Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 The kid is hot to take snowboarding lessons. I'm looking for options to get in a few lessons over the summer/fall in the Kanto/Kita-Kanto area. I know there are some plastic slopes available (like at Marunuma), but suspect an indoor snow park would be a more forgiving environment for a beginner child with two days of boarding experience, and 2-3 years skiing experience. The best-looking option I have found so far from the net is Snova Shin-Yokohama; they seem to offer a wide range of teaching levels (including "how to fall safely"), and also seem to have a relatively large and well-maintained facility. At least as far as I can tell from their homepage anyway. Anyway, has anybody ever been there, and have any impressions? Does anybody have any other suggestions for other places in the Kanto, Kita-Kanto or southern Tohoku area? Thanks in advance. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 Snova in kawasaki is in an indoor snow park. Perhaps they have a few - went there a few years ago. A little expensive for what it is, but perfect for some summer runs. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 I thought the one in Yokohama closed down years ago!! Although I haven't snowboarded on dry slope, I have skied. Although many people bag dry slope, it isn't that bad. I am by and far a better snowboarder than I am a skier, I haven't skied now for 4 years and I'd only done it maybe 5 times within the previous year and 3 of those times were on dry slope. The pics I saw that somebody posted last autumn of the slppe in Marunuma showed that it wasn't the old bristle brush lattice, but the mats that were alomst the same to the type that the Royal Marines train on at their base (when they aren't in the Arctic), where I first strapped on a pair of planks. (I'm not a former Marine). I really enjoyed those days and was able to get my parallel turns down before moving to the snow a few weeks later. I'd imagine that it'd be the same with snowboarding, and the runs would be longer allowing your kid to get more turns in before having to go back up the slope. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 According to this, the kawasaki one - well mizunokuchi - is still open. link a click thingy. Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 Bit expensive, unless you are a chick on a ladies day. But the half pipe looks good for a beginner. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted July 2, 2010 Author Share Posted July 2, 2010 Thanks for the replies. The Shin-Yokohama one seems to be open as well as the Mizunokuchi one. Yes, it is a bit expensive. The main advantage is the lessons they have. Marunuma doesn't seem to have lessons in the summer, for example. I also found there is a plastic slope in Mito, Aspire, which looks cheaper, though not by a lot. They do seem to have some kind of occasional lessons and camps going on, though. May be worth a call to see what the story is. Actually the more I look, the more little places I find here and there... Link to post Share on other sites
nagoid 4 Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 I had a go in one of those places but thought it was expensive and disappointing. I'd rather wait and get stoked up and excited come November. Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Those places cost a FORTUNE here. It's almost easier to fly round the world to find some snow! Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Yes I choose to give them a miss. Metabo, ventured out yet? Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted July 16, 2010 Author Share Posted July 16, 2010 No. Actually, did visit and take a peek inside one indoor place, but it seems that over the summer they lose their artificial snow base on the novice slope area (seems they can't replenish in the summer, only maintain) and only have jumps and rails in usable condition. Not suitable for beginner boarder lessons, unfortunately. Link to post Share on other sites
the skiing onion 0 Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 Where was that Metabo? Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted July 17, 2010 Author Share Posted July 17, 2010 A place in Ibaraki called "Kamui Ryugasaki Snowboard Park." From the Joban, take the Ken-Ou Dou towards Narita, get off at Ami Higashi, and it is a few kilometers down the road from there. Small place, but pretty busy on a Saturday, at least. Took some pictures -- perhaps will post them at some point. Link to post Share on other sites
stemik 14 Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 kids had their first turns in of the summer. Iwatake has a summer skiing lift open. Not great -but the kids had big smiles on their faces! Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 elaborate for us Stem... what is it like? Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted July 23, 2010 Author Share Posted July 23, 2010 A couple of pics of Kamui Ryuugasaki Snowboard Park in Ibaraki, taken last month. This was just a fact-finding mission, didn't actually ski or slide. But it is so hard to tell what the place is really like from its web page, so in case anyone is curious, here are a couple of shots. Outside: Inside: There were a couple of skiers using the place, too, but I don't seem to have caught them on camera. Link to post Share on other sites
pickled mushhead 0 Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 Interesting. Like a big shed then. Like the way they are all in their winter gear Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 yeah not exactly high tech building is it?! That kicker looks like you'd bang your head off the roof when you came off it! Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 It's just so short! Whole run is over within a few seconds... Link to post Share on other sites
best skier in hakuba 5 Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 Like lots of the tiny resorts dotted around Japan hey. That is tiny tiny though hey. Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted July 24, 2010 Share Posted July 24, 2010 Interesting since I've never seen anything like that. . Cheers for the pics. But Strange indeed. Link to post Share on other sites
echineko 1 Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 Very interesting Metabo Oyaji. By the way, are you really a metabo oyaji? Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 Would love to see the running costs of a place like that. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted July 28, 2010 Author Share Posted July 28, 2010 Originally Posted By: SKI Would love to see the running costs of a place like that. Gotta wonder. Doesn't look like they invested in any high-tech insulation. But I guess they get enough people wanting to practice their kickers over the summer to keep it going. Link to post Share on other sites
lin 0 Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Yes. Even so though a 'luxury' like that will surely be one of the things to get cut as people have less to spend. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted July 28, 2010 Author Share Posted July 28, 2010 Originally Posted By: echineko By the way, are you really a metabo oyaji? My doctor said I am "metabo-gimi." I asked for a second opinion, which my kid provided: "パパã§ã¶ï¼" The kid also declared that Papa　is ã¸ãŸã£ã´ãƒ¼ at snowboarding, which is undeniably true, so... I guess the experts have spoken. In that vein, I see that Papaya (of ã¾ã„ã†ï½žï¼ã€€Squad fame) seems to have dropped a few kilos. Guess he's out of a gig, eh? Link to post Share on other sites
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