Change for a Yen?

**highanxiety** · 02-28-2012, 06:53 PM

After seeing numerous pictures and video clips of skiing in Japan in recent years I have been dreaming of going.. When Thin Cover mentioned wanting to go I instantly said I am in, lets do it.. He wanted to ski nothing but powder and has heard all the stories of Japan and their consistent snowfall. Powder is pretty much all his knee allows him to ski these days after his ski accident from a few years ago… We did what we had to do and we made it happen… It was a dream come true for the both of us.

I did get sick while there, but the snow was to good to deal with being sick, so toughed it out and rested up in the evenings. Didn't let it ruin my trip. We spent the first leg in Hakuba where we stayed at Hakuba Powder Lodge, a great place to stay with many like minded powder hounds. Right off the bat we got two days of touring in with Hohes. Couldn’t thank him enough for picking us up and taking us on a fun backcountry tour, which we did 2 days in a row. Our third day skiing and riding in Hakuba we headed to Hakuba Cortina Resort which just got a nice dumping of fresh snow. I think it snowed every night we were in Japan by the way, it seems every day is a powder day in Japan.

Before we knew it we were off to the Northern Island of Hokkaido, which was a short flight from Tokyo. We stayed in Niseko the entire time at a little Japanese owned lodge called Lodge Kanon.. It was perfect! Walking distance to everywhere including the lift and the owner was really nice and fed us a lot of food every morning. Niseko had a little more of a ski town vibe to it and it just snowed and snowed and snowed. We had a lot of fun skiing and found a lot of good snow, but a little crowded with tourists. Since we rented a car we decided to venture away to a mountain called Rusutsu. It was about a 35-40 min drive, but well worth it. Not much for crowds and tourists, mostly Japanese taking ski lessons. They stick to the groomers, so the rest of the mountain is open to the handful of people looking to ski powder and trees.. This place was a dream as you can make fresh turns all day long and the trees are so nicely spaced and open (like every where in Japan), pretty much what we dream about here in Vermont.

It was really hard to leave, as we were getting use to the routine of waking up every morning knowing we had another powder day ahead of us. We spent a day in the city of Narita after flying back to Tokyo. We walked the streets, had some local eats, checked out some temples and really just took in some of the culture there, which was a great way to end our trip.. We both agree that we MUST go back, as it is a really special place to visit and ski powder..We met a ton of awesome people and even some mags from TGR..

Since I was sick I didn’t really have the motivation to tinker much with my camera, but I did manage to capture a clip here and there. Below is a short video in no particular order of the trip followed by a bunch of still photos we took as well.. ENJOY!

WARNING! LOTS OF PICTURES.....

Dealing with the trains in Tokyo with ski gear was sooo much fun...

Hohes

Thin Cover stoked for some pow

I guess I was pretty stoked also.

We saw a lot of this while in Japan

The hardest part of the tour for TC was getting back down to the car.

**highanxiety** · 02-28-2012, 06:55 PM

TC was the best skier on the mtn at Hakuba Cortina Resort..

On our way back from Tokyo. Mt Fuji I believe

Niseko

Rusutsu

All you can eat bbq in 60 min.. Lamb, Chicken, Pork, Veggies, and rice....Ready Go!

**highanxiety** · 02-28-2012, 06:57 PM

Ok sorry, enough of the boring powder shots....

This was looking out our window at Lodge Kanon.

Stopped here on the way back to the airport in Hokkaido.

Spend sometime wandering Narita on the last day.

Pickled snake anyone?

**PowerWhore7** · 02-28-2012, 07:00 PM

Holy shit, you are the king my friend...

**systemoverblow'd** · 02-28-2012, 07:08 PM

Holy crap that was totally awesome!

**mcski** · 02-28-2012, 07:11 PM

GOJIRA!!! Daisukidesu.

**bmg97** · 02-28-2012, 07:12 PM

Fucking sweet !!!! Sooooo jealous.

**sequoiashan** · 02-28-2012, 07:15 PM

Sickness! Great work and thanks for bringing the pow from Japan back to VT

**_Aaron_** · 02-28-2012, 07:29 PM

Looks like a rough life...

**kalisto** · 02-28-2012, 07:40 PM

Dōmo Arigatō!

**thin cover** · 02-28-2012, 08:11 PM

You are an AV wiz my friend, FKNA righteous work! and thanks for sharing that experience with me

**flatNshallow** · 02-28-2012, 08:14 PM

Arigato gozaimashita, Anxiety-san.

**userA** · 02-28-2012, 08:23 PM

i love sushi

**grskier** · 02-28-2012, 08:26 PM

wow, looks like a trip of a lifetime!

**weasel1** · 02-28-2012, 09:18 PM

Outstanding!

**noparking** · 02-28-2012, 10:00 PM

Looks like so much fun

**BmillsSkier** · 02-28-2012, 11:01 PM

Radtastic!

Sweet TR!

**Mike Pow** · 02-29-2012, 03:40 AM

Sugoi.

Perfect timing. Great pics

**neck beard** · 02-29-2012, 03:57 AM

Originally Posted by highanxiety

Right off the bat we got two days of touring in with Hohes. Couldn’t thank him enough for picking us up and taking us on a fun backcountry tour, which we did 2 days in a row.

With the timing of your arrival in Hakuba not long after rain... it was 100% likely to disappoint big time given the way this town is. I couldn't let that happen. I would have been skiing near to that zone anyway by myself, and always like to share it with the right backcountry folk. Thin Cover's earlier TR of cow pasture skiing in Vermont was enough to motivate me to ski with you guys. I wasn't joking when I said it at the time.

Glad you scored typical Niseko as well. The whole far north of Japan is off the fucking hook for endless blower powder. You can't afford to miss it if that is what matters a lot.

Thin Cover, on he and his crew: "We have penises for fingers and take photos of asses"

edit: my apologies to who I understand was two other mags, Patches and co, who I wasn't able to help out at the same time. I have a ski lodge phobia that induces a fly-by strategy of avoidance.

**Vt-Freeheel** · 02-29-2012, 05:37 AM

Wery nice, gonna have to make the next trip, kicking myself for not going this time.
How was the pickled snake?

**Bottleman** · 02-29-2012, 06:36 AM

Spectacular!

**eug** · 02-29-2012, 06:46 AM

Nice one, HA! Record number of face shot to overall photo count in this post.

**coltrain** · 02-29-2012, 07:52 AM

Awesome....
I'm not into pickled snake, but the pow looks amazing.

**RoanMtnMan** · 02-29-2012, 08:27 AM

Japan was something special this Feb. Record year. Glad you guys were able to enjoy it as well. Rusutsu, Asahidake, Niseko night skiing, the Goshiki backcountry are the secrets everyone seems to know, but still not many people go there. Which is fine with me.