Backcountry and powder skiing in Japan, 10 days in Nagano and Niigata
Join JMGA certified guide Tadashi for this fantastic 10-day ski touring trip in the powder snow backcountry of Nagano and Niigata, Japan!
Group
Japan Alps
10 Days
Jan - Mar
High
Intermediate
Highlights
- Enjoy limitless powder snow and virgin runs to your hearts content
- Discover the beautiful wild mountains in Japan's Nagano and Niigata regions
- Join enthusiastic and highly experienced guides with their local knowledge
Description
Nagano and Niigata are two beautiful regions on Japan’s west coast. Home to the country’s most spectacular mountain ranges, these stunning prefectures inhabit the opposite end of the mainland to Tokyo.
We will be exploring a wide range of areas within these prefectures but we will be centred mostly around their shared border region, this locates us about 150km northwest of Tokyo.
Included in our list of locations will be Kubiki, Nozawa Onsen, Madarao, Hirayu, Hakuba and Myoko amongst others.
Your breath will be taken away by the Northern Alps of Hakuba and Myoko, which is easily the most spectacular mountain range of Japan!
Kubiki, Nozawa and Madarao are also exciting, they are renowned for their amazing tree skiing terrains and abundant snows.
Our trip will consist of times using ski lifts at resorts, where we can blaze down runs all day. Whilst other days we may need to ski tour and search out the best snows, whilst enjoying the surrounding beauty!
Covering such a large area we have access to many resorts and mountain ranges with varying weather patterns, that means we can select the best option for us.
Myself and my fellow guides have extensive knowledge of the regions and networks in the local skiing communities. This way we will be up to date with the latest information.
This trip is designed for intermediate to advanced level skiers, it’s preferable that you have some ski touring experience.
Don’t miss this super exciting opportunity for backcountry skiing in the deep powder snows of Japan’s most spectacular mountain regions, sign up now!
Price includes
- Guiding fee
- Transport during the trip
- Transportation start and back
- Mountain guide expenses
- Luggage transfer
Price details
- Not Included:
- Personal Travel Insurance, Flights from your country, Departure transfer (although arrangements and instructions will be provided), 9days of lift passes, 9 nights twin share accommodation, Meals, snacks, alcohol & dinners outside of the hotel. Single room occupancy upgrade available at extra cost
- Touring gear is required.
Meeting point
Itinerary
Day 1: Meet up
Transfer to meeting point, where your guide will be waiting to greet you. From there your guide will give you an introduction to the local area, make sure you have everything you need and deliver you to your hotel for some relaxation.
Day 2 to 5: Ski Touring
We will decide the best place to ski each day. Your first morning will start with an in-depth avalanche safety briefing and training. This will give you the confidence to use your equipment with the aim of giving you more skills and knowledge to take away with you at the end of the trip. From here we will potentially ski at any of the ski resorts and also other non-ski field access backcountry locations, which we do not wish to disclose here.
Day 6: Change of location
We will either ski first thing and then transfer in the evening or transfer early in the morning and find another area to ski. There are also ski options along the way. This again will be decided by where the best snow conditions are!
Day 7 to 9: Ski Touring
Again we will decide which areas to ski each day.
Day 10: Last Day
Wind up the trip with a day of free skiing and a transfer back the airport or your next destination.
Details
More info
Equipment Required: You will need touring gear which could be skis with touring bindings & skins. Also it could be avanache gear - avanache traciever, probe, shovel, airbag.
About the guide
Tadashi
5.0
(17)
Mountain Guide
I am a JMGA mountain guide based in the seaside town of Miura in Kanagawa prefecture, offering a mix of outdoors guiding activities in both the mountains and the sea. What I value the most in guiding is to of course guide my clients safely but also for my clients to spend a quality time in the rich nature. Exposing yourself in the rich nature by taking part in outdoor activities, and by removing everything in between you and the nature, I believe that you’ll be able to experience the extraordinary. It could be the overwhelming feel from witnessing the change in landscapes through seasons, or that you learnt to speak to your own body and heart, or that you deepened the understanding of the local area, and of course it could be that precious moment where you can experience this together with other people!
I am also certified in Japan Avalanche Network (JAN) at Level 2.
In the summer, I guide in the mountains, mainly in the North Japan Alps, and sea kayak, and in the winter I take clients backcountry skiing.
Whatever the discipline, my focus is always for my clients to be able to “feel” and to be one with the nature. The integral part of the fun is to interact with the locals, to meet the local culture, and to breathe in the air there as a total package!
So, in the summer I like to take clients deep into the mountains accessed by using both the sea kayak and your climbing / hiking skills, as well as staying in tents at night. I think it is a pity if you only spend time in the mountains or only in the sea!
And in the winter, I’d like to show my clients that backcountry skiing is not all about chasing powder but it is about getting joy from the mountains in totality.
I am looking forward to meeting you and sharing a quality time in the land of varying seasonal beauties!
Languages
Japanese | English
Certificates
JMGA
What people are saying about Tadashi
Nicholas
Tadashi was a wonderful guide that made my first time climbing experience incredible. We climbed in the off-season so there was a lot of wind, snow, and some ice. If climbing in the off-season, a 2 day ascent is definitely the way to do it. We reached up almost 95% of way to the summit but ultimately the winds were too strong to keep going- I appreciate Tadashi's willingness to work with me and keep going until I felt I could not climb any higher and continue to be safe. His expertise was definitely needed on this off-season hike. If you are new to climbing like I am, I would absolutely recommend Tadashi. I could not have done it without him and I would ABSOLUETLY climb with him again if I had the chance. Also found renting clothing and gear to be helpful.
Aidan
Mark
Kate
Tadashi was professional, thorough, and thoughtful. He did a fantastic job of ensuring that we had a very special experience during our few days skiing in Hakuba, and blended a mix of culture, backcountry experience, along with a willingness to adjust to our own group's dynamics and complexities.
Katherine
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