Ski touring on Rishiri Island and around Hokkaido

Question 1

Do you have travel tips for Tokyo?

Answer

We suggest the following:

Stroll through Akihabara during the day

Sky Tree during the day

Shibuya Crossing - just to see amount of people!

Shinjuku during the night

Travel in Tokyo Metro during rush hour

Party in Ropongi

Book Robot Restaurant (book ahead) and all the bizzare stuff Tokyo has to offer.

Regarding accomodation, we have a good experience with MyStays Hotels (note that Japanese size double bed is much narrower than standard).

Question 2

What is the level of skiing/snowboarding with guests?

Answer

We have had guests who tried powder skiing for the first time as well as riders back-flipping pillows and hitting avalanche barriers. And we were able to satisfy both.

Question 3

What ski boots should I take?

Answer

We recommend feeride (downhill) boots with ski/walk. If you have pin inserts you can use our pin

binding, otherwise you will use frame binding with touring option.

Boot examples: Tecnica Cochise, Lange XT FREE,

For Rishiri Trip, Norway Trip and Ride&Learn in the Alps touring boots with pin

inserts are the best option.

Boot examples: Tecnica Zero G, Salomon MTN LAB, SCOTT Superguide Carbon

Question 4

What insurance should I take?

Answer

Our guests are required to arrange insurance that covers freeride and ski-touring as well as sufficient medical care in case of injury or illness.

We also strongly recommend

CANCELLATION INSURANCE in case you get injured or sick prior to your trip.

BEWARE OFF:

When choosing the right package, always check thoroughly that it covers both freeriding and ski-touring with the following specifics:

Freeriding: Skiing or snowboarding outside of the marked trails and slopes.

Ski-touring: Ski touring in a free terrain, outside the boundaries of the ski resorts and marked trails.

CANCELLATION INSURANCE:

Insurance against having to cancel on your side (fue to injury, illness, etc.).

If you don't have cancellation insurance on your flight separately, include the flight ticket in total sum for the trip.

Important note:

When arranging your travel insurance with ERV (and other companies) and opting for cancel insurance option, please arrange your insurance no later than 2 weeks after making the first payment for the trip (flight ticket or deposit).

ALPENVEREIN:

Alpenverein Insurance is not sufficient in it's basic version, because coverage of medical expenses is only 10 000 EUR. If you want to use Alpenverein, please purchase additional insurance (fee 44 EUR - might be different in your country) for travel of maximum 17 days. Please note that Alpenverein does not have Assistance Service in Japan. In case of Ana accident you would have to pay upfront, take the receipts and get refunded in Europe. Alpenverein does not offer liability for damage to property insurance (e.g. loss of our ski) and baggage insurance. We recommend combining Alpenverein with other insurance which covers mentioned accidents. If you are not a member of Alpenverein, you don't have to purchase it just for our trip.

Question 5

Where will we meet?

Answer

You will fly to Sapporo New Chitose Airport. If you travel to

Sapporo/Chitose airport via Tokyo, please look for “Domestic Departures” in Tokyo.

You will have to recheck You luggage there.

Unless we make other arrangements, we will meet you on an agreed date and time in the airport. We will arrange this a fee days in avance. The maximum number of people we take at a time si 6. If your arrival is earlier than pick up time, you can visit restaurants or onsens -if you have more time- on the 3rd floor of the airport.

We will wait for you at

Domestic Arrival Terminal, Gate 1. Please look for the "SHERPAS RIDE" sign around

the waiting area in front of LAWSON grocery store. This gate is the one most to the

right when facing outside.

Question 6

Should I bring my own equipment?

Answer

We recommend that you bring your own equipment, since you will ski/ride on what you know.

However we cannot discount the equipment the trip, since our costs are fixed. We recommend at

least 105 under foot and pin touring binding (ATK, Fritschi Tecton etc.) or frame touring binding (e.g. Tyrolia Adrenalin, Marker Duke) for skiing in Japan.

Question 7

Which is the group size?

Answer

The group is always 6 people + one guide.

Question 8

What are the requirements related to the VISA?

Answer

Please check visa requirements with your Japanese embassy.

Citizens of most countries don’t need visa to enter Japan. They receive 90 day permit to travel in the country upon arrival.

Before landing in Japan, you will be asked to fill in an Immigration Form. You will need our address in Japan: 3-chōme-2-31 Kita 3 Jōhigashi, Abuta-Gun, Kutchan- Cho 044-0003, Hokkaido, Japan.

The purpose of travel is tourism.

During a short interview with an immigration officer please state that you're going to Niseko for skiing.

Sherpas Ride is registered in Europe, they wouldn't know the company, so you don't need to try to explain you go skiing with us.

IMPORTANT NOTE: For travel to Japan you will need either biometrical passport or

the one with machine-readable two-line code at the end of the passport (combination of your name, surname, letter,number and other characters).

Most of the passports these days are biometrical. Only the express passports (issued in under 30 days) are not biometrical. If you are not sure, please check with the office which issued your passport.

Question 9

What will we do the last night in Sapporo?

Answer

After skiing (usually in some of the Sapporo resorts) we get to the hotel in Sapporo (which we cover), go for a good-bye dinner and if the group is up for it we check nightlife in Sapporo (Clubs, Karaoke, Baseball batting station and more).

Question 10

Is this trip more about freeriding or ski touring?

Answer

On this Rishiri+Hokkaido trip, it's usually about 50% of lift assisted freeriding, and 50% Ski Touring.

Question 11

Do you get skiers, snowboarders or both?

Answer

We get both skiers and snowboarders. Our main priority is to split guests into groups

Question 12

Can I send my luggage via post and travel light to Tokyo, Kyoto etc.?

Answer

Yes. Please check YAMATO (http://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/en/) You can send your luggage straight to your terminal of departure to Sapporo. If you travel to Tokyo after our camps, you can make arrangements for this while on the camp.

Question 13

What is the budget for your camps?

Answer

You should budget around 4000 - 6000 YEN per day. Hirafu offers variety of bars and restaurants with Ramen (starting at 800 YEN), Sashimi (raw fish, starting at 1000 YEN) and lot of other types of food. Big supermarkets such as Max Value and Lucky are located in Kutchan at a walking distance from our house.

Question 14

When do we have to arrive and leave?

Answer

ARRIVAL DESTINATION: Sapporo Chitose International Airport

ARRIVAL DATE and TIME: First day of the camp around noon or afternoon (no later than 16:00)

DEPARTURE DESTINATION: Sapporo Chitose International Airport DEPARTURE DATE and TIME: Last day anytime (even early morning is fine)

Question 15

Should I take debit or credit card?

Answer

Both are generally accepted in Tokyo and Sapporo and in stores in

Kutchan.

Some of the smaller restaurants in Kutchan only take cash, however youcan cash out in any 7-Eleven store.

We recommend You have at least 15 000 JPY in cash for your first few days in Japan.

Question 16

Do I need my avalanche bag in Japan?

Answer

Yes. If you absolutely don't want to go through the hassle at the airport, then use our non-avalanche backpack from Pieps.

Question 17

What is the average age of the participants?

Answer

Between 30 and 45 years old. However we've has guests from anywhere between 18 to 70.

Question 18

What ski, snowboard and other equipment do you offer free of charge?

Answer

We provide top level equipment for free use in Japan.

SKIS: Kastle FX and BMX (115mm and 105mm under foor) Scott Scrapper (120mm and

110mm underfoot) and Armada JJ (117mm underfoot) in various lenghts for men and

women

SNOWBOARDS: Nitro Slash and Pow (powder specific) and GARA and NITRO Splitboards

BINDINGS: Skiers: : Fritschi Tecton (tech binding) and Tyrolia Adrenalin (frame binding, classic binding with hiking option)

AVALANCHE GEAR: Shovel, probe. Beacon is not included, but we can rent it for you for 90 EUR for the whole trip.

POLES: 2-piece telescopic poles for skiers and 3-piece telescopic poles for snowboarders

CARTRIDGES: We provide cartridges for ABS backpacks, so you don't have to bring your cartridge on the plane. Please bring your avalanche backpack.

We don't have cartridges from Mammut, BCA, Alpride and other brands.

We do not provide ski boots, helmets, snowboard boots nor snowboard bindings.

You can reserve all the gear we provide in the booking form after you sign up for your trip.

Question 19

Where do the participants usually come from?

Answer

Most of our guests are from Europe (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czech & Slovak Republic, Italy, France, UK, Sweden, Spain, Poland and more). We also get clients from US, Canada, Australia, South America and elsewhere.