Why not Try an Easy Ski Experience at Sapporo Bankei Ski Area

Come as you are, rent everything, and ski for two hours!

Sapporo Bankei Ski Area, located within a 20-minute drive from downtown, started short-term rental plans from this ski season. These new package plans are perfect for those who want to experience skiing while visiting Sapporo or those who want to try skiing again after a long time away from it.

　

These two-hour rental plans started with the idea of offering easier access to skiing.
Compared to the usual four-hour or one-day rental plans, these two-hour plans are more economical and convenient. The rental fee for a set of skis, a snowboard, or a snowblade, each with boots and gear, comes to 3,000 yen for adults and 2,500 yen for junior high students and younger. For an additional fee of 2,000 yen for both adults and junior high students and younger, ski or snowboard wear is also available. You can come as you are and enjoy skiing. No need to carry heavy stuff back and forth. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

　

You can enjoy a coffee break at a café in the lodge. Or after skiing you may want to enjoy a relaxed lunch at a restaurant in the facility or at a BBQ restaurant nearby,

　

This winter, shuttle bus service started between JR Sapporo Train Station and the facility. You need to make a reservation for this 35-minute direct shuttle service. Please contact the facility.

Enjoy Winter Mountain Climbing by Seal Walking

This season they introduced a new winter experience program, “Seal Walking”. For seal walking, you put an antiskid sticker on the underside of each ski, then walk up the mountain at a leisurely pace, enjoying chatting and looking over the cityscapes at viewing spots along the way. When you reach the summit, it’s time to take off the stickers and enjoy skiing down the course of your choice. Unlike back-country skiing, where the nature is the stage, seal skiing is done on a course in the ski area. So, the course is well-kept and therefore safer. The 2,269-meter long course is used for Nordic walking in the summer time. This is one of the few places where you can enjoy seal skiing.

　

The name seal skiing was created by an instructor of the sport, Mr. Ken Fujikawa, the national champion of mountain ski racing. You can rent all seal skiing gear including stickers, skis, and ski boots for just 3,000 yen. For an additional 2,500 yen, you can hire Mr. Fujikawa himself or one of his colleagues as your guide for 150 minutes. It would be especially good for first timers.

　

Why not experience a memorable winter at Sapporo Bankei Ski Area, the closest ski area to Sapporo Downtown? For booking and inquiries, call Bankei Ski School at 011-641-3232.