Overseas visitors may be used to a more relaxed approach to sidecountry and backcountry access than they experience in Japan.

Visitors to ski areas in Japan are generally expected to remain within clearly marked official boundaries. Attitudes vary between ski areas, but ski patrol staff will often warn that lift tickets may be confiscated if those rules are deliberately ignored.

In recent years, an increasing number of ski areas have left some runs ungroomed, and there are now noticeably more official 'tree run' courses than there once were.

The Niseko ski areas introduced a gate system for access beyond ski area boundaries, along with a set of rules and guidelines known as the 'Niseko Rules'. Hakuba is another example of an area that has introduced gates and guidelines. Its 'Hakuba Rules' place particular emphasis on safety beyond controlled areas.

Ski areas are aware that Japanese skiers and snowboarders—not only overseas visitors—are increasingly keen to access untouched snow. As a result, the situation continues to evolve, and not simply because of pressure from foreign visitors. We can probably expect further developments in this area in the coming years.

In the meantime, it is worth familiarising yourself with the rules and respecting them. In areas where backcountry skiing and snowboarding are popular, qualified guides and organised tours are often available for those wanting to explore beyond the ski area more safely.