After that TC episode I'm planning a Japan trip.... what do I need to know?

Caspaaa

Caspaaa

Active member
I'm planning to head to Japan next march, I think it's one of the things that is on every skiers bucket list and I cannot wait.

So far all I have planned is to fly into New Chitose and then drive to Niseko where I'll be skiing for about a week and a half.

I'm looking for any advice....

what to bring?

what to do?

what not to do?

should i bring skis or rent?

recommendations of places to stay?

approximations of the cost for airfare?

anything crucial i should know in order to enjoy the experience?

thanks guys!
 
There was a huge detailed article about a trip to Japan in Transworld snowboarding maybe two years back?

I would recommend you searching for that…i mean its in a snowboarding mag, but they had places to go, stay, where to find the stashes, etc
 
Evos doing a japan trip, or that mgiht have already happened, anways it looked liek a pretty sweet trip. you shoud check that oit
 
Couple of things - if possible, I'd suggest coming earlier than March. You'll probably still get some pow, but it won't be as consistent or as cold as you get from Jan to mid Feb. Just to illustrate this, I was skiing deep pow yesterday, but today the temperature has gone above freezing, and we're looking at rain later in the week.

Also, you say you'll be driving, so I assume you plan to rent a car. Good call. (Get yourself an International Drivers Permit, it's the legal requirement) Niseko is a good base, but if you have a car, you owe it to yourself to hit some other ski areas too. Nisayyyyko is no doubt the easiest place to ski in Hokkaido for overseas visitors, but consequently, it's by far the busiest. Unless you hire a guide, or know your way around, you'll be competing for fresh tracks. There are dozens of other ski areas, often with more snow, but with far fewer skiers.

You can rent a wide range of pow skis, but its quite expensive. I guess it depends on your airline and what they'll charge for ski carriage. Cost of flights - use skyscanner.com or similar.

Accomodation depends on your budget. By far the widest choice is in Hirafu, part of Niseko. Everything from cheap backpacker dorms to high end condos. Staying at Black Diamond Lodge isn't compulsory.

Tons of other tips. There are all kinds of resources and accounts of Japan trips all over the internet that you can look through.

If you have any specific questions, give me a shout. I live in Hokkaido so hopefully will have answers.
 
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