Hokkaido Backcountry Club — Attraction in Niseko

I was conflicted on how to write and score this review, but ultimately I stand by the one star for multiple reasons detailed below.

We had two guided days with NBC.

The first was a complete disaster: it had not snowed much leading up to our first day and it had rained a bit the day before in most places. Here is where the tour company may need to step back and offer a cancellation or reschedule. If the conditions are so poor that the guides literally cannot access enjoyable terrain, then rather than be certain about disappointing your customers, give them the option.

This is not what happened, the company shifted the onus on our guide Sam to provide a good day. Who knows if Sam is a good guide, but on this day she delivered what has to be the worst skiing experience I've had in my life. We treked out 2 hours from the top of Kiroro (seemingly zig zagging a bit on the way out) and got to "the spot" where we took maybe 8-10 total turns in okay snow and ended up in a gully, where we then treked another 3 hours to get back to the resort. That was the day.

What was particularly rough is that Kiroro had actually received about 5 inches the night before, so actually as we skied down for the day there were a few inbounds/just outside the gates spots that had some nice turns, equal to what we hiked 5 total hours to get, but in much greater quantity!

The response from HBC when we voiced our opinion about the day? Radio silence. When we asked if the next tour would make any sense given the conditions: "Your guide will be there at 8am to pick you up".

Now, the next guided day with Yoshiko was incredible. She sleuthed out some great spots on Yotei where we had great runs as the powder accumulated. So 5 stars for her. Negative stars for the way the company managed the...

This was an absolutely unforgettable experience that I will cherish forever. THANK YOU!

Shin went above and beyond to make our helicopter dreams come true. Besides the skiing experience itself (see below), Shin and the Guides are what truly set this experience above all else.

From the moment we took off in the helicopter, I knew that this was going to be an adventure unlike any other. The stunning beauty of the snow-capped mountains and vast untouched terrain below us was simply awe-inspiring.

The ski runs themselves were a thrill beyond compare - the pristine snow, steep slopes, and challenging terrain made for an exhilarating ride down the mountain. The feeling of carving through the snow at breakneck speeds, surrounded by nothing but the stunning scenery of the mountains, is something that is impossible to describe.

The guides were professional and knowledgeable, with years of experience navigating the mountains and ensuring our safety throughout the entire experience. They were friendly and accommodating, answering all of our questions and providing us with interesting insights into the local landscape.

Overall, I cannot recommend this helicopter skiing experience and company highly enough. It was an adventure of a lifetime that exceeded all of my expectations, and I would jump at the chance to do it all again. If you're looking for a truly unique and thrilling outdoor adventure, Hokkaido Backcountry Club helicopter skiing is an experience that you...

Our family of 5 has just returned to our home in Verbier, Switzerland after 10 days of Japow over Christmas and New Year 2025! What an experience, 5 days and we booked 3 back country tours with HBC and were shown secret stashes of pow. Their guides drove us to 3 different resorts, found us untracked spaces, looked after us and were always in high spirits and loved their jobs.

We stayed at their Black Diamond Lodge where the staff was friendly and helpful, and we had a great Christmas dinner with the full works- eggnog, turkey, stuffing etc.!

We had some problems with the Japanese driving regulations, and Clayton, the owner of HBC so very generously took the whole family with all our huge ski luggage in his van all the way, for over 2 hours to the Sapporo car rental office, and then only accepted gas money! We loved his stories, his passion for Hokkaido and all his future exciting plans to develop the sporty outdoor tourism, including fishing! Clayton is truly a visionary man, humble, generous and a treasure!

We will be back, for the heli-skiing that is 'not-to be-missed', the catskiing and anything else they do- they are that good!

Book early- we wanted more days with guides but they were fully booked out.

Highly highly recommend, and follow them...