Snowboarding Japan

Planning on moving to Japan next year for school, in Sendai (about 2 hours north of Tokyo) but the options around look amazing. Can't wait to go there and see everything it has to offer. Anyone been up in that area? I will be talking to some friends who are over there and see what they say, but if any of you guys know anything let me know, but chances are I will be taking a vacation south to Nagano and have some fun there.

Some powder to the people there currently, how I wish I was there.

bokken

[bryantp]

It's epic here. You'll love it. Check out my (very much beginning) site and let me know what questions you have. C'mon down...the powder's deep!

It looks nice...good old Narita Airport...any equipment that you have found in Japan thats available only there, or cheaper there? For me and traveling, it would be slightly easier if I could buy there rather than bring with me (taking 3+ bags, including snowboard) for an entire year. But if its more expensive and the same thing, I would probably buy here and bring it with me.

Btw, your pics are pretty nice. The airport ones made me laugh.

bokken

[bryantp]

Thanks. I've been here a little over 7 years. I learned to snowboard here...before that I was never on a mountain with snow.

Bring your gear with you. Good gear is cheaper in the States. I go on an annual pilgrimmage to Colorado and bring Japanese friends with me. They buy everything there...so much cheaper.

Good gear...h'mmm...flotation is important - it's not as steep here as the U.S...that's not always true but it often is.

I really like Lib Tech boards although I haven't ridden the banana technology yet. I also like Never Summer. If possible, bring a powder board and a smaller, ice board. I ride everything so I like to be prepared. Otherwise, go with something that works in both places...that's where the Lib Tech comes in. Travis Rice models work well for that.

Food here is excellent. People are friendly. Learn 50 to 100 words in Japanese. Once you start trying, folks here will try their English and the party's on.

It's very safe here...nice to know. BTW, we've had a great start to the year. I'll be doing an overnight trip to Shiga Kogen in 1 1/2 weeks and another in Hakuba at the end of the month.

Serious powder right now. My leg is already burning.

It sounds so fun...What do you do in Japan? Or a native?

Thanks for that info. Even ridden the Cold Smoke by Atomic? I am going to see what deals are going on in a month or two and see if people are still selling it as I have gotten recommendations for that board across the board, but a second board (if I have the money) would be great.

I am nearly fluent in Japanese as it is (been studying for about 5 years now) but I will be entering Japan with a semester off of classes (none offered at my level) so I will just start working on it intensively when I get there. I have been a few times in the past and yeah, the food is amazing. I had to limit myself to around 40 dollars a day/meal of 150 yen sushi plates, or I just ate everyone's food around me...loved it.

Dude, so jealous. It sounds like such a blast. Wish I could switch places with you right now...When its winter next year I probably won't be on campus for a lot of the time...how are prices on lift tickets? But the powder sounds so nice right now. We have nothing around where I am. Hopefully, I will be able to get a few friends and head up to Tahoe late January or early February, but Japan sounds much better.

[bryantp]

I work for the U.S. government and live on Yokota AB on the outskirts of Tokyo. It's a great gig!

With your Japanese skills, you will rock the house. Gaijins who speak Japanese get the best of all worlds...very nice.

I haven't ridden the Atomic boards...again, only a little over 5 years riding so somewhat limited experience. I bought my Lib Tech from eBay just to try out magnetraction cheaply. Wow...it's nice. I learned about the NS Summit on this site and have loved it. I'm not as fond of my first board, a Burton Canyon but it's a first board...what can you say.

Lift tickets run between 4 and 5,000 yen for all day tickets. What that is in dollars varies but usually it means between $35 and $55 dollars a day - cheaper than the U.S. by far.

Food at ski-jos is higher but lunch can still be had for under $15.

Tear it up. There are so many places and so much powder. The last 2 years were disappointing but this year looks good...everything goes in cycles. When all else fails, head north to Hokkaido...it's almost always good.

Yeah, my first boards have pretty much been either rentals and borrowed boards from friends, so I would like my own board finally. But thats a pretty nice deal with the US Government. Yeah, thats what has happened to me in the past. I had a model calling me her boyfriend part way through my trip, I have one friend waiting for me to go back and I think she wants to marry me, and I had an entire school trying to catch glimpses of me as I walked down the hallways. Pretty funny...

What do you do for the government, if you can answer? Hoping I can get a position where I can live in Japan when I am out of college. but 4000-5000 tickets are pretty good prices...I can see where most of my money would go to...Hopefully the powder returns next year as well...

[bryantp]

Nothing secret. I'm the advertising manager for Stars and Stripes (a military newspaper) in Asia.

C'mon down. We'll hit an izakaya sometime.

Nice nice, I have heard from too many ex special ops to feel entirely safe asking what they did in the army, navy, special forces, or just black ops...my ex girlfriends dad was a green beret sniper that had the highest number of recoded kills for GW1 i believe...

For sure, sounds like a blast, can't wait to get to Japan!

[bryantp]

I can't wait to get back - Leave Korea in the morning, arrive Friday afternoon at home. Saturday night...NY's kick-off party...see my wife and dogs...then then next week, on the snow