First time to Japan: Gear Rental and other questions

[birk 0]

Hi!

 

Im a swiss student currently studying in Shanghai. I m planning to visit Japan in february to do some powder skiing. Im primarily interested in backcountry skiing (I mostly do skitouring in switzerland). Now my questions:

 

- I have my skis/snowboard and gear in switzerland. Is rental gear (skis and safety equipment) widely available? Or are there stores selling used equipment (I think about skiing for 2 to 3 weeks in different locations)?

 

- Are hostels the best low price accommodations available or are there better places to stay (Im student, so price is most important ;-)) and are there generally a lot of skiers staying in hostels (Im travelling by myself and need to find people to go ride in the backcountry)?

 

- Any recommendations for places to go to, especially for skitouring? I prefer less crowded places and dont need as many lifts and slopes as possible.

 

 

 

Thanks, Birk.

[Alexander L 80]

Birk,

 

You'll have to give a figure that you are willing to spend per day. Accom, lift pass, rentals can be very expensive; and travelling to places with the best powder too.

[CnnmnSchnpps 0]

Everyone is gonna say Hokkaido, so... As one of your stops, you could do worse than spend some time in Hakkoda. Hakkoda Sanso hotel has some common rooms with about 8 ppl on bunk beds - good option to hook up with others for touring. You do need a guide for Hakkoda. But Hakkoda on a good day > Niseko on a good day, at least in my book. Those good days though are quite rare - in terms of weather window to access the big terrain. Normally it'll just be puking snow every day.

 

Other options to consider, in no particular order

== On Hokkaido:

Niseko (plenty of ski bum accoms)

Asahidake

Kurodake

Teine

==On Honshu:

Nozawa Onsen

Kagura

Hakuba

Myoko (Akakura Onsen)

 

Happy reading!

D

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Don't think everyone would say Hokkaido. There are quite a few bc riders based in Hakuba who could well have the goods on the big mountains in that area to share. The list above is a good list to trawl thru and see what you'd prefer......Hokkaido and Honshu has some awesome places

[ippy 66]

im going to have to assume you mean akakan over akakura onsen. Unless you just mean a place to stay. No one with any interest in snowboarding and has no family with them should contemplate akakura onsen. That place is a hole.

 

However, if given the choice and so long as its not slushy, i think suginohara is the jewel in the myoko crown (though since they closed one of the key lifts in mitahara it has lost a bit of its sheen).

[Alexander L 80]

Think you're gonna have to choose Hokkaido or Honshu, travelling between the two can be expensive.