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FYI, as we approach the end of September, we are not yet in an El Nino and it remains uncertain whether there will be one this year. I've read odds of 2:1 in favor. For those interested in the technical details: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf I've booked Furano for 9-13 Dec. and am praying for heavy early snow.

FYI, as we approach the end of September, we are not yet in an El Nino and it remains uncertain whether there will be one this year. I've read odds of 2:1 in favor.

I'm from the US and many US ski rental shops offer current season high-end skis with the opportunity to try out many models. You can exchange the rented skis for different models as often as you like. This is great for evaluating what model of ski to buy. Is there anything similar in Japan, preferably near Kanto? If not, then do you know of rental shops that offer at least current season high-end skis? Thanks!

Hi, I want to upgrade to new ski gear but have a couple of problems. First, my feet are narrow in the back and wide in the front. Do you know any place in Japan that does injection of warm liquid into the liners for custom fitting? Second, I want to buy new skis but would prefer to try before I buy. Do you know any rental shops in Japan that offer a variety of performance skis and allow you to swap onto several models over a few days? Last time I skied in the US I really enjoyed the K2 Apache Crossfire among several skis I tried with a demo rental package, so I'd like to try tha