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Thanks for the feedback guys - looks like alts have really scaled back operations this year, i am not sure why they are placing more of their features on the Nekoma side.. Nango looks decent and might be worth a trip! I agree with everyone, I am not sure why you would waste your time in the park on a powder day!!

I'm planning a trip for a few friends coming over in March, and I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for some good resorts with a good terrain park set up. I spent some time at Alts a while ago and remember that was probably the best park I have been to in JP, but just wondering if that is still the case. If anyone knows how Alts' park has started out this season or know of any other good resorts to check out please let me know Cheers!

Here is video I put together for the 08-09 season

Here is a video from last season, mainly filmed in Naeba/Asagai, but also videos from a trip up to Alts.

Hi, I have seen them run camps at Naeba/Asagai which run for around a week.. there was also a snowboard school which runs for 2 years.. the company running that was 'Human'

wow awesome! what time did you take the pics from under the gondola?? last year after about 10 - 10:30am that would be all tracked out!! seems like the croweds are completely gone?

Korea on the other hand are very strict about wearing helmets, can't go into park/pipe without a helmet and also signing waiver forms

Yeah Alts has a pretty good park! went there last year for a few days.. I spent last season at Naeba/Asagai and the park at the Asagai area was pretty good, the Naeba area park was also decent.. But I've heard Asagai is skiiers only this year??? Is the park still there or is it just a single gentle slope? Not sure if they've moved all the features from Asagai to the Naeba/Kagura area.. but you can get here in 1.5 hrs from Tokyo

Never been to the party (been to other snowdeck parties though), but I am spending the season in Naeba so I may see you there!

Doh - are there usually any sales on just before/on christmas?

I think you can catch the shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa station and from there it is about a 40-50min bus to Naeba.. I think there will be resorts which are much closer to Echigo-Yuzawa station though.. I'll find out about the night life in Naeba in about a month

Don't count on it exchange some money now to hedge your bets.. if you are lucky there will be a bounce for about a day or two in the next few days.. but after that is is all down hill.. and when the US announces it is in recession and a few other things happen.. well then game over and you will be wishing you exchanged now

I rushed to the Naeba cams this morning.. only to see a dusting of snow higher up on the slopes.. doh!

Last March/April I was in Hakuba for a few days boarding, I bumped into a fellow aussie who had arrived a few weeks before and had managed to score a job working at a restaurant called 'Tex Mex' near Happo One.. he was paid, given free accom and also got to use the bosses lift pass between shifts, he mentioned that he just asked around and got a job within a few days. He did have a working holiday visa so he was all sorted on the paper work side of things, I am not sure how easy it is without the visa.. Hope that info helps you out. I am going to try and find a part time night work i

I plan on spending around 3 months in JP.. the exchange rates are well.. shocking and I expect them to only get worse.. So about a month ago I started to exchange chunks of money to hedge my bets.. if the exchange rate picks up again, then great, but if not.. then I will be affected but not in such a sevre way.. and now I also plan on trying to get some sort of part time job in a bar/resturant/english tutoring.. every little bit helps!

Wooohoooo!!!!!!! less than 2 months to go!!!! I thought the temp's needed to be much much cooler before they could make snow.. from memory the temps at that level are about 10degrees during the day?!

Hi All Just wondering if anyone knew of some good boots to try on considering I have a high instep?? I haven't cared about my booth to much because I don't do enough consecutive days to really feel the pain.. but now I am headed to JP for just over 2 months I have decided to get some decent boots and on another note... hooray for some snow in Naeba!!!

Hi All, I'll be spending just over 2 months at the snow in Japan.. I was curious as to what sorta shoes would be good for day to day use? I am assuming my con's won't hold up to well in the snow...

I have spent just over a week in Furano, I loved it.. stayed a few minutes away from the kitanomi zone (I think that was it).. about a 15 minute walk into town.. a few nice bars there.. there is an aussie bar there if thats your thing.. But there are also plenty of nice little izakaya's around as well. From memory we couldn't really find a park thre so if that is something you need I don't think Furano has it.

Well I guess, I just wanted a large resort which offered a lot of different runs to help prevent my self from getting bored since I will be there for about 2 or so months.. and I guess not being as popular with the foreigners puts a little more presure on me to improve my Japanese (I know it wont make THAT much of a difference how many foreigners are around really...) Do you have any other suggestions? I've been to Furano and Hakuba and I was up for trying something different

thanks for the replies!! I've done a fair bit of research with a japanese friend and it looks like Naeba is going to be my main pick.. Does anyone know how the japanese are with offering cash in hand part time jobs to gaijin? I want to spend most of my time on the snow and not working, but I would also like to work to meet some people.. I am just not sure how by the books they are in regards to things like that..

Thanks for that.. I was planning more at basing my self at somewhere like Myoko and and renting a place there.. or at another resort.. I don't want to travel to and from tokyo much

Hi there.. Just wondering if anyone had any idea's if the resorts around the Myoko area do a season pass.. and If so how much (roughly) would it be? I've been searching for a while and I can't find a thing about season passes! Same goes for Shiga-Kogen... Just doing some research about where to base my self for ~2months in JP cheers!!

Hi All, I was wondering if anyone had a few ides about the availability of medium term accommodation at ski fields in JP? something along the lines of 2 months? Right now it does not really matter which area (preferably one with not many foreigners so I can improve my Japanese)... So I guess my questions are - Is medium term accommodation available? and is it easy to find? - How much would it cost for something basic (2 months) - How would I go about booking something like this? (Do I get my friends in Japan to organise this?) many thanks Mark.

Sorry if this has been posted before But we are trying to decide between heading to Niseko or Furano for a week of boarding.. What are the pro's and con's of each and which would would be better to go to.. thanks in advance! mark