Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 1 2
Results 26 to 42 of 42
  1. #26
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    on the banks of Fish Creek
    Posts
    7,474
    Heated?

  2. #27
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    OW
    Posts
    653
    ^^lost in translation but I am hopeful that there is a heater. They say that there is a FF Heater which I believe is a Webasto type heater. We are going under the assumption of no heat and bringing good sleeping bags. Planning on staying indoors every few nights to dry out gear if needed.

  3. #28
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Hokkaido Japan, or Hotham Australia
    Posts
    165
    Quote Originally Posted by patxi View Post
    ^^lost in translation but I am hopeful that there is a heater. They say that there is a FF Heater which I believe is a Webasto type heater. We are going under the assumption of no heat and bringing good sleeping bags. Planning on staying indoors every few nights to dry out gear if needed.
    I don't know what a Webasto type heater is. FF sounds like a forced flu type heater.
    very popular in Japanese houses. they are usually kerosene heaters that burn using air pulled in by a fan from outdoors and is exhausted outdoors also (ie, you dont get poisoned by carbonmonoxide and die). a second fan moves air over a radiator to distribute the heat indoors.
    it'd be damn good heating for a van if it is, overkill even.

  4. #29
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Posts
    64
    Quote Originally Posted by patxi View Post
    Lodging and transportation sorted.

    Attachment 302144
    you'll be staying in the exact van I spent 3 months in last year. Probably the same company too. You'll have to let me know how the dent that I put in the sideskirt is haha.

    Feel free to ask me any questions about it. It was a great van and I got to know it well.

    In the future, hit me up at www.vandurajapan.com or info@vandurajapan.com.

    I've got business arrangements with that company as well as several others and I can get you prices much lower than what they will quote customers directly. Working with about 6 groups so far this year.

    Enjoy it! Will be a good time for sure. WaistDeepGroomers crashed with me for several days at the start of my trip: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...Food-Porn-Tour

  5. #30
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Posts
    64
    Quote Originally Posted by patxi View Post
    ^^lost in translation but I am hopeful that there is a heater. They say that there is a FF Heater which I believe is a Webasto type heater. We are going under the assumption of no heat and bringing good sleeping bags. Planning on staying indoors every few nights to dry out gear if needed.
    It is a webasto heater. It runs off the car battery and fuel. Heats the vans very well until the auxiliary battery drains too low. On a full charge, expect about 6-8 hours of heat running it on low (keeps the van plenty warm). Bring sleeping bags for sure. You'll wake up as soon as the heater stops, trust me, and you'll need a bag unless you just idle the car (most japanese just do that all night).

    I bought a bunch of window insulation for that bad boy. Hopefully they still include it with the van.

  6. #31
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Eastside Til I Die
    Posts
    2,236
    Will be on Hokkaido for 3 weeks in January with some friends. Itinerary:

    Jan 3-7 Otaru
    Jan 7-12 Niseko
    Jan 12-16 Furano
    Jan 16-19 Sapporo
    Jan 19-24 Unplanned

    Would love to get out on a few tours with some locals. Super stoked for our first trip to the snowy island.
    ((. The joy I get from skiing...
    .))
    ((. That's worth living for.
    .))

  7. #32
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    3
    Will be in Niseko Feb 5-11, then Tenjin on Honshu Feb 12-15. I'd love to meet up with anyone who's in either area.

    Also any advice for traveling with ski gear on the Shinkansen? From what I read there is limited luggage space, so will it be a problem bringing a ski bag onto the train?

  8. #33
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    1,489
    Quote Originally Posted by i<3on3p View Post
    Also any advice for traveling with ski gear on the Shinkansen? From what I read there is limited luggage space, so will it be a problem bringing a ski bag onto the train?
    It's a PITA, especially during busy connections, but I was always able to stash mine on the overhead shelves no problem. If you have extra time between destinations, use Black Cat (Takubin)

  9. #34
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Hokkaido Japan, or Hotham Australia
    Posts
    165
    Quote Originally Posted by i<3on3p View Post
    Will be in Niseko Feb 5-11, then Tenjin on Honshu Feb 12-15. I'd love to meet up with anyone who's in either area.

    Also any advice for traveling with ski gear on the Shinkansen? From what I read there is limited luggage space, so will it be a problem bringing a ski bag onto the train?
    Quote Originally Posted by North View Post
    It's a PITA, especially during busy connections, but I was always able to stash mine on the overhead shelves no problem. If you have extra time between destinations, use Black Cat (Takubin)
    no overhead shelves on the hokkaido shinkansen model trains when I traveled it last.
    supposedly some of the carriages have luggage storage space at the end of the carriages.
    https://www.ski.com.au/xf/threads/sh...kutchan.76668/

  10. #35
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    3
    What about in first class? We were thinking about ponying up the extra $100 to have the extra room and nice seats.

  11. #36
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    cordova,AK
    Posts
    3,681
    Quote Originally Posted by i<3on3p View Post
    What about in first class? We were thinking about ponying up the extra $100 to have the extra room and nice seats.
    you still have to get through the station. just ship them like was mentioned. I do not know about nice seats. Seemed like my seat was fine. If you want to spend an extra $100 just use Chou taxi.
    off your knees Louie

  12. #37
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Hokkaido Japan, or Hotham Australia
    Posts
    165
    Quote Originally Posted by i<3on3p View Post
    What about in first class? We were thinking about ponying up the extra $100 to have the extra room and nice seats.
    Someone on the other forum recently mentioned that they had racks when they took the train. So maybe they've been added since i last took the Hokkaido Shinkansen.

    Quote Originally Posted by BFD View Post
    you still have to get through the station. just ship them like was mentioned. I do not know about nice seats. Seemed like my seat was fine. If you want to spend an extra $100 just use Chou taxi.
    Shipping skis from Tokyo to Hokkaido can take up to 4-5 days.
    Usually its 2 to Niseko, I assume because of the large volume of shipping going that way, but you still run the risk of stuff arriving late leaving you with no fresh underwear nor your favorite skis.

    There's also the issue of the abysmal addressing system here, that means that delivery of products can also be further delayed because they've spent 3 extra days driving around the streets trying to find your address.
    Streets here don't have names and houses aren't numbered in order along a street. You have numbered regions, and the houses in that region are numbered based on the order built. Example, 163-5 might be next door neighbors to 163-432 on one side and 163-31 the other, and the neighbor across the road might be 155-722. The local council maintains rough maps of the areas of whats where, but in my experience is only as accurate as a finger point seen from across a table. I honestly don't know how the shipping companies actually get stuff delivered at all, the only way I get my stuff is because they know my name by now. I've started putting my plus.codes address on everything in the hopes that it helps.

    So if you want to train up, and ski the same/next day, you have no choice but to bring them with you.

  13. #38
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    cordova,AK
    Posts
    3,681
    yes you are correct I missed that they were going to Hokkaido. I was just thinking Nagano.
    off your knees Louie

  14. #39
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Posts
    18
    Looking at throwing together a last minute trip for the first week of May.

    Anyone have room in their private backcountry groups for a +1? I have my Avy cart and a decent amount of BC experience.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  15. #40
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    1,198
    May or March?

  16. #41
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Posts
    1
    Last minute trip planning. I'll be in Hakuba for Feb 29-Mar 2. I'd love to meet up for resort or touring.

  17. #42
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Posts
    39
    Anybody around now? Just got into Niseko area and will be here through 2/26. I'd love some backcountry/slack country partners to get into some of the more fun terrain with added safety. I've got 6 years of touring experience under my belt (with AIARE courses) and put a strong emphasis on safety.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •