jakeindallas 0 Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 Hi guys, Me and my 12 year old son are going to ski Japan for the first time. I have read tons of reviews and looked at your pictures. We are intermediate/strong intermediate skiers trying to pick a resort. Since he is in school we can only go during spring break with skiing March 14-17 (middle of the week). I was looking at Niigata or Nagano so I don’t have to get too far from Tokyo since this is such a short trip. I have looked over the average weather data on this website and the snow depths and temps look good, however quite a few reviews as well as daily reports from last March mention warm/rain days with slushy runs. Ideal scenario: Powder, packed powder and groomed runs with little or no moguls. Plan B: If no matter where I go there is a possibility of warm days with slushy snow I would like to find a resort that had enough variety that I could still find non slushy runs somewhere. Plan C: If that is just not possible then maybe a resort with enough cool stuff besides skiing to see for me and my 12 year old boy in the event I encounter a warm stretch of weather. Hakuba 47 sounded good till I read a lot about the moguls. So I am leaning staying in Naeba so I can also access the Kagura area. Surely with that much terrain I will be able to ski most of the time? I would appreciate any suggestions. The only thing I can’t change is the dates. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 Hakuba, Shiga Kogen and Joetsu Kokusai should all fit those places. Hakuba doesn't have a lot of moguls, only one slope I remember which can be avoided. Link to post Share on other sites
jblesener 1 Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 Greetings from a fellow Texan, I like the Yuzawa area as there is a lot of resorts in a pretty small area and it's convenient from Tokyo. Kagura, Centleisure Maiko, and Joetsu Kokusai are all good picks but Kagura has the altitude advantage to keep the snow fresher. There is one or two spots at Kagura where the courses are left ungroomed and moguls are allowed to form, but they're easily avoided. Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 Heaps of resorts in the Hakuba area with a full variety of conditions, was there last year in the 1st week of March and it was getting pretty slushy by the afternoon but I actually prefer to ride in those conditions then ice. Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 Most places have at least one mogul run, but they can always be avoided. You can get rain/slush in March, but at the higher resorts, I'd say you'll most likely get good conditions - packed powder/groomed most likely. If you are unlucky, you could get the rain and slush, but equally you could end up with knee-deep powder. Higher resorts easily accessible from Tokyo include Kagura, Hakuba and Shiga Kogen. I think also Nozawa Onsen is fairly high, and is an interesting place to visit, too. These are the main ones, but there are many others. Obviously, the best conditions will tend to be found higher up. Personally, I love skiing from the very top lift at Kagura in March. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 March is NOT powder season in Japan. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 [it is in Hakuba] Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 For variety of hills, I'd say Shiga Kogen, Hakuba and Myoko Kogen. March is a bit of a mixed bag as far as weather is concerned. For better snow conditions you should look for resorts a little higher up like Kagura. Have fun and enjoy your stay! Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 I will recommend that you go to European Alps in March. Especially you are coming from USA. Why would anyone go to the above mentioned resorts to ski slush is a mistery. Unless you live in Japan, of course, and in that case I would go to Hokkaido if I can afford it. Japan is popular amongst Aussies because it is a day flight, working holiday arragements between the two countries, and because there are Aussies there and some English is spoken. If your interest lie in Japanese culture and would like to mix up some very early spring cherry blossoms down south with some spring snow up north, then it´s a great time to visit. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 In fact, don't listen to any of us, and take a look at the archives for some factual based evidence on the snow conditions around Yuzawa and Hakuba. Yuzawa Yuzawa - March 09 Yuzawa - March 08 Yuzawa - March 07 Hakuba Hakuba - March 2009 Hakuba - March 2008 Hakuba - March 2007 Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Good point Rob. Personally growing up in Japan during my Junior/High school years there, I can´t see the big deal about these resorts. My friends and I would dream of going to the European Alps, Canada, Alaska . And our home ground was Naeba (because a friend owned a condo in VILLA 2) Price hotel was spankin new, just had a World Cup. Never thought there would be a day when N American or European visitors will go to Yuzawa or Hakuba. Hokkaido I can understand. Link to post Share on other sites
jakeindallas 0 Posted December 11, 2010 Author Share Posted December 11, 2010 Thanks for all the suggestions! The original idea was to go to Japan, but have something to do besides wander around Tokyo like a tourist. So skiing seemed like a good idea. We are fortunate enough to have access to great resorts in Colorado to ski so I wanted to try something totally different. If I was going purely for the skiing experience I would of picked Hokkaido in February. So I am not super picky about conditions as long as I am not sitting around in the rain/slush! Rob – I had looked over those data and to me it seems like it is anybody’s guess as to the weather but from what I could find out from reading it seems I have the best chance at Kagura with the altitude and average temps. Always good to get the opinion of those that have firsthand knowledge. Thanks again. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Quote: what I could find out from reading it seems I have the best chance at Kagura with the altitude and average temps. That is correct. I live closeby. You can pretty much always count on Kagura as being the best in the region. You can also believe those those reports as I know who write them and he is one of us. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 The only problem I have with Kagura, being a snowboarder, is that stupid long flat part on the gondola course. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 yeah, it gets a bit narrow there as well so if its busy and you can't maintain your speed, its unclipping for you and walking a little bit Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 Seasonal. Matt will be back with tales of bottoms. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 And then watching the smug skiers fly past, and almost get a pole in the face. I swear the kagura owners are sadistic skiers. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 haha yeah, thats true Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 I have been a bit bored with Kagura for a while now. Has it's good points, but there's a lot of hassle involved. I'm sure I'll get up there this year again maybe I will grow to like it more again. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 Yeah I remember having that last year, didn't really go that much last year....think maybe only twice. I do enjoy trying out new places, but usually early and late season I'll plump for altitude so Kagura gets the nod.....still waiting for THIS eary season mind you! hmmph! Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 Same, going to new places provides me with more excitement than I realised. For me, unless I can get b/c, Kagura has been done now. Enjoyed it, but prefer Maiko over Kagura now. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 Definitely. Only takes me 10 minutes to drive there too Snow isn't as reliable but when it's good it is a fine place. Link to post Share on other sites
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