Time in Tomamu

PACKING FOR A TRIP TO the ski slopes of Tomamu in Hokkaido is an exercise in contrasts. Not only is your suitcase filled with the requisite winter gear, your swimsuit is nestled against your chunky snow boots, while swim goggles rub visors with their ski counterparts. This is so you're well prepared for both whizzing down powdery slopes and splashing about in the country's largest indoor wave pool right next door.

For quite a while now, Singaporeans have naturally gravitated to Niseko for their thrills on snow. So much so that if you're there during the December school holidays, you're more likely to hear Singlish than Japanese being spoken around its resorts.

The snow may not be whiter on the other side in Tomamu, which is to the east of Niseko, but it's the same powdery stuff which has made Hokkaido a favourite among expert skiers. It might have been a bit quieter here but the slopes of this lesser known ski town are set to get busy. French resort chain Club Med just opened its latest resort Club Med Tomamu Hokkaido in December 2017 and it's already almost b…