planning for 2018 japan Trip… Help.

Hey dudes/ dude’ets

So first time posting but I’m planning a 2018 Japan trip and looking for advise on pretty much everything (Cheap flights, getting around, Accommodation, Best places for resort boarding, Best places for BC boarding and Things I should not go El-tight-arse on)

So the rough plan so far is (25 jan – 11 feb):
26-28 Jan – Tokyo!
29- 2 Feb – Nagano/Myoko Kogan, - hopefully this will be boarding in a place that doesn’t feel fully westernised?.
3-6 Feb – Hakkoda - apparently, this place rocks for BC?
7-10 Feb – Niseko - easy and awesome, all westernised comforts.

my big question ATM is – from people’s experience, am I trying to go to too many place, should I spend more than 3-4 days in each place, will I feel like I’m travelling all the time?

Any advise would be great.

Thanks Heaps!
Crouse

Hey Crouse,

Welcome to BW!!!!!

And yeah, personally I reckon 3-4 Days is too quick!!!!! You’d be better off havin a base somewhere, hire a car, then experience a few resorts within a close radius????? Maybe cut out 1 area and do a week on Honshu and a week on Hokkaido?????

By your spellin I’m guessin you’re comin from the US????? Where do you plan to fly in/out of?????

Backcountry, will you need English speaking guides?????

What are some definites that you want????? (Both on snow and off) eg What do ya want out of Tokyo?????

Oh, and best time for flights is ~ 9 months out!!!!! (Although exchange rates/oil prices can make a big difference in today’s roller coaster markets)

u can just do myoko theres enough resorts to keep you occupied for 12 days. we did 6 in hakuba. 5 myoko. could of done the full time in either.

hey thanks for the reply.

So if im picking up what you dudes are putting down, im best off setting up camp in either the Nagano or Niseko area and then just venturing out locally? any ideas what the trad-offs between boarding in Nagano v Niseko?

as for Tokyo, i went there about 10 yrs ago with no plan and had an awesome time winging it, eating and drinking my way across Tokyo. By the end i was poor but satisfied, so the plan was to do it again. The GF hasnt been there so its all new for her but anything you dudes recommend to put on the ust do list?

also, was thinking about doing my avalanche AST1 course. is it hard to find these? should i book in advance?

Hi There,

Also a newbie here, and also planning a trip to Japan 2018!

Loving all the information here.

Just wanted to say hello, and thanks!

so the plan is boiling down to:

1) 1st weekend - Tokyo!
2) mon-fri -Nozowa onsen
3) 2nd weekend - ‘somewhere’
4) mon-fri - Myoko kogan
5) home

anyone got any hot tips for cities/villages worth checking out for a 2nd weekend in feb?

Crouse - 14 March 2017 03:38 PM

so the plan is boiling down to:

1) 1st weekend - Tokyo!
2) mon-fri -Nozowa onsen
3) 2nd weekend - ‘somewhere’
4) mon-fri - Myoko kogan
5) home

anyone got any hot tips for cities/villages worth checking out for a 2nd weekend in feb?

If it were me I’d put the Tokyo stay at the end, that way you can Takkyubin ya snow gear to the airport direct after ya last resort, and also not have to lug it around Tokyo!!!!!

Good idea havin the weekend off in the Nagano area as it can get super busy, but seeing that Myoko and Nozawa aren’t that far away from each other kinda leaves the travel option open for anywhere you’re comfortable with in regards to travel times/distance!!!!! All depends on what you’re interested in?????

I’d also throw in a day trip to Madarao while ya in Nozawa!!!!! There’s a bus that does the run both ways!!!!!

Crouse - 14 March 2017 03:38 PM

so the plan is boiling down to:

1) 1st weekend - Tokyo!
2) mon-fri -Nozowa onsen
3) 2nd weekend - ‘somewhere’
4) mon-fri - Myoko kogan
5) home

anyone got any hot tips for cities/villages worth checking out for a 2nd weekend in feb?

chill out and recover from the body aches and nigles lol
maybe go check out the snow monkeys.
have a night out in town.
if your a skater and were in hakuba they have a really good indoor ramp setup
with boards u can use. we had a wet day and couple of my mates skate so we
spent half a day there and watched a few local groms shredding the features.
theres also a bar in myoko with a minipipe inside. they put a table and chairs
on it while people are eating,then clear it off for a skate by half pissed skaters!

Another option is also Shiga Kogen which is an easy 40-50 km from Nozawa. It’s a pretty large area, 19 resorts interlinked by lifts and can all be accessed off the one pass.  Second highest hill in Japan apparently.  A friend of mine was there in Feb and couldn’t say enough good things about it.

Having been to Myoko and Madarao, they both get a massive thumbs up as well.

just locking in the last few bits of accom but has anyone got advice on traditional Japanese accommodation. sounds neat but can anyone recommend it? do you get a pilllow?

@Mizu Kuma

ive been looking at the madarao trail map. looks like good gladed trees runs? a step back bowl?
I just locked in flights for feb, now where to go! def going back to myoko, plan on mostly hitting
suginohara as my daughter s coming and kids ski free
how is it crowd and particularly aussie crowds wise? is accom there ok? was looking at hotel
tangram, but haven’t checked prices out yet. any suggestions for accom there?
thanks!