JAPAN SIGHT UNSEEN

In 2010 instead of the usual trip to Canada the Martin/ Buckley family went to Japan. We were stunned at how easy it was to get there, how cheap it was and best of all, how good the snow was compared with other places around the world that we had skied. This led us to start looking for a place of our own in Japan. After a hunt around on the internet we found and purchased Chalet Myoko sight unseen via a foreclosed property website. On the 18th January 2012 I arrived at Chalet Myoko to see what we had actually bought and the Japow adventure really began. Since then we have renovated Chalet Myoko and bought and renovated Chalet Madarao to make them suitable for westerners whilst retaining their Japanese personality.

These lodges are north of Nagano city in an area known as snow country, an area infamous for the quantity and quality of snow. In a season when other areas are struggling for snow cover, they still get significantly better snow than either Australia or New Zealand ever get. Imagine season end with a 2-metre base. Last season there was 30cm of fresh snow the day after most of the resorts closed.

Chalet Myoko is at the base of Mt Myoko, which gets arguably the best snow in Japan. There are 4 resorts easily accessible from Chalet Myoko that are spread around the base of the mountain. Only 2 of these are connected by ski runs so it is practical to spend your first 3 days visiting the nearby resorts and then spend more time at your favourite. Still on Mt Myoko, but a bit further away, is Seki Onsen. This is a smaller resort but worth visiting for the true powder hound, especially when there is fresh snow.

Chalet Madarao is in a genuine ski in ski out location at Madarao Mountain Resort. When you consider ease of access, snow quality and quantity, number of ungroomed slopes, safety and a good range of restaurants and night life, Madarao is very hard to beat. Add in that it is centrally located with respect to many other resorts, the snow monkeys, has easy access to a city with a shinkansen station and shops, Madarao Mountain Resort compares well with all other resorts in Japan.

This is one of the easiest resorts to get to from Tokyo, has 60% ungroomed runs for those seeking powder, and is linked with Tangram resort. For those wanting to explore beyond a single resort Madarao’s central location is perfect. There are many other resorts relatively nearby that you can visit with a day trip. These include Mt Myoko, Nozawa Onsen and Shiga Kogen.

Most snow enthusiasts have heard of Niseko and Hakuba but there are many other areas in Japan that offer better snow, value and ease of access. The area north and north west of Nagano city is known as snow country and for good reason. Most seasons this area gets more snow than Hakuba and Niseko making them great options if the season is not so good, and it often falls as a significant snowfall overnight or for a few days and then there are a few days a beautiful sunshine. Usually there is enough snow and so few people that you can always find powder stashes even when it has not snowed for a few days. Last season, when Hakuba was struggling for coverage on the lower slopes we had a NZ visitor staying in the worst of our season and comment that he found the best snow he had ever experienced.

Getting to the main resorts around Nagano is incredibly easy. The quickest way is to catch a shinkansen (bullet train) to Nagano and then what you do depends on where you are going. The options include bus, local trains, taxi and, depending on where you are staying, accommodation shuttles. Alternatively, there are several shuttles and shared taxi services from Tokyo and airports direct to the main resorts. But these take a lot longer and are a lot more expensive than catching the train. For more details on this sign up for the DIY Japan Snow Holidays guides at Japansnowholidays.net. New guides are published regularly and then updated when things change. These guides will cover all you need to know to organise you snow holiday.

Thinking about the first trip to Japan can be a bit daunting so here are our top tips for visiting Japan :

• Do your research, plan you travels well and allow lots of time. Japan is different and lots of things that seem confusing now will make sense once you are there.

• If you are lost or confused ask someone for help. The Japanese are incredibly helpful and polite. It is quite common for a complete stranger to offer you help without you asking if they think you are in need.

• Take advantage of the amazing Takkyubin luggage delivery service. If you are taking your own gear spend a little time either side of your time on snow doing something else. Then you can Takkyubin your gear from the airport direct to your snow accommodation and back rather than needing to carry it yourself.

• Get debit and credit cards that are international transaction fee free. These will give you a far better exchange rate than most other ways of paying for things.

• Cash is king so be set up to get cash out of an ATM at the airport when you arrive. In Tokyo, at the train stations and on the main roads there are lots of places to get cash using international cards. The easiest ones to find are 7/11s and post offices. Be aware that some resorts do not have any ATMs so you need to plan for this and do your research to see where you can use credit and debit cards.

• Many people do not speak English. To help you communicate have google translate set up on your phone.

• There is free wifi in lots of places including at the airports, on the trains and at convenience stores. There are apps you can download to tell you where you can get free wifi.

• Food is easy – the convenience stores have an amazing range of food including meals they will heat up for you and some healthy options. If you have any food allergies travel with the appropriate medication and food allergy cards.

For more details and information that will help you have a great Japan Snow Holiday look at the guides and information on Japansnowholidays.net.