Japan Stoke Thread 2023

17224 Views 373 Replies 30 Participants Last post by JDA, 2 mo ago

JDA

Discussion Starter · 8 mo ago

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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NoirX252

· #61 · 6 mo ago

Plans solidified, my schedule is wide open. Plane tickets look reasonable, I'm likely going to book last minute unless that is a bad idea with lodging.

Any recommended must-do lodging in/around Hakuba Valley? I am basically hitting every resort I can with my Loveland/Ikon/epic pass + more with day tickets.

JDA

Discussion Starter · #62 · 6 mo ago

NoirX252 said:
Plans solidified, my schedule is wide open. Plane tickets look reasonable, I'm likely going to book last minute unless that is a bad idea with lodging.

Any recommended must-do lodging in/around Hakuba Valley? I am basically hitting every resort I can with my Loveland/Ikon/epic pass + more with day tickets.

Most of the good places will be booked by now but I'm sure you will be able to find something if you book later. Echoland is probably the busiest area in the Hakuba Valley with lots of restaurants and bars if that's what you are looking for. The valley is reasonably spread out but if you are staying close to any of the 10 resorts you can always jump on the bus and head to a different resort each day.

Reactions: 2

NT.Thunder

· #63 · 6 mo ago

just pre-registered with the Visit Japan site for Immigaration, quarantine, declaration etc to hopefully make it a little quicker out of the airport, pretty simple process, see how it pans out I guess.

Reactions: 3

dailo

· #64 · 5 mo ago

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?

Reactions: 1

JDA

Discussion Starter · #65 · 5 mo ago

dailo said:
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?

Leashes are not required.

Reactions: 3

Craig64

· #66 · 5 mo ago

dailo said:
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?

Never had leashes for the last 15 years I've been there at any resorts: Niseko, Furano, Kamui, Rusutsu, Tomamu. They also have an additional extra 1000yen ($Au10 approx) since introduction of electronic lift passes but you get that back when you hand the ticket in at the machine each day etc.

Reactions: 2

Doraibu

· #67 · 5 mo ago

dailo said:
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

Reactions: 1

MountainMystic

· #68 · 5 mo ago

Doraibu said:
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

Better to use a sled for sledding. kids don't glide well, allegedly...

Reactions: 1

Myoko

· #69 · 5 mo ago

NT.Thunder said:
just pre-registered with the Visit Japan site for Immigaration, quarantine, declaration etc to hopefully make it a little quicker out of the airport, pretty simple process, see how it pans out I guess.

God, looks like a pain in the ass

Reactions: 1

buller_scott

· #70 · 5 mo ago

Aaron, is it gonna be THAT hectic??? Or are you just being the travel-planning boss that we know you are??

Reactions: 1

NT.Thunder

· #71 · 5 mo ago

Myoko said:
God, looks like a pain in the ass

Compared to pre-Covid days yeah, agree

buller_scott said:
Aaron, is it gonna be THAT hectic??? Or are you just being the travel-planning boss that we know you are??

I don’t get too many shots at it so always want to make it easy on myself. I was thinking though that Japan resorts would be pretty busy first year open post-Covid, not sure

Myoko

· #72 · 5 mo ago

I don’t get too many shots at it so always want to make it easy on myself. I was thinking though that Japan resorts would be pretty busy first year open post-Covid, not sure
[/QUOTE]

Agree. I'm getting away from Myoko and going to check out Shiga Kogan, then back to Madarao/Tangram where I have been many times then to Nowaza where my brother ion law and I meet the wives. Only done 5 days in Nowaza and its a big mountain. Ended up in a giant hole on the extreme edge of an ice shelf that went down to fuck knows where last time. Was off piste somewhere in deep powder an it took me 20min to climb out of, another reason why I always board with someone if i am heading off piste and its deep. Looking forward to Shiga though, so many different places to check out it looks like.

NT.Thunder

· #73 · 5 mo ago

ShitStar just cancelled my return flight through Cairns, fair dinkum Jetstar are f#@king useless.

Been booked back through Bali now the following day, so maybe another 1/2 days skiing so can't complain. Would like to see some more snow around Myoko, been a little ordinary with the Westerly winds favouring Hakuba but still another 4 weeks until I leave.

@JDA - looking like a good seaon for Hakuba - nailed it!

Reactions: 2

JDA

Discussion Starter · #74 · 5 mo ago

NT.Thunder said:
ShitStar just cancelled my return flight through Cairns, fair dinkum Jetstar are f#@king useless.

Been booked back through Bali now the following day, so maybe another 1/2 days skiing so can't complain. Would like to see some more snow around Myoko, been a little ordinary with the Westerly winds favouring Hakuba but still another 4 weeks until I leave.

@JDA - looking like a good seaon for Hakuba - nailed it!

It will come mate, it's still December, don't panic

Reactions: 3

nitro91

· #75 · 5 mo ago

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.

Doraibu

· #76 · 5 mo ago

nitro91 said:
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.

Myoko

· #77 · 5 mo ago

You should be able to get a bus there I would hope but definitely doable for a day trip only 30min away. Amazing tree skiing everywhere, slopes a bit flat

Reactions: 1

Craig64

· #78 · 5 mo ago

Myoko said:
You should be able to get a bus there I would hope but definitely doable for a day trip only 30min away. Amazing tree skiing everywhere, slopes a bit flat

I've always caught the bus to Rusutsu from Niseko. From memory, pretty sure you book at the bus terminal. It gets there earlier and leaves shortly after the Lifts shut down in evening. It is a good idea to have a bag for your board as they throw all the skis and snowboards underneath the coach and they get thrown around a little and get scratched against other ski/boards. There are cheap lockers at Rusutsu to store your gear in whilst you ride. Everytime I've been to Rusutsu it's been absolutely epic powder conditions so it's cemented a deep emotional affection within. The Mountain and terrain is really really good and some superbly nice powdery tree runs.

Snow Slope Jacket Freezing Geological phenomenon

Rusutsu, '18 Burton Fish 161

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robotfood99

· #79 · 5 mo ago

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.

Craig64

· #80 · 5 mo ago

robotfood99 said:
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.

We've done both cabs and buses from Furano to Kamui (about an hour each way). We got friendly with our Japanese accommodation Manager and he was able to get us a cab to and home for close to the same as a bus with the 4 of us (around $Au200 total ($US130)). It's weird as you come off the Mountain after riding all day and the cab driver is waiting in the car park for your return. We only paid when we got home at the end but you're still semi nervous about getting stranded on the Mountain with no lift..., but you forget it's Japan and they're confidently pretty damn reliable.

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