Skiing in Japan

[CronesWar]

Hi guys,

I am thinking of going for skiing in Japan - Near kyoto / osaka. any places to recommend in Jan?

Also, what sort of clothing to bring for skiing? Are most of the items rentable on that day?

 

[deodorant]

Nagano area lo.

Can rent skiis and poles and snowboards.

Clothes bring your own.

 

[angcsbenny]

Can consider niigata. Unless u have ski wear it is best to rent. Normal winter clothes will not cut it.

Sent from OPPO X9076 using GAGT

 

[weathersohot]

have anyone been to nagoya before? where did you stay? any recommendations / suggestions for nagoya?

Nagano area lo.

Can rent skiis and poles and snowboards.

Clothes bring your own.

via what transportation is best to go nagano from tokyo?

 

[buzzmario]

i went to nozawaosen skii resort, within 4 hours from tokyo. that happen in last dec. now maybe might be faster as the might be new train lin direct from tokyo to nozawa. you google it.

 

[NoobMi]

i planning to go mt rokko for skiing...
anyone have any experience there before?

 

[Faiden]

Nagano area lo.

Can rent skiis and poles and snowboards.

Clothes bring your own.

Same , i am going there this christmas like always, you going too ?

i have my own set of equipments including clothes boots park at the nagano, its US$500 per year of storage fee.

Travel light

how do i attach pictures ? can share some of my snowboard pictures i took last christmas in nagano

 

[deodorant]

i went to nozawaosen skii resort, within 4 hours from tokyo. that happen in last dec. now maybe might be faster as the might be new train lin direct from tokyo to nozawa. you google it.

Same , i am going there this christmas like always, you going too ?

Do you guys have any blog, flickr etc where you shared your itinerary, photos, etc? I haven't gone Nagano before, considering going next year Feb ... but need to see how good/bad is December bonus first hahaha.

 

[arhjaye]

Do you guys have any blog, flickr etc where you shared your itinerary, photos, etc? I haven't gone Nagano before, considering going next year Feb ... but need to see how good/bad is December bonus first hahaha.

Been to Nozawa onsen too! Really a nice place and not too far from Tokyo also

 

[Ahduduha]

Who going on feb 2016? We can meet up.. But I ski noob.

 

[deodorant]

Just to share for whoever comes across this. I did two weeks (well, technically 2x 5 days) over Christmas and CNY in Shiga Kogen. I think Shiga is amazing for intermediates and kids. There’s lots of areas beside the groomed runs that you can zip in and out of the trees and feel like a hero. Also most importantly the pricing is still reasonable and not crazy expensive like Niseko.

My hotels were Prince East and Okushiga Kogen - around s$600-700/night half board for 2a1c. Prince is slightly more centrally located but only has 1 restaurant so the dinner gets a bit boring after a couple of days (but it's a semi buffet). Okushiga Kogen has 4 different restaurants/cuisine (japanese, french, raclette, and teppanyaki) but the portions are a little on the small side.

Ski school: I paid ¥34k for morning session private lessons for my kid. This might sound expensive but in Niseko it is more like ¥60k-¥70k for half day, double the price.

Cons of shiga kogen is that there is almost absolutely nothing to do outside of skiing, there is no real “ski village” like nozawa, zao, or myoko, there is nowhere to walk around to explore, etc. So ski days are literally only breakfast, ski, lunch, ski, take a bath, dinner, sleep.

My kid:


Me:

 

[angcsbenny]

Just to share for whoever comes across this. I did two weeks (well, technically 2x 5 days) over Christmas and CNY in Shiga Kogen. I think Shiga is amazing for intermediates and kids. There’s lots of areas beside the groomed runs that you can zip in and out of the trees and feel like a hero. Also most importantly the pricing is still reasonable and not crazy expensive like Niseko.

My hotels were Prince East and Okushiga Kogen - around s$600-700/night half board for 2a1c. Prince is slightly more centrally located but only has 1 restaurant so the dinner gets a bit boring after a couple of days (but it's a semi buffet). Okushiga Kogen has 4 different restaurants/cuisine (japanese, french, raclette, and teppanyaki) but the portions are a little on the small side.

Ski school: I paid ¥34k for morning session private lessons for my kid. This might sound expensive but in Niseko it is more like ¥60k-¥70k for half day, double the price.

Cons of shiga kogen is that there is almost absolutely nothing to do outside of skiing, there is no real “ski village” like nozawa, zao, or myoko, there is nowhere to walk around to explore, etc. So ski days are literally only breakfast, ski, lunch, ski, take a bath, dinner, sleep.

My kid:


Me:

I was wondering if you bringing your kid to ski this year. Look likes entering primary school makes it tough for the schedule.

 

[saffronsatire]

@deodorant Could i tap your brain please? Planning to do private ski lessons too, though for adults next year.

Could i check if you prioritized ski in ski out resorts when you were shortlisting the ski resorts?

And which other places you considered? I'm looking at Yuzawa which is easily accessible from Tokyo but not sure if it's beginner friendly and Appi Kogen, apparently good for beginners but it's far up north and requires taking a bus too like Shiga Kogen, which my friends don't prefer. They were to club med in Hokkaido previously but find it too much of a hassle with the extra flights.

 

[deodorant]

I was wondering if you bringing your kid to ski this year. Look likes entering primary school makes it tough for the schedule.

This season I skipped 3 days of school during CNY and got called up and scolded by form teacher LOL.

Next season a bit headache, if don’t want to skip school, can only ski end December (snow cover is risky and because JPs also ski over Christmas, the slopes are super crowded), or March which is spring skiing with high risk of rain lol.

@deodorant Could i tap your brain please? Planning to do private ski lessons too, though for adults next year.

Could i check if you prioritized ski in ski out resorts when you were shortlisting the ski resorts?

And which other places you considered? I'm looking at Yuzawa which is easily accessible from Tokyo but not sure if it's beginner friendly and Appi Kogen, apparently good for beginners but it's far up north and requires taking a bus too like Shiga Kogen, which my friends don't prefer. They were to club med in Hokkaido previously but find it too much of a hassle with the extra flights.

My personal view is that ski in ski out is essential with really young kids (6 and below?).

For adults it’s a very nice to have, but not so essential, especially at places like Nozawa Onsen and Myoko where the ski rental shops next to the slopes lets you store skis there so the walk to the ryokan/apartment/etc is in normal snow boots so no big deal.

Unfortunately I haven’t been to Yuzawa so I can’t comment, but any of the other Nagano / Niigata resorts should be fine for beginners.
- Shiga has huge amount of terrain that’s really beginner friendly,
- Nozawa probably has the best ski town/village feel in all of Japan.
- Zao has a terrific run from the top of the gondola that goes through the snow monsters
- Myoko/Akakura has very nice beginner terrain but the town itself to me is a bit run down and boring.

Honestly all the good snow resorts are in the mountains so really have no choice but to do some travelling. shiga is ~1hr train followed by ~1.5hr bus, you leave at 9am from Tokyo you can be in the ski resort by lunchtime

 

[oceanicmanta]

@deodorant Could i tap your brain please? Planning to do private ski lessons too, though for adults next year.

Could i check if you prioritized ski in ski out resorts when you were shortlisting the ski resorts?

And which other places you considered? I'm looking at Yuzawa which is easily accessible from Tokyo but not sure if it's beginner friendly and Appi Kogen, apparently good for beginners but it's far up north and requires taking a bus too like Shiga Kogen, which my friends don't prefer. They were to club med in Hokkaido previously but find it too much of a hassle with the extra flights.

i just did private ski lessons ( with Taiwanese coach) in Hokkaido last month

CX has flights to Hokkaido, stopover at HK

we stayed at Otaru, and ski at Kokusai ( 30mins self drive) .. it is pretty good for beginners. Snow quality was amazing. One Green slope is 3.5km long

Otaru is a good base, can easily go to Kiroro for intermediate skiers

or stay in Sapporo and ski at Teine which is also beginner friendly, within 45mins drive

mostski resorts have buses ( payable ) that ply some hotels in Sapporo

rented ski equipment from Good Sports in Sapporo .. they help with boot fitting at their. They can also send equipment to selected hotels and ski resorts in Sapporo area

i am surprised how easily accessible the ski slopes are in and around Sapporo area ... plenty of accommodations

 

[angcsbenny]

This season I skipped 3 days of school during CNY and got called up and scolded by form teacher LOL.

Next season a bit headache, if don’t want to skip school, can only ski end December (snow cover is risky and because JPs also ski over Christmas, the slopes are super crowded), or March which is spring skiing with high risk of rain lol.


My personal view is that ski in ski out is essential with really young kids (6 and below?).

For adults it’s a very nice to have, but not so essential, especially at places like Nozawa Onsen and Myoko where the ski rental shops next to the slopes lets you store skis there so the walk to the ryokan/apartment/etc is in normal snow boots so no big deal.

Unfortunately I haven’t been to Yuzawa so I can’t comment, but any of the other Nagano / Niigata resorts should be fine for beginners.
- Shiga has huge amount of terrain that’s really beginner friendly,
- Nozawa probably has the best ski town/village feel in all of Japan.
- Zao has a terrific run from the top of the gondola that goes through the snow monsters
- Myoko/Akakura has very nice beginner terrain but the town itself to me is a bit run down and boring.

Honestly all the good snow resorts are in the mountains so really have no choice but to do some travelling. shiga is ~1hr train followed by ~1.5hr bus, you leave at 9am from Tokyo you can be in the ski resort by lunchtime

Can consider tomamu it you dun mind. I went there last year and this year. My ski plans for today was ruined due to impending snowstorm. My scheduled train at 4pm got cancelled and I had to take a 952am train instead. Wanted to cry looking at all the powder snow in front of me

 

[deodorant]

Can consider tomamu it you dun mind. I went there last year and this year. My ski plans for today was ruined due to impending snowstorm. My scheduled train at 4pm got cancelled and I had to take a 952am train instead. Wanted to cry looking at all the powder snow in front of me

Yalor for people like us who have to book trips & flights & leave in advance, it really is super heng suay.

Heng then got powder and not too cold. Suay then either got storm and lifts closed, or hot day and rain and slushy snow.

I'm going again to Niseko in mid-March for school hols but the forecast seems to be hot hot hot and no snow at all. Sad.

 

[claudiusje]

Yalor for people like us who have to book trips & flights & leave in advance, it really is super heng suay.

Heng then got powder and not too cold. Suay then either got storm and lifts closed, or hot day and rain and slushy snow.

I'm going again to Niseko in mid-March for school hols but the forecast seems to be hot hot hot and no snow at all. Sad.

Which resort you heading to? I'm gg hirafu in 2 days. Booked abit last min after seeing early March usually still gd enough but this season not so gd. Abit regret lol.

Quite alot of mixed reviews but consensus seems to be groomed runs is fine for morning

 

[angcsbenny]

Yalor for people like us who have to book trips & flights & leave in advance, it really is super heng suay.

Heng then got powder and not too cold. Suay then either got storm and lifts closed, or hot day and rain and slushy snow.

I'm going again to Niseko in mid-March for school hols but the forecast seems to be hot hot hot and no snow at all. Sad.

Wow you are still going for march holidays. Good luck with the weather I think it is only accurate within one or two days.

Last week it was supposed to be snowstorm of 20+cm on Saturday at Tomamu, but eventually it only became a couple of cm and came on Wednesday instead.

This year snow really much lesser than last year and warmer. I prefer to come towards end of season due to lower prices and sufficient snow rather than December.

I still remember going during snow festival period to niseko and there not a snowflake fell for the five days I was there!

 

[deodorant]

Which resort you heading to? I'm gg hirafu in 2 days. Booked abit last min after seeing early March usually still gd enough but this season not so gd. Abit regret lol.

Quite alot of mixed reviews but consensus seems to be groomed runs is fine for morning

Same, going Hirafu. 2 days time looks good leh, the forecast is snow for the weekend all the way til tuesday. https://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Niseko/6day/mid