Japan 2015/16
For the seasoned how did you go about board bags on the trains? JR trains have enough room or you just pay extra?
Deciding if I should even take my own board or just pack my jacket, boots, etc etc…then hire once i’m there.
I will be going from the mountains to Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and then Osaka then home.
There’s room on the trains if you’re travellin out of peak times!!!!!
Shinkansen has room behind the back seats of the carriage, but get in quick if there’s other snow goers boarding that carriage!!!!!
The BEST thing to do though, is if you have 2 days between transits, use the Takkyubin service to courier your snow gear/excess luggage to/from your accomodation/airport/etc!!!!!
The Concierge/Hotellier/Agent Office and Airport/Train Station Black Cat Depot, will sort it out easy as for ya!!!!! Just have all addresses ready!!!!! Cheap, reliable, and makes city travel soooo easy!!!!!
What’s ya full itinerary????? (Dates/Locations) That way I’ll let ya know the best way to do it!!!!!
I will be traveling in the morning from Tokyo to Nagano (Hakuba) will be around 10am I think by the time I get all the bags and make my way to the trains.
Oh! I’m going to take out them snowboarders! Shirt front them in the train for them spots. I wonder if I could get away with couriering the snow gear to the Kyoto? Can you delay the courier to drop them off?
Any advice would be great Mizu 
Itinerary below
Land Tokyo
Tokyo (Narita Airport) >>> Hakuba (Kitaazumi District, Nagano Prefecture) Dates : 01/02/2016 - 08/02/2016
I will not be leaving the Hakuba and the snow for the 7 days.
Hakuba (Kitaazumi District, Nagano Prefecture) >>> Tokyo (Narita Airport) >>> Tokyo City Dates : 08/02/2016 - 10/02/2016
Tokyo City >>> Hakone (Japan’s Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park) Date : 10/02/2016 - 12/02/2016
Hakone (Japan’s Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park) >>> Kyoto Date : 12/02/2016 - 15/02/2016
Kyoto >>> Osaka Date : 15/02/2016 - 17/02/2016 >>> Fly Home
Are you gonna ride in Hakone?????
If not, and Hakuba is it, then get your accomodation to forward bags to Kansai Airport!!!!! (Unless you have to transfer airports at Tokyo on final leg home, then get the stuff forwarded to whatever Tokyo Airport you’re departing from)
If ridin Hokone, send after that!!!!! (As above, same rules apply)
It’s roughly about ¥2000 for a big board bag, etc!!!!!
Just check with accomo in Hakuba if Black Cat will hold at the airports for more than your dates require, so they could maybe delay pickup on their end!!!!!
Are you gonna ride in Hakone?????
If not, and Hakuba is it, then get your accomodation to forward bags to Kansai Airport!!!!! (Unless you have to transfer airports at Tokyo on final leg home, then get the stuff forwarded to whatever Tokyo Airport you’re departing from)
If ridin Hokone, send after that!!!!! (As above, same rules apply)
It’s roughly about ¥2000 for a big board bag, etc!!!!!
Just check with accomo in Hakuba if Black Cat will hold at the airports for more than your dates require, so they could maybe delay pickup on their end!!!!!
Brilliant idea, thanks Mizu.
I am flying straight through Kansai >> Cairns >> Melbourne. I won’t ride in Hakone as my mother is coming over to meet us and she doesn’t shred.
Sounds like a great service.
No worries, mate!!!!!
And yeah, the Takkyubin is unreal!!!!!
You’ll notice a lot of Japanese not luggin around big bags on the trains etc, cause they all use the service!!!!!
The only “downside” to it, is you have to give it 2 days mainland, and about 3 island<>mainland for delivery, so you can’t do a transit on the same or next day!!!!!
But like you’re doing, if ya got solid days either side it’s perfect!!!!!
No worries, mate!!!!!
And yeah, the Takkyubin is unreal!!!!!
You’ll notice a lot of Japanese not luggin around big bags on the trains etc, cause they all use the service!!!!!
The only “downside” to it, is you have to give it 2 days mainland, and about 3 island<>mainland for delivery, so you can’t do a transit on the same or next day!!!!!
But like you’re doing, if ya got solid days either side it’s perfect!!!!!
I see, 2 days is not bad. Hopefully I can just leave my snowboard gear at the end of Hakuba and then see it back when I leave in Osaka.
Fingers x’d!
No worries, mate!!!!!
And yeah, the Takkyubin is unreal!!!!!
You’ll notice a lot of Japanese not luggin around big bags on the trains etc, cause they all use the service!!!!!
The only “downside” to it, is you have to give it 2 days mainland, and about 3 island<>mainland for delivery, so you can’t do a transit on the same or next day!!!!!
But like you’re doing, if ya got solid days either side it’s perfect!!!!!
I see, 2 days is not bad. Hopefully I can just leave my snowboard gear at the end of Hakuba and then see it back when I leave in Osaka.Fingers x’d!
That should be easy as!!!!!
Four thouuussanndd doll hairs is what’s it’s costing me this year to play in the mountains.
Thoughts?
9days riding in Myoko
9days riding in Hakuba
Transfers from Tokyo to Myoko to Hakuba to Tokyo.
Two guided tours (Hakuba and Myoko)
Accom for 10days each mountain
Mint tours guest (access to demo days and back country guides/days tours while in Myoko)
Arrive 15th Feb and leave 6th March.
Biggest thing for me this year was missing the Chinese New Year.
Was there for it last year and it was chaotic!!
Are you gonna ride in Hakone?????
If not, and Hakuba is it, then get your accomodation to forward bags to Kansai Airport!!!!! (Unless you have to transfer airports at Tokyo on final leg home, then get the stuff forwarded to whatever Tokyo Airport you’re departing from)
If ridin Hokone, send after that!!!!! (As above, same rules apply)
It’s roughly about ¥2000 for a big board bag, etc!!!!!
Just check with accomo in Hakuba if Black Cat will hold at the airports for more than your dates require, so they could maybe delay pickup on their end!!!!!
Brilliant idea, thanks Mizu.
I am flying straight through Kansai >> Cairns >> Melbourne. I won’t ride in Hakone as my mother is coming over to meet us and she doesn’t shred.
Sounds like a great service.
Looks like they’ll only hold your gear for 7 Days, so you’ll have to request your accomodation to hold off on pick up, if possible?????
Four thouuussanndd doll hairs is what’s it’s costing me this year to play in the mountains.
Thoughts?9days riding in Myoko
9days riding in Hakuba
Transfers from Tokyo to Myoko to Hakuba to Tokyo.
Two guided tours (Hakuba and Myoko)
Accom for 10days each mountain
Mint tours guest (access to demo days and back country guides/days tours while in Myoko)Arrive 15th Feb and leave 6th March.
Biggest thing for me this year was missing the Chinese New Year.
Was there for it last year and it was chaotic!!
Sounds like a sweet deal to me! It’s not super important how much it all costs really, so long as you can afford it I guess. If you only get to play for a few weeks a year like myself it’s more about the value you get out of it. A trip that goes well with good people and decent conditions is worth far more than it costs. To me anyway. But that makes up for the trips when you break something in the park on day 2 ha ha! Only happened once so far…
But it looks like you’re gonna have a killer time bro!! Been looking at Mint tours, let me know how it goes if you think of it 
We’re probably going to book something with Hokkaido Back Country or Black Diamond tours. Anyone have any feedback on either of them?
I’m going to Myoko at the end of January 2016. I was just wondering if anyone reckons El Nino is going to have a big impact on the snow in Japan this year?
I’ve never been to Japan but i’m hoping that with the amount of snow they tend to get I won’t even notice any impact.
I’m going to Myoko at the end of January 2016. I was just wondering if anyone reckons El Nino is going to have a big impact on the snow in Japan this year?
I’ve never been to Japan but i’m hoping that with the amount of snow they tend to get I won’t even notice any impact.
The end of January should see good snowfalls, El Niño, No El Niño!!!!!
But, as with any weather in any given area, the “norm” can be completely opposite!!!!!
At the end of the day, do you have the ability to change what you’re gonna get?????
Just enjoy what’s there, cause there’s so much more to Japan besides the snow!!!!!
If ya get it nipple deep, then that’s a bonus!!!!!
Are you gonna ride in Hakone?????
If not, and Hakuba is it, then get your accomodation to forward bags to Kansai Airport!!!!! (Unless you have to transfer airports at Tokyo on final leg home, then get the stuff forwarded to whatever Tokyo Airport you’re departing from)
If ridin Hokone, send after that!!!!! (As above, same rules apply)
It’s roughly about ¥2000 for a big board bag, etc!!!!!
Just check with accomo in Hakuba if Black Cat will hold at the airports for more than your dates require, so they could maybe delay pickup on their end!!!!!
Brilliant idea, thanks Mizu.
I am flying straight through Kansai >> Cairns >> Melbourne. I won’t ride in Hakone as my mother is coming over to meet us and she doesn’t shred.
Sounds like a great service.
Looks like they’ll only hold your gear for 7 Days, so you’ll have to request your accomodation to hold off on pick up, if possible?????
Sounds alright and I’m sure the accommodation won’t mind holding it for us until they pick it up.
Yep, if they’re Japanese, nothin will be too much of a drama for them!!!!!
* Unless it’s a written rule!!!!! Then you got no chance!!!!! 
Send them an email askin them first!!!!!
On another note!!!!!
It’s pukin in Hokkaido!!!!! 
Single tickets, I’d just buy before you catch it!!!!!
Okay cool - that’s what i thought but i was wondering if there was significant savings in pre purchasing.
No savings pre purchase, just get at machine just before you get on train. Machines have an english button top LHS or go into ticket office.
For the seasoned how did you go about board bags on the trains? JR trains have enough room or you just pay extra?
No extra payment. Take an old boot lace tied to your bag. When on a train, stand it up in the entrance area and tie it to the grab rail. Keeps them out of the way and you can normally stack 2-3 bags together