JAPAN 2012 / 2013
@ trentradpants .... you can’t go wrong with a plan like that!!! Love it!
Like last year i will be frequenting the virtually Westerner free (except for ourselves) resorts around sapporo. I will be drinking beers from vending machines and using the rediculously small modesty towel onsens from the 30th of jan to the 14th feb. Cant wait!!
Sounds good, I’d be interested in authentic Japanese Hokkaido resorts. Last trip I really enjoyed the Japanese culture but this time I want to increase my chance of POW hense looking into Hokkaido.
using the rediculously small modesty towel onsens
You’re doing it wrong!
Here are some of my reason why japan for snow is amazeballs!!
Theres no pow anywhere
The carparks are always super full…...........
The views are terrible
its always crowded
you get jerky australian snow company start-ups turning up
BUT you can get lifestyle choice shoes on special!
Shiga has skier-only areas so they will not get a single yen from me!
Shiga can go and get Shiga’d then!!!!!
i appreciate there is a lot of vested interests in the more westernised resorts, and it’s easy to get too, package deals etc…. so i can understand why people go where they go, but why not explore a place that has over 600 ski fields??
meh. more snow for me and trent
Shiga has skier-only areas so they will not get a single yen from me!
Shiga can go and get Shiga’d then!!!!!
haha.
i hate places that offer 19 ski-able areas of snow, 60 plus lifts etc…. for about $40 a day. i’m over it.
ok, ok you win. but since I’m so nice, I’m going to let you have it all to yourself
Oh so here is the Japan 2013 thread haha
I’ll be there for 4 weeks in Feb 
Can’t wait for it!!
So where bouts ya goin, MW?????
I want to spend 1 week in Furano and 1 week in Hukaba then I have 2 weeks left,
Definatly want to see Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Kyoto the rest is open for discussion!!
Sounds sweet!!!!!
I want to spend 1 week in Furano and 1 week in Hukaba then I have 2 weeks left,
Definatly want to see Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Kyoto the rest is open for discussion!!
make sure you hit up kamui when you go to furano - see my above post on furano. and also hit up cortina when you’re in hakuba. best in-bounds skiing i’ve ever done.
The more I look into it the more I reckon we’ll go to Myoko Kogen, specifically Akakura Kanko. Awesome inbounds tree riding and excellent back country options!! Really nice local style village without all the overly touristy stuff for a more japanese experience, hopefully!!
And really cheap accom options within 5min walk to the lifts!! Amy at their tourist office is being super helpful in making suggestions and arrangements for accomodation too .... if anyone’s interested.
The more I look into it the more I reckon we’ll go to Myoko Kogen, specifically Akakura Kanko. Awesome inbounds tree riding and excellent back country options!! Really nice local style village without all the overly touristy stuff for a more japanese experience, hopefully!!
And really cheap accom options within 5min walk to the lifts!! Amy at their tourist office is being super helpful in making suggestions and arrangements for accomodation too .... if anyone’s interested.
yeah dude. on my (long) list of places to hit.
heard epic reports
Nozawa Onsen
I love Nozawa. The town is really old and was seemingly built with no planning - so as a result the roads are windy and all over the shop and after a few light ales and bulk snow it’s quite easy to get totally lost. The streets are lined with diners and restaraunts, souviner shops, supermarkets and street vendors selling awesome steaming hot buns filled with delicious mushrooms or kim chee.
Nozawa Onsen is located in the northern part of Nagano Prefecture, and has been a holiday destination since the Edo period with people travelling far and wide just to come here for its famous onsens. Skiing has only been a recent addition with its introduction in 1912 by an Austrian guy called von Lurch and has since grown in popularity since then. There is still a big Austrian influence evident in some of the buildings and also there is a museum displaying the history of skiing in Japan which is well worth a look if you have an arvy off.
Dotted throughout the village there are 13 free onsens which are known as sotoyu. There are also several free foot onsens, most on street corners, which is pretty cool just to hoiyke the trousers up and stick your feet in and watch the world go by. If you haven’t tried an onsen you should. They are the total cure all for all aches and pains. Yes you’ve gotta get naked – but who cares – get over it, you’ll soon forget when your soaking away your aching body. Another cool thing about Nozawa is at the foot of the mountain where the first streams appear, the locals actually cook a lot of food in the volcanic water. The area is roped off, but you can still go watch and buy some of the produce including the Nozawa eggs which are super funky, but really tasty.
Snow wise there is the usual powder dumps and hostile weather but then followed by epic blue sky days with awesome views from the top of the observation tower. The mountain itself is not massive and hasn’t much serious terrain - but there is still enough to keep you entertained for 5 days or so. Skipping ropes is frowned upon - but I haven’t run into any trouble as yet. The trail map is also a bit out of whack - so before you go charging out of bounds it’s worth doing a bit of research because you might end up waist deep in a gully with nowhere to go which is never fun. There are also several runs that were built for skiers - so they tend to go super flat halfway down the run - so make sure your board is freshly waxed!
If you’ve run out of terrain and want something different, there are a few adjoining resorts which are well worth a day trip. Togari and Madarao are both accessible via shuttle bus – just ask where you’re staying and they’ll hook you up. Also Jigokudani Yaen K?en (monkey park) is a bus ride away which is totally amazing. There are also a few day trips to Nagano where you can check out some really old saki breweries and sushi joints.
Unfortunately over the past year or two Nozawa has gone the way of a few resorts in Japan and have become more and more attractive to westerners. A buddy of mine was there at the start of this year and said he has never felt so ashamed of being an Australian in his life. Another friend of mine owns property there and has said the same thing. It’s just disappointing to see a peaceful and traditional little place like Nozawa being overrun by disrespectful aussie bogans :(
Just remember just because you’re in a different country it doesn’t mean you can act like an animal.
Off one of the runs
View from the top of the ob tower
Serious cuteness alert @ Jigokudani Yaen K?en
Cooking area