With over 70 years of expertise, Club Med makes a winter escapade in Japan and China feel effortless and worthy of any alpine adventure
Winter holidays seem to carry an inevitable trade-off. The allure of storybook villages dusted in snow and evenings by the fire after a day on the slopes is closely associated with continental Europe. But so too are the long flights, complex transfers, and the tedium of arranging passes, lessons, and equipment on arrival.
Yet, anyone who has spent time on the slopes knows that the assumption that Europe is the only stage for winter magic no longer holds. The mountains of Japan and China have long offered a beguiling blend of deep snow, distinctive culture, and atmospheres as transcendent as they are unforgettable. And while Singaporean sceptics may balk at the idea of a winter escape so close to home, the right resort will quickly dissolve all doubts in a drift of wonder.
With over 70 years of experience in perfecting the art of mountain holidays, few operators are better placed than Club Med, which offers all-inclusive snow resorts in Japan and China that imbue everyday practicalities with indubitable winter wonder.
Regardless of your preferred destination, a Club Med snow holiday begins with the essentials already taken care of. With lift passes issued at check-in, equipment fitted on-site by professional staff, and group lessons with certified instructors included for adults and children, it won’t be long before you’re hitting the slopes.
Enchanting Powder
In Japan, this full-on pampering translates into more time to experience the best of Hokkaido’s famed powder. With winds blowing in from Siberia, its slopes are blanketed with some of the driest, deepest snow on Earth. It is within this abundant landscape that Club Med, with its four distinct resorts in the region, offers a full spectrum of wondrous experiences.
Head to Club Med Kiroro Peak for a refined getaway like no other. Surrounded by stunning snowscapes and reserved for adults and teenagers over 12 years old, the ski-in, ski-out resort embodies an elegance that feels almost alpine in spirit.
Its architecture exudes contemporary sophistication. Sweeping glass panels frame snow-laden ridgelines, while the interiors, pared back to rustic wood and sumptuous textiles, are deliberately composed to blend into the landscape.
Light, dry, and near inexhaustible, the famed Kiroro powder promises some of the best skiing in Hokkaido, with every run framed by snow-dusted forests. From mornings spent gliding across pristine slopes to afternoons devoted to hot spring baths, buffet dining at Otaru, the resort’s main restaurant, and indulgent treatments at Club Med’s signature spa, the rhythm of the resort is one of unbroken pleasure.
If you are travelling with family, Club Med Kiroro Grand—a short glide down the same slopes—is an ideal choice. Lively, vibrant, and expansive, the resort is designed around an enchanted forest theme that draws on Hokkaido’s landscape, replete with warm wood, playful details, and large windows framing snow-laden ridges.
Families of every size have free rein to unwind thanks to the 266 guest rooms that are designed for couples, children, and multi-generational groups alike. With bespoke programmes welcoming children of all ages, parents can luxuriate in precious time of their own. Young adventurers, for instance, will have plenty of fun in the Mini Club Med+ (for ages four to 10), while older children can join the Teens Club Med (ages 11 to 13) and Club Med Chill Pass (for ages 14 to 17).
Freed from schedule and routine, you might slip into the resort’s wellness haven, where a Japanese onsen, cedar-wood sauna, and serene indoor pool await—or carve fresh tracks once more across the 23 marked courses of the Asari and Nagamine peaks.
For travellers seeking a more nuanced encounter with Hokkaido, Club Med Tomamu Hokkaido and Club Med Sahoro Hokkaido offer two unique narratives. Tomamu dazzles with spectacle. Its wide, family-friendly, and forgiving runs are paired with diversions that transform the resort into a veritable winter playground. The stunning snowscapes, adorned with crystalline forests, offer the perfect setting for a leisurely hike. Families can also swap snow for surfing at Mina Mina Beach, Japan’s largest indoor wave pool.
Sahoro, by contrast, whispers intimacy. The resort’s gentle ambience honours its cultural setting, drawing on traditions that infuse both slope and stay. Guest rooms brim with local charm with tatami-lounge touches and windows that look out to forested ridgelines. Come evening, the two restaurants brim with Hokkaido warmth: bubbling hot pots, dishes born of island traditions, and flavours that speak of Ainu heritage.
Vast Landscapes
Where Japan’s winters enchant with intimacy and refinement, China unfolds on a grander canvas. Club Med’s three resorts here—Club Med Yabuli, Changbaishan, and Beidahu—are nestled within expansive and culturally rich landscapes that will envelop you in wintry grandeur.
For skiers seeking a challenge, Club Med Yabuli is the ultimate proving ground. Nestled within Heilongjiang’s dense birch and pine forests, Yabuli stands as China’s foremost ski destination and the training base of its national ski team. The mountains ripple in sweeping ridges, their slopes glazed with crystalline powder. Rising to a summit of more than 1,300m, the resort’s Olympic-calibre runs promise an exhilarating alpine experience that few in Asia can rival.
Even so, the thrill of Yabuli’s sweeping runs is not reserved just for seasoned skiers. A wealth of pistes welcomes skiers of every ability, giving even young beginners the joy of their first tracks in the snow. Should the little ones prefer to stay in, the resort’s Mini Club Med+, Teens Club Med, and Club Med Chill Pass programmes will keep them engaged, leaving you free to carve the upper trails, unwind at the spa, or soak in the resort’s restorative Canadian baths and hot spring.
For rest and rejuvenation, the wellness-focused Club Med Changbaishan offers the perfect sanctuary. Set on the slopes of the sacred Changbai Mountain in Jilin province—recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve—the resort places you at the threshold of one of China’s great natural wonders. With its volcanic landscapes, snow-laden forests, and the crystalline waters of Heaven Lake, Changbai Mountain imbues the resort with an atmosphere that feels almost elemental.
The slopes here are gentler than those at Yabuli, making them ideal for learners and families seeking a slower pace. This softer cadence continues off the slopes. Changbaishan is renowned for its natural hot springs and, after a day outdoors, you can immerse yourself in one of 29 mineral-rich pools located within the resort’s 3,000sqm natural hot spring oasis.
Where Changbaishan captures the drama of sacred peaks and sweeping volcanic landscapes, Beidahu reveals a quieter, contemplative side of Jilin province. Just an hour from Jilin City, the resort rests within a protected national forest, where snow-draped pines and wide valleys evoke the sense of a landscape breathing gently beneath its winter mantle.
Club Med Beidahu’s slopes are uncrowded and forgiving, with long, wide runs that allow children and beginners to build confidence. Beyond the pistes, the resort maintains this relaxed cadence, inviting families to venture out together on snowshoe walks through the forest, try their hand at curling or ice hockey, or gather indoors for creative workshops and games as dusk settles over the mountains.
Taken together, Club Med’s snow resorts in Japan and China unveil the full spectrum of a glorious winter escapade. From Hokkaido’s pristine powder and cultural richness to Heilongjiang’s Olympic slopes, each destination captures a different facet of the season’s magic. Anchored by 75 years of mountain expertise and an all-inclusive philosophy, these resorts prove that the wonder of winter lies not only in distant Europe, but far closer to home—right here in Asia.
Why settle for less?
This story first appeared in the November 2025 issue. Purchase it as a print or digital copy, or consider subscribing to us here
