Where to board in Japan?

[snwbrdr960]

Ok everyone, take it easy on me. My first time/post on the TGR boards.
I've been wanting to hit Japan for some time now and would like some thoughts on where to go/stay.
I've tackled a few places in CO and AK and am pretty good on the board but except for one hike up turnagain pass in AK and a few peak hikes from resorts in CO my backcountry experience is practically nil. But the hike up Turnagain was all it took. Not to mention my first cliff jump, a small one, but enough. Lifts just get me part of the way now if anywhere at all. Further away from the crowds and closer to untouched pow is where to be. I'm sure many on here share the same sentiment.
Lots of questions but any help would be appreciated.
Planning for next season, 08-09
Travel basics for going to Japan?

Best flight options?

Taking the trip solo, good or bad? Hooking up with someone for the trip or meeting someone out there is an option too. But nobody on the list as of yet.

Where's the best place in Japan to go? I'm not looking to get myself into trouble, but don't want to fly half way around the world to be bored either. I've heard a lot about how strict the patrol can be at some places so I'm frowning on those, but as long as the place is pretty big with decent terrain I wont be so worried or prejudice. A setup like Breck, Keystone, vail would be nice. One ticket-multiple mountains kinda thing.

Are the recommended places near Tokyo? Would rather take a train than a plane if it's not.

Being from Wisconsin, avalanche courses or training is nonexistent. Where is a good place to get some much needed basics? Like I said, dont want to get myself into any trouble. Links?

[MOHSHSIHd]

A.) SEARCH JONG.....there are a million threads about JP with many pictures and trip reports....search for stuff from stunkcok and fattwins

B.) This section of the forum is for TGR Maggot Summits (aka meetings/gatherings/getting hammered/skiing)

[powderhound100]

dude be more friendly, its his first post, and its not a big deal if he posts this or is it??

im sorry know nothing about boarding in Japan

[StuntCok]

Fattwins runs a lodge in the heart of Japan's big mountains (hakuba) that is cheap and is a good place to meet people. Other than that SEARCH JONG

[fattwins]

PM me if you want some info. You did post this in the wrong section though so you might want to move this to the ski snowboard section.

[neck beard]

Yeah, wrong section. Try this thread, post #460. I answered you question there. Don't thank me, just buy me a present.

[BCR]

Search JONG, but here's the basics of what I learned from my Feb trip to Tokyo, Nagano, Hakuba, Sapporo, and Niseko:

Stay a day in Tokyo - very cool city and if you get up early enough and make a long day of it you can see enough to say "wow, I saw a lot of Tokyo today...now it's time to go ski".

If trains are your thing, then take the Shinkansen (bullet train - 1.5 hrs) to Nagano (see the temple and do the walk underneath it to find the key to enlightenment - you only think you've seen pitch black before), then the bus to Hakuba (an hour or so). Stay with Fattwins. You'll certainly meet enough people at his lodge that going alone in no big deal. Be nice and maybe they'll share their knowledge with you. Beware the ski patrol (there are plenty of threads on this already). The snow is good, there's plenty of steep terrain, and you can't beat his prices. Non Jae's is a good restaurant within walking distance, but there are plenty of options there. They're just somewhat spread out. The budget optionis to buy food at the 7/11 and make meals at the lodge.

If you have your heart set on the mythical deep deep of the north island of Hokkaido - Niseko is a great start. It involves a domestic flight from Tokyo to Sapporo (the domestic airport is different than the international one you will be flying into - both take a bit of time to get to and from) or a REALLY long and equally expensive train ride. Domestic flights are pricey, but if you call the ANA or JAL offices in the US and give them your international flight information, they offer steep discounts for domestic flights for visitors. Fly from Tokyo to Sapporo and take a bus to Niseko (3.5 hours - more than 2x as long as the bus from Nagano to Hakuba). Stay at Kimamaya lodge - the proprietor Yasuo san is really nice for a Yankees fan. The town of Niseko is more clustered together than Hakuba and there are lots of choices for food and drink, slightly more expensive than Hakuba but reasonable. Lots of Aussie tourists, but they were much nicer than some make them out to be. Mellower terrain, great snow, and the woods are open (be careful to pick some that lead back to a trail not a drainage ditch, though) and ski patrol is not the issue that it is down south because almost everthing is open to ski. Stop in Sapporo on the way back, eat genghis khan at the Sapporo brewery (and drink a ton of beer while you're there, of course). Not a ton of English speakers in Sapporo - but when they're drunk and you're drunk...somehow it makes understanding one another easier.

Eat mochi (pounded rice sweets). Department store basements are the best place to get it, but even 7/11 mochi is good to me!

Stop in the little shops on the road to the temple in Nagano. They will take you in and give you tea and let you taste all the treats they have to offer. Next thing you know you will have bags full of treats and snacks that will never make it until the plane despite your best intention to give them away as gifts to loved ones when you get home.

If a sign says "powder" with an arrow, they're not kidding. Follow the arrow and see. Ski midweek and you won;t see many people out there and it's all yours.

That's all I've got for now.

If you're serious about going, when you book it, let me know and I can send you all the info I gathered about food, customs, maps, etc... I was planning to bring a group there as a paid trip so I prepared the 50 page packet for them that I usually do. In the end, I just decided to take my gf. It was a great trip and a great experience. You'd enjoy it alone or with friends.