My First Snow in Japan: Skiing for the First Time at Sapporo Moiwayama Ski Resort, Hokkaido
A personal journey through my first winter adventure — discovering snow, falling countless times on the ski slope, and falling in love with Hokkaido
First skiing experience at Sapporo Moiwayama Ski Resort — my first encounter with real snow in Hokkaido.
❄️ My First Snow in Japan: Skiing for the First Time in Hokkaido
“Some memories arrive quietly, like falling snow.
Soft, unexpected, and suddenly unforgettable.”
🌏 A Long-Awaited Winter Journey
The beginning of 2026 marked something special for me — my first international trip of the year.
After several years of pushing hard through work, projects, deadlines, and responsibilities, I finally allowed myself to pause for a moment and travel again.
I wanted to experience something completely different from my everyday life.
So I asked myself a simple question:
Where should I go if I want to truly feel winter?
Not artificial snow.
Not snow in a theme park.
But real snow.
Believe it or not, before this trip I had never seen real snow in my entire life.
For many people, snow is normal.
But for someone from a tropical country, snow feels almost magical — something that only exists in movies.
And when I imagined where that first experience should happen, the answer came naturally.
Japan.
Figure 1: My very first moment surrounded by real snow in Hokkaido, Japan. Everywhere I looked, the landscape was covered in white mountains and sparkling powder. I remember standing there quietly for a few seconds, just absorbing the atmosphere. Growing up in a tropical country, snow had always felt like something distant — something you only see in movies. But now it was right in front of me. Behind me was the real ski slope of Moiwayama Ski Resort, and the excitement was impossible to hide. This photo was taken just before I went inside to change into my ski gear. At that moment, I knew the day ahead would become one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life.
🇯🇵 Why Japan?
Japan has always been a country that I deeply admire.
I had visited Tokyo before, and that trip left a strong impression on me — not only because of the culture, the food, and the beautiful cities, but also because of the people.
Every Japanese colleague I have worked with has been incredibly kind and professional.
Those experiences made Japan feel familiar and welcoming.
So when I decided to take a winter trip, Japan was the obvious choice.
And if you want to experience real winter in Japan, there is one place that stands above all others.
Hokkaido.
🏔️ Arrival in Hokkaido — The Land of Snow
Hokkaido is famous for its long winters, beautiful landscapes, and incredible powder snow.
The moment I arrived, I could feel the difference.
The air was colder.
The streets were covered with snow.
And everywhere I looked, the world felt calm and peaceful under a blanket of white.
Even just walking through Sapporo in winter felt magical.
But there was one thing I had always wanted to try.
Something I had never done before in my life.
Skiing.
Figure 2: Fully suited up and ready to try skiing for the first time. The white ski boots looked incredibly cool, almost like something from a professional winter athlete. But once I put them on, I realized they were locked extremely tight. Walking suddenly became much more difficult than expected. Still, that small discomfort didn’t matter at all — the excitement of trying skiing for the first time completely took over. I kept smiling and telling myself, “Let’s just try it once and see what happens.”
🎿 My First Ski Experience at Sapporo Moiwayama Ski Resort
For my very first ski experience, I chose Sapporo Moiwayama Ski Resort, a ski resort located close to the city center.
It’s a great place for beginners because it’s easy to reach and has friendly slopes for people who are just starting.
When I arrived, I immediately rented the ski equipment.
And to be completely honest…
I had done absolutely zero preparation.
No lessons.
No practice.
No research.
I simply thought:
“Let’s just try it and see what happens.”
Figure 3: The moment I began standing on skis for the very first time. I quickly realized how slippery the snow surface actually was. Every small movement felt unpredictable, and I started feeling a little nervous. At the same time, the snow itself was unbelievably soft — almost like standing on a thick cushion. Slowly, I started learning how to balance my weight and trust my body. Those first few minutes were a mixture of excitement, curiosity, and just a tiny bit of fear.
😅 Learning to Ski (and Falling… Many Times)
The first challenge started when I put on the ski boots.
They were heavy and awkward.
Then came the skis.
Standing on them felt extremely unstable — like trying to balance on ice.
Luckily, one of the friendly staff members gave me a quick introduction to the basics:
- How to stand properly
- How to stop using the snowplow technique
- How to control speed on a beginner slope
Those small tips helped a lot.
But still…
During the first hour, I probably fell more times than I could count.
Forward.
Backward.
Sideways.
Sometimes I wondered if standing up again was part of the exercise.
But strangely, I was laughing most of the time.
Because every fall meant landing in soft powder snow.
And that feeling was amazing.
Figure 4: My first successful slide down the beginner slope. The distance was probably only around ten meters, but for someone who had never skied before, it felt like a huge milestone. The sensation of gliding across snow was surprisingly smooth and quiet. In that short moment, I began to understand why so many people fall in love with skiing.
Figure 5: Attempting to turn my body and regain balance while practicing basic movements. It almost ended in a small disaster. Skiing requires much more coordination than I expected, and flipping the skis around while standing on snow was surprisingly tricky. I nearly lost my balance completely — but moments like this became part of the fun.
Figure 6: A full-body photo with my ski equipment and the beautiful snow-covered mountains behind me. This image captures a moment I know I will remember for the rest of my life. It represents my very first experience skiing in a real winter landscape. Standing there, surrounded by mountains of snow, I realized how lucky I was to be able to witness this moment.
Figure 7: After nearly two hours on the slope, it was finally time for a short break. Sitting down in the snow, I suddenly noticed something surprising — I had completely forgotten about the cold. The excitement, the beautiful surroundings, and the joy of learning something new had taken over my mind. Being surrounded by snowy mountains felt peaceful and refreshing. At that moment, I finally understood why winter sports attract so many fans around the world, especially during global events like the Winter Olympics.
🏂 Slowly Learning the Feeling of Skiing
After about an hour, something started to change.
My body slowly began to understand how skiing works.
The skis began sliding more smoothly.
I could control my balance better.
And for the first time in my life, I experienced the incredible feeling of gliding across snow.
It was quiet.
Smooth.
And strangely peaceful.
For the next two hours, I kept practicing on the beginner slope.
Nothing extreme.
Just sliding, turning, falling, and trying again.
According to my Garmin Fenix 7, my best run that day was:
- 220 meters distance
- 15 meters vertical drop
For experienced skiers, that might sound very small.
But for a first-time skier, I think it’s not too bad.
At least… that’s what I told myself.
Figure 8: Official statistics recorded by my Garmin watch — 0.22 km distance with a total descent of 15 meters. It may not sound impressive to experienced skiers, but for my first day ever on skis, it felt like a meaningful personal achievement.
Figure 9: Another screen from my Garmin activity summary. Unfortunately, I only discovered the dedicated ski tracking mode near the end of the session. I didn’t even expect to use the ski mode when I started the day — which makes the discovery quite funny in hindsight.
Figure 10: The satellite map recorded by my Garmin watch, showing the small route I skied during the session. Even though the distance was short, it still represents the first skiing track of my life.
Figure 11: I decided to save this skiing session inside my Garmin training history. For me, this wasn’t just another activity — it was a memory worth keeping.
Figure 12: Another snapshot from the activity record. Looking at these statistics later will always remind me of my first encounter with skiing.
Figure 13: Digital memories stored in my watch. Technology sometimes becomes a quiet archive of our life experiences.
Figure 14: Reviewing the ski statistics again later made me smile. Every number here represents small steps of learning and falling on the snow.
Figure 15: One last look at the recorded activity before closing the session. Even a short skiing session can become a meaningful milestone in life.
Figure 16: After finishing the skiing session, nothing felt better than a warm bowl of ramen. The cafeteria view here was incredible — located on the second floor, overlooking the ski slope. Eating ramen while watching other skiers glide down the mountain created a perfect ending to the day’s adventure.
🏃 Another Highlight of the Trip
Besides skiing, another highlight of this trip was completing a sub-1 hour 10K city run in Hokkaido.
Running in the cold winter air was completely different from running anywhere else.
At one moment during the run…
Snow actually started falling.
Running through falling snow felt surreal.
I will write a separate blog post about that experience soon.
Because running through snowy streets in Sapporo deserves its own story.
Figure 17: A cheerful moment in Takino, standing next to the famous Moai statues. My expression says it all — pure happiness. Experiencing snow like this for the first time in my life felt almost surreal.
🚆 Exploring Other Beautiful Cities in Hokkaido
My trip didn’t stop at Sapporo.
I also had the chance to explore other beautiful places across Hokkaido.
🐧 Asahikawa — Asahiyama Zoo
One of my favorite places was Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa.
The zoo is famous for its creative enclosures that allow visitors to observe animals very closely.
Seeing penguins walking through the snow was a moment I will never forget.
✨ Furano — Ningle Terrace
In Furano, I visited Ningle Terrace, a magical village of small wooden cabins surrounded by snowy forests.
Walking through the glowing lights at night felt like stepping into a winter fairytale.
🌊 Otaru — The Famous Canal
Another beautiful stop was Otaru.
The Otaru Canal, lined with historic warehouses and covered in snow, looked incredibly romantic during winter.
The reflection of warm lights on the water created a peaceful and nostalgic atmosphere.
❄️ A Lucky Snowfall
Before arriving, I thought I might miss the snowfall season because it was already early March.
But somehow, luck was on my side.
It snowed during my trip.
And the snow was soft enough that falling during skiing didn’t hurt at all.
Sometimes life gives us small unexpected gifts.
This was one of them.
💙 A Memory I Will Always Keep
My first trip to Hokkaido was filled with joy, excitement, and unforgettable moments.
Seeing snow for the first time.
Trying skiing for the first time.
Exploring beautiful winter cities.
Even though I fell many times on the ski slope, the experience was incredibly meaningful.
One day, I hope to come back again.
Next time maybe I will try:
- A steeper slope
- A longer ski run
- And better skiing skills
But no matter what happens, my first time skiing in Hokkaido will always remain a special memory.
Figure 18: The final photo from this Hokkaido journey. I honestly don’t know which words can fully describe what it feels like to see snow for the first time with your own eyes. All I know is that it felt incredibly special. I am grateful to nature, grateful to Japan, and grateful for every experience I had on this trip. From skiing for the first time to running a sub-1 hour 10K in Hokkaido, this journey became one of the most meaningful travel memories in my life.
🙏 Thank You, Hokkaido
Some places in the world simply feel kind.
Hokkaido is one of them.
From the welcoming people to the peaceful snowy landscapes, everything about this trip felt warm — even in the coldest winter.
So before leaving, I quietly said to myself:
Thank you, Hokkaido.
I hope to return again someday.
Citation
Panboonyuen, Teerapong. (March 2026). My First Snow in Japan: Skiing for the First Time at Sapporo Moiwayama Ski Resort, Hokkaido. Blog post on Kao Panboonyuen. https://kaopanboonyuen.github.io/blog/2026-03-12-my-first-snow-in-japan-skiing-for-the-first-time-in-hokkaido
For a BibTeX citation:
@article{panboonyuen2026firstsnowjapan,
title = "My First Snow in Japan: Skiing for the First Time at Sapporo Moiwayama Ski Resort, Hokkaido",
author = "Panboonyuen, Teerapong",
journal = "kaopanboonyuen.github.io/",
year = "2026",
month = "Mar",
url = "https://kaopanboonyuen.github.io/blog/2026-03-12-my-first-snow-in-japan-skiing-for-the-first-time-in-hokkaido"
}
Teerapong Panboonyuen
My research focuses on leveraging advanced machine intelligence techniques, specifically computer vision, to enhance semantic understanding, learning representations, visual recognition, and geospatial data interpretation.