Japow-WOW predicted best season in 40 years.

[Tahoe Bromide]

We just booked 2 weeks to Japan.
We were there 2 years ago and it was a bad snow year but the whole experience was so incredible, we decided to scrap our Greece/Turkey trip and hit Japan again. We are leaning towards Haukba and Hakkoda. Both look like they are getting plenty of snow. We are skipping Hokkaido this time, although we went last time.
I'm with my wife and we enjoy onsen and dining out as much as the skiing. We stayed in Nozawa Onsen on our last trip and it was very, very legit. Would like something equally rad. Anyone got any suggestions? Arigato!!!

[alect47]

How difficult would it be to do a solo trip for a couple of weeks? I've done a bunch of solo traveling, so I'm not too concerned about getting around, but I'm wondering how important having a ski partner would be? From what I've read a lot of the good skiing is side country and I don't really want to get myself in avy trouble. Can I entertain myself without going outside the ropes?

[nortonwhis]

Suffocation from face planting into very deep snow are just as much danger as avi trouble in Hokkaido. On honshu you have have both those problems. Big terrain and incredibly deep snow. I contemplated a solo trip too, but decided against it as i wouldn't feel comfortable leaving the resort boundaries without a partner. and don't have enough money for a guide for days when i really wanted to

[Coño Frío]

Me too, Niseko Annupuri bound!

Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk

Mochiron!
Also bound for Niseko Annupuri, Feb 3-10

[Mike Pow]

How difficult would it be to do a solo trip for a couple of weeks? I've done a bunch of solo traveling, so I'm not too concerned about getting around, but I'm wondering how important having a ski partner would be? From what I've read a lot of the good skiing is side country and I don't really want to get myself in avy trouble. Can I entertain myself without going outside the ropes?

Depends on what you classify as 'good skiing'?

Depth and quality of snow - straight off the lifts as my clip on page 1 shows.

Steeper, challenging terrain - side/backcountry. Normal rules apply. I've toured solo on the right days.

[jorion]

I'm leaving Friday for Japan, skiing solo in Hokkaido the 7th to 15th. Definitely Niseko and nearby (Rusutsu) the 11th or 12th through the 15th. I'm hoping to tour as much as is possible. If anyone will be around and looking for partners, please PM me. If jetlag allows I'll ski Teine the 7th. A couple days later I'm planning on going to go to Hakuginso Lodge for a night or two and ski nearby.

I'm keeping the non-Niseko dates flexible to go where there's snow, but Hakuginso Lodge sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Just hoping to hook up with touring partners while I'm there. Of course, if the snowpack is sketchy and I don't find partners, I'll survive in resorts.

[milkybarkid]

Any tips for somewhere that has a mix of good skiing and interesting off-snow things to do? (My partner doesn't ski, but is interested in going to Japan.) Nozawa Onsen?

[alect47]

I'm at the Narita airport right now, going to head out to Hakuba shortly for a few days and then I'm not sure where from there. It seems like most of the storms are hitting Honshu and kind of missing Hokkaido right now, but maybe the weather sites I'm visiting don't know what they are talking about.

Any insight would be appreciated!

[Mike Pow]

Mid-thigh in Kiroro the past three days.

Niseko Resort Area and Rusutsu just dustings.

Snow is on the way.

Dumping currently

[garyfromterrace]

Any tips for somewhere that has a mix of good skiing and interesting off-snow things to do? (My partner doesn't ski, but is interested in going to Japan.) Nozawa Onsen?

Nozowa is pretty damn interesting & amazing, but, depending on the type of person she is she may be bored within 3 days. Whatever, tell her to bring a good book.

[jorion]

Currently waiting on a flight from haneda to new chitose. Was planning on skiing Teine tomorrow but my skis are apparently still at LAX. I only have touring boots with me and it sounds like there’s nowhere to rent skis with touring bindings in Sapporo or Teine. Wah wah.

Please correct me if I’m wrong! Otherwise I’ll just spend tomorrow eating as much ramen as possible.

[pano-dude]

That sucks, There is a guide company in Niseko maybe they could help?

7 days and counting, thinking backup plan for myself...

Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk

[jorion]

Yeah, I’m heading to niseko on Friday but was going to ski near Sapporo and Furano this week. Crossing my fingers that they show up today.

[gimpy]

Sooooo....... Do they not rent boots in Japan?

[jorion]

Honestly I’ve never rented boots that weren’t extremely painful. And the info I’ve found about ski rental near Sapporo is that they don’t even have fat skis.

I guess I need to get to Kiroro tomorrow and see what’s up. I’m just not excited about four hours of trains to drop a bunch of money on rental gear that may not even be fun.

[Rainbow Jenny]

Free transfer between Sapporo and Rusutsu
http://www.hokkaido-rusutsu.com/acce...om-sapporo.htm

And cheap combo transfer+lift tx
http://www.access-n.jp/resortliner_eng/winter/

[ClarkleberryFinn]

How difficult would it be to do a solo trip for a couple of weeks? I've done a bunch of solo traveling, so I'm not too concerned about getting around, but I'm wondering how important having a ski partner would be? From what I've read a lot of the good skiing is side country and I don't really want to get myself in avy trouble. Can I entertain myself without going outside the ropes?

I did a 3 week Hokkaido trip solo in 2014 (though 1 week was one of the road trip tours with BD Tours). I found it pretty easy and only actually skied alone a couple of times (by choice). Staying somewhere like Black Diamond Lodge definitely helps - there were quite a few solo skiers when I was there and most guests skied to a pretty high standard. Be friendly at breakfast and you'll pick up ski buddies easily.

I put some words/thoughts together on the subject here: http://www.luex.com/magazine/2015/08...er-travellers/

FWIW I ski solo a fair bit here at home in the Alps and really enjoy it. Some things I've skied in Japan I'd be happy skiing alone, others less so. Avi danger is less of an issue IME (esp Hokkaido), but obviously you need to bear in mind unfamiliar terrain/getting lost, language barrier/calling for help if anything where to happen, and deep snow hazards - quite a few fun slopes end up traversing back to the lifts on the bank of stream beds and so on, which given how deep the snow is you really really really do not want to end up falling in.

In the likes of Niseko, Kiroro and Sapporo Teine there is plenty of fun stuff that can be safely skied (and found) solo if you're halfway competent though.

[alect47]

I did a 3 week Hokkaido trip solo in 2014 (though 1 week was one of the road trip tours with BD Tours). I found it pretty easy and only actually skied alone a couple of times (by choice). Staying somewhere like Black Diamond Lodge definitely helps - there were quite a few solo skiers when I was there and most guests skied to a pretty high standard. Be friendly at breakfast and you'll pick up ski buddies easily.

I’m actually in a hostel in hakuba at the moment, and what you’ve said seems to be pretty true. It’s very easy to find people to ski with, but a bit difficult to find people that actually know what they are doing. The snow isn’t great at the moment and it looks like it’s going to rain tomorrow, so I’ve got a minute to sort that all out.

[alect47]

I did a 3 week Hokkaido trip solo in 2014 (though 1 week was one of the road trip tours with BD Tours). I found it pretty easy and only actually skied alone a couple of times (by choice). Staying somewhere like Black Diamond Lodge definitely helps - there were quite a few solo skiers when I was there and most guests skied to a pretty high standard. Be friendly at breakfast and you'll pick up ski buddies easily.

I’m actually in a hostel in hakuba at the moment, and what you’ve said seems to be pretty true. It’s very easy to find people to ski with, but a bit difficult to find people that actually know what they are doing. The snow isn’t great at the moment and it looks like it’s going to rain tomorrow, so I’ve got a minute to sort that all out.

[ClarkleberryFinn]

Nice, enjoy! Sure the JaPOW will be back on form soon!

[alect47]

Nice, enjoy! Sure the JaPOW will be back on form soon!

Sorry for the double post, Internet is a bit weird here. Also do most of my skiing solo, so I’m hoping I can continue that trend.

Did you only ski Hokkaido or Honshu as well?

[phatty]

Honestly I’ve never rented boots that weren’t extremely painful. And the info I’ve found about ski rental near Sapporo is that they don’t even have fat skis.

I guess I need to get to Kiroro tomorrow and see what’s up. I’m just not excited about four hours of trains to drop a bunch of money on rental gear that may not even be fun.

I've rented skis (not boots) at both Kiroro and Rusutsu and they have good skis. At Kiroro I rented ON3P Billy Goats, Nordica Patron and Armada Bubbas. Rusutsu had Salomon rentals and had Q115s when I was there a couple years back.

[ClarkleberryFinn]

Sorry for the double post, Internet is a bit weird here. Also do most of my skiing solo, so I’m hoping I can continue that trend.

Did you only ski Hokkaido or Honshu as well?

On that trip only Hokkaido, but I did manage 4 days (ha! almost as much time on the plane as on skis!) in Honshu last season, in a teeny tiny little place called Tazawako... Story here (formatting works best on desktop btw): http://www.fall-line.co.uk/skiing-tazawako-akita-japan

[kmcfall]

Any thoughts If im only skiing resorts and short boot packs, why not rent in niseko japan for 7 days for $350, the airlane baggage charges exceed that and then the pain of dragging a 200cm bag everywhere? Will bring my boots

Sent from my SM-G930V using TGR Forums mobile app

[SB]

MikeD posting sum serious stokage on facialbook.

Get on it.