Japan in Winter: Chills, Thrills and Spills
Japan consists of four major islands, surrounded by more than 4,000 smaller islands and a million possibilities. Escape to Japan for a stunning winter season and experience a whole new world from pure white ski slopes to cheeky monkeys. Japan is a place like no other...
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HERE ARE THREE GREAT DEALS TO COMBINE WITH JETSTAR FLIGHTS FROM GOLD COAST AIRPORT:
TOKYO “MUST SEE” 5 DAY PACKAGE
Return Airport Limousine Bus Transfer
Shiba Park Hotel Tokyo – 4 nights including breakfast
Tokyo Morning Tour
Mt Fuji Hakone 1 Day Tour – return by Shinkansen
Disneyland Open/Fixed Dated Ticket
From $973 PER PERSON TWIN SHARE (Feb-Mar.2010) LAND ONLY
BOOK NOW WITH JTB ON 1800 622 904
KYOTO DELIGHTS 5 DAY PACKAGE
Return Airport Limousine Bus Transfer
New Miyako Hotel Kyoto – 3 nights including breakfast
Hieanbo Ryokan Kyoto- (Japanese style) 1 night including breakfast
Kyoto & Nara 1 Day Tour
Osaka Afternoon Walking Tour
From $898 PER PERSON TWIN SHARE (10 Jan-Mar.2010) LAND ONLY
BOOK NOW WITH JTB ON 1800 622 904
HAKUBA 7 DAY SKI PACKAGE
Share taxi from Narita Airport to Hakuba
Villa Hakuba Hotel – 6 nights including breakfast
Lift Pass – 4 Day Ticket
Snow monkey, Hot Spring and Zenkoji Temple 1 Day Tour
Express bus to Nagano station from Hakuba
Bullet/Express train Nagano to Narita Airport
From $1421 PER PERSON TWIN SHARE (Feb-Mar.2010) LAND ONLY
BOOK NOW WITH JTB ON 1800 622 904
*All prices are subject to availability and currency fluctuations price is not guaranteed until booked in and paid for in full. Packages are for land only and do not include airfares.
Fly to Tokyo and Osaka direct from Gold Coast Airport with Jetstar. Visit Jetstar's website for the latest fares. |
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Top Ski destinations
More and more Australians are heading to the white wonderlands of Japan to hit the slopes and escape our hottest months. Japan is renowned for quality skiing with generous dumps and sweeping slopes. Check out these hot spots:
Niseko lies on the west coast of Hokkaido. Hokkaido is the second largest and most northern of Japan's four main islands. Niseko offers excellent deep powder snow and a long ski season. Niseko is made up of Annupuri, Higashiyama, Grand Hirafu and Hanazono which are all are linked by 37 shared lifts. The variety of terrain suits all skill levels and a good choice of accommodation suits all budgets. Niseko caters to English speaking visitors and bilingual signage makes life easier for international visitors. 
Rusutsu, Hokkaido is about 80km west of Sapporo. Rusutsu offers extensive facilities and a lift network spreading over three peaks. There are 37 diverse courses that will please beginners to experts. Rusutsu is alive with activity, with much to do even after the skis are off. Enjoy fantastic dining, nightlife, shopping and entertainment.
Shiga Kogen is one and a half hours from Nagano, on the main island of Honshu. This is one of the giants of Japanese skiing with 21 resorts linked by a single lift ticket. Yakebitaiyama is the most modern and, along with the adjoining village of Ichinose, offers ski-in, ski-out accommodation, extensive facilities and fast lifts.
Snow Monkey National Park
Japan's Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano is located in the valley of the Yokoyu-River, which flows down from the ski mecca of Shiga Kogen. Boiling water and steam rise from cracks in the frozen ground earning the name Jigokudani, which translates as "Hell's Valley”.
But it isn’t just the stunning, eerie surrounds the Park is famous for, but rather its large population of Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata), commonly referred to as Snow Monkeys.
In total there are around 240 in the group. During the winter the monkeys descend from the surrounding steep cliffs and forest to sit in the warm waters of the onsen (hotsprings) and feed. 
The Japanese macaque has a short tail usually no longer than 10 centimetres. Their faces and rear are red in colour as a result of blood in the capillaries seen through the skin. The redness is more pronounced during the mating season, autumn through to winter, and provides a striking contrast to the white landscape.
The waters of the onsen are about 50 degrees Celsius. 300-400 meters downstream from the onsen for monkeys there is a rotemburo for humans. Please note that if you are in an onsen and a monkey approaches, do not touch or gesture towards them.
Entrance to the valley is 500 yen per adult and 250 for children and proceeds go towards research, conservation and Park improvements. To access Snow Monkey National Park take a bus from the snow resorts of Shiga Kogen and Yudanaka Onsen. The timetable is sparse, so allocate the better part of a day and time your departure well to avoid waiting in harsh weather.
Don't Forget:
For the safety of yourself and the monekys, under no circumstances attempt to touch the monkeys or approach too closely or quickly. Do not feed or eat in their presence.
Getting there
Fly to Tokyo and Osaka daily with Jetstar from Gold Coast Airport.
Watch the Monkeys on YouTube
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