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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!
 
#5 ·
My wife looks at me like "not again" every time I strap into my board and get the tarp out. Still in the last month I genuinely think I have more control over my presses and my boarding muscles are ready for the snow.
I had to curb the 180's as the whole house shakes so much it wakes up my newborn son;).
 
#7 ·
Just out of Interest Onji what do you ride?

I have a 161 Volkl zenit for bigger pow days and I usually ride a ride highlife 158 (I am 170lbs).

Both are great for freeride.

I am looking at getting a twin deck (proto ct 157 maybe) to get more into freestlye riding. Still need to be able to rip up the pow and groomers though.

You must get some serious pow up there?

Tarp works great and I usually have an edge guard on too for extra cushioning so I don't destroy the Tatami.

By the way I also taught English in Kagoshima for 3 years when I first came.
 
#8 ·
Heya

I'm on a 2010-2011 T.Rice 157 blunt. Ideally I prefer twin profiles, and would've bought the Jones Mountain Twin last year if it didn't run out of stock or the Amplid Hi-Def if I had the cash. Would've bought the Proto CT if it was out last year when I got my deck, but either way I'm very happy with my T.Rice. I know it doesn't have very much rocker in the profile but man it's stupidly easy to ride, I've pulled of some bad tricks and managed to land it. It actually feels a lot more parkey than I was expecting.

If you're looking at getting a twin deck everyone is raving about the Proto CT, and on paper it looks super badass. The T.Rice is actually quite playful, but still charges well. I bought it at the end of last season and haven't had a chance to ride it through deep pow. But yeah my T.Rice kills the park and groomers, and man the pop will send you in to orbit!

Yeah we get serious pow up here, but to be honest this is my first year living in Hokkaido, as opposed to being a tourist. We've got our first BC trip planned in about 3 weeks, fingers crossed it'll be deep :p

So you're looking at getting a deck shipped in from the States?
 
#9 ·
I spend most of my time in pow accessible around the resorts rather than full on BC. Still deep and sometimes long runs away from groomed areas.
Thats why I like my semi directional freeride boards as they just make it easier in the pow. Serious pow even in Nagano.

I don't know your weight, but you might want more than 157 in the Hokkaido BC.

Still I want a freestyle deck to add to my quiver and the proto CT looks sweet.

I am looking at getting one shipped which is why I was asking about solutions. Having it sent to my uncle and then him shipping it to me via the cheapest courier looks the best option.

May as well get some bindings while I am at it.

Hope you get good snow. My first trip up to Nagano is usually mid-late December.

Can't wait. I will be getting a season pass, worth looking into if you are doing more than 15 days a year at one place (Niseko?).

If you find any great spots for BC be sure to let me know. I will definitely make it up there at some point.

Here is a link to my HP, this is the terrain where I board in Nagano. Looks funny because it won't support Japanese but the link works.

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#10 ·
I weigh in at 69kg, and am 173cm. So I'd be comfortable as short as 155 in the park, and longer in the BC. At the moment I can only really afford to have one deck so I want a quiver killer for the time being.

I love riding everything, except stacking it on rails, so yeah I'd love to get some more snowboards w different bindings depending on what I'm doing that day. And maybe a caddy to follow me around and carry a quiver for me :)

If I can afford it next season I wouldn't mind getting a Jones Hovercraft or Flagship in split. But I'd need to get more experience in the BC here to find out what's going to work out best for my riding, and in the terrain here.
 
#11 ·
I would say you will be fine on your 157 Trice for almost all conditions here. Still sometimes the pow is very deep and heavy here. You might want more if you hit one of those days.

There is a local board shop near my regular mountain and when the pow gets crazy deep I go there and he lends me a pow deck for the day. They have sample boards that they use to lend out like that. Also great places to find out info on BC routes and conditions.

I wish I had remembered the name of the board I borrowed from him last year. It was very expensive but made in Japan and absolutely amazing board. A bit like a Jones hovercraft in shape.

I like the hovercraft too. A split would be sweet. I think I will stick with the proto CT as my wishlist for now.

If you do order some stuff maybe we could ship it together? Using that link someone posted.

must be cheaper to combine 2 boards at once and its only like 1500 yen or so to send a board anywhere in Japan.

Also if you ever go with a park board a 153 would be perfect at your weight IMO.
155 is fine for me and I am 78 kilos or 80 I could even ride a 153 if it was just park.
I almost never ride park, but love to hit natural jumps and get grabs and spins. Also looking to get into ground tricks on the proto.

Are you with JET?
 
#13 ·
Gunma

Yo Andy, I'm living in north west Gunma, not too far from Karuizawa.
I have a season pass to Palcall and Okutone this year, but will be making trips to Hakuba and Madarao in Nagano.
It's only my second season, so i'm still crappy, but If you venture into Gunma, pm me and let's ride!
 
#15 ·
Seems we have a nice little community growing here. I would like to check out some other spots in Japan and I was thinking we could all post up location reviews of our local mountains. Just a simple explanation of the size of the resort, length of runs and terrain, if there is a good park etc. Maybe the best local onsen and place to eat?

I will post one up for Nozawa Onsen soon. Look forward to hearing about your local mountains.
 
#18 ·
I'll be in Nozawa onsen for the next three days, the snow is falling:D:D.

Anyone wants to ride with me give me a shout

you can find me easily because its not that crowded and my jacket is pretty loud

most of the runs I do come out at nagasaka gondola

snow should be deep enough to hit the sidecountry:D

 
#19 ·
Good to hear you're getting some fresh at Nozawa.

Had a great day at Rusutsu yesterday, weekday with very few people and it dumped and dumped and dumped. It was thigh deep in the slackcountry and zero punters in the park :cool:.

Letting the bones rest today, staring at the snow falling out through the window.
 
#21 ·
I'm diggin' it man :D

Wen't out to Teine today, only a few cms of fresh, and the lines that everybody knows about were pretty tracked out. I managed to cut a few new lines here and there when I was lucky. F**king cold day though, -15c at the summit.

Are you guys getting these temps in your skijo's?
 
#23 ·
It was like -12 at the top in Nozawa too,

I never really felt the cold as I have really good merino wool base layers, socks, leggings and long sleeved high neck top.

I highly recommend it, super warm and it dries out super quick too.

The powder was just amazing, am a bit busy today but will post some pics and more info later.

I am seriously thinking of getting a Jones hovercraft because the pow is so amazing this year. I spend most of my time in the side country and the runs are pretty long.

How are your boards coping with the pow?
 
#28 ·
We have 20" so far today!
That's what she said :D

We had a massive dump in Western Hokkaido last Thurs, and it's been about 8cm/day in the mountains over the last couple of days. Not much freshies are forecast this week, but there's still tons left in the slackcountry and it's everywhere in the BC.

I'm riding a 157 T.Rice, and it's handling the thigh deep powder well. Bindings are centred on the deck w about 51cm between them. Just gotta keep that weight back and I'm good.

That said I wouldn't say know to a pow specific deck. Also had my eye on the Hovercraft or possibly the Solution in split. Then again a few other blokes on the forum have had bad results with the Jones split decks, solid decks are all good though.
 
#29 ·
How much do you weigh Onji?

At my weight (175 maybe 185 with my pack) I need a setback on my 158 Highlife if I am staying in the powder for long (most of the day). I also guess your powder is even lighter and fluffier up there which will help.

5 day forecast says no snow in Nagano. My next trip is planned for the 25th so hopefully some snow will arrive.

I have heard good things about the hovercraft and since I spend a lot of time in trees it seems a good option at 156. Very agile.

180 birdman is still amazing to me. The longest board I have been on was a 165 and that was getting plenty of looks at my mountain, like Wow!

They must all scatter out of the way when you come through on that thing!
 
#30 ·
I weigh in at about 68kg (+2kg for kit for skijo riding) (+5kg for BC riding). Well....... I'm assuming we've got lighter and better pow than Honshu (that's what all my mates here say), but to be honest I've never ridden anything epic in Honshu, furthermore I've only ridden 4 days in Honshu.

But yeah the fresh pow is certainly light & dry in the skijo's.... usually knee deep after a dump. In the BC it's super light, super fluffy, and at this time of year bottomless (you WILL posthole in regular snowshoes, gotta have pow snowshoes or a splitboard), I'm sure the local temps are helping, it rarely rises above -5C this time of year.

I don't like to setback my bindings because I ride switch about 1/4 of the time in the SC/BC, that and I'm trying to get myself pretty much ambidextrous on my deck.......

@Memphis - Your riding a 180cm... crikey, that's a long deck!...... Is that your main stick for riding?
 
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