Absolute beginners in Japan

[ippy 66]

Spin off from the "first time" thread. But this has come up a few times this year (and probably every year), and it seems fun and controversial. So lets thinking about areas in some of the main resorts that beginners in their first few days might find fun or might find terrible.

 

I can only really talk about the places i know, and im not going to look at trail maps and hypothesize, so to make this reasonably credible it might need more than just my input

 

Heres the template if you wanna just copy it (oh, and feel free to correct me if you feel my info isnt accurate, ill add in corrections and also try and add anyones contribution into the second post).

 

 

 

1. RESORT NAME

 

Pros:

Cons:

Best for: (level range):

Why you should(n't) come here as a beginner:

[ippy 66]

Nagano

 

1. Myoko Ikenotaira

Pros: Massive open face giving you loads of space; super cheap; gradual inclining gradient from very soft green, to borderline intermediate.

Cons: Not that much terrain, and pretty much straight lapping of the same few lifts. Also the very bottom pair lift sucks first thing on a busy day.

Best For: Absolute beginners to low intermediates.

Why you should come here: The place is awesome for anyone in the beginner range, it has immaculate grooming, but also some nice powder stashes that no one seems to touch. This place is also filled with plenty of other beginners, families and schools (though theyre kept on the skiers right side of the mountain). You wont feel out of place, and youll be learning those first turns with the beautiful backdrop of myoko in a resort thats awesome value for money. Honestly, this is my first choice place of everywhere ive been for an absolute beginner.

 

2. Karuizawa

 

Pros: Cheap. Gentle Course. Super easy access from Tokyo (shinkansen stright to the foot of the resort).

Cons: It's crap for anyone above beginner level.

Best for: Beginners or those with kids just starting out.

 

3. Hakuba Goryu

 

Pros: Has a nice long beginners course that you can spend all day on, and branches off.

Cons: Not the most accessible of places, and can get busy at weekends.

Best for: Beginners, but the higher elevation have areas suited for intermediate and up.

Why should you come here as a beginner: plenty of slopes in the area for people to try.

 

4. Ryuoo

 

Pros: Mega cheap package deals; plenty of open good terrain for beginners to sink their teeth into; snowboard and beginner friendly mountain; its a genuine spectacle (view, top, and looking down b course); tanukis and snow monsters at the top; English speaking staff at information desk.

Cons: Really shallow at the bottom and at the very top; middle part is absolutely terrifying for people below at least a decent intermediate level; too many connections just to get to the top of the valley area; small area so may get bored after a few days. Only really accessible by bus or car.

Best for: Absolute Beginners and advanced riders.

Why you should come here: The main valley area is a decent place for beginners to learn. It can get a bit crowded towards the base, but once you move up the hill a bit (past the start of the ropeway), you get plenty of space to do your thing. The one huge complaint though is that the lifts are pretty short, so youll likely end up a bit of an expert getting off them by the end of your first day. Queues are generally okay, can get a bit crowded at times. Its a pretty busy resort with lots of other beginners though, so you shouldnt feel too out of place. I think the big draw to this resort though is for advanced riders. Youll understand when you take the ropeway up. b course is phenomenal, but its way out of your depth. This just leaves you the very top (which is beautiful and rather atmospheric, but ultimately lacks gradient to it), and the valley area which can get a bit repetitive. Definitely a fun and vibrant place for an absolute beginner. But maybe after that its best to leave it to day trips until you can handle the b course on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Niigata

 

Iwappara in Yuzawa.

 

Pros: long, very wide and very gentle main area

Cons: none that I can think of, the pair lift is a bit slow but get the quad to speed things up

Best for: (level range): beginners. The higher part of Iwappara has a few decent runs for people above beginner level, and they will mostly avoid the lower beginner slopes

Why you should(n't) come here as a beginner: Probably one of the best places in for beginners I reckon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tohoku

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hokkaido

 

 

1. Niseko United Area

 

Pros: Plenty of English speaking resources. Large area so a lot of terrain options. Plenty of English speaking ski schools. Powder skiing on edge of groomers (some beginners take to it very well). Rare lift queues and multiple types of passes with the hourly passes/lift ride passes being great value for a beginner.

Cons:Groomers can get busy on the weekends. Beginner ski areas can become repeatative. the steeper green and blue runs can be very poor quality (sometimes even I avoid them!). the green and blue groomers (particularly in hanazono) can often be extremely flat, and not very wide. lots of us gaijin with limited cultural exposure. Finally, the weather is often very blizzardy and cold.

Best for: (level range): 'experienced' beginner and above.

Why you should(n't) come here as a beginner: I feel there are probably better options in Japan for absolute beginners.. However Niseko would still be acceptable for a mixed group that might split up.

 

2. Rusutsu

 

 

3. Furano, Hokkaido

 

Pros: Bucketloads of beginner terrain at the base of both Furano and Kitanomine zones. Good lifts, no queues.

Cons: Link run between Furano and Kitanomine zone not suited to beginners, need to get a shuttle between.

 

- Furano (2)

 

Pros: Prices for lift tickets are quite reasonable; Easy transport from Chitose (Sapporo) or Ashaikawa airport; Lots of reasonably priced accommodation;

Beginners slopes and chairs on both sides of the mountain cater quite well to learners; Excellent ski school both for skiers and boarders; Can eat at bottom of chair lifts for lunch; Rental at bottom of each side.

Cons:Getting from one side to the other is not for beginners; Do not go up the gondola on Kitanomine side if you are a beginner. It is a bit steep. definitely not recommended.

Best for: (level range):Intermediate but some off-piste stuff for experts if you know where to go.

Why you should(n't) come here as a beginner: No reasons. It is a good place for beginners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other (gunma/gifu etc).

 

Yeti resort, Shizuoka

 

Pros: Super soft terrain, boarding on Mt. FUJI YO!, opens way earlier than anywhere else; nice intimate party atmosphere; tonnes of beginners; cheap bus/lift/rental package ticket at fujinomia iirc.

Cons: Can get INSANELY busy; once youve learned to link a turn, just dont bother due to massive lift lines and slow lifts. Lift ticket alone is almost 4000 yen which is a bit much for an AT BEST, 5 minute slide once you can link your turns well enough. Artificial snow for a lot of the season.

Best for: Absolute beginners and people who really need to get an october snow fix ONLY.

Why you should come here: Its a cheap place to start out and get your first turns, but damn, there's a LOT of people here on weekends for such a pico resort. Once you can link a turn seriously avoid it. Theres nowhere near enough of a slope to justify the 25-30 minutes it takes to get back up the hill (20 odd minute lift queue and 10 minute lift ride).

[RobBright 35]

Karuizawa

 

Pros: Cheap. Gentle Course.

Cons: It's crap for anyone above beginner level.

Best for: Beginners or those with kids just starting out.

[ippy 66]

cheers dude, i added the shink thing because its definitely one of the reasons id consider the place.

I should say, it doesnt necessarily have to be a resort you think is great for beginners, it can also be resorts you think suck for beginners and why. Not sure what to do in case of disagreement, maybe just throw up both opinions. But we already have a review section so dont really want to tread on its toes so might just be a nazi and smash them together

Ill personally throw up a few more, but ill make sure im not polluting it all with my opinion as usual.

[muikabochi 208]

Iwappara in Yuzawa, Niigata

 

Pros: long, very wide and very gentle main area

Cons: none that I can think of, the pair lift is a bit slow but get the quad to speed things up

Best for: (level range): beginners. The higher part of Iwappara has a few decent runs for people above beginner level, and they will mostly avoid the lower beginner slopes

Why you should(n't) come here as a beginner: Probably one of the best places in for beginners I reckon.

[RobBright 35]

Hakuba Goryu

 

Pros: Has a nice long beginners course that you can spend all day on, and branches off.

Cons: Not the most accessible of places, and can get busy at weekends.

Best for: Beginners, but the higher elevation have areas suited for intermediate and up.

Why should you come here as a beginner: plenty of slopes in the area for people to try.

[ippy 66]

Yeti resort, Shizuoka

 

Pros: Super soft terrain, boarding on Mt. FUJI YO!, opens way earlier than anywhere else; nice intimate party atmosphere; tonnes of beginners; cheap bus/lift/rental ticket at fujinomia iirc.

Cons: Can get INSANELY busy; once youve learned to link a turn, just dont bother. Massive lift lines and slow lifts (unless you really need an early season run out)

Best for: Utter absolute beginners and people who really need to get an october snow fix.

Why you should come here: Its a cheap place to start out and get your first turns, but damn, theres a LOT of people here on weekends for such a pico resort. Once you can link a turn seriously avoid it.

[Thundercat 60]

Yeti resort, Shizuoka

 

Pros: Super soft terrain, boarding on Mt. FUJI YO!, opens way earlier than anywhere else; nice intimate party atmosphere; tonnes of beginners; cheap bus/lift/rental ticket at fujinomia iirc.

Cons: Can get INSANELY busy; once youve learned to link a turn, just dont bother. Massive lift lines and slow lifts (unless you really need an early season run out)

Best for: Utter absolute beginners and people who really need to get an october snow fix.

Why you should come here: Its a cheap place to start out and get your first turns, but damn, theres a LOT of people here on weekends for such a pico resort. Once you can link a turn seriously avoid it.

 

Cons: almost never real snow. Only 'cheap' (2800¥) until beginning of November, after that it's 3800¥. Hardly cheap for what you get.

[anything 6]

the Niseko United Area, Hokkaido, for a beginner;

 

Pros: english speaking and signage. the 4 resorts combined mean many different learning areas, each with some pros n cons (some are even free). hundreds (well it seems like that) of different ski schools to choose from, with lots of other beginners. lots of kids ski schools and facilities too. powder skiing on edge of groomers (some beginners take to it very well). rare lift queues. hourly passes.

Cons: the groomers can get busy on the weekends. the range of beginner ski runs can run out and become repeatative. the steeper green and blue runs can be very poor quality (sometimes even I avoid them!). the green n blue groomers can often be extremely flat, and not very wide. lots of us gaijin / no 'forced' cultural exposure (but if you look you can..). the weather is often very blizzardy and cold.

Best for: (level range): 'experienced' beginner and above.

Why you should(n't) come here as a beginner: I feel there are probably better options in Japan for absolute beginners.. However Niseko would still be acceptable for a mixed group that might split up.

[anything 6]

just another quick one,

Rusutsu, Hokkaido, for a beginner;

 

Pros: lots of wide, pretty long, excellent quality easy to intermediate groomer runs. very few flat runouts at the bottom of a run (can think of only 1). lots of open tree powder runs for someone to cut their teeth on. almost same distance and just as easy access as niseko (english speaking, busses from airport, etc). ive never waited in a lift line.

Cons: ​ Accommodation seems expensive (i think its all owned by the mountain). not much of a town / village. I haven't seen any night life at all.

Best for: (level range): Beginner - Intermediate/Advanced

Why you should(n't) come here as a beginner: Yes I would recommend a beginner to go here.

 

I have skiied rusutsu many times, but only stayed there 3-4 times over night. Weekends have seemed a little busier, but definitely not 'busy' by any stretch, however sometimes there are large school groups.

[surfarthur 22]

Furano, Hokkaido

 

Pros: Bucketloads of beginner terrain at the base of both Furano and Kitanomine zones. Good lifts, no queues.

Cons: Link run between Furano and Kitanomine zone not suited to beginners, need to get a shuttle between.

[surfarthur 22]

the Niseko United Area, Hokkaido, for a beginner;

 

Pros: english speaking and signage. the 4 resorts combined mean many different learning areas, each with some pros n cons (some are even free). hundreds (well it seems like that) of different ski schools to choose from, with lots of other beginners. lots of kids ski schools and facilities too. powder skiing on edge of groomers (some beginners take to it very well). rare lift queues. hourly passes.

Cons: the groomers can get busy on the weekends. the range of beginner ski runs can run out and become repeatative. the steeper green and blue runs can be very poor quality (sometimes even I avoid them!). the green n blue groomers can often be extremely flat, and not very wide. lots of us gaijin / no 'forced' cultural exposure (but if you look you can..). the weather is often very blizzardy and cold.

Best for: (level range): 'experienced' beginner and above.

Why you should(n't) come here as a beginner: I feel there are probably better options in Japan for absolute beginners.. However Niseko would still be acceptable for a mixed group that might split up.

Pro: Good for groups of different abilities, advanced riders can duck into the trees while beginner / intermediate riders can stay on the groomers, and then ride the same lift back up.

[ippy 66]

will update, just playing game at moment

[ippy 66]

I should maybe stress. This isnt really an overview of the resorts as a whole. Its really for people within lets say, their first 5 or so days on the snow. Since i wasnt myself doing tree runs until around my 15th or so day on the slopes (and even then it was more flirting with the trees at the side of mitahara), i dunno if thats really a selling point for beginners.

 

Things beginners (absolute beginners) might be looking for (based on my personal memories and on the things my mates were after when i was showing them the ropes) are i guess:

 

1. A big wide empty space to do their thing and not to feel like a tit when they invariably fall.

2. Nice lifts that arent too busy (im pretty sure none of us liked being on a quad lift with three random strangers and just knowing we'd be the one to bail and pull everyone down with us).

3. Straightforward runs. You dont want to a) get lost; and have your nice green path suddenly turn into an horrendous steep or massive mogul field.

4, Simple gradients. Youre looking at the low to mid teens i think. Nothing so flat that theyll have trouble maintaining speed and end up unclipping, but nothing so steep that theyll feel like theyre going too fast.

5. Something with a nice sense of accomplishment. I remember at yeti my mission was simple, get down without falling x amount of times. Lapping isnt terrible for a beginner. So long runs arent really that important in the same way they are for us.

6. Scenery. Its an event! (also might throw in cultural scenery into this mix).

7. Access to decent facilities like rentals, cafes, and whatever else we all crave.

8. Schools with English instruction.

9. Some prospects for progression. Im going to point to goryu/47 to illustrate this one. Once you get out of linking turns and start feeling really comfortable, the panorama is like this huge reward for your achievement. And the panorama itself brings you through R1 which will kick any beginners ass... but not sooooo hard that theyll find it impossible. That mountain is like progression central. From absolute beginner to advanced intermediate it has an awesome feeling of seeing just a little bit more of it as you move on.

10. Nice price and not breaking the bank.

11. A means to hang out in the evening instead of being couped up in your lodge. Im also going to say ONSEN FACILITIES (even though one of my best mates point blank refuses to go to an onsen).

12. Ease of access. No one wants an ordeal to get to the ski resort, some of us put up with it because we want to ride awesome resorts and its a bit of a faff getting there, but beginners are pretty much stoked to be on the snow. I know this kinda undermined what ive written about terrain details, but really that stuff should be a given. I mean terrain thats wild and fun and has awesome slackcountry or a wicked off piste policy. They dont really care.

 

Basically give beginners a spectacle, something like my day at togari where i came upon a drop that was so steep i had to lie down to look over the edge because i was sure i would lose my balance and fall down it. Or having a few chu hi's (sorry responsible people), on the nighta at togari with a couple of mates on an almost empty course and just enjoying hanging out and falling on our faces. Or how about the day i landed my first real spin at goryu, or the day me and two mates purposely took it slow and got the last line on panorama and felt like we had the entire resort to ourselves with this still, silent and beutiful white backdrop of the japanese alps. Or my first ever powder day on happo1 when i suddenly realised i could launch off anything and not give a shit whether i landed it or not. That day turned me into a powderhound by the way.

 

Memories, achievements and looking rad for your facebook photos. Thats all anyone really wants from their first few days on the slopes. K.I.S.S and all that

 

ETA: list isnt definitive by any means. Just trying to capture what i and my mates felt and how the planets aligned to hook me into this dumb sport.

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

Ok, sounds like you are targeting foreign tourists who have never skied or boarded, but are young adults looking for something like what they have heard about at European and North American resorts from their friends? I was thinking of places to teach kids to ski (only thing I have had experience with), for which things like apres scene, lessons in English, and ease of access (carless, I assume) are not necessarily key points. Actually, I don't think any of the places I am familiar with would meet your criteria, especially in the apres-ski area.

 

Though, for basic learners purposes, most places are reasonable enough, I think. I could offer some suggestions of places I think would not be good for absolute beginners, for example Mt. Jeans, which has one very gentle bunny slope, but nothing between that and some fairly steep intermediate terrain, which makes it unnecessarily difficult for folks trying to graduate from beginner to intermediate (as I have had occasion to observe).

 

Kagura would, of course, be another one not ideal for beginners, especially the Mitsumata end. But even on the Tashiro end, while it has lots of gentle terrain, the initial track down from the ropeway to the base area is not something an absolute beginner can manage. The one time I went there, there was this couple from overseas who had never skied in their lives, and they were stuck at the top of the Tashiro ropeway station, unable to get down -- they didn't even know how to do the snowplow. I tried to help them out as best I could (having zero qualifications for that!), but when I left that area after looping the double there a couple times, they still hadn't made their way all the way down. They probably should have started out at Naeba, but they didn't know. (Actually, it was probably too late in the season for Naeba, come to think of it: Golden Week. Maybe the lower Mitsumata area would have worked?)

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Is this the battle of the giant Posts?

[Mike Pow 52]

Based on ippy's extensive and well thought out criteria then my top 3 resorts I've instructed at on Hokkaido are:

 

1. Kiroro

2. Rusutsu

3. Annupuri area of Niseko United.

[Slippery Jim 65]

Hokkaido: Mike's 3 are all good choices. I'd throw in Furano, for reasons stated above by surfarthur.

Nagano: Nozawa, Togari, Goryu and of course the ever-present Tsugaike.

Niigata: Myoko and any number of hills in the Yuzawa region -- my first days on skis were all at the now Yuzawa Park.

Gunma: Palcall Tsumagoi, Marunuma Kogen

Tohoku: Inawashiro Resort, Hachimantai Resort

 

Places I'd steer never-evers away from:

Niseko except Annupuri

Naeba (too crowded) & Kagura

Karuizawa (so often icy)

Shiga Kogen (just too big, they'd get lost)

Happo-one/Cortina/Norikura

[Chriselle 158]

DiGriz...Happo-one Sakka area is perfect for beginners. The rest of the mountain....I agree.

[Slippery Jim 65]

Chris, yes that part of Happo would be good. But Goryu or Tsugaike offer far better (IMHO) just minutes away, was my thinking.

[tokabochi 9]

I'll write more later, bit busy the next few days but I would advise people to go and check out some lesser well known 'local' ski hills. Often very quiet and often lots of easy runs.

You might even get the bonus of a tea-tray lift. Well, maybe not the last bit.

[ippy 66]

bleh, follow the template you jerks I feel like im busy enough without having to translate your sentiments. (that being said of course feel free to write big long explications, its all on topic to the thread and actually offers beginners even more information which is great), but if youre wanting it linked at the top of the thread ill be needing it in a nice consistent format thanks.

 

Lets do... ummm... Ryuoo...

 

Ryuoo

 

Pros: Mega cheap package deals; plenty of open good terrain for beginners to sik their teeth into; very snowboard and beginner friendly mountain; its a genuine spectacle; tanukis and snow monsters at the top; English speaking staff at information desk.

Cons: Really shallow at the bottom and at the very top; middle part is absolutely terrifying for people below at least a decent intermediate level; too many connections just to get to the top of the valley area; small area so may get bored after a few days. Only really accessible by bus or car.

Best for: Absolute Beginners and advanced riders.

Why you should come here: The main valley area is a decent place for beginners to learn. It can get a bit crowded towards the base, but once you move up the hill a bit (past the start of the ropeway), you get plenty of space to do your thing. The one huge complaint though is that the lifts are pretty short, so youll be a bit of an expert getting off them by the end of your first day. Queues are generally okay, can get a bit crowded at times though. Its a busy resort with lots of other beginners though, so you shouldnt feel too out of place. I think the big draw to this resort though is for advanced riders. Youll undrstand when you take the ropeway up. b course is phenomenal, but its way out of your depth. Even if you spend a week here, its still out of yoru depth. This just leaves you the very top which is beautiful and rather atmospheric, but ultimately lacks gradient to it, and the valley area, which can get a bit repetitive if youre here for longer than a couple of days. Still, youre completely catered for from the moment you arrive with hotel, lift passes, and dinner deals. So its a great day or two on the slopes. Definitely a fun and vibrant place for an absolute beginner. But maybe after that its best to leave it to day trips until you can handle the b course on it.

[muikabochi 208]

All the very best of luck with 'controlling' stuff like that, ippy.

[ippy 66]

haha, im a bureaucrat by nature. I want it stamped in triplicate thanks. But yeah, i just mean feel free to post whatever, but im only linking stuff if its in the correct format because im not really going to try and read minds here.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Your posts are too long......I reckon a beginner would've stopped reading a quarter of the way thru