Gunma Boarder

+1 for beer vending machines. One served me quite well during this last mammoth of a snow storm

Yes it is. Had a feeling you might get that one Black Mountain. Might not make it this year but really want to go!

Not Kawaba

Not Naeba. Bringing it over.

All right how about this one.

Fuji Rock is much better than where I live! We get some wind but it's not cool. The only cool breezes I have found besides on the coast are in river valleys where the temperatures are lowered by the cold water. I think I started this whole debate by mentioning how maybe seemore should visit in fall some year. I also said summer isn't so bad but obviously many of you think it is. I admit I would recommend anything but summer to someone visiting unless they wanted to spend their whole trip in the mountains, near a clean(ish) ocean swimming area or in Hokkaido. I think depending on the person

If you want a hotel room I recommend booking now! Fuji Rock turns Naeba into a city.

Does look interesting. If you go, tell us about it

Fuji Rock and Mt. Granview Is Nukabira Gensenkyo your local skijo?

Nukabira Gensenkyo

I'm calling this on myself. Let's get back to what we love about winter

I had a feeling we might get jumped on for saying Summer is OK on this website. I did say that it was my least favorite season in Japan. I'm OK with summer when I'm swimming, in a cool valley in the mountains or hiking high in the mountains. I am not OK with summer when I am sweating at least twice as much as a room full of sweaty stundents trying to make myself care about teaching English so they might care about learning it while my mind just keeps telling me to run for the cool mountain swimming holes to stop my body from leaking salt water just for a second. For now I'll say it again T

Not true.....I loved summer in Kanagawa and I'm of (reasonably) sound mind Being near a river or the ocean can really take the edge off summer. If I can stay cool summer is great!

To get back on topic. I love snow covered old style Japanese houses like in Shirakawago and the crystal blue skies on a clear winter day

That is true. If I didn't have to work I could maybe love summer, but being stuck in a sweaty classroom kind of ruins the fun. Minakami is pretty awesome in summer though. Canyoning is one crazy sport if you haven't seen it, check it out. I also go swimming on the regular in the Tone River and even do some white water bogey boarding from time to time. Getting high up in the mountains can also be a nice break from the heat. Being stuck in the muggy valley is what gets you..... I will say summer is my least favorite Japanese season but it has it's good points. For now TGIW (Thank God it's Winter

A good list, though only 1 and 3 are exclusively winter things. You should try fall one of these years the colors are beautiful! Summer and Spring aren't so bad either Of course winter is going to be the favorite on this site

Thank you for the magic Pete! I was getting discouraged. I had already had it erased by the computer I was writing it on and then rewritten it a couple days later only to have it turn into code! Thanks for bringing it back. I was about to give up.

I've been in the valley looker's right. It does come back to the runs. I don't actually know about the regulations. I rode that valley some years back and haven't went back. Last time I went to Naeba the drop into that valley was looking amazing but the bottom had some serious holes that discouraged me. Looker's left seems more dangerous to me, but I don't have any BC training. Kagura is safer and more used for BC. I have seen someone cause and get trapped (but eventually freed by his friend) in an avalanche at Kagura though the spot they were riding was one of the most obviously dangerous.

The BC lines make the waiting worth it at Tenjin. Also the views (see anything muikabochi has put on this website with Tenjindaira in the title ) You can also make it without too much difficulty from Naeba. You might also look at Minakami as a stationing point. Nice little town with everything you could need. Only problem is no ski in ski out that is also in the town. Would need to bus/train to the resorts or into town. I think a lot of the skijos have free shuttles though. I would say Tenjin has better BC lines than Kagura. Also Houdaigi has some nice tree runs. I would say those are the mai

Thank you! What did I do?

If anyone wants to see even more photos, here is the link for the gallary. Though I already posted kind of a lot http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/gallery/album/381-climbing-mt-hotaka-from-kawaba-skijo/

I had no intention of climbing a mountain when I set off for Kawaba on the beautiful midweek national holiday we had last Tuesday. In my mind I imagined myself maybe snowshoeing up from the top of the quad lift to get a nice fresh line but that was about it. Things changed when I came to the ticket counter to buy my six pack of one lift tickets. The girl at the desk noticed the snowshoes on my back and said “ハイキングするつもりですね。そこに行ってハイキングの申込書を書いてください。　(Your going hiking aren’t you. Please go over there and fill out the form for hiking). Having been to Kawaba countless times with snowshoes and

The Prince hotel is a monstrasity, but it is not the only option around Naeba. I wrote this report earlier this year of Naeba. I loved the place we stayed! The rooms were really big and had bunk beds. It was also pretty affordable. You had to walk across the street to get to the hot spring, but the baths were huge and great! They also had sinks and a stove in the room. It is not ski in ski out but it is also not far from the resort. http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/topic/23626-naeba-01182014/ Naeba is also connected to Kagura by bus and "Dragondola" and one season ticket covers

+1 for what muikabochi said. Except for a very short uphill leading to the resort it is pretty flat. They also keep the roads really well cleared (usually, this last storm overwhelmed everyone). Kawaba keeps the road pretty well cleared but I have been there more than 50 times and I have had a couple close calls. One time a car flipped and I came around a corner barley stopping in front of it. Also almost slide into a sideways car once. If it isn't snowing hard all day Kawaba is fine. If it is, White World might be the safer bet.

This storm has officially given me my first snow day!