22/23 Japan scene?

[Mike Pow]

3 of the 4 Niseko United resorts are open with limited terrain (Hanazono on hold)

Niseko Moiwa and Rusutsu too

Kiroro on hold, Sapporo Kokusai open

Absolutely dumping

[Mike Pow]

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/2...ki-destination

Attachment 436332

Anyone who's been has not regretted it, even when the weather hasn't played ball

[beer30]

3 of the 4 Niseko United resorts are open with limited terrain (Hanazono on hold)

Niseko Moiwa and Rusutsu too

Kiroro on hold, Sapporo Kokusai open

Absolutely dumping

Good news, my flight leaves Jan 10th. First to a topical island for five days but come mid Jan I will be slopeside in Niseko for 20 days. Eager to see what’s changed since 2019

[boltonoutlaw]

PBI > HND RT $1150.85 (Delta)

[Lee Murian]

It looks like it's a slow start to the season, not unlike last year which ended up best in decades. Hoping for a change soon, we leave at the end of the month.

What do you use for weather forecasts and beta? Any other resources to recommend?

[beer30]

By the end of the month you’ll be set. I dont know where ya found dry. It’s hammering in Niseko.

[boltonoutlaw]

What do you use for weather forecasts and beta? Any other resources to recommend?

https://www.snow-forecast.com/maps/dynamic/japan

[CascadeCrudSkier]

It looks like it's a slow start to the season, not unlike last year which ended up best in decades. Hoping for a change soon, we leave at the end of the month.

What do you use for weather forecasts and beta? Any other resources to recommend?

This is an earlier start than I've seen since I've been here for the past 4 years. Things are at least a week ahead of last year's schedule down in Honshu. Even when things open it takes 2-3 meters of snow to really fill in the trees and push the bamboo down to make the world class conditions that Japan is famous for. Above tree line is fine in December but that's not what makes Japan special or worth traveling to.

Windy.com is my preferred forecasting tool, followed by snow-forecast.com. snowjapan.com is okay for the resort areas and just getting a feel for how the conditions are progressing through the season but it's not updated early enough to be of use when you're trying to figure out if a specific area is going to open or not due to snow/wind conditions. That's one of the biggest challenges when it's dumping, it just snowed 70cm last night but nobody is opening and you're trying to figure out who is going to open first or at all.

Hakuba kicked off the season yesterday, with a couple of the southern resorts opening for a select few lifts and runs. They should be in much better shape by next weekend and the rest of the valley should be open before Christmas.

[boltonoutlaw]

Below is all accurate.
In my limited experience it's not worth getting antsy before 15 December. Most resorts are not open and snow depths are insufficient to make touring unbushwhacky. I recall my first autumn in Japan and being anxious to see the new gear in the retail stores. There was none displayed until November and ski shows were scheduled for early December. I guess the Japanese are more patient about the seasons than we westerners are by nature.

This is an earlier start than I've seen since I've been here for the past 4 years. Things are at least a week ahead of last year's schedule down in Honshu. Even when things open it takes 2-3 meters of snow to really fill in the trees and push the bamboo down to make the world class conditions that Japan is famous for. Above tree line is fine in December but that's not what makes Japan special or worth traveling to.

Windy.com is my preferred forecasting tool, followed by snow-forecast.com. snowjapan.com is okay for the resort areas and just getting a feel for how the conditions are progressing through the season but it's not updated early enough to be of use when you're trying to figure out if a specific area is going to open or not due to snow/wind conditions. That's one of the biggest challenges when it's dumping, it just snowed 70cm last night but nobody is opening and you're trying to figure out who is going to open first or at all.

Hakuba kicked off the season yesterday, with a couple of the southern resorts opening for a select few lifts and runs. They should be in much better shape by next weekend and the rest of the valley should be open before Christmas.

[Wiilbert]

I've found snow-forecast.com cross referenced with snowjapan.com to be reasonably effective. It's tough to get a decent read of what's going on. 2cms from snow-forecast for Furano translated to ~8cm in town which was ~40cm at the top of the hill. There's a lot of spatial variability due to geography and wind. The deepest day I've skied had ~20cm on my car at the onsen we were skiing out of located at the base of the mountain (see photo evidence). I think snow-forecast for nearby Furano called for 5cm?

[boltonoutlaw]

Pretty soon...(looks better in 1080, check settings)

[XXX-er]

So I was looking thru some ski stuff and came upon one of them ski pass holders you strap to your arm from a Japan trip 5 yrs ago

Nobody uses those thing in NA but in Japan the machines don't give a sticky backed tickets or them wire things like in NA so you need one of those goofy ticket holders

if you got one take it with you or buy one in japan

[famouspotatoes]

Going to Rusutsu in early Feb and obsessively checking the snow reports, knowing that it has absolutely no bearing on what conditions will be like in 2 months.

Bummed though to find out that skis at the only real rental option there max out at 180cm, which is probably too short for 6'3" 215lb me. I was hoping to demo something floatier than my Enforcer 94s, so I guess I'm buying some powder skis instead.

[boltonoutlaw]

Going to Rusutsu in early Feb and obsessively checking the snow reports, knowing that it has absolutely no bearing on what conditions will be like in 2 months.

Bummed though to find out that skis at the only real rental option there max out at 180cm, which is probably too short for 6'3" 215lb me. I was hoping to demo something floatier than my Enforcer 94s, so I guess I'm buying some powder skis instead.

Contact these guys https://www.rhythmjapan.com/rentals/ who may have options for you seeing as their clientele is nearly all bogans and tradies. EVO owns this now so stock may be even better than before.

[SUPERIOR]

Try Rythm Niseko. There’s a handful of other shops in that area that have large sizes too.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[beer30]

We have used winter1st quite a bit and have always gotten great equipment at better prices then stores in town. Nice folks to and they deliver and pick up

[famouspotatoes]

Try Rythm Niseko. There’s a handful of other shops in that area that have large sizes too.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Thanks, maybe one of them could takkyubin them to my pension and save me a drive to Niseko.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[yeahman]

Just FYI. Those of you interested in Japanese culture outside of skiing might like this blog by a guy I grew up with. He's an American who married a Japanese girl and lives in Tokyo. His book "Ten Thousand Lakes to the Rising Sun" is also a very interesting read, I thought. I don't know if I'll ever visit Japan, but his insights into Japanese culture and how it contrasts with how he grew up in America (Minnesota) are pretty humorous and entertaining as well as informative for people visiting the country.

https://tokyoliving123.com/

[alev]

Heading to Tokyo from New England.
Spending a few days between Tokyo and Kyoto before heading to Hakuba and other regions between the 22nd and the 1st. Glad to see that it's snowing...anything is better than where we are now!

[boltonoutlaw]

PSA: Indy Passholders get 2 free days at each of 5 resorts in Tohoku with no blackout dates

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmJ_G5GjUhB/

https://www.indyskipass.com/resorts/japan-region/

[Aknoff]

Will be in Furano the first two weeks of January. Anyone know where I can fill up my Ortovox airbag canister? Can’t fly with it full and no one I’ve spoken to knows a place with an air tank.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[SUPERIOR]

Trees = force multipliers in avalanche accidents

Japan = trees


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Dromond]

Trees = force multipliers in avalanche accidents

Japan = trees


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

You forgot to mention the ubiquitous V-shaped creek bed terrain traps

[gaijin]

April 4th, 2009 I dropped in and saw the entire forest floor crack. I then rode an avalanche for about 80-100 meters through a forest. I bounced off a few trees. Was completely blind and had zero control/contact with the stable surface.

I was in a glass of milk.

I just tried to keep my tips up, my hands out front, and my skis below me. I was a tennis ball in space.

When it all stopped I was buried to my neck. I dug three feet down to my skis, dug them out. Then sat on them and smoked a bowl, and said- “Fuck skiing.”

My wife was pregnant with my now 13yo daughter. I almost missed out on all of this. And her being home pregnant with no knowledge about where I was (because I was alone in the fucking forest during a blizzard) was the only thing that occupied my mind during the slide.

Fuck skiing.

It’s a love/hate relationship at this point.

Not to be a downer, but you’re all talking avi gear for Japan.

Shit happens in the forest, too. To the point that we remember the day.

[grbchv]

First trip to Japan in mid-January after having to cancel last winter. Gear question: is 106mm underfoot too small? I'm trying not to bring every pair of skis I own, but the only thing I've got that's wider is a 112mm touring ski (Pagodas). I'm willing to get a bigger alpine setup, but if I don't have to spend add'l $$$ an already expensive I'd prefer not to. Plus, my understanding is that the terrain in Hokkaido is more deep than steep, so maybe pagodas+hojis is sufficient?