Black Diamond Tours (Japan)

[ClarkleberryFinn]

I'm thinking of doing one of the multi-resort road trips with Black Diamond Tours on Hokkaido next Jan - chasing the pow, seeing the smaller/off the beaten track resorts, and presumably more of the Japanese culture than is found in Niseko, all sound good to me. As I'll be going there solo, having a crew to ski with would also be nice! I'd probably go for the PowerTrip (6/7day).

http://www.blackdiamondtours.com/tou...ti-resort.html

They're not cheap, and it'd take a hefty whack out of my budget, but seem like they could be quite good value overall... Has anyone done one/know anyone who has? Decent standard of skiers/boarders, or a lot of waiting around as people pick themselves up and dust the pow off? Plenty of ski time, or too much spent driving?

I'd be grateful for any info.

Cheers!

[mobygrape]

That looks really great! Expensive but looks like a good value for an amazing trip. Go for it!!!! I can't make it this year but will add it to the list.

[Mike Pow]

Solid company.

You'll have a ball.

[lynchdogger]

If I had the $$$ for that I would not hesitate but asking for info is smart. Never been but doing it this way takes the guess work out and fills you with more pow than most see in a season. I would take a few days after to enjoy the sights and culture. Get sum!

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[neck beard]

wow. Without fail.

Must be that time of year again.

[Besniwod]

I don't know what the tour is like but their website says the group size is limited to 12. I would imagine that you could end up waiting around for people with a group that size.

Alternatively, you could just rent a car while you are in Hokkaido and travel to different resorts yourself. More freedom. Plus experiencing the drivers in Hokkaido would make things exciting.

[DickMerkin]

Their operation seems legit. I know they've been around a while too. I checked in with them while skiing Hokkaido in '06, seemed like they were pretty squared away. Go for it.

[DickMerkin]

Also, I don't really think $1900 is that expensive for what you are getting. I'd be shooting for the Feb. 22- Mar. 1 trip dates...

[brannen]

Im gonna say go for it.
I havent been yet, but will be there this winter in one capacity or another.

[dhklauer]

Went at stayed at BD Lodge in 2011 and had a great experience. 4 days at Niseko, and 1 day at another resort about an hour away. Our group of 6 had guides for the first day at Niseko just to get a feel for the place (and we all agreed that it was worth it). Not sure about windshield time and traveling to several other resorts.
We did have 2 boarders with our guided group that slowed us down significantly. The guides were aware, and made some adjustments. Overall, a great experience.

[ClarkleberryFinn]

If I had the $$$ for that I would not hesitate but asking for info is smart. Never been but doing it this way takes the guess work out and fills you with more pow than most see in a season. I would take a few days after to enjoy the sights and culture. Get sum!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using TGR Forums

That's the thing, I could probably afford to base myself in Niseko (with a couple of day trips elsewhere) for around 3 weeks (though that wouldn't leave much holiday time for the rest of the year!), or go for 2 weeks to include one of the multi-resort tours. Trying to work out which would be the better way. I live in the Alps, so it's not like it'd be the only skiing I get in next season, so I'm tending towards a short 'more packed in' trip...

[ClarkleberryFinn]

Alternatively, you could just rent a car while you are in Hokkaido and travel to different resorts yourself. More freedom. Plus experiencing the drivers in Hokkaido would make things exciting.

If I were with a mate or two that's what I'd do, but going alone makes (presumably!) car hire and single room supplements expensive, and I'd probably be a bit hesitant in getting as far off the beaten track (alone) as I might, in a place where I wouldn't be too confident of being able to call for help if shit hit the fan.

[ClarkleberryFinn]

Also, I don't really think $1900 is that expensive for what you are getting. I'd be shooting for the Feb. 22- Mar. 1 trip dates...

Any reason why then other than January? Early-mid Jan is usually low season (in terms of other people on the hill) in Europe, would it not be the same in Japan? Feb better than March for pow?

[ClarkleberryFinn]

Thats funny, I know they posted next seasons prices last night, so you might want to check that again.
Im gonna say go for it.
I havent been yet, but will be there this winter in one capacity or another.

If a few mags are gonna be about, maybe we could hook up for a road trip or something?

Cheers for the thoughts everyone, by the way.

[Besniwod]

You normally pay for the number of people in Japan, not the room (presuming you stay at Japanese run accommodation). You would probably end up in a 2-3 person room for the price of just one person if you stay at cheap places called pensions (ペンション). Skiing alone out of bounds or in the BC can be pretty sketchy. Too bad you are by yourself.

Peak season for Japanese people will be the beginning of January as there are national holidays around then. Most places will be fully booked early on. Chinese new year will also be very busy with Chinese tourists. I think Jan-Feb is the peak time for Aussies coming to Japan during their summer holidays. That would only be an issue at the major Aussie destinations like Niseko though.

Busy is definitely relative though. Busy times in Japan are nothing compared to European resorts at peak times.

The peak for powder is late Jan to early Feb.

[Mike Pow]

From my time in the Niseko Resort Area the past 7 winters these are the measurements I've taken at village level (approx. 300 m altitude)

December - 362 cm (143")
(305 cm; 318 cm; 327 cm; 359 cm; 241 cm; 514 cm; 473 cm)

January - 482 cm (190")
(375 cm; 569 cm; 334 cm; 590 cm; 600 cm; 431 cm; 473 cm)

February - 288 cm (113")
(235 cm; 291 cm; 277 cm; 260 cm; 205 cm; 352 cm; 395 cm)


The advantages of late January into early February are:

Quieter - most of the Australian families have left. So too those over for Chinese New Year if it's early.

Cheaper

More terrain available

[Scottish_Skier]

As with any guided group the quality of the skiing depends on the weakest group member. You might get lucky and in the same group as a bunch of euro-rippers. Or it could be some fat unfit Australian lawyers with terrible banter.....

FWIW a couple of my friends have been with black diamond and gave them a big thumbs up (great trip, good snow, nice accommodation and guides but costly seemed to their summary). Niseko is meant to be busy, touristy and expensive - the best skiing is apparently elsewhere on Hokkaido. Can see the attraction of Black Diamond or organised tour if you are traveling solo as you wouldn't need to worry about meeting people.

I was in Japan last Jan for honeymoon and we organised the whole trip ourselves. It was easily done over web even though we spoke zero Japanese. Spent 10 days at Myoko Koken near Nagano on Honshu and skied different 4 resorts (west coast Honshu only gets 15m a year vs. 16m in Hokaido ). Great trip and the Jap-pow delivered. Plus we also got to check out Tokyo which is essential viewing. If doing a DIY trip then email local tourist office and book accommodation before you go. Generally the Japanese seem to book their holidays 6 months in advance.

Also : Get the Snow Search Japan guide book (+ there is another scottish skier on the cover)

Doug / Haggis-Trap

[stuinjp]

I have only done a couple of day trips with Black Diamond Tours, but they were exactly what I was wanting. Living in Tokyo, I have stayed in the Black Diamond Lodge many times over the past few seasons and have been around when tour group members have gotten back to Niseko after the tour and everyone seems super stoked with how things went.
The Black Diamond Lodge is great when staying in Niseko, as it is filled with people who want to ride and ski hard. Last season I spent days riding with hard skiing/boarding Norwegians, Swedes, Austrians,
and a few guys from N.America.
Can highly recommend both Lodge and Tours.

[DickMerkin]

I just go for later season because of coverage and depth. I skied there 1st week of march a few years back, and it didn't stop snowing for 9 days. I watch that week every year, and it is good 90% of the time. I really can't speak on January, because I've never paid attention to what goes on there then.

[ClarkleberryFinn]

So still doing a lot of research on this, I really appreciate the help so far.

How easy is it to get around Japan by public transport? Say fly to Tokyo, internal flight (or train/ferry?) to Saporro for the one week BD Hokkaido tour, then head back to Tokyo with maybe another day skiing around Saporro, a day or two skiing Hakuba area (maybe some guided touring with Neck Beard?), then a day or two seeing the sights in Tokyo. Doable, or expensive/trying to pack too much into too little time? If I only went for two weeks (well, probably 16/17 days inc flights) I'd have more holiday time left for European adventures.

Scottish_Skier, sounds like a rad honeymoon! Cheers, I'll check out that book.

[Mike Pow]

Very doable to achieve all that.

Safe, quick, easy.

[ClarkleberryFinn]

Cheers Mike Pow; a plan is starting to come together...

[Besniwod]

Flying to Hokkaido from Tokyo would be your best bet. It's the cheapest and fastest way to get to Hokkaido. You can book domestic flights from cheap carriers up to two months before the flight. If you get in early, you can get discounted tickets. Here is a guide for discount air tickets on Japan Guide.

It will be about 10,000 JPY one-way or less if you get early purchase discounts. Trains and ferries are more expensive and take way longer.

Just take the train from Tokyo to Hakuba. You can use Hyperdia to look at train times and prices.

[ClarkleberryFinn]

Do the budget domestic carriers take skis ok? Seems JAL should, but may decide to not, and may be subject to excess fees...

Someone on another forum mentioned to possibility of couriering the skis from Tokyo to Niseko, I've never considered anything like that before. Normal for Japan?

[ClarkleberryFinn]

Ok scratch that, taking in Tokyo + domestic flights are going to stretch my budget too much. I'll stay on Hokkaido, and make Sapporo the city/culture stop (and get in a bit more skiing) for a couple of days. If anyone has reccommendations for another culturey/non-ski place to check out on Hokkaido, that'd be sweet!