Snowboarding Forum - Snowboard Enthusiast Forums banner

Is there anyone on here in Japan?

19K views 120 replies 19 participants last post by  Tubby Beaver 
G
#1 ·
I'm losing my mind here in Japan waiting for the snow. I've been to Karuizawa Prince these last two Saturdays, but the man made snow is just depressing.
Can't wait for December!
Hollar at me if you live in Japan!
 
#72 ·
Since I have a season pass I will probably just hit Nozawa until I can't be bothered anymore.

In years past the last decent snow has usually been end of March or early April. If I wanted to I can board on slush until May, but since I not much of a park guy I tend to close out my season early April.

With a bit of luck that might mean 3 more trips.

Hey Onji,

where is the coldest place in Hokkaido that stays open into April?

Do you still get some snow up there till then?
 
#73 ·
yamagata

Just got dumped on yesterday in Western Gunma. So much fresh snow, up to my knee on the groomed run, I don't know a better way to measure it than that. I hope that storm moves in all y'all direction.

In the mean-time, I need some of your collective wisdom about Yamagata... I'll be going there March 17-20th. I've heard from various people that Zao Onsen is the place to be, and also home to some amazing scenery (see "snow-monsters"), but there is no shortage of skijo nearby.

Here's a list of the all the resorts:
Yamagata Ski Resorts - Snow Japan - Ski and snowboard resorts in Yamagata

Has anyone here had any experience in Yamagata snow? Let me know!
 
#76 ·
I have also heard good things about Zao.

Just got back from 3 days in Nozawa. Met up with Raid and had a nice day on 30cm of fresh fluffy pow. Poor visibility but we had a mellow day cruising through glades and tree runs.

Second day brought 30cm of fresh and better visibility.

Spent the third day cruising through untouched pow left from the previous day in my secret stashes:thumbsup:.

Seems like we should get at least one or two more dumps this season:thumbsup::thumbsup:.

Never summer did a demo day on Sunday in Nozawa. I arrived on Monday, but Raid got to ride 3 or 4 boards and they will be selling here next year it seems. The cobra will be 80000 Yen or so.
 
#78 · (Edited)
Raid got to ride 3 or 4 boards and they will be selling here next year it seems. The cobra will be 80000 Yen or so.
Which means about $450 USD plus shipping :cool:

@Argo
Usually a plane to Tokyo (Narita Airport) then transfer to Sapporo (Chitose Airport). Honestly I would hit Hokkaido until next season. I'm sure we'll have a few more dumps here and there, but nothing guaranteed until next winter....
 
#79 ·
I have an old pair of Burton Moto boots size 11 (29). Have a few scratches but are still perfectly functional and all the tightening strings are intact.

They don't smell at all either.

Rather than throw them away or have them lying around it would be better if someone can use them.

Anyone wants them I will send them to you. Chakubarai or pay on delivery. Probably about 1000Yen.
 
#80 ·
Moving back to Japan: indoor tramp training? etc...

Hey there,

I know this thread hasn't been active for a little while but thought I would send a shout-out anyway:

I am an ex-JET, spent 2 years in Kagoshima, 3 in Tokyo, but have been overseas for the last few years. I am moving back to Japan this August and would love to find some people to ride with.

I've been sitting on the couch with a broken leg for the past two months and am already looking forward to next season in Japan - can't wait!

Also: does anyone know of an indoor-trampoline place that has tramp-boards to practice grabs spins and all that sort of stuff? In Tokyo or Yokohama?

Last time I lived in Tokyo I would head out on the Shinkansen every weekend to a new resort - fun times!
 
#82 ·
Hey there,

I know this thread hasn't been active for a little while but thought I would send a shout-out anyway:

I am an ex-JET, spent 2 years in Kagoshima, 3 in Tokyo, but have been overseas for the last few years. I am moving back to Japan this August and would love to find some people to ride with.

I've been sitting on the couch with a broken leg for the past two months and am already looking forward to next season in Japan - can't wait!

Also: does anyone know of an indoor-trampoline place that has tramp-boards to practice grabs spins and all that sort of stuff? In Tokyo or Yokohama?

Last time I lived in Tokyo I would head out on the Shinkansen every weekend to a new resort - fun times!
Can't answer this question, but I was also a JET for 3 years in Kagoshima,
Satsuma Sendai shi. Where were you at?
 
#83 ·
Found these places...

Hey Dreampow, I was in Shibushi on the Oosumi peninsula, right on the border with Miyazaki. Such an awesome place - didn't want to leave!

Not sure if these are any good tokyo-dom, was doing some searching and found these - lol 'tramo-lando':
ƒgƒ‰ƒ“ƒ|ƒ‰ƒ“ƒh“Œ‹ž�@ƒgƒ‰ƒ“ƒ|ƒŠƒ“�@ƒ{�[ƒ‹ƒv�[ƒ‹�@“Œ‹ž�@trampoline tokyo

Indoor place in Yokohama - looks like it is all year-round:
-- S N O V A �V ‰¡ •l --

And this guy has a whole list of off-season training links for places around Japan:
スノーボード�オフトレ�施設を����������|スノーボードHOW TO 180を作��ゃ����
 
#84 ·
For anyone in Japan who doesn't already know and people coming to Japan in the winter there are now a bunch of no frills airlines that can take you from Osaka or Tokyo (or other places if you change flights) up to Hokkaido.

If you book in advance it can be super cheap (less than 10000 return).

Its a 1 hour flight so I don't want food or anything else personally. Just bring water and a snack, in Japan they won't take away your water on an internal flight.

Peach | Peach

http://www.airasia.com/jp/ja/home.page

There are lots more if you search around.
 
#88 ·
Subscribed, to keep it in mind for next season :)
 
#93 ·
Is anyone based in Tokyo familiar with resorts in the Honshu area? This season I am planning to practice a lot, and I am thinking of getting a season pass.

What I am wondering is whether it is cheaper to do day trips over and over again, or if one of those resorts might have a dirt cheap dormitory style room that would make it cheaper than taking the train every day. And if so, where.

As I am still in the early stages of snowboarding, I do not need a resort with the best powder ever, but rather a resort that would allow me to progress, and include a beginner park where I can practice some basic jumps / manoeuvres.
 
#94 ·
Are you planning on living there for the winter? Or do you just mean for the weekends?

Day trips from Tokyo can be super cheap if you speak Japanese (or have someone that can do it for you). There are bus tours leaving Shinjuku and Ikebukuro that will do return bustrip, and lift pass (sometimes even rentals, but the stuff they provide for rentals is from the 80s), for around 5000-8000yen.

There are two options; leave at night (10-11pm) and the bus will take a very slow road to the mountains getting you there at around 5-6am. You then have a few hours to rest/get changed before catching the first lifts out. The second option is the morning bus which leaves at around 7am, getting you to the mountain around 10-11:30. Its a bit later, so my tactic for those days is to bring some onigiri to eat on the lifts and then just board the entire time until you need to go back to catch the bus at 5pm. Both options will get you back to Tokyo around 10pm.

My wife and i will do this pretty much every weekend during winter. Its cheaper than a night out and the schedule usually means you dont have time to go out drinking that weekend anyway.


There are also bus/accommodation tours, that will do the same schedule (overnight, or leave in the morning), but add a nights accommodation (with dinner and breakfast) and an extra day. They usually go for 15,000yen or so.


Another option, and this might sound crazy, is to BUY an apartment in Niigata. No joke, there are apartments there near the ski resorts for like 500,000yen or less. You have to pay monthly maintenance fees (comes to around 30,000yen a month), but then you have your own apartment, which usually has snowboard lockers and a drying room downstairs. You would need to commit to a single resort though, and work out if the total yearly cost is worth it to you: 180,000yen for maintenance, 80,000 or so for the season pass, and weekend bullet trains (10,000yen or so return)


AFAIK there is no resort provided dirt cheap dormitories that you can rent.
 
#96 · (Edited)
Thanks. I am here as a student, so time wise, I have the entire spring break (that is, all of Feb and March) available. Hence I was hoping for more efficient alternatives to day trips. This will be my last spring break, so I wanted to go all out (30-45 days over the two months).

500,000 yen even with maintenance fees on top is unbelievably cheap. I pay more than that for 6 months rent in Tokyo! Are you sure there is not a zero missing? It is a bit too late now, and I will leave Japan after this year, but even so it might be viable as a holiday home in the future. It isn't just me in the family who enjoy winter sports in Japan. It makes me wonder though, are there any short term flat rental option?

Failing that, I guess those 5000-8000 day trips is the next best thing. I will check out the sites you posted above after the exams. Thanks a lot!
 
#97 ·
No missing zeros, I thought the same thing myself. Under $5000 for an apartment!

Went through some serious discussions with my wife when i learnt that. But then i realised i dont want to be restricted to one resort, or even one area, when we have the luxury of choosing so many places to board from here in Tokyo (Nagano, Niigata, Tohoku, and even affordable flights to Hokkaido).

There might be short term rental options. People who buy these apartments, but dont get to go down for the winter for some reason? Cant see why they wouldnt rent one out for 40-50k a month. I havent looked into it though, for the same reasons as above.

Another tour company Keyth Tour (http://www.keythtour.com/index.html), we just booked a trip for this weekend. Leave late friday, get back on Sunday to Madarao Kogen; 14,700 each (two of us) including dinner, breakfast and 2 day liftpass.

Screw the exams, study on the bus!
 
#109 ·
I am not a powder-hound so maybe it wouldnt suit most of the people on here, but you should check out X-Jam/Mt Kosha. Its basically split into two areas - one massive park area, and then another mountain which is all big wide open runs (suits bombing the hill).

That and Ryuoo - powder up top, and park etc on the lower section; with a super steep 38 degree run separating the two
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top