Myoko Connect
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MYOKO KOGEN Less developed and more traditionally Japanese than Hakuba, more variety than Nozawa Onsen and sitting on a much bigger mountain, more of lived-in and more vertical than Shiga Kogen, more snow than all three.... It’s suffice to say that Myoko has a lot to offer international skiers and snowboarders.
T
he region takes its name from Mount Myoko, the vast 2,454m mountain that dominates the south-west Niigata skyline and is home to five of the Myoko ski areas. Myoko is actually an active volcano, the second of five big volcanoes that cross Japan in a north-south line. Repeated eruptions in pre-history formed a belt-like geological region called the Fossa Magna that extends to the Pacific. The southmost of the five volcanoes is the symbol of Japan itself, Mount Fuji. Though “active”, Myoko’s last eruption was over 4,000 years ago.
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When not erupting, volcanoes mean fertile soil and hot springs (“onsen”), and it is as the latter that Myoko became established as a destination for travelers. The granddaddy of the Myoko onsens is Seki, which has welcomed visitors to its iron-rich waters since 1729. Akakura Onsen opened in 1816. There are now seven onsens in Myoko, with waters that range from rusty red to milky white and have different therapeutic effects. Myoko expanded in the post-war period with the Japanese booms in hiking in the 1960s and skiing in the 1970s and 80s, but the European influence of mountain-based leisure has remained secondary. To this day, Myoko is a collection of onsen towns with ski lifts, not a ski resort with onsens. Skiing got its start in Myoko at Akakura. In 1937, the Akakura Kanko Hotel was built as one of Japan’s first European-style resort hotels. The building of the first ski lifts in the post-war period sparked gold-rush style development, with small rival areas opening up side by side. These areas have since mended their differences and joined up to form the ski areas we know today. The main characteristic of skiing at Myoko is that it snows a lot! A typical season will bring 14 meters of cumulative snowfall, with most resorts hitting a base of 4 meters by late season. Despite this, temperatures are relatively mild, often in a range of -1 to -5C on the slopes. Unlike colder resorts, dress sensibly and you shouldn’t need an extra layer for the lifts or a facemask to protect any exposed skin. Unlike European resorts located high in the alpine, there is also no risk of altitude sickness. The biggest risk for most people is getting stuck in some very deep snow! For information on the separate ski areas in the Myoko region, see the individual guides later in this magazine. Most areas have wide lower slopes ideal for beginners and steeper upper slopes with great tree skiing through beech and birch forests. Rather than being isolated up a mountain somewhere, the ski areas are all directly linked to accommodation/onsen-centered villages where you can stay, eat, and ease the day’s aches away in the bath. If you have ever wondered how much snow a 75-year-old man can shovel, we’re sure a Myoko local will
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Myoko Connect
show you the answer. You’ll also see the vast array of machinery used to keep the roads clear in this climate. Some of it is very impressive. Myoko is located only 25km or so from the Japan Sea, providing local hotels, ryokan inns, and restaurants with a regular supply of quality seafood. Many varieties of fish are at their best in winter due to the increased fat content. Like other hot spring regions, Myoko serves up onsen manju, sweet-filled dumplings, and onsen tamago, runny-boiled eggs, both of which are prepared using hot spring water. Myoko’s unusual meibutsu (famous regional food) is “kanzuri”, an aged chili sauce made with salted peppers, fermented rice, and other natural flavourings and sold in small bottles. During the traditional manufacturing process, salted chilis are laid out directly on the snow for several days to soften the flavour. Niigata is the premier rice-growing region of Japan, and the endless supply of crystal-clear mountain water ensures local sake brewers have two prime ingredients with which to work their magic. Regular tastings are held around Myoko, but you can always just go to an izakaya pub and try them yourself. Life goes slow in Myoko, and the biggest news of late has been the arrival of the Shinkansen bullet train in spring 2015. The line is an extension of the Nagano Shinkansen that was built for the 1998 Winter Olympics, and now reaches Kanazawa, a historic city home to the Kenrokuen garden. The station for Myoko is “Joetsu Myoko” and trains to Tokyo take just one hour and fifty minutes. When boarding at Tokyo, be sure to get the “Hakutaka” (White Hawk) service. Other services on the line do not stop at Joetsu Myoko. For any down days, the Shinkansen now offers great access to Nagano City with the impressive Zenkoji temple and to Joetsu City in Niigata for shopping and gourmet seafood. An ever-popular day trip is to see the snow monkeys of Jigokudani. You can get up really close to them and they’re really cute!
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AKAKURA KANKO With about 760m of vertical, Akakura Kanko (often shortened to “Akakan�) is the second largest resort in Myoko Kogen. The resort is centered on the impressive red roofed Akakura Resort Hotel. It is great to get your bearing from the hotel if you get lost.
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IKENOTAIRA
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Myoko Connect
The middle of the resorts on Mount Myoko, Iketaira follows the classic Myoko model. That is, tons of snow, steepest and best views at the top, gentle and wide at the bottom, onsens at the base.
MADARAO KOGEN Lying right on the border between Niigata and Nagano, Madarao shares the huge snowfall of nearby Nozawa Onsen and Myoko, a natural bounty that the resort is doing its best to share with its powder-hungry visitors.
SEKI ONSEN
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With only two lifts, one a somewhat rickety-looking single chair, the easiest thing to say is that Seki Onsen is not for everyone. The resort has its fans though, and they are devotees to powder.
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AKAKURA ONSEN Akakura Onsen has the only night skiing available in Myoko, where they usually set up some park features. Though mostly east-facing, the resort has some north-facing runs that keep good snow when the sun is baking the rest of Akakura.
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MYOKO SUGINOHARA The southernmost of the four resorts on Mount Myoko, Suginohara reaches up the highest, meaning the lowest temperatures to keep that powder fluffy. The resort’s 1,124 meters of vertical place it second only to Kagura among Japanese ski areas.
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Why Does It Snow So Much In Myoko? By Sandy Messini
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Myoko Connect
I
t may seem obvious that a lot of snow falls at Myoko. In fact, Myoko topped 520cm base last season. But have you ever wondered why Myoko Kogen gets huge “un-expected” dumps of snow, or why Seki Onsen sometimes gets twice as much snow as Suginohara, or why it might be snowing at the top of Akakura , but it’s sunny on the other side of the valley? Most places in the world will get snow when there is a big storm system/cold front/low pressure system. But why is it that Myoko gets a lot of snow when there’s no storm? The answer is something called “the lake effect”. When a northerly wind blows in Japan, it’s usually coming straight
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off Siberia, so it’s cold (-20C degrees or coler). When very cold air blows across warm water, it sucks a huge amount of moisture from the water and forms cloud. In the case of Japan, the “lake” is the Sea of Japan. Moving from the north, the cloud hits the Japan Alps, rises and cools in a process called “orographic lift”, and drops snow on the mountains. You can actually see on the map opposite where the cold winds hit the Sea of Japan, and within 150-200km of the Asian mainland, cloud has formed. This hits the mountains of Japan, dropping huge amounts of snow on the side facing the sea. On the Tokyo side of the mountains, the cloud “burns off”, leaving the Pacific side
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Myoko Connect
of Japan in a sunny rain shadow! In the satellite shot, you can see the air is still cold enough to form new cloud once it hits the warmer Pacific water. When cloud hits the mountains, it rises, cools and it snows. Generally speaking, the higher it rises, the more it snows, and once it drops the snow, the air has little moisture left after it passes over the mountains. For Myoko Kogen (and most of central Japan), the two most important factors are the direction of the wind and its strength. If the wind blows too far from the west, it rakes the coastal mountains from the side, and doesn’t penetrate far enough
in-land to snow much at places like Hakuba, Shiga Kogen or around Yuzawa. If it’s more to the north-east, it is often a loop on a low pressure trough off Eastern Hokkaido, the winds are too warm, and the lake effect doesn’t kick in. The ideal winds are from the north to northwest. If the wind is too light, it may pick up moisture, but then it doesn’t hit the mountains and penetrate far enough from the coast to drop much snow on places 30-40km inland. Myoko is a little different in that it is located nearer to the coast (25km), so lighter snow bearing winds penetrate to Myoko, where they may not make it to other resorts, plus those snow laden clouds hit Myoko first. Another factor is the location of Mt. Myoko & Mt Hiuchi which lay to the northwest(see map). These provide a lot of orographic lift, condensing the water vapor into snow. If the wind is directly from the north west, these peaks tend to block the main dump of snow from the Myoko resorts, but still provide a reasonable amount of snow blowing off the peaks. The best wind directions are away from this direction, blowing from the NNW, so the air rises off the peaks, but hits the Myoko resorts more directly. Seki Onsen is directly in the path of the wind, so gets the most snow. Suginohara is on the southern side so gets less from that direction, but it seems to get more on strong a westerly wind, unblocked by the peaks. Of course knowing how and why snow falls at Myoko Kogen is a lot more complex than just that, but if you know there will be a fresh breeze coming directly from the north, it might pay to head up to Seki Onsen for some deep, fresh tracks!!!
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MYOKO CONNECTIONS
Bus or Train
If lugging bags and sometimes kids through train stations isn’t your thing, then take the Nagano Snow Shuttle bus directly to and from the two Tokyo airports, Narita & Haneda. When you arrive at the airport there will be a meet and greet from the bus company, then after storing your luggage, with plenty of space, jump on the bus and relax or sleep as the bus makes the approximately five to six hour journey to the resort. They will have a few stops to stretch your legs and grab a coffee and or a bite to eat. Here is a good chance to sample some local Japanese fare! Nagano Snow Shuttle offer three convenient shuttles per day from Tokyo Narita Airport at 09:00, 12:00 (not Wednesdays) and 20:30. And a daily shuttle leaving Tokyo Haneda Airport at 09:30. Return to the airports is from Akakura Bus Stop at 10:45 and 15:45. www.naganosnowshuttle.com
If you are coming to Myoko Kogen by Shinkansen then you will need to the take the airport trains to Tokyo Station and transfer there to the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Tokyo Station is one of the busiest in the world and though the signs are in English, give yourself plenty of time to get to the right platform. Once on the train sit back and relax as the built up area gives way to rice paddies. It is fast, you will be zooming by at 260km per hour! You have two options to get to Myoko Kogen, one is to stay on the Shinkansen until you get to Joestsu Myoko Station, from here take the Haneuma Line line and double back on yourself to Myoko Kogen Station. You will have to buy a new ticket and make your way quickly as the connections are very tight. Alternatively, if your time coincides, you can jump on the Nagano Snow Shuttle Bus at Nagano Station. (times 12:30pm & 17:30pm *but need to book in advance)
Onsen Time Getting naked, hot and wet with a bunch of total strangers is perhaps the most quintessentially Japanese thing to do. There are thousands of onsen (natural thermal hot springs) scattered the length of Japan, perhaps a bequest from the gods made as a sort of natural compensation for all of the earthquakes. No earthquakes equals no onsens, and the Japanese are in general fairly happy with the tradeoff.
Step 1 Undress slowly and calmly, taking care to fold your clothes and place them neatly in the basket or locker provided. Step 2 Remove your towel from its packaging - it will probably be no bigger than a handkerchief. This towel is meant to hide your genitals, to rub a soapy foam on your body, or to cool your forehead in the hot bath. Step 3 Wash and rinse before you enter the bath - this is done while kneeling or seated on a small stool, and bowls are provided. This is one of the most important steps - bathing without first washing yourself is considered the height of rudeness. Scrub like you’ve never scrubbed before. Step 4 Enter the bath slowly and gradually, especially if you are in a large group. Upon entering the water, you may loudly exclaim your pleasure, and discuss its quality. You will then slowly relax as the hot bath washes over you. Step 5 After a dip, you can then exit the bath to scrub your body (or someone else’s) once more, until you reach a boiled red or purple color. You may then reenter the bath, and repeat.
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MYOKO CONNECTIONS INFORMATION CENTER
The tourist information is located close by to Myoko Kogen Station (MAP G-2). Here you can pick up pamphlets on what to see and do in Myoko Kogen. www.myoko.tv
Taxis
Myoko Kogen is served by local taxi companies and are usually parked up at the main Myoko Kogen Sation. There are not many taxis in Myoko so please try to reserve a taxi at least 30 minutes before your departure. Ask your accommodation to book for you as most drivers do not speak English. Kogen Taxi Service 0255-86-3141
Ski Shuttle Buses
Ski Shuttle Buses are available and service the resorts. All buses have different fares. Please check the timetable in this magazine.
ONWARD TRAVEL Airport Shuttles
Nagano Snow Shuttle (0261-75-5360) offer a reliable direct bus to both Tokyo City and Narita Airport. Buses leave daily from Akakura Bus Stop at 10:45 and 15:45. Bookings can be made online, through your accommodation. www.naganosnowshuttle.com
Luggage Delivery Service
Your luggage can be delivered in advance between the airports and your hotel in Myoko Kogen. It usually takes two days. Your hotel should be able to arrange this for you. Expect to pay about 2,000yen per baggage.
MEDICAL SERVICES Clinic
Kenritsu Myoko Hospital 0255-86-2003 is located near to the train station (Map F-2). It is a relatively small hospital and not all the staff speak English. We recommend going with an accommodation staff member who will be able to translate for you.
Pharmacy
Basic medicine, headache & muscle pain relief can be bought over the counter at Myoko Pharmacy in Akakura Onsen.
COMMUNICATIONS Telephones
Cell phones need to be 3G to work in Japan. Domestic calls can be made from the green public phones. International calls can be made from the grey ones.
Money
ATMs which take international cards are only available at post offices and 7-11 convenienice stores. There is a 7-11 located
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Myoko Connect
down the valley (Map G-3)
Post Offices
There is a post office in Akakura Onsen(Map D-7) as well as a post office in Myoko (Map F-2) near to the train station. Both have international ATMs that accept most international issued credit cards. ATM operating hours are 9am - 7pm.
Supermarkets
There is a Yamazaki convenience store in Akakura Onsen which sells basic food and supplies. There is Dai-Ichi Supermarket located near to Myoko Kogen Station with a much larger choice.
Shopping
If it is souvenirs and gifts that you are after then Akakura Onsen has a few gift stores where you can pick up knick knacks that will remind you of your holiday in Myoko, such as mugs, magnets, ornaments and more. A few more gift shops are located near to the train station. One popular choice for a souvenir is Japanese sake. Be warned that some of the bottles are big! Even though Myoko Kogen is a ski resort, the ski stores focus more on rental equipment rather than sales, though most will carry accessories such as hats, gloves and goggles. Check out Spicy Rentals for basic backcountry gear.
IKENOTAIRA ONSEN SKI AREA
MYOKO LOCATION MAP
ALPEN BLICK
BEER HALL RESTAURANT TATRA IKENOTAIRA ONSEN
Ikenotaira Onsen Ski Area
Hotel Gen
TO SUGINOHARA SKI RESORT Ikenotaira Pension Village
Ikenotaira Tourist Office
LANDMARK
Ebisuya
EIKA
IKENOTAIRA POST OFFICE
Genki Mura
Landmark Myoko Kogen
ONSEN CAFE IZAKAYA HANAKO Kazamidori
ARAKIN RAMEN
KAZAMI-DORI
FOR YOU
MOUNT COOK
Burebeyu Corner below Canadian House, Sumeru Akakura
JOSHIN-ET SU EXPRES SWAY MYOKO KOGEN YABU SOBA POST OFFICE SUSHI TAKASAGO KENRITSU MYOKO KOGEN HOSPITAL DAIRAI
SECOND STEP JY
HOTEL KOFUKAN
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MYO KO STAT KOGEN ION
AKAKURA KANKO INFORMATION
SUSHI MIYAGAWA
AKAKURA KANKO HOTEL AQUA BAR SHIRAKABA LES SORBIERS
AKAKURA ONSEN SKI AREA AKAKURA KANKO SKI AREA
PENSION AKUTSU
HOTEL ALP
VILLA MON RUPOS
HOTEL WINDSOR
Higashi Akakura Bus Stop (Hotel Windsor)
Akakura Onsen Bus Stop
Akakura Kanko Resort
HOTEL MOC PONTARO HOTEL SILVERHORN
AKAKURA CENTRAL HOTEL
KOYAMA MANARI
RED WAREHOUSE
KUMADO INFORMATION
AKARIEN
SHIBATA
AKAKURA POST OFFICE MYOKO YAMAZAKI SNOW SPORTS SPICY SHOP TANUKI
DAIMARU CHA CHA (MATSUYA HOTEL)
Mr. Burger
FURUYA
AKAKURA HOTEL ANNEX CAFE&BAR JUTEI SKATE BAR AKAKURA HOTEL MYOKO PHARMACY
POMODORO UDON no FU KOTOBUKI SHOKUDOEN TAIZAN
Ryokan Okayama-kan
KOUGAKURO HOTEL
AKAKURA PARK HOTEL
HOTEL MUMON
HEART WARMER AKAKURA YOURS INN
Rabbit Square
Restaurant
Accomodation Ski Rental
Shoin-ryo
Information
Seven-Eleven Post Office Hospital
Bus Stop JOSHIN -ETSU E XPRESS WAY
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Myoko Suginohara Ski Area Myoko's Highest Resort
The southernmost of the four resorts on Mount Myoko, Suginohara reaches up the highest, meaning the lowest temperatures to keep that powder fluffy. The resort’s 1,124 meters of vertical place it second only to Kagura among Japanese ski areas. A meandering 8.5 km course from the top is also one of the longest in the country, but we like to come down a bit quicker than that. Orientation at Suginohara is simple, with the resort lying on two sides of a large ravine. The gondola base is on the Suginohara zone, lookers’ right, located up and away from the main Suginosawa Onsen accommodation area. Once off the gondola at 1500m, a short green run takes you across
the top of the ravine to the Mitahara zone on lookers’ left. Here, a covered quad extends up to the steepest runs off the resort top at 1800m. Alternatively, you can stay for the snow park on skiers’ extreme right. Two of the longest green pistes in Japan run down both the Suginohara and Mitahara sides.
NUMBERS Lifts 5 | Courses 16 | Elevation 1124m
Beginner 40 Intermediate 40 Advanced 20 Longest Course 8,500m princehotels.com/en/ski/myoko 0255-86-6211
Advanced riders and powder hounds should head for the runs off the top lift, the hooded Mitahara No. 3 Quad, which provides some great tree skiing off the marked trails. The snowpark on the Mitahara side has a variety of rails and butter boxes. The table top jumps are usually well maintained and range from the small to the very large. Much of Suginohara faces south, so the park can offer the most fun when the sun is baking the snow. Alongside the snow park run some mellow tree lines provide a good introduction to powder riding once the snow has settled. They may be a struggle on deeper days. Suginohara is part of the Prince Hotels group who offer various family-friendly services, most notably free lift tickets for under 12s. In recent years, they have offered free rental for kids on weekdays and the third Sunday of the month, and various events like free rides on a snowcat or snowmobile. Information for 2015/16 wasn’t available at time of press, so please check with the resort or your accommodation for details. Suginohara is about 15 minutes’ drive from Myoko or a little longer from the Akakura Onsen area. There is a free shuttle bus from the post office at Akakura Onsen that takes thirty to forty minutes.
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Myoko Connect
Ikenotaira Ski Area Ton's of Snow for Everyone
The middle of the resorts on Mount Myoko, Iketaira follows the classic Myoko model. That is, tons of snow, steepest and best views at the top, gentle and wide at the bottom, onsens at the base. What may attract you here are the extensive park, the large kids’ area, the lower numbers you may find here compared to the better-known Myoko resorts at peak times, and the craft brewery located near the base. Access from the base area is by a pair (!) lift that gets you up most of the resort’s 640 meters of vertical. A short ride
down the wide run to skier’s right takes you to the hooded quad that heads to the resort top at 1400m. An old course remains higher up, but is no longer lift served. Head to skiers’ right from the top for the easiest trees to hit and the two short sections that serve as the resort’s only advanced runs. A separate pair lift gives access to this part of the upper mountain. Skiers’ left from the top takes you back to the main wide run that is flanked by “Ikeno City”, the largest snow park in Myoko. The upper section usually has three big consecutive tabletops where you can show-
case your skills to the folks riding the quad. The lower section of the park is more focused on jibbing with all manner of boxes and curved rails. If that’s not enough, there is also the “Happy Park”, a separate beginner park with smaller items on skiers’ far right toward the bottom of the resort. For those with little ones, there is a large play area at the base with a magic carpet, a fenced-off sledging area, and a big slide in the shape of “Ikebei”, the resort’s mascot. Entry is free, but it’s only open on weekends. Ikenotaira does some fantastic
discounted deals on season passes, lift ticket/meal coupon combinations, and accommodation packs for short-term visitors. The information is in Japanese, so ask at your accommodation or get someone to help you read the resort website. Last but not least, the beer! About 300m from the base you’ll find the Myoko Kogen Beer Hall. They have a huge buffet with crab, sushi, and barbecued lamb, with a very reasonable all-you-can-drink option for their Weizen, Pilsner and Dark Lager brewed onsite. Note that advanced reservations are required
NUMBERS Lifts 6 | Courses 11 | Elevation 728m
Beginner 35 Intermediate 45 Advanced 20 Longest Course 4,000m www.ikenotaira.net 0255-86-2370
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Myoko Connect
Akakura Kanko Resort Ski Area Steep & Deep
With about 760m of vertical, Akakura Kanko (often shortened to “Akakan”) is the second biggest resort in Myoko. The resort is centered on the Akakura Resort Hotel, originally built in 1937 as one of Japan’s first European-style resort hotels. The area shares the eastern flank of Mount Myoko with its smaller neighbour, Akakura Onsen Ski Resort, which can be ridden on
NUMBERS Lifts 7 | Courses 10 | Elevation 730m
Beginner 30 Intermediate 50 Advanced 20 Longest Course 4,500m www.akr-ski.com 0255-87-2503
妙高山 （2,454m）
前山 （1,932m）
非圧雪ゾーン
北地獄谷
ース Cコ オン ンピ チャ
エートル
めいぷる
メインパーク 赤倉観光ホテル ちびっこひろば
ホ テ ル ゲ レ ン デ
バーネット ちびっこひろば
あいびす 赤倉観光リゾート 駐車場 1,000台
総合案内所
カフェ アルペン
カフェプリモス リゾートセンター
新赤倉温泉街
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Myoko Connect
至R18
赤倉駐車場 （土日祝のみ営業）
the same ticket for a few hundred yen extra. Those wanting to play numbers will be disappointed with Akakan; the resort sports a gondola and only six more lifts. Bizarrely, the trail map numbers them as “15” to “21”, we assume a relic of the past when Akakan and Akakura Onsen were combined and higher lifts also operated on the Tsubame Onsen side. However, the new Akakan is lean and still mean. It snows just as much and there is plenty of terrain where you can enjoy it. Orientation at Akakan is simple. The gondola takes you up from a huge carpark along the gentle slopes at the resort base, past the red-roofed Akakura Resort Hotel, and then over steeper forested slopes to upper mountain. From there, Lift #20 serves the higher “Maeyama” runs, along with some excellent offpiste, much of which is left free from ropes and fences. Powderhounds should also find plenty of amusement in the Champion area off Lift #16 and in runs down toward the Akakura Onsen area. Beginners and families should note that in addition to the gondola, a number of Akakan’s lifts are full hooded to keep you out of the wind and snow. While there only two real beginner runs, one below the hotel and another alongside Lift #15 which links to Akakura Onsen, both pistes are very wide. Intermediates can enjoy the whole resort, with views of Lake Nojiri to get the camera out for higher up and plenty of opportunities to try powder riding. For anyone riding on the joint resort ticket, note that it’s quite a convoluted route back to Akakan from the far side of Akakura Onsen. Leave yourself plenty of time at the end of the day.
Akakura Onsen Ski Area Myoko's Night Skiing Paradise
Imagine you’re making an anime cartoon set in a typical Japanese ski resort. It snows like crazy. At the bottom is a small, sleepy town with family-run lodges and lots of onsen hot springs. The local people are friendly but spend half their time digging themselves out or driving around with two feet of snow on their car. As typical, the resort is not so big, not so steep, but there are plenty of places to play in powder if you care to look. Groups of school kids and old timers in 1980s ski wear abound. Apres ski is mainly just some great food, a couple of beers or cups of sake, and a soak in the onsen. What I have just described is Akakura Onsen.
gradients and plenty of places to stop and rest or have a bite to eat. However, advanced
riders will find some steeper stuff higher up, with the Maruyama “Wall” famously
NUMBERS Lifts 14 | Courses 17 | Elevation 550m
Beginner 50 Intermediate 30 Advanced 20 Longest Course 3,000m www.akakura-ski.com 0255-87-2125
hitting 38 degrees. Though mostly east-facing, the resort has some north-facing runs that keep good snow when the sun is baking the rest of Akakura. Akakura Onsen has the only night skiing available in Myoko, in a limited area where they usually set up some park features.
The slopes at Akakura Onsen rise up the slopes of Maruyama, a foothill on the north-east flank of Mount Myoko. The lifts have a complex history being operated first in groups, then as part of a combined resort with neighboring Akakura Kanko, and finally now as Akakura Onsen. The two resorts made a clean break for a couple of years, but they’ve started selling joint tickets once again. Reunited, and it feels so good! To ride both, buy a ticket for the “Myoko Akakura Snow Area”. The effective boundary with Akakura Kanko resort is the winding Elegance course that starts at the top of the “Yodel Number 1” triple lift. Go to skiers’ right from there and you’ll need the joint ticket to get back. Though the smaller of the neighbouring areas, Akakura Onsen somewhat belies its reputation for being “small” with 550 meters of vertical. As mentioned above, the terrain is more relaxed than challenging, with a firm bias toward families, intermediates, and beginners who are served by courses with easy, consistent
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SEKI ONSEN SKI AREA Where Powder Dreams Come True
Daily Shuttle Bus from Jan 15 to Feb 19 From Akakura Shuttle Station Leave 8:30am Other dates please call Japan Snow Access 0255-86-2186
POWDEST THE BEST POWDER
Photo TOMOHIRO WATANABE
Seki Onsen Ski Area
Where Powder Dreams Come True
W
ith only two lifts, one a some- have seen, and they aren’t really somewhat rickety-looking single where any fun-seeking parents might chair, the easiest thing to say want to leave the kids while they head is that Seki Onsen is not for everyone. The resort has its fans though, NUMBERS and they are devotees to powder. Lifts 2 | Courses 4 | Elevation 310m Though a couple of kilometers north of the Akakan/Akakura Onsen Beginner 15 resorts, Seki pulls in powder unseen Intermediate 60 in other parts of Myoko. Japan’s Advanced 25 mountains are known for micro- Longest Course 1,500m climates, and Seki’s is one of the www.sekionsen.com 0255-82-2316 strongest.
should not be attempted without avalanche safety equipment (transceiver, probe, and shovel) and the knowledge of how to use them. The area’s huge snowfall, relatively high swings in temperature, and proclivity to microclimates should also be considered along with recent weather in any safety assessments. Travel in groups and proceed with caution.
It feels strange writing about the equivalent of a New Zealand club field in ordinary terms, but yes, there are two lifts, a double and a pair. They take you up about 300m in total from the base. The upper of the lifts is a single chair strung only a couple of meters above the snow which can need digging out on big days. This being Japan, paying customers can be seen helping the staff to get things going in the morning (!) What courses there are aren’t groomed as far as we
In keeping with the general vibe, the locals set up a small snow park at the bottom of the hill and often hang out there. Though not on the hill itself there are a number of restaurants and cafes in Seki Onsen village below, but some only seem to open at the weekend.
off for some thrills. What Seki is about is the large treed area that leads from skiers’ right at the top. It heads down the front of the hill via a number of gullies back to the bottom lift. What do you get? About 200 to 250m of pretty steep and deep, with various microfeatures you should be able to find fairly easily. Much longer runs are available above the resort for those prepared to hike, but
Shuttle buses are available during the peak season, for all other times call Japan Snow Access 0255-86-2186 Myoko Connect
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Madarao Mountain Resort Mad about Madarao
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ying right on the border between Niigata and Nagano, Madarao shares the huge snowfall of nearby Nozawa Onsen and Myoko, a natural bounty that the resort is doing its best to share with its powder-hungry visitors. With a modest 440 meters of total vert, Madarao may be overlooked by those looking at that number alone. However, the resort base lies close to what would be mid-mountain at Nozawa Onsen, meaning that the upper slopes lie at a similar altitude as over at Nozawa. It is at upper mountain where Madarao’s not-sowell-known goods lie, gladed runs that unashamedly go by names like “Powder Wave”, “Powder Theater” and “Crystal Bowl”. In these areas, the woods have been thinned to
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the resort goes ungroomed, so get there early enough and there will be plenty of powder on piste too.
produce open-spaced tree runs where you can let rip without coming too close to the local vegetation. True to their names, Powder Wave I and II offer undulating terrain that will launch you up and then give you the softest of landings, on Power Wave II for all of 1500 meters. Powder Theater meanwhile gives you the chance to throw up some
Even if you’re happy to stay on the groomed, the top of Madarao offers a 360-degree panoramic view where you can see Mt. Myoko to the north and Hakuba and the Kita Alps range to the west.
NUMBERS Lifts 14 | Courses 28 | Elevation 440m
Beginner 30 Intermediate 30 Advanced 40 Longest Course 2,500m www.madarao.jp/ski spray and put on a show for the watching audience on the lift. Madarao tell us that 60% of
0269-64-3214 The run to skier’s left from the top offers courses down to Madarao’s neighbor, Tangram
Ski Circus, whose lifts can also be ridden if you buy the joint lift pass. This joint ticket also makes things easier to ride the powder runs on the lookers’ right side of Madarao. If you head down to Tangram, it’s one of the few places in Nagano/Niigata where you can enjoy snowmobiling. Along with some mini-sleds that can be ridden on short courses by kids from just five years old, Tangram also offers the Yamaha snowmobiling license program. It only takes an hour and is valid throughout Japan. Once you’re licensed, they will let you go out on the longer 20km tours that head out of the resort on 250cc sleds. Definitely something to try on a bluebird day.
BACKCOUNTRY BASICS
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“Dropping!” he yelled out as the camera reels rolled into action, the heli hovered above and the perfect line opened up below him. Four or five massive turns, some sluff management and then straight-line-it out the bottom. Smiles and cheers all around, all in a days work for big mountain freerider right. Yeah they make it look so easy, and it makes us all want to do it like them. The allure of the the most epic lines and the freedom of fresh powder fields calls to pretty anyone who has spent any time on a snowboard or skis. Blazing your own trail and making your turns off a face is what off-piste skiing is all about. Accessing the backcountry terrain has also seen a real gain in
popularity with split-boards, great touring skis and many companies flaunting other backcountry specific gear. However, having the ambition and ability to get into the backcountry does not always equate to the best choice for your longevity on this planet. Lots of snow = awesome, steep slopes = great terrain, put them together and you don’t always get the sweetest outcome. The snow slides of the mountain, you are in the way, end of story. In most cases, it is the skier or rider that triggers the slide that takes them or others out and the avalanche doesn’t care if you are a hot shit skier or not.
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Those who duck the posted ropes, ignore signs or venture outside of ski area boundaries should know that each year people die in Hakuba doing exactly the same thing. It is easy to get in over your head very easily and very quickly, but even with a small amount of knowledge and a healthy respect for these mountains, you can make wise decisions to reduce potential risks. The following questions and recommendations are a brief run down of what off-piste enthusiasts should be aware of prior to heading out. Pre-trip Do you have proper training and experience to go outside of controlled resort areas? Do you know your route? Have a map & compass? Have an alternate route plan? Have you checked the weather for today, as well as the weather over the past week? Have you checked recent avalanche bulletins and reports? Do you understand them? Does your group have an experienced “leader” who can make informed decisions to ensure your group’s safety in and out of the backcountry? Do you have the appropriate gear for self-rescue? Is it in working condition? Have you informed someone of your planned route, back-up route and return time? Do you know emergency contact numbers in case of an accident? Do you have insurance? Backcountry rescues are expensive! Gear: Do all members of your party have appropriate winter clothing? Do all members of your party have the essential avalanche transceiver (beacon), probe and shovel? More importantly do they know how to use them in a rescue situation? Do you have a first-aid kit? Rescue gear? Cell phone? Radio? Emergency overnight gear? Do you have enough food and water? Do you have a method of ascending? Ski touring bindings & skins/snowshoes/split-board During Trip If you are departing via a ski resort, did you fill out a trip route card? What is the weather doing now? Will this affect the stability of your intended route? Is everyone in your group comfortable with the terrain your route takes you into? Are you making safe and informed route decisions for your party? Are there other parties in the area? Will your route affect them? Will their route affect you? Who is above you/below you? Are there signs of recent avalanche activity? Whoomphing? Shooting cracks? Debris? Are you constantly reassessing the snow stability and your group’s ability?
One Day Tour ￥12,000 per person Half Day Tour ￥ 8,000 per person Private Tour ￥60,000 Max 5 persons Pole Rental ￥ 1,000
If you are unsure about the snow stability, stay to simple terrain away from avalanche start zones and run out zones and do not exceed your experience or ability! If you are unsure about the terrain it’s best to get a guide to take you safely out in the backcountry and enrolling an avalanche safety course is also a first step in acquiring knowledge that will invariably help you survive. Slide safe out there! James Robb is a backcountry guide with Evergreen Outdoor Center
naganooutdoorsports.net naganooutdoorsports@gmail.com
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