Compare and book a certified guide for your trip on Explore-Share.com: 1500+ guides, 70+ countries and more than 8000 different programs to choose from. Take a pick from our selection of Backcountry Skiing trips in Kanto. The mountains are calling!

Explore-share.com helps you book your next Backcountry Skiing trip in Kanto.

Tsutomu Sugisaka

Niigata is a well known area in Japan for the deep snow it gets during the winter. It has numerous ski resorts and backcountry skiing / snowboarding routes.
Due to it easy access from Tokyo via Jouetsu shinkansen (bullet train) it's an ideal destination for a quick weekend getaway or short trips. There are a lot of small to big ski resorts, where we can access powder runs from. You get to enjoy powder skiing and snowboarding to its fullest using the lifts.
The starting point of this trip will be Echigo yuzawa station. We'll meet there and I'll drive you to the ski area. We will be picking the best ski areas depending on the weather and conditions of the day. These are some of the places we can explore:

<ul style="text-align: justify">
 	<li>Lift accessed sidecountry skiing at Tenjindaira Ski Area at the foot of the famous Mt Tanigawadake. </li>
 	<li style="text-align: justify">Kagura ski areas. We will enjoy the notorious and numerous ski / snowboard lift accessible powder from there.</li>
 	<li style="text-align: justify">Joushu Hotaka Ski Area. We will enjoy more ski / snowboard lift accessible powder from there!</li>
</ul>
I offer private trips because we can adapt them to your technical, fitness and experience levels. That means you can join this trip whether you're just getting into backcountry skiing or you're an advanced skier wanting to go on adventures.
Besides, there is flexibility in the number of days (although I recommend it to be a 2-day+ tour) and also in the difficulty of routes, in terms of steepness, fitness level, if you want to climb up a little or not, etc.
Would you like to join me for a freeride ski adventure in Japan? Please send a request to book this trip! We can discuss and adapt the itinerary to your requirements and experience level. 
I offer many ski trips in different areas in Japan, like this <a href="http://www.explore-share.com/trip/freeride-skiing-nozawa-onsen/">freeride ski trip in Nozawa Onsen</a>.

Freeride skiing in Niigata / Gunma with a local IFMGA guide

Hiroko Takatsuki

1 day backcountry skiing / ski touring group tours for beginners to advanced skiers / snowboarders in Gunma (Kawaba, Hotaka, Hodaigi, Tanigawadake) and Niigata (Kagura, Yuzawa) areas with a local JMGA certified guide.

I offer regular tours in my favourite regions of Gunma and Niigata in Japan, known for deep powders.
I will plan the exact itinerary for each day depending on the level of the group and the conditions of the mountains.

Please tell me which programme you're interested in joining when you contact me.

Beginner Programme:
For those of you with no off piste / backcountry skiing or snowboarding experience but wants to learn!
You will learn
- how to use off piste / backcountry skiing and snowboarding gears
- about and the use of Avalanche safety gears
- how to do Avalanche rescues
- how to act in the backcountry environment
- some off piste skiing techniques

Intermediate Programme:
For those of you who wants to improve on their off piste / backcountry skiing or snowboarding.
You will
- re-learn and check how to operate avalanche beacons and your avalanche rescue techniques
- be explained how to behave in the backcountry environment
- check how to use backcountry gears
- learn about efficient skinning and hiking techniques

Advanced Programmes:
For those who want to take off piste / backcountry skiing or snowboarding to the next level!
- thinking about rescue scenarios
- how to gain fitness and techniques necessary for expert only itineraries

You can join me for multiple days by staying in the lodge that I run or staying in nearby Onsen towns, and join the tours on a daily basis.

Let me know if you're interested in joining me and feel free to ask any questions! 
<h6 class="tips-header">Extra details</h6>
<h4 class="tip-header"></h4>
<h4 class="tip-header">Fitness and Ski Level</h4>
Beginner programmes - 30-60min hike up / skiing of 20-30 degrees slope
Intermediate programmes - hiking under 3hrs / skiing of 25-35 degrees slope

Advanced programmes - 3-4hrs hike up / skiing of 25-35 degrees slope
<h4 class="tip-header">Schedule</h4>
Beginner programmes - end of December to mid May
Intermediate programmes - end of December to mid May

Advanced programmes - February and March
<h6 class="spots-header"></h6>

Backcountry Skiing in Gunma and Niigata

Kenichi Minegishi

Gunma and Nigata are two great spots 2 hours drive from Tokyo for downhill and freeride skiing. It can be the perfect option for the ones visiting Japan in January, February or March and who wish to experience the unique Japanese powder snow.

We can ski together for one or several days in that area (Kanetsu), northwest of Tokyo. It includes resorts like Tanigawadake, Joshuhotaka, Kagura, Hakuba and Nagano. There are a lot of skiing options here which is a great advantage because we can go every day where the snow and weather conditions are the best without having to drive too much.

Going ski touring is also an option. The best time will then be March and April.

I can help you organising the accommodation making sure you can go in traditional Japanese places (if this is what you are looking for) and so enjoy not only good skiing but also our culture (food, onsen...).

There are 2 ways to come here from Tokyo, either with the car (2 hours) either with the Shinkansen (the Japanese bullet train) (90 minutes).

I will take up to 6 clients. If you would be a larger group, I will ask a certified mountain guide friend of mine to join us.

Feel free to contact me if you wish to have more info and if you are looking to organise one or several guided ski tour here. It will be my pleasure to let you discover this fantastic region where I come from and show you my secrets spots.

Freeride skiing in Gunma and Nigata

Japan Mountain Guides-

<h5>Please join me for 2+ days in the beautiful area of Gunma and Nigata to experience ski touring in places where very few foreign tourists go. This makes it an unforgettable cultural trip while enjoying good snow among the hills and the forests of the region.</h5>
The Gunma prefecture is located 2 hours drive North West of Tokyo. I come from that region and it will be a great pleasure to let you discover it.

Please find below a program for a 3-day trip. It can of course be adapted based on your time here and your wishes. The prices listed below are on a per day basis.

Day 1
06.36 Departure from Tokyo station, arrival at 07.53 at the Jomo-kogen station where we will meet. We will then drive 1h to reach the starting point of our tour, in the Gunma or Nigata area. Our objective will be to ascent of of these mountains: Mount Tanigawa, Mount Hotaka or Mount Tailappyo... We will finish the day around 15.00 and drive to an Onsen in the Minakami area. Relax, delicious diner and sleep...

Day 2
We will meet at 08.00 at the onsen. The ski tour of the day will be chosen based on the weather and snow conditions. We will start the day by a 30min to 1.5h drive to the starting point of the trail. As for the first day, we will finish around 15.00 and drive back to the onsen.

Day 3
Same as day 2. After the day, I will drive you back to the onsen and then drop you off to the train station to take the train at 18.25, arrival at 19.40 in Tokyo

If you are interest by such program, in the Gunma prefecture or elsewhere on Honshu, please get in touch with me and let's discuss about it. I will be very happy to guide you in the Japanese mountains and let you discover my culture.

Ski touring around Gunma and Nigata area

I participated in the Sherpas Ride Trip Dec/Jan 2018/19 and I loved the experience of freeriding in Japan as well as the guiding and organization of Tomas and Vojta from Sherpas Ride. The trip was booked directly with Vojta and he advised me carefully on fitness level and equipment required for the trip. I felt well prepared and any question or organizational detail was delivered in a timely manner. At arrival the pickup went smoothly and Vojta is great in making you feel welcome and at home from the first minute. The housing, where our group of 12 people, was accommodated was conveniently equipped and close to restaurants and supermarkets. The facilities like bathroom and kitchen are shared and the group was super lovely and easy to deal with. The equipment (ski, poles, backpack with avalanche rescue equipment, and skins) was all comparatively new and well maintained. Tomas and Vojta were always helpful if there was any need or problem with it. The organization of breakfast, driving to the best spot and during the freeriding or touring day went well because the guys mange everything in a nice and relaxed way. I asked for and appreciated that they gave me advise on how to improve my freeriding skills and that they had a good speed and thus, I was also challenged to become better. I felt well informed on where to go and how to behave and there was always room for discussing snow conditions and how to best spot a line and estimate risks. I definitely learned something there and the two guides made things fun, yet clear when limits are reached.
The scenery of the volcanos, trees, and the masses of snow is simply faboulous. There is nothing comparable to enjoying the ride in the deep snow spraying all over you. I would definitely do it again! Thanks for the time, Sherpas Ride, and my great group Dec/Jan 2018/19 - you will always enjoy a special place in my memories.

Road trip and backcountry ski touring in Hokkaido

Booked the Hokkaido Roadtrip - this can be described in one word: Fantastic!
I would book this trip again immediately! Super organized camp with excellent powderlines. Guides are also trying very hard to put together an alternative program (ski tours) if it happens that there is no fresh snow for a few days.
Really absolutely recommendable Trip to Japan with all-round care.

What an experience!
Vojta, Tomas, Cyril and Kuba run a great camp with good balance of ski touring and lift access to get to the best lines of the day.
I liked the idea of not having daily program set in stone but rather wait for morning weather report to decide on the best option for the day. I highly recommend Sherpas ride for Japow experience.

12-day freeride ski trip in Niseko

Definitely provided one of the best sports experiences I\'ve ever had. Organization and support was great, staff very competent and ambitious. Skis and boards provided, guides were able to find the best powder lines on the mountains. Big thumbs up!

I recently did the Freeride Camp with Sherpas Ride and it was amazing. First of all the staff is not only very competent but also highly motivated to provide a great experience on and off the mountain every single day. The provided equipment (Skis, Poles &amp; avalanche equipment) was new and worked well. Breakfast was freshly made every day and the guys did a good job creating a relaxed and fun atmosphere throughout the trip.
I\'ll definitely try to come back for another trip!

Toshi and his crew gave us a truly remarkable experience!  From the food to the accommodations to the epic skiing: this trip was out of this world!

Backcountry skiing in Rishiri

I had a great time with Wataru, very nice and experienced guide. He brought us not so far away in a quiet and beautiful area of Shirebitsu with tons of magical snow.

If I could, I would go back tomorrow!

Thanks again to your platform.

1-7 days Sapporo Based Backcountry Skiing

Toshi and his staff are great! Very knowledgeable of the local terrain. Definitely recommend bringing a group of people with similar abilities and objectives. If you end up in a mixed group they do their best, but they have to slow the pace to the least experienced people in the group. 
The accommodations at the pension were very comfortable and the staff was excellent as well. Food was  fantastic, including several unique and authentic Japanese dishes.

4-day Backcountry skiing in Rishiri (accommodation included)

We had a great trip to Rishiri! The snow gods were not on our side but Rishiri is a mountain of many slopes and aspects and thanks to a great guiding team we always managed to find good snow!
Toshi ran a great operation with 3 other guides which meant we were split into two groups with a max of 9 per group and two guides. This allowed the group to be split even further on the day...
Special thanks to Shohei and Kosukei - very professional guides!!
Arigatou-gozaimashita!!

I recommend this trip for any backcountry skier who likes to ski Japan powder. Toshi has a great set up with snow mobiles for initial access and a large variety of steeper terrain for skinning up and skiing down. Can suit a range of wind directions and conditions. The accommodation is new and comfortable and the Japanese dinners and breakfasts are great if you like seafood. There is also an onsen there. Unfortunately we were there at a time when there was no new snow however this was compensated for with the magnificent views we had if Rishiri mountain and surrounding islands.

Should have extended each day by at least 1 run

I can not rate Toshiya because he was not our guide.  Our experience was marred by a void of communication prior to the trip.  We never recieved email or other communication prior to our trip, despite frequent requests.  Simple questions like, \"Do we need crampons?\" were unanswered.  The day before our arrival, we called Toshiya (whos phone number was being withheld).  He was unaware of what day we were visiting, he did not know how many days or how many people in our group.  

Myself and my husband and brother had a fabulous day!  We got great snow!  Wataru showed us some great places to get the powder stashes!  Unfortunately my skill level could not make the utmost of this awesome day but I enjoyed it so much anyway.  If I can make it back to Hokkaido I will try my hardest to book with Wataru again.  

Toshi and his team are fantastic - great guiding and accom, and Rishiri has some amazing terrain for backcountry ski/snowboarding. 

Rishiri You Beauty!
Toshiya is an amazing guide, a great character and also a very good host surrounded by a friendly team at Maruzen Pension.
How special to have Toshiya sharing his local knowledge of Mount Rishiri, his \"back garden\" as he like to call it! A perfect playground for all powder enthusiasts, so many faces and ridges to use; make first lines in waist deep pow and ride all the way back down to sea level!
I wish I had never left and I cannot wait to come back!
Thank you Rishiri.

Wataru is an enthusiastic, talented guide who was a pleasure to meet. Unfortunately the day we went up was one of the worst weather with howling winds and warm weather. However, he made the most of it and we still found deep, untracked powder. One thing that could be better is his rental services. The only boot he had of my size was faulty and could not tighten properly so I had to stop several times during the day to adjust them. I would have preferred if I could have rented boots elsewhere.




(Travelled Feb 2017)

Josef\'s colleagues Vojta, Cyril, Kuba and Thomas run a top notch guiding company. They led my group on an amazing 8 day trip in Hokkaido during the second half of February 2017. They prayed to the snow gods and we were rewarded with 6 feet (~150 CM) of light delicious JaPow over the 8 days, surfing snow all over the region. It was beyond epic. Great bunch of dudes, highly competent guides, I would ride with them any day! Highly recommend for anyone considering hitting up Japan or any of their other awesome trips.




No words can describe the amazing experience I had with Sherpasride! They are going above and beyond to find places with the best conditions every day and are providing a very professional guiding.

The trip was an unforgettable experience which I definitely want to do again and I can highly recommend Sherpasride, you will enjoy the time with Sherpasride to the fullest! Thank you Vojta, Kuba,Cyril and Thomas for everything!!

What a blast! We had the most epic trip with the boys from sherpas ride. Vojta assembled a very good group with strong riders. We got blessed with the weather and found fresh powder lines every day. Vojta always made sure to keep us busy and entertained - no day like the previous one, new highlights every day!!

It was a good mix of resort skiing and ski touring. On our off day we went swimming in the ocean followed by whiskey tasting tour. Even got to play around with a drone. Seriously, what more can you ask for? Definitely coming back for more.

I 100% recommend this camp. If you want to have a great time in japan with easy going guides that ski hard and always find fresh powder stashes at a really decent price, look no further.

Those guys are amazing! 9 days of ski that I will never forgget!

Hope to see you soon guys! Spanish kisses!

Even If snow conditions aren\'t the best ones in the season the guides will always tAke you for the fresh pow! ( Japow:) . Great 10 days of freeriding and enjoying japanese food,onsen and countryside of Hokkaidó.

We had an awesome freeride experience with sherpasride last year! Vojta, Tomas and Kuba are doing a great job. The camp is unique and with the best breakfast you can imagine thanks to Kuba. Therefore we came back to Japan shredding some powder with the guys again! It\'s not about business, it’s about passion!

Obviously after a trip like that it goes very well! It was a great trip, the group was great and the guides too !! Very competent and they knew their subject! I found the trip checking on the internet and discovered explore-share.com. I was looking for a freeride ski trip in Japan, that only ! We had heard so much about this famous snow … We choose to hire Sherpa guides for 2 reasons : 
It was the best price for 9 days of ride, and the stay included very little hiking. Knowing that we were looking for freeride and not ski touring, the choice was quickly made.
In addition, all equipment was provided (skiing, safety equipment).
It was the first time we made such a trip, and frankly speaking, to be repeated! Great snow. The only downside is that we missed some more steep ski runs. But we are not disappointed as we went there for the snow and it was excellent. 
The fact of having the guide is useful when you do not know the area, the resort. If I had to go back, I would go without a guide because there is no use for me. Once you know a little bit the area, it is impossible to get lost .. We simply followed the \'freeride doors\' that everyone takes.
I would recommend this trip as it was a very good experience, well organized stay, competent guide, and top destination!
No regrets!!

We had an amazing experience on Rishiri, perfect snow, good weather and a guide who knows the island like his pocket. The very steep slopes and the overwhelming nature satisfied every wish we had. 
We have been looking for a guided tour avoiding the normal tracks on Hokkaido and then saw the pictures of the floating mountain. And definitively the adventure included. 
We went to the southern part of the island, as Toshi-san knew that there would be the best snow conditions. The first 5km we have been toed in by a snow mobile and then climbed up a several times, riding different gullies each time.
Toshi-san is an amazing person, always happy, friendly and very welcoming. As said before, he knows every bit of the island and guided accordingly bringing us to breathtaking places. We all would and will totally recommend him to friends visiting Japan.
The reality was much better than expectations! We had some concerns regarding the weather conditions and difficulty but got lucky with the weather and never felt that Toshi chose a route too difficult.
Rishiri is a floating mountain! Steep like in the Swiss alps, but just one single mountain, which makes the it much more imposant. On the sunny day, we could see the Sibirian mainland.


 	What are your top 3 memories during the trip ? 

Riding very steep slopes in perfect snow, Toshi-san with his warm and welcoming attitude, and the travel to get there and back

I had a great day out with Wataru-San earlier this month (January 2017), we went to Sapporo-Kokusai and did some runs in really deep snow. Wataru enabled me to access terrain that I would not have been able to find without his knowledge and had I have known about him earlier, I would have stayed at his lodge and gone out with him for more than one day.
The day was a very Japanese experience with the deep powder, traditional onsen and local dinner after the ski day. Although I had some of the equipment already, it\'s good that Wataru has all the equipment for hire, as not all the guides can do this.

I had a great week with good snow, a good choice of resorts and restaurants.

With Thomas and Vojta you will get in a short time a perfect glance of hokkaido...

Best Backcountry tours in JAPOW, awesome spirit, fantastic guiding, good food and excellent local knowledge. Our group has had a blast with Thomas and Vojta. Highly recommend to go with these guys

We have been five days on Hokkaido in December and January 2017 for backcountry skiing.
It was our first time in Japan for skiing. Our guide was the experienced Takao Miyashita. Takao is a wonderful mountain guide born on Hokkaido with a lot of know-how in Himalaya, European Alps and, of course, Japan. 
The program was perfect and Takao have adapted it following our strengths, weakness, weather and desires. Security and training ships were perfect. Even in bad weather conditions, we were very secure and everything was suitable for what we want.
The snow was great in comparison with Europe and the landscape was very beautiful. Organisation, transport, food and accommodation were also superb.
A wonderful trip ! I highly recommend Takao Miyashita !

Best ski touring in Hokkaido, 7 days

Best ski guiding in the World..... Awesome Japanese trips. Very good organization... Nice people.... All in all perfect..... Looking forward to book the next trip.

Vojta and Tomáš create a pleasant and enjoyable atmosphere and always look for the best snow conditions in the region. You will enjoy the best skiing experience ever!

I was not backcountry skier before. Thank to Vojta and Tomas it was my experience with powder outstanding. I would recommend Japan trip to any skiing fan. Thank you guys for gr8 adventure.

Best skiing ever with Sherpas Ride in Japan..

Thanks guys for running a great trip.. 2017, see u there!

Tomáš and Vojta are doing a great job and I can really recommend Sherpas Ride to everybody who\'s looking for an unique experience in Japan.

Incredible scenery, terrain with endless possibilities, no crowd, pure Japanese ambiance. What do you want more? A experienced guide that will share his passion with a legendary smile? Check! Toshiya and his family are the additional element that make this kind of trip just epic.

The trip was truly amazing. Toshiya was our guide, he is the only winter guide on Rishiri (in summer there are 5 guides apparently). He is great, he and his sister run a ryokan (hotel) which is nice, great food and with a nice onzen (natural hot spring) to relax after skiing (they can open a big door so you can see the mountain and the stars whilst enjoying the bath. Bit hard to get to Rishiri but the powder on the big mountain pays for everything, truly amazing. Toshiya climbed the top over 500 times so he knows the mountain and the good spots to find the best conditions depending on wind etc. According to him the best season is February/early March. The wind is the main factor whether or not to reach the top and that is the same most months however powder is best not too late in the season (we were in early March). Temperature is not too bad despite being very close to Siberia.
I may go again next year!

Vojta is not only an excellent skiing instructor - he is a great person. It was my second time skiing after a terrible skiing accident ten years ago. Vojta took personal care of me. He improved my technique immensely, gave me confidence and most importantly enabled me to love and enjoy skiing once again. Thanks Vojta!

Compare and book the best certified guide for your Kanto + Backcountry Skiing trip with Explore-Share.com. 1500+ guides in 70 countries!

Backcountry Skiing trips – Kanto

Explore-share.com helps you book your next Backcountry Skiing trip in Kanto.

Compare and book a certified guide for your trip on Explore-Share.com: 1500+ guides, 70+ countries and more than 8000 different programs to choose from. Take a pick from our selection of Backcountry Skiing trips in Kanto. The mountains are calling!

Top Backcountry Skiing Trips in Kanto

Freeride skiing in Niigata / Gunma with a local IFMGA guide

Backcountry Skiing in Gunma and Niigata

Freeride skiing in Gunma and Nigata

Ski touring around Gunma and Nigata area

Search Amazing Outdoor Activities

Pick And Book Your Favorite Trip

Live A Unique Adventure

Live A Unique Adventure

Search Amazing Outdoor Activities

Pick And Book Your Favorite Trip

Live A Unique Adventure

Search Amazing Outdoor Activities

Pick And Book Your Favorite Trip

Live A Unique Adventure

Why choose Explore-Share.com?

Professional and Verified Local Guides

7000+ Outdoor Activities Worldwide

Online Customer Support 7 Days a Week

Secure Online Payment

What People are Saying

Be the first to tell us about your experience!

You may also like

Need help discovering your next adventure?

Join our Newsletter