[Need advice on how to fall down]

You are pushing it to ride above your ability. If you are in control you will not fall as much, if at all. Wrist guards can cause their own problem - use a clenched fist (not open hand)instead.

Personally what works for me is either; sort of collapse down to lower your centre of gravity as you fall; or prone out to spread the impact over the full length of your body (protecting the face). The judo breakfall would take the impact on a much smaller area like the arm or shoulder area - not good if its hardpacked. If you tear the AC joint in the shoulder it will be a problem for life (I did).

Keep the lessons up & don't fall down hill.

[Getting older but still love ski]

59 and still snowboarding (since 1991 when I stopped skiing).

[Stolen Stuff at Japanese Resorts]

Hopefully insurance covers some of the loss.

I lockup everywhere, sometimes even on the train when needed (but more Europe than Japan).

One week to go for me then off to Myoko & Shiga - is it snowing this week.

[$300 to bring boards home]

I had one person who had trouble fitting in the aisle - coped some bad karma there.

[How long have you been skiing or snowboarding?]

snowboarding - 17 years

we were in the minority then.

[$300 to bring boards home]

QANTAS - happened to us at Narita too in 2007.

30,000JPY (2x 3kg allowance)was about $50 kg then.

JAL - also got the additional luggage allowance on JAL in 2008 - TA had no problem in arranging this (32kg each).

Tip for 2009 - luggage weighs in about 6kg per empty bag, only take one bag between two at the most - pack as much in the wheelie board bags as needed to keep total weight in limit.

Otherwise travel light and just take the wheelie bag.