[Doraibu]

Pre-rego'd with the Visit Japan site as well. Seemed straight forward, albeit too many questions IMO. Funnily enough it simply didn't like scanning my kids' passport images for some reason 🤷‍♂️

By the way, does anyone know if leashes are mandatory for snowboarders at Japanese resorts? I was browsing the Rusutsu site before (Trail Map - Rusutsu Resort Hokkaido Japan) and it seems like they are?

For your snowboard ? No. Been to quite a few Japanese resort including rutsutsu.

For your children ? I’m not sure if it’s legal to use children for sledding

 

[Doraibu]

is it possible to do a day trip from niseko to rusutsu?
I have booked a hostel for niseko in february but there doesnt seem to be any hostel availability in rusutsu for same time.

With a car, yes. About 40 mins drive. They open up a bit later than niseko too (to memory), so you’re not missing out on anything by being a bit late.

 

[Doraibu]

Can anyone let me know if its worth going through all the visit Japan immigration stuff? Not going for a few weeks and generally prefer the lazy option of doing nothing but this time we are landing at 6.30pm and wanting to get to Nagano same night instead of staying the night in Tokyo. I'll be doing Shiga Kogan, Madarao and Nowaza this time. Myoko is a bit busy for me these days, mind you, been going there off and on since no shop owner could speak English or any English menus so time for a change.

I hated it too. but after that it makes your entry journey straight forward. Just do plenty of screen shots as per How to save a screenshot of the Fast Track Screen
in case you don’t have internet
Don’t leave it too late. You need to upload your passport, wait about a day for system to verify before you can proceed to next step. Same with vaccination certificate. So at least 2-3 days allowance

you don’t have to fill in the paper custom declaration and entry form.
show The screen shot, they’ll give you a pink paper to show you’ve done it.
scan the QR codes to its designated station.
It’s actually pretty smooth journey for me

 

[Doraibu]

Leave some leeway in time if you’re travelling in the evening the same arrival day. As with every airline and airport in the world, people got fired during covid and they’re not coping well with increased demand
Last few weeks itself, friend travelling to japan with JAL got delayed by a whole day.
My current trip itself got delayed by a few hours off because we had to wait for the other guy who had 2-3 hours flight delay.

I was one of the first to leave the plane and immigration but the last from the same plane to leave the airport, because the snowboard bag took forever in haneda. Spoke to them in Japanese, they did some searching and they even thought they lost it! It got transported separately and the last to be picked up.
friend who landed in chitose had a faster experience with his snowboard.

Hopefully you probably get away with going to Nagano the same night

edit; I was probably under influence writing the above but I’m too lazy to correct the grammar lol

 

[Doraibu]

Considering on buying a Japanese walkie talkie kan-i. It comes with hassle of registration and fees.

does anyone know if we can use japanese walkie talkie in australia?

 

[Doraibu]

I know it's still a little over a week away but I won't lie, I'm a tad excited arriving 25th Jan View attachment 166004

Nice! Going to myoko tomorrow myself

 

[Doraibu]

Ah man, plenty of terrible news

first the fatal rental car crash in furano last week. Now a ski-tour bus in nagano…

stay safe guys. Drive carefully

update: oh, 7 years anniversary for the bus.

 

[Doraibu]

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.

 

[Doraibu]

Nah, I’ll just wax next week here at home and ride.

You don’t re wax in a two week trip ?

 

[Doraibu]

im taking a k2 instrument 157 peter sutherland and a k2 excavator 54 22. my other two board combos ive considered is mega merc 157 with yes hybrid 157 or custom x 158w 23 with archetype legacy 57wide. i think the k2 combo is the better of the crop?

Just be aware there a LOT of stairs in Japan and stairs are always the easiest walking path and elevator usually tucked away somewhere obscure.

Yes my mates arrive on 25th in hakuba i arrive on the 29th. In hakuba echoland til feb 6 then based out of nagano driving to resorts til the 12th. Cant wait especially since 2020 was so shit but we still had some good days of 50-60cm days

Just arrived in myoko now and it’s a bit lack lustre this week it seems. Locals saying it’s been raining recently too :/
I had a bad feeling when I saw how clear the road was driving here. Snow is picking up a bit tonight.
Can only hope kami sama will be kind to me and defy the forecast

Next week looks like a way better week. Good timing , lucky you.

 

[Doraibu]

No real snow this week in myoko. Loads of ice bricks on a black run in akakura kanko. You can see some greens here and there.
Multiple black ice patch in other resorts too.
My boards to Japan always look pristine because of deep snow. First time getting a gash in japan.
Doesn’t look too deep. Bought a wax bar and waxed it at the lodge.
will probably ptex it when I get home

expected some snow overnight but turns out to be nothing much. warm blue bird again today

Hope you guy have a better trip next week

ill be off to zao

 

[Doraibu]

I was reading a FB post this morning saying there was a storm around Tuesday next week that may disrupt transport networks with snow expected in Tokyo. I'm due to arrive 6am Wednesday next week and jump on the sow shuttle from Haneda to Nagano to Myoko, should I be worried? Are the transport networks pretty good? Nothing like a good dump but still need to get there.

6am or 6pm ?
big snow dumps does interrupt the train network even in Japan. Can’t say about the bus.
it doesn’t hurt to have a plan B in mind.

 

[Doraibu]

That sucks, not what you'd expect this time of year or hope for. Fingers crossed we get some more cover over the next 7 days. Anyway, a bad day in Japan is better than a good day at work so I'll take whatever gets dished up whether it's powder or Asahi

starting to think about powder + park/ rock board quiver combo next year. At least you get to have a bit of fun in the park. Or am I just looking for an excuse to buy ANOTHER board lol

 

[Doraibu]

I heading from Nagano to Shiga Kogan on Tuesday also. The Giant resort has like 40cm base ! Wondering if I should take a crappy old board :-(

If you have the luxury of two board quiver, definitely bring a rock board. plenty of twin jibs / park today in madarao. it’s 10c looking at the chair lift thermometer.
Hopefully it’ll be dumping on Tuesday as forecasted.
lots of cancellation in accommodation this week in myoko. I wonder if I should have just kept my cool, and book a room last minute wherever it’s dumping instead.

It would’ve been better to just recover this week and do something sedentary or admin backlog work lol

 

[Doraibu]

 

[Doraibu]

Ah crap! That’s the hourly forecast for today instead of the 10 day forecast. Tab changed.
ignore it.
Let’s be optimistic and say next week will be awesome !

 

[Doraibu]

I book all my trips through Mountain Watch and the last few have always been bus connections but yr right, I should've look at the Shinkansen, the mate I'm meeting at Myoko is going a day early and going by train.

You never know, I might just end up on it anyway. I was pretty comfortable on the JR network but haven't done much at all with the high speed.

Is the Shinkansen easy to arrange on the day if I need to?

I was looking at getting to Ueno and jumping on from there either via mono rail and/or JR but I'd need to ticket on the day if the bus doesn't go.

I don’t bother with pre booking. Holiday mood you might not wake up in time. Worse if you’re with a friend who suggest just “one glass” of beer the night before.

Easy to buy on the day if you’re not pressed for time. If the next one is full get the other one.

 

[Doraibu]

It’s hard to find a local mountain here that gives an honest report. I see a lot of history video and photos promoting the slopes. I even tried searching in Japanese. Maybe I overlooked it, probably not

Probably 360niseko and https://instagram.com/madarao.ski?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= these guys give a daily honest update.
If there’s no fresh snow, that insta will say no fresh snow. what’s in madarao will probably be the same for the rest of nearby mountains I guess

 

[Doraibu]

@Myoko
There are a few shiga slopes, doesn’t seem as bad as what you were saying 40cm for shiga slopes but no fresh snow recently. Not sure how reliable is this

志賀高原・北志賀 スキー場積雪天気情報 ‐ SURF&SNOW

The English version is pretty brief in comparison. Just copy paste google translate

志賀高原 焼額山のスキー場・天気積雪情報 - tenki.jp

志賀高原 焼額山の天気・積雪・雪質情報を毎日更新！積雪情報は過去1か月分掲載！降雪量・雪質からゲレンデ状況がわかります。天気予報専門サイトだからどこよりも詳しくスキー場の天気をお届けします。

tenki.jp

Seems like they’re expecting a big dump on Tuesday and Wednesday

 

[Doraibu]

Hard to say. Even strong wind can cause delays to bus and trains, like tonight in the city. It’s really windy! you’ll just have to play it by ear. The JR ticket staffs will be able to advise you, or maybe the English speaking staffs at information centre in the airport can do a quick check for you. Those guys are always keen to finally use their English skills lol