Located just 5min. down the road from Hakuba, Otari village is a bustling little ski town at the base of the Tsugaike Kogen Ski Resort. The main resort - Tsugaike Kogen - is a large, truly dynamic resort with some of the widest slopes in all of Japan, making it the perfect place to learn to ski/board or to sharpen up your skills without worrying about running into other skiiers! For the advanced skiier/boarder there are two park areas as well as loads of off piste tree runs which are incredible on powder days. Tsugaike kogen also runs a heli-ski operation from mid-march to late April every year.

We will be visiting Otari and Tsugaike Kogen as part of out 'First Tracks 2011' club trip. Check out the fuill details here.

You can also check out photos from our trips to Otari here: '2009 Trip' and here: '2010 Trip'.