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Japan Stoke Thread 2023

17442 Views 373 Replies 30 Participants Last post by  JDA, 
JDA
If you didn't know, all restrictions to enter Japan have now been lifted.

Who is going?
Where are you going?
Have you been before and where?
What board/bindings are you taking?

I can't believe I'm actually going, if you asked me 4 weeks ago we were holding off until 2024 but now myself and 3 other mates have already booked our flights and accommodation for the first week of Feb 2023.

This will be my 7th time to Japan, I've been to around 30 different ski resorts already in areas such as Hakuba, Myoko, Fukushima (Bandai), Yamagata (Zao Onsen) and several resorts up on Hokkaido.

This trip I have 2 first timers coming with me and the only way I could convince them was to keep the trip reasonably short and inexpensive. So we have 7 days on snow in Hakuba Valley and we will be getting 5 consecutive days of lift tickets for free with our Epic pass. We are staying right next to the gondola at the base of Tsugaike Kogan ski resort.

I am taking my Salomon Dancehaul 152 with Now Drive bindings and my Korua Dart 156 with Ride A-10 bindings. Both boards should be good in powder with the Dancehaul having a softer more freestyle focus and the Dart will be great for carving.
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robotfood99
Looks like I will be in Niseko the second week of Jan. It's off the tail end of a work trip to Osaka and Sapporo, but I was surprised I could find deals in December. My travel companion who is paying for lodging has never been to Hokkaido and wanted the busy touristy spots so I obliged by booking in the middle of Grand Hirafu. The trip is practically free for me so no complaints.

Still, I am not much of a crowd person so I fully expect to run off to Rusutsu at least a couple of times. On getting to Rusutsu, if you can find a companion, sharing a cab may also be an idea. If solo, bus it and save the money for food and biru.
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robotfood99
Visit Japan Web was cumbersome but once you have the QR codes captured, the smooth disembarkation process made it all worth while.

First day of boarding in Grand Hirafu and the conditions were less then ideal. Puking wet snow all day in moderately warm temps made for tiring heavy mashed potato runs. Cloud or fog covered zero visibility even with the brightest lens. By noon we were all wet noodles and decamped to early onsen bliss.
Sky Snow Slope Tree Mountain
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robotfood99
Doraibu said:
Speaking of waxing , does anyone bother bringing their wax kits to Japan ? I just pay 3000 yen but I feel like I can do a better job than some of these Aussie shops. They even left plenty of black stains on my brand new white top sheet!
the usual Japanese shop I go to were either closed or stopped waxing boards that are not their rentals.
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I packed a tub of paste wax, but gave that to a local friend and picked up a waxing iron and a stick of all-temp wax. Did the crayon-iron-no scrape routine. Takes up about the same room in the board bag as the tub of paste wax.
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robotfood99
Craig64 said:
You have to fight the mouth piece/hose freeze with blow back even with an insulated hose.
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Can confirm. Every previous attempt I went out with my insulated mil-spec hydration kit, the hose and valve froze up. This time I took a soft bottle in my jacket goggle pocket or a podium chill bottle in an insulating sleeve in the backpack and both worked flawlessly.
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robotfood99
O man, what a bummer. Safe travels and take care of yourself.
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robotfood99
That must have been absolute agony flying without pain meds. Best of luck with the surgery and recovery. And welcome to the bionic race... too many new inductees of late!
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robotfood99
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robotfood99
You selected the Auto 9 implant option, right?

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