So when did you start getting into winter sports? Was it a yearly vacation your family always did? Or did you see some crazy big mountain snowboarding video? Did you get into skiing in college as an elective?
Lets hear your story!
For me- As a child I really wanted this video game called 1080 Snowboarding for Nintendo 64. I couldn't get my parents to get it for me, but it was on display as a demo at the local toys r us. I would walk there every day after school before my parents got home and play the game. I loved imagining me doing the tricks and big mountain jumps. Took me over a month but I eventually beat the game on my own save file. I went back one afternoon and it was replaced by some other game. Unfortunately, the controller didn't allow you to put a memory pak in it and get the save file, so I never wanted to play it over again after that.
The first opportunity I had to actually snowboard was about a year after that with my dad. We went to a resort in the Appalachian mountains where I eventually went to college. I had a lot of fun but was terrible and got really frustrated with the learning curve. The desire to snowboard stuck with me from childhood so when I moved there for college I signed up for classes and got the seasonal night pass several years in a row, enjoying nightly sessions several times a week.
Now that I live in Japan I have an even greater opportunity to hone my skills and continue this passion.
Im new to the forum, but have been reading for a while.
Im heading to Niseko at the end of Feb and staying in the Hirafu area.
Cant wait. Been very busy buying all our gear for snowboarding, as we have always had a massive interest in it.
Got some great gera and just can't wait to get out there and use it now.
What are some things i should look at doing while I'm there?
We are staying for about 12 days. So we have a fair bit of time.
Ive heard that there are not a lot of ATM and places where i can get money out. Or use a card also.
Just wondering how true this is. I just need to know how much money to take with me thats all.
Planning an outing for the kid and me during the school break in late March.
Been looking at package tours, with an eye to where the snow has been falling so far this year, and am leaning towards Niseko, with secondary feelers out for Rusutsu. Thing is, I would like a town (restaurant options), but within walking distance to the slopes (so that I can get gnarly while the kid is resting up), which makes Niseko look the better option.
One concern is the language barrier -- I don't speak Australian, and neither does the kid. Perhaps not an issue at that time of year?
Other possibilities, casting a wider net, would be Tomamu (more expensive), Sapporo (Teine, etc. -- mendoukusai?), Appi Kogen (could drive there), Kagura (been there done that), or something in Nagano... Ryuo, Shiga Kogen, Nozawa Onsen, Hakuba... places I have heard of only in legend.
Anyway, I'm flexible, but leaning towards Niseko, given the snowfall reports so far this year. Any good reason to consider elsewhere?
Hi all, didn't see a sub for introductions, so figured i'd post here. (Mods please delete/move this thread if i'm in the wrong section)
Figured I'd introduce myself before I started posting. I'm an English teacher based in Kyoto city. Coming from ZA I'd never had the opportunity to spend time in snow of any kind. Tried snowboarding last year (a measly 4x) and was instantly hooked. Never could skateboard or wakeboard, but something just clicked with snowboarding.
Looking to get at least triple the amount of days this season. Still a super noob tho and trying to improve! This weekend i'm off to Ryuoo, pretty stoked for that. It'll be my first ナイタ！ Decided to get my own board this season, so i'm currently riding a Ride (lol) Machete 158.
Looking forward to learning lots from everybody over here! Mods, if you'd like 2014 reviews for Nagareha, X-Jam and Tsugaike Kogen, let me know, i'll give it my best shot. Cheers!
The time has finally arrived looks like snow when we land and a decent dump the 1st day
This is me so if you are around say hi obviously I will have gloves and boots on as well
I will be their for 3 weeks mainly by myself so keen for a laugh / ride with anyone.
Brand new 160 Libtech Birdman and 159 Smokin Pinner waxed and scraped
They are a similar size
Brand new Flux DS30's and Burton Cartels to go with them
some different clothes (new and used) see above staying at the Resort
Stay tuned for epic vids and photos
My first day of skiing at Hirafu. Overnight we had about 10-15 centimeters.
The snow was pretty dry but hard and icy underneath. I just cruised, taking it easy and getting my legs in.
My buddies and I are currently in Hakkoda. the conditions are good here, with lots of snow. But the primary goal of this trip is to go up North and ride a couple resorts in Hokkaido. It looks like Kurodake is the place to go for steep sidecountry lines. But I looked at the Kurodake web site, and it seems to say that the ropeway there is closed for maintenence. I don't know if Google is translating the page properly, and I can't read Kanji, so I'm not completely sure. Can someone please have a look and confirm for me?
It's been a long time between postings for me, but I hope I can ask your collective advice!
I'm hoping to head back up to Japan early March for 10 to 14 days of skiing, and wondering what my best options might be: I'm currently thinking of going to Furano (I've never been before), as it seems fairly affordable and has a good reputation for snow, but how is it, typically, in March?
Last two trips have been to Niseko, which was remarkable for snow in mid-March; before that, I was living in Tokyo and could escape to Yuzawa as conditions looked good.
Finally getting around to putting a seasonal trip report out for me and Kamafuseyama. I'll putting up daily reports (as I go) and visits to the surrounding area. Lets get things started with a freshly minted review!
The most northern ski slope in Honshu, Mount Kamafuse is a minimalistic ski resort that doesn’t warrant a special pilgrimage to visit, but if you are local to the area, it can become an excellent daily escape from the business of life.
View from sea level
Lodge walking up from Parking Lot #2
Kamafuse is considered a family resort for the people of Mutsu but offers little in the ways of accomidation that you’d expect from larger resorts. Despite it’s small size, there are several chatlets for overnight stays and a few restaurants at base level to include a cafeteria in the lodge. Ski rentals are available across from the ticket office.
There are 5 parking lots staircased in the mountain on the road up, but the most I’ve ever seen full was the first two (furthest up) There is also parking available in front of the tennis court that is not in use during the winter.
Across from the second parking lot (again second from the top, and are numbered as such) there is a childrens sledding area. I have not explored this area in great depth because it is seperate from the rest of the mountain and I have no children but every day I go there is a good crowd of mothers and their children with plastic sleds. There is also what seems to be a seperate lodge beside it to rest, eat and use the bathroom.
After a short or long hike up (depending how far down you parked) you’ll find the ticket office on the left side of the road as a separate building from the lodge, but right next to it. A sign is to the right of the ticket office with prices and a map of the mountain.
Hiking up to the ticket office (seen on the left with red roof)
Many options are available, more than I have seen at other resorts. A 1 time ticket,, 2, 4 and 8 hour tickets are all available as well as a season pass of course.
Map of Mountain
The main lodge, called センターハウス (Center House) by the vinyls on the window faces the mountain and surprisingly offers everything except a water fountain. There is seating for 120 people as well as vending machines, lockers, bathrooms, changing rooms, and a fire place, which I have yet to see in use. The cafeteria is currently not in use this season according to a sign, but a frozen food vending machine was set in place in lieu of, offering gyoza, rice and a few other decently filling foods for about 300Y. Once making a choice, it spits it into the microwave and heats it up for you. Itadakimasu!
View from inside the lodge
In front of the lodge proper are racks for your gear and on a busy day they will be completely full and you may have to stick them in the snow along the fence.
Gear Rack
Once you’re ready to head up, the first lift (Technically the second lift according to the map) is about 20m from the equipment racks and sports a nifty automatic gate and conveyor that is slightly awkward to get used to.
Bottom Lift (Not the yellow restaurant in the background)
When you’re cleared to enter, the arms open and you slide down and onto the treadmill. It’ll run you forward until the next lift scoops you up.
The lift takes about 7 minutes to reach the top and offers a good preview of the first slopes layout
Video of first lift ride
On the far right, a snow park can be seen, although it leaves much to be desired. Sporting two box rails and two kickers, it manages to give those park rats a taste without traveling too far from home.
First Box Rail
Back of first box
Approaching Jump
Back of first jump
On the left closest to the lifts you’ll catch the chatlets and the old decomissioned ski jump. Would that it was still in use! A 40m ramp and huge landing pad, but it has vines and rust growing all over it and a big do not enter sign on it.
At the top of the first lift (Second) the, second lift (first) is a short 20m away and will take you to the top of the mountain. While the bottom lift, is a two seater, the top lift is a precarious one seat lift. If you brave the climb, its another 7 minutes until exit. If you have a long snowboard, be sure to pay attention to the lift posts as my 166cm came precariously close to hitting one.
View from first lift
Right side course (Groomed)
Left Side Course (Powder)
Second/Top Lift
As you go up, you’ll have a great view of the other two courses. The one to the left and closes to the lift remains ungroomed for the length of the season due to the natural contours of the mountain. This side I tend to call the powder side due to the great accumulation it gets. If you go down to far, you’ll miss the cut through to hit the lift again, but I have seen some skiers shoot to the bottom and trek back up. If you’re a snowboarder, I wouldn't risk it., and just be sure to dart over when you need to.
Video of Second Lift Ride
The right side course remains groomed and I would consider it the most difficult course based on the angle of the slope. You can stick to the side near the trees (going down the slope on the left) or dip into the bowl which is not groomed. Both come together at the bottom where you can hop back on the top lift or ride the rest of the way down the mountain.
At the exit of the top lift, there is no ramp, only a flat platform, so you need to be sure to get out of the way before the seat takes you out. There is plenty of room for a few people to strap in, then go down the shoot that puts you on the slope. The chute has little room for error, so you need to be careful or you’ll fall off the slope and it’s a pain to get yourself back over.
Strapping in at the Top Lift Exit
The best part of the entire resort in my opinion is the amazing view of Mutsu Bay. Because of the location (this is a southern facing slope) you get a beautiful scene of the bay and the "axe handle" of Shimokita. On a good clear day you can make out the wind turbines of Mutsu Yokohama as well as Cape Shiriyazaki. Tsugaru Strait is barely visible and I think I can see the shadow of Hokkaido as well. More often than not you'll be looking at the bay or will have it in your eyeline on the ride down. While not the same as a big mountain range, it's very relaxing and unique to the area
View from the top-Mutsu City on the Left
View from the top- Ominato Self Defense Harbor
The beginner slope, or main slope is very wide and there are many contours and ways down and even on a busy day it’s incredibly spacious, short of at the top where people mingle.
I've been visiting Kamafuse since opening week and although the weather across Japan hasn’t been great this winter, the base cover has been good and enjoy spending a few hours every other day here.
If you ever find yourself this far north in mainland Japan (highly unlikely!) and visit Shimokita Penninsula in the winter, then Kamafuse is a great (and the only!) snow resort to enjoy.
Saw 'Warren Miller's Dynasty' the other month. Not bad, but never been a fan of Miller's doco style. The early movies with loads of fluro 1-pieces are classic though!
Hi all, didn't see a sub for introductions, so figured i'd post here. (Mods please delete/move this thread if i'm in the wrong section)
Figured I'd introduce myself before I started posting. I'm an English teacher based in Kyoto city. Coming from ZA I'd never had the opportunity to spend time in snow of any kind. Tried snowboarding last year (a measly 4x) and was instantly hooked. Never could skateboard or wakeboard, but something just clicked with snowboarding.
Looking to get at least triple the amount of days this season. Still a super noob tho and trying to improve! This weekend i'm off to Ryuoo, pretty stoked for that. It'll be my first ナイタ！ Decided to get my own board this season, so i'm currently riding a Ride (lol) Machete 158.
Looking forward to learning lots from everybody over here! Mods, if you'd like 2014 reviews for Nagareha, X-Jam and Tsugaike Kogen, let me know, i'll give it my best shot. Cheers!
I just got back from my first trip to Hokkaido. We stayed in Annupuri, and mainly boarded Niseko United, but did a couple of day trips to other close by resorts.
First of all, thanks all to who helped me plan this trip, I sought much advice from this forum. My trip awesome! My initial worry was that with the crowds at Niseko, I wouldn't be able to get many freshies. However, with fresh snow overnight 6 of the 8 days, and with my annoying persistance of getting first lifts every day, we got tonnes of fresh lines :-) Not to mention our day trips to other ski hills.
So, I'm (already) thinking about next year. I loved Annupuri, as it was less crowded than Hirafu on the slopes, and only a short cab ride to another awesome hill (not telling which one ;-), so we are likely to do the same thing again.
But, I am considering another option. Does anyone have experience of renting a small house/cottage out of town, and also renting a car/van for 4-6 people? Somewhere like Kutchan, or even in the countryside. If we have a car, I am happy to drive 20 mins to the slopes every day, and we don't need to be close to bars or anything.
My reasons for thinking of this are flexibility of going to Niseko, Moiwa, Rusutsu or Kiroro. I can gauge the wind and snowfall in the morning, and head to the most appropriate location. Outside of Hirafu, I couldn't find anywhere where this was possible without having a vehicle, and I didn't really like Hirafu. I also thought it might be cheaper to rent a house outside of the ski resorts (probably work out about the same with car rental though).
I have been looking on line without much luck. Can anyone recommend a site where we can find budget/mid-range cottages outside of the main ski hills for ~10 days?
Have we got any favourites, relatives, people we once bumped on the slopes that we should be rooting for?
Not sure of too many people in Australian team
Hope Chumpy can bring home the Gold and Of course Torah if she goes in Snowboarding
