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Hi all! My name is Caitlyn, my hubby and I have planned a trip to Japan for some snow late Feb/Early March. The plan so far is to arrive in Tokyo, one night there, and then spend four nights in Shiga Kogen or Nozawa Onsen (3 full boarding days).

 

Then we meet our friends back in Tokyo and cruise around Tokyo 2 nights/Kyoto 2 nights then head up to Sapporo for one night, then to Niseko for 5 nights (4 days of boarding).

 

My question is, which is better all round between Shiga Kogen and Nozawa Onsen? Or is there somewhere better?

 

We wouldn't mind seeing some cultural Japan, I understand Nozawa Onsen is better for that? We are on quite a tight budget but happy to spend more if it's easier for us (i.e. having some english speaking people around). Also which is easier to travel to from Tokyo?

 

Thanks heaps all for your help! Any suggestions is great, its a first time for us in Japan and we are super excited, we have always wanted to go!

 

Caitlyn :wave:

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We it's only because we are first time to Japan and many have told us it's really difficult to get around without knowing Japanese. But hey I'm keen for the adventure of getting lost!

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You'll be fine in those places. There's enough foreigners around in winter anyway. And Japanese people are generally extremely friendly and polite. Look on it as a bit of an advanture.

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There's loads on both on here, Noodledox, check the Search box top right.

 

In my experience Nozawa gets more snow (easily) and when I have been better snow. Great place.

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I have been to both places several times

For a short stay and a taste of Japanese village life that goes back to the 1300's Nozawa is the place. Plenty of Engrish spoken and some good skiing up high. In late Feb/March the snow can get slushy on the lower slopes heading back. to the village

For stays over say 4-5 days Shiga is better as there is so much variety of terrain to explore, though little night life outside of your hotel.

Conclusion - First time to Japan on a short stay I reccomend Nozawa - It was my first destination in Japan and I have since become addicted. Hope it's the same for you.

If you PM me I can give you details on where to stay in Noz in lodgings owned by an Oz guy and his Japanese wife

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Can i put a vote in for shiga kogen?

 

Nothing beats the place for sheer diversity. I said it in the review, but whereas most places have a decent quick run, a decent powder zone, and a few solid beginner spots, shiga has entire zones that deliver these things. Of course really, unless youre a skier its two mountains, but thats three solid faces of mischief and shenanigans.

 

Nozawa is awesome of course, but really for an intermediate it feels a wee bit insubstantial since it has that broken fall line. In powder it can be a riot, and last year taight me it gets PUKED on, but i cant help but feel it just doesnt have the longevity of shiga. I think it has more going for it for absolute beginners (since it feels more concentrted and easier to get your gead around), and advanced, (since its off piste is phenomenally good fun and its powder ridge shoot offs (ushikubi for example) are outstanding chaos), For intermediates though, i dunno, the top and skyline are nice, and the whole mountain can feel fun, but it just doesnt feel like a mountain for YOU. It feels like a mountain for other people. (goryu/47 is a real fun mountain for intermediates for example - hell, shiga is a mountain for intermediates if only because its so vast youre guaranteed to find somewhere to rip it up - though i was never overly impressed with the terrain of shiga to be honest).

 

Myoko is a great intermediate powder hound mountain. The terrain isnt that awesome, but the powder and off piste options are outstanding (and relatively safe). Its got seriously fun tree riding and is a great place to start mucking around in teh trees.

 

Finally id add in the yuzawa area. Its got so much variation and diversity that you can easily have a great week or two here without feeling hemmed in. Im a big naeba/kagura fan (check teh naeba yap on for details), its also pretty close to tokyo so should be fairly easy to pop to naeba/kagura for a week and then nip back to do a spot of kamakura temple watching.

 

Loads of options in truth, hakuba, shiga, nozawa, myoko, yuzawa, and of course zao, Probably the biggies for me. But then, the biggies coincide somewhat with the mountains ive actually ridden on... So take my advice (if you can call it that) with a bit of a pinch of salt :p

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So take my advice (if you can call it that) with a bit of a pinch of salt :p

 

Like we do! ;)

 

I'm sure you're going to have a great time wherever you go Noodledox! :thumbsup:

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While I agree with most of what Ippy says about Shiga Kogen, I think for what you want SnowJunkey is right to suggest Nozawa. The village there is going to be more interesting than Shiga, which is just a collection of lodges, and the mountain will be easier to navigate on a three-day stay.

Ippy's point about intermediate terrain is well-taken, Shiga does have a lot of great groomed cruising runs. I'd still go with Nozawa unless you rate yourselves as strictly blue-run level.

Oh, and I'd move the trip up a couple of weeks if possible, conditions typically are better in mid-late Feb than early March.

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Thankyou so much all! I think we have decided on Nozawa. It looks amazing and very cute village to relax in if the snow is not that great (will still be better than Australia I'm sure!). Unfortunately we can't change our dates.

 

Really appreciate all your help.

 

Any tips on where to stay in Sapporro? We might need to stay there one night when we travel up to Niseko.

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Noodledox,

There is/was a hotel right in Chitose airport but it may have closed.

hotels dot com can book you something near Sapporo station, and you could enjoy the Niseko Express train which is a scenic ride and will get you to Niseko faster than the early bus from the airport.

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