Gunma Boarder 14 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Last year I got myself locked into a season pass and ended up only going to Kawaba and Norn all year. I won't make that mistake again. It's not that I don't like Kawaba, I just love variety. Well, I will start with the resort I know the best, Kawaba. I do love getting a little off trail and Kawaba some beautiful tree runs. I definitly don't recomend going in the trees without a helmet and a high skill level, but if you meet those prereqs Kawaba has a lot to offer. Do be careful though a couple of the valleys have areas that are not safe (i.e big holes in the snow). I also love natural half pipes and Kawaba has a long beautiful one right above the bottom of the upper quad lift. Kawaba has 5 lifts. I really like one in praticular. Below the very popular upper quad lifts which often has long lines on weekends, there is a double that is less used and offers longer runs. As far as ticket buying goes, Kawaba offers a six ride deal for 2,200 yen. These tickets can be used anytime during the season. If used in combination with the long double lift I mentioned above, 6 rides can be a half day depending on your style of riding. Please tell me about your favorite resorts. I'm looking forward to riding something new. Link to post Share on other sites
akitapow 1 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Hakkoda, the tiny lil gem up in Aomori EPIC....powPOWpowPOWpowPOW Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 My favourite resorts are heavily skewed to ones that are surrounded by stunning scenery that I can take pics of as that is a big part of my pleasure. As such, I think I'd have to put my favourite as Zao Onsen (Yamagata). Love the long cruising runs there too. Tenjindaira (Gunma) is just absolutely stunning on a bluebird day, I just loved going there the times I have even if the skijo itself is a bit crappy. I hope to try and find some new gems this season. I have never been to Hakuba on a fantastically blue sky day. That is something I want to do this season as I know how stunning that scenery is as well. Link to post Share on other sites
Aleksey 0 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 I'm looking forward to go to Hakuba47 but seems that snowpark will be later. Does somebody knows when they usually open park? Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Really hard to pick one. I frequent Happo-one the most so that's the one I guess. Kamui when I lived up in Hokkaido. Link to post Share on other sites
Ross 4 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Happo-one park was the best in Hakuba. feb this year the crew there kept it in top conditon. Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 That's a difficult one to call!! You might only go to a place once and love it because it dumped the night before or you found some untouched stashes or had a good laugh with your mates. Or you might go on a day when it's icy as hell, full of idiots and the vending machine has run out of hot Royal Milk Tea! I have a love-hate relationship with Furano and seeing as though I'm heading up there for my 3rd season in a row, I guess I should say there but is it my favourite? I don't know! Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 The long natural 1/2 pipe at Annapuri when you go out the gates and shuffle over. The small 1/2 pipe under the lift just above the Gondy at Niseko, can't recall the name. All the hikes at Niseko. Looking fwd to hitting 47 with the right equipment on a big dump. Cortina is special so is 902. Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 A place in middle of Hokkaido has everything you would ever need. (except a global financial hub). Snow fields with powder snow minutes away from the carpark. A real town offering restaurants too numerous to name but serving cuisines too delicious to rercommend to others. There are cheese museums, ice cream museums, wineries, and more places to amuse yourself than Disneyland. Furano. Link to post Share on other sites
tokabochi 9 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 I'd probably go for Nozawa. It being fairly close is part of that but it is a great place. Skyline is a fine run. Pity there's not lift that services just that run! Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 I guess it has to be Niseko for me but I suppose it's only because I know it so well. Basically I come from a skiing background that was mostly backcountry. I hardly skied at resorts at all in the first 10-15 years of my skiing. I really don't like skiing on-piste. There's been a couple of runs over at Rusutsu where I had first tracks down perfect courduroy groomers that were fun and good to warm up the legs but frankly more than about 10 mins of that and I'm completely bored. For me it's all about the off-piste and sidecountry and Niseko offers both in abundance. On almost all aspects of the mountain you can ski top to bottom with only briefly having to set skis on groomed runs. I reckon I'd spend 95%+ of my time off-piste whilst skiing in Niseko. I think it'd be hard to find another resort Japan with so much easily and legally accessible off-piste and sidecountry terrain which is why I love it so much. Also love Asahidake and Rusutsu for similar reasons. Hakoda though is definitely on my radar as it also looks like a great off-piste destination that gets stupid amounts of snow. Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Id have to agree with GN. Ive only ever been to Niseko once, quite a long time ago, but it is the only place in Japan Ive been to which is so open and where you have easy access to sidecountry areas. Also the nighta is great. Im a better skier now and I think Id enjoy it a lot more, but I just dont really get enough time to make a big trip up there. I also like Kagura - where they have a nice area in the trees at the top, although its a bit short and not very steep - Id like to find somewhere with more of that, but most resorts just rope everything off. Link to post Share on other sites
sanjo 2 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Whats the curry like at Kawaba btw? Must get there this season. I think my favourite would be one of Maiko or maybe even Naeba actually. Had some awesome days there. Like one or two other people have said, gone off Kagura a bit. Link to post Share on other sites
shurt 0 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Hakkoda of course, went there today and there was insane powder. Link to post Share on other sites
sand 17 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Niseko definately for reasons GN stated, groomers are fine when covered in knee deep or deeper powder. As I have in a forth coming trip report from Niseko last week, complete with gopro footage. Link to post Share on other sites
tokabochi 9 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Hakkoda of course, went there today and there was insane powder. We will only believe you if you post evidence: http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/gallery/ Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 I'd love to go there myself one day. It's just so...... farrrrrrrr Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 definitely worth it tho Muika Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 580km Tubby! http://www.snowjapan.com/e/route-finder/japan-resort-directions-large.php?addresses=Muikamachi%20Station%2C%20Niigata%20Prefecture%2C%20JapanANDHakkoda(resort%3D85)&avoidHighways=false&avoidTolls=false&travelMode=DRIVING Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 In no particular order: Centleisure maiko Happo-one Niseko Joetsu Kokusai Those are the ones that have really stuck out over the last 7 years of boarding in Japan. Perhaps because of the lucky conditions I experienced when I went there. Edit: I do like kagura but there is just one part that spoils it if you are a snowboarder. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Yamabiko trees at Nozawa and what I still insist on calling LTD at Higashiyama. Don't think it has a name, but under the ropeway at Asahidake. Almost anywhere at the sadly defunct Hachimantai. Out the top gates skier's right from Annupuri or skier's left from Hirafu, or lower down skier's left at Annupuri. On a powder morning, I don't think there's a better run in the world than Nozawa's Skyline, but unfortunately you'll only get one before it's trashed. Still a great cruise at any time and the steeps off to Karasawa can be awesome. If you just want to let them run, the gondola course at Oku Shiga is a lot of fun (sorry boarding friends). 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Gunma Boarder 14 Posted December 17, 2011 Author Share Posted December 17, 2011 My favourite resorts are heavily skewed to ones that are surrounded by stunning scenery that I can take pics of as that is a big part of my pleasure. As such, I think I'd have to put my favourite as Zao Onsen (Yamagata). Love the long cruising runs there too. Tenjindaira (Gunma) is just absolutely stunning on a bluebird day, I just loved going there the times I have even if the skijo itself is a bit crappy. I hope to try and find some new gems this season. I have never been to Hakuba on a fantastically blue sky day. That is something I want to do this season as I know how stunning that scenery is as well. The view from Kawaba's double lift is as good as Tenjinaira, but I think the resort is much more fun. On a clear day you can see Fuji, the north alps, the south alps, Shirane and many other amazing mountains from just off the lift. Not a bad spot to strap in (if you are boarding) or just take a break. I also love to go places for the scenery. I'm planning on climbing Tanigawa and Hotaka this year from Tenjindaira and Kawaba. I will have to check out Zao Onsen Link to post Share on other sites
Gunma Boarder 14 Posted December 17, 2011 Author Share Posted December 17, 2011 Whats the curry like at Kawaba btw? Must get there this season. I think my favourite would be one of Maiko or maybe even Naeba actually. Had some awesome days there. Like one or two other people have said, gone off Kagura a bit. Curry's good. Also have an amazing Indian beer (Kingfisher), if you aren't driving Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 Kiroro Quiet, consistently great snow, good terrain, excellent sidecountry and backcountry, relaxed. Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 Favourite resorts - Myoko Kogen, Nozawa Onsen, Shiga Kogen. What parts- under the lifts, for the excitement Link to post Share on other sites
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