mini Club Med and teens aged 12 to 17 into Junior Club Med for a day of adventure. This includes taking the kids to lunch in the main restaurant and afternoon snacks.

Petit Club Med for children aged two to three and Pyjama Club if you require childcare at night cost extra. All other child minding, including ski lessons each day, are included.

It's not Broadway but nightly performances by the GOs (and often your children) will have you whipping out your camera faster than you can say "winter wonderland".

Take a day off skiing and enjoy a swim in the heated pool, unwind in the sauna or ofuro (Japanese hot tub), play a game of table tennis or watch a movie in the theatre. Spa Pirka has treatments to pamper and relax you and the yoga class is a great way to stretch after a day on the slopes.

Or gear up for some outdoor adventure of a different kind think snowshoes, sleds, horse riding and snow rafting; or a day trip out to the natural hot springs by Daisetsu-zan National Park.

The writer was a guest of Cathay Pacific Airways and Club Med Resorts.

** Go2

HOKKAIDO

-- Getting there

Cathay Pacific Airways has direct flights to Hong Kong from Sydney and daily flights to Sapporo from Hong Kong. Transfers to the resort can be arranged through Club Med at an additional cost.

Ph 13 17 47 or see cathaypacific.com.

-- Staying there Stay at Club Med Sahoro, Japan, for five nights. The package includes twin-share accommodation in a superior room, three gourmet meals a day, dining at Mina Mina, open bar and snacking, all ski lift passes daily, group ski lessons and nightly entertainment.

Prices start at $1832 (adult) and $966 a child (under 12). Conditions apply. Extra for transfers from the Sapporo airport.

See clubmed.com.au.

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