Yu Kiroro is the luxury hotel in Kiroro, part of Hokkaido’s ‘powder triangle’, a 45 minute loop that includes Niseko, Rusutsu and Kiroro. Kiroro has ski terrain to entertain first time skiers, experienced powder hounds and everybody in between.

One of Japan’s most stunning portside towns is just 30 minutes from your luxury hotel in Kiroro. An old canal lined with Victorian-style candle lamps runs by the cities edge, and, while no longer in use, has remained intact as a memory of a time when Otaru was Hokkaido’s trading, financial and business center. Authentic food experiences abound in Otaru and each February, the city plays host to the picture-perfect and oh-so-romantic Snow Light Path Festival, where hundreds of candlelit lanterns are set adrift down the canal.

In Japan, ‘Shakotan Blue’ is a commonly referred to colour shade in the nation’s palette. Visit Cape Kamui on Kiroro’s nearby Shakotan Peninsula, gaze at the crystal clear waters, and you’ll soon see why. This breathtaking cape juts out into the Sea of Japan, marking the corner point of southwest Hokkaido and is quickly becoming one of the country’s most Instagram-ed photo points. The opportunity to taste freshly caught, seasonal uni (sea urchin) and ikura (red caviar) in summer makes this a popular destination for a day trip all year round.

A mecca for whisky lovers, the Nikka Whisky Distillery is a mere 40 minute drive from Kiroro, in the lovely coastal town of Yoichi. Half museum, half operational distillery (with a gift shop and free tasting area thrown in for good measure), the distillery has become incredibly popular since Nikka burst on to the global whisky scene with a number of award wins over recent years. The story of how Nikka’s founder, Masataka Taketsuru, founded the business (in partnership with his Scottish wife) and chose south-western Hokkaido as the perfect location for him to develop the world’s best whisky is fascinating and is an excursion simply not-to-be-missed when visiting Kiroro.