スキー
スキー
sukii
= skiing; ski
Borrowed from the English word “ski,” sukii refers both to the sport of skiing and to the ski equipment itself. Japan is one of the world’s premier ski destinations, with Hokkaido and Nagano prefectures renowned for their exceptionally light, dry powder snow — a phenomenon international visitors have dubbed “Japow” (Japan powder).
Sukii functions as a noun covering both the sport (skiing) and the physical equipment (a ski or skis). In everyday speech, Japanese speakers say sukii wo suru (to go skiing / to ski) rather than treating it as a verb directly. The word also appears in compound nouns: sukii-joo (ski resort/slope), sukii-ue (ski wear), and sukii-jakku (ski jacket). When talking about the ski season, you’ll often hear shii-zu-n used alongside sukii, and lift tickets are called rifuto-ken.
A common point of confusion is how to use sukii as an activity. The natural pattern is sukii wo suru or sukii ni iku (to go skiing), not sukii suru on its own — though sukii suru does appear casually in spoken Japanese and social media. Note that sukii is long (スキー, two morae for the long vowel), so avoid shortening it to suki, which means “to like” and would cause immediate misunderstanding. Key slope vocabulary: gerendo (groomed ski run), rifuto (ski lift), kobu (moguls), and pauda- (powder snow).
Everyday use
冬休みは家族で北海道にスキーに行く予定です。
Fuyuyasumi wa kazoku de Hokkaidoo ni sukii ni iku yotei desu.
We’re planning to go skiing in Hokkaido with the family over winter break.
Casual / Social Media
今日のゲレンデは最高のパウダーだった！スキー最高すぎる☃️
Kyoo no gerendo wa saikoo no paudaa datta! Sukii saikoo sugiru ☃️
The slopes today had the best powder! Skiing is absolutely amazing ☃️
Formal / Cultural context
白馬バレースキー場では、初心者から上級者まで楽しめる多彩なコースをご用意しております。
Hakuba Baree Sukii-joo de wa, shoshinsha kara jookyuusha made tanoshimeru tasai na koosu wo go-youi shite orimasu.
Hakuba Valley Ski Resort offers a wide variety of courses suitable for beginners through advanced skiers.
Japan’s ski culture gained global attention through the rise of resorts in Niseko (Hokkaido) and Hakuba (Nagano), both celebrated for their consistent “Japow” — ultra-light, dry powder snow produced by cold Siberian air masses picking up moisture over the Sea of Japan. Niseko in particular transformed from a domestic resort into an internationally recognized destination during the 2000s, drawing visitors from Australia, Southeast Asia, and Europe who arrive specifically chasing powder days. The influx has made bilingual ski resort signage and English-speaking ski schools a standard feature at major Japanese ski areas.
The 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics placed Japanese skiing on the world stage and accelerated the sport’s domestic popularity. Japan has produced competitive alpine and freestyle skiers since the mid-20th century, and school ski trips (sukii kyooshitsu) remain a winter tradition at many elementary and junior high schools in snowy regions. The combination of accessible domestic resorts, affordable lift packages, and a deeply ingrained school-trip culture means sukii carries associations not just with sport but with seasonal childhood memories for many Japanese people.