Sciclone 2 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 I've read that there is snowmobiling lessons/free ride available in or around Yuzawa. Can anyone help locate information? Would these be suitable for 2 minimal Japanese speakers? What is the cost? How do I book? All the sites I find just say that there is snowmobiling, not where and when to do it. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Don't know of any, other than a friend that has one and drives round his rice fields. He lets me have a go sometimes. Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 There is a snowmobile park at Madarao Kogen just 800m from the lower ticket office. Plenty of burms and jumps for the thrill seekers. I don't like it, it's too close and bloody noisy.. Spoils the tranquility of the J-pop on the lift towers Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Pity it's a 90 minute ride from Yuzawa... Link to post Share on other sites
gvm3373 4 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 One of the things i like about skiing in japan is the lack of sledders. Unlike Canada and the States where the powder gets trashed in a matter of minutes by marauding gangs of sledheads. Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 The snowmobiles I've tied run around a dedicated track that's about 5km long. And you have to follow the guide who drives at 6.7km/h. And you have to suck up his exhaust. Link to post Share on other sites
jacko 3 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 I've found the snow mobiles in Japan to be vastly under-powered compared to Canada. Most of them couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding. and the guides in Japan never want you to go crazy alaWinter Vac's comment re pottering around at 7kph (tho we did get to bomb the pow over golf course in rusutsu on the "extreme" tour - extreme it was not ). Whereas in Canada, they're all for you going all out and trying to kill yourself. Link to post Share on other sites
Karnidge 2 Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Never ridden one myself, wouldn 't mind a go. The friend with one sounds like a good bet. Can he be my friend too muikabochi? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 I got a ride on one from the lifties at Marunuma Kogen a season or 2 ago....me and mate started down a run before they closed it off.....when we got to the bottom, the chairlift was off and no other way up so the liftie put us on the back and drove me up....good fun Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 I've been on them a few times. I can see the appeal, much like biking on snow, but I'd rather ski. Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 I have been on them a couple of times they are great fun, once was in Gunma the other in Niigata. I believe it was at Yuzawa Nagazato??? Although was some years ago now so I may be mixing that resort with another. Link to post Share on other sites
Sciclone 2 Posted November 4, 2013 Author Share Posted November 4, 2013 I have been on them a couple of times they are great fun, once was in Gunma the other in Niigata. I believe it was at Yuzawa Nagazato??? Although was some years ago now so I may be mixing that resort with another. Yuzawa Nakazato is the place that advertises that they have it, but there is no pricing on the site or link (from what I can see) to see how to book. Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 We asked around the resort and that is how we got to ride them. Resorts in general dont advertise because a license is required in order to be able to offer these. Its basically goto the resort that do have them and book them there and then. Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 does it have to be in/around Yuzawa or could you stretch to Hokkaido? Link to post Share on other sites
Sciclone 2 Posted November 5, 2013 Author Share Posted November 5, 2013 WV, it has to be Yuzawa as that's where we are going, due to time constraints. I can't even afford to lose the extra 1.5 hours to get to Shiga Kogen, or I'd be head there first. Link to post Share on other sites
tokabochi 9 Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Just for the record, you would be very pushed to make it to Shiga Kogen from Yuzawa in 1.5 hours. In good conditions and with your foot down, it's more like 2 hours. Link to post Share on other sites
Sciclone 2 Posted November 5, 2013 Author Share Posted November 5, 2013 Just for the record, you would be very pushed to make it to Shiga Kogen from Yuzawa in 1.5 hours. In good conditions and with your foot down, it's more like 2 hours. No, meant via train and bus from Tokyo. It's 70-90 mins to Yuzawa on the shinkansen 90mins to Nagano on the shinkansen, 90mins (avg)on the bus from Nagano to Ichinose. I love the space, elevation and varied terrain of Shiga Kogen, but when you only have 6 days to go snowboarding in, every minute counts. Plus my mum and sister don't ski/snowboard, so with Yuzawa being a proper town, not just a resort, they can potter around the shops. Link to post Share on other sites
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