FAQ
Planning a ski trip to Japan can be overwhelming. Take a look at these frequently asked questions if you're looking for clarification.
When is the best time to join a ski trip?The ski season runs from late November until early May but as with anywhere in the world, weather conditions vary from year to year.
Usually the best snow and coverage starts around Christmas and lasts until the end of March. However, January and February have most consistent quality powder. March is usually very good but it can get a bit variable if there is an early spring. Keep in mind that even in one of the snowiest places on the planet, nothing is guaranteed and there is always the chance that you will catch that unlucky stretch of clear skies. I'm traveling on my own-should I join? The majority of participants on our trips are single travelers. One of the greatest aspects of a trip like this is that you have riding buddies and adventure buddies to take pictures with, eat with, drink with, and sometimes make long-term friendships with.
What if I don't get great conditions for the dates I book?Japan is known for its constant snow pack. Sometimes however, it has dry periods that might make your skiing look less like the ski videos.
On the Renaissance Rider and our 8-Day Guided Ski Tours we have the flexibility to ski where the conditions are best on any given day. Sometimes we plan on taking left out of the parking lot, get last minute information, then take a right if the snow is better elsewhere. On the scheduled trip date, if the tour that you have arranged is not looking like a great option for that day or for safety reasons we cannot run the planned tour, we will offer alternative options, postpone the trip or offer a full refund. Once the trip has started however, it will be completed to the end with no mid-trip refunds. I've never been part of a tour like this--what can I expect?On the Renaissance Rider, Hokkaido Storm Chaser and Frontier Explorer you can expect a guide to participant ratio of 1:6.
On the Renaissance Rider, you can expect an experience that is just as much cultural as it is powdery. We wake up early every morning, see sights or ski powder, get into an Onsen Hot Springs where available, have a Japanese dinner (selected and reserved by the guide in advance), and head to bed. On the Storm Chaser, the experience is mostly powdery with a side dish of Japanese culture. We wake up early every day to ski, the guide will take you to the best powder spots on any given day, then have a Japanese dinner (selected and reserved by the guide in advance), find an Onsen Hot Springs, and head to bead. On The Snow Tow, you can expect to meet fellow skiing travelers, find dinner with anyone on the trip, and get transportation to the next hill the following day. Do I need avalanche safety gear to go off-piste?Absolutely. If you want to join your guide off-piste, it is an absolute requirement that you have avalanche safety gear including a shovel, beacon and probe. For the Renaissance Rider and Storm Chaser, these can be rented out during the checkout process. You will not be able to join your guide in off piste areas if you don't have this equipment.
What is the best way to get from Tokyo to Sapporo CTS Airport?Tokyo to Sapporo is the worlds busiest air route with dozens of flights per day. You have two options:
Option 2 particularly saves a lot of money if you use JetStar Japan, Peach Aviation, or Vanilla Air to connect from Tokyo to CTS. However, all discount carriers fly out of Tokyo's Narita Airport (NRT), not to be confused with Tokyo's Haneda Airport (HND). The distance between these airports is 2 hours so if you're flying in to HND, you should plan on a minimum layover of at least 3.5 hours if making the trek to NRT. I need to rent equipment--how best can I do this?If on the Storm Chaser or Snow Tow, its best to reserve your equipment in advance from Rhythm in Niseko. Since the trip ends in Asahikawa, you won't be able to stop by Rhythm on the way back to drop off your rented gear. Rhythm does allow you to return rented equipment via mail but you'll need to let them know and pay for this in advance. Note that avalanche safety rentals (shovel, probe, beacon) can't be returned by mail.
If on the Renaissance rider, the above applies for the Hokkaido portion of the trip. For the Hakuba section, you'll need to make rental arrangements from Spicy Rentals in Hakuba. |
How are the trips for women?Having ladies on the trip who are hungry for some pow is great! Unsurprisingly if you're into snow sports, the majority of participants on these types of trips is men. About 90% men to be exact. And as rooms are based on twin occupancy (or triple/quadrule person occupancy for the Snow Tow) its likely that you'll be sharing a room with the bro's. If you're not comfortable with this, the Storm Chaser and Renaissance Rider both have single room upgrade options which are available at checkout.
What background do participants usually come from?On our 14-Day Renaissance Rider and 7-Day Storm Chaser trips, we usually get young to middle-aged professionals who are passionate about skiing. As the Renaissance Rider is as much a cultural experience as it is a powdery one, this tends to attract the more intrepid travelers. This traveler usually has experience in many different countries, is curious, wants to experience new things, and get some amazing powder lines while doing it.
The majority of participants are traveling as parties of one, with a few pairs here and there. As our 7-Day Snow Tow trips are structured to have a lower cost barrier, these trips usually attract people somewhere on the spectrum of "ski bum" to "young professionals". Skiers out to get as much pow as possible, lots of talk of "butter" and "shredding" abounds. Is avalanche safety equipment required?If you are planning on joining your guide in off-piste terrain or exploring it on your own, it is absolutely mandatory that you have avalanche safety equipment, including a shovel, beacon and probe.
Is avalanche training provided?No. A basic refresher of how to use your beacon is provided at the beginning of the trip. This is an oral refresher only and doesn't involve physically taking out your beacon and running around in the snow. If you plan on accessing off-piste and/or backcountry, it is your responsibility to know how to use your equipment first. If you have no experience, taking an avalanche safety course before arriving is recommended.
What transportation do I need to arrange?The transportation you arrange depends on which trip you've booked. Check out the links below for details:
Can your guides provide lessons?No. Our guides can give advice on request but ski instruction is not a part of our trips. If you're looking for instruction, both Hakuba and Niseko have numerous English speaking ski schools that could be of benefit to you.
I need to rent an avalanche safety kit--options?Avalanche safety kids can be rented during the checkout process for the Renaissance Rider and Storm Chaser. For guests on the Snow Tow, you'll need to make arrangements on your own via Rhythm.
I don't like Japanese food--options?On the Renaissance Rider and Storm Chaser, dinner reservations are provided nightly. Over the course of the trip, you'll be surprised at all the different types of Japanese food you didn't even know existed. If you're not a fan of Japanese food, you'll need to make dinner arrangements on your own or bring food from grocery stores. We will not stop at a separate restaurant to cater to your needs.
On the Snow Tow, dinner is on your own, though the lodging is in close walking distance to many different restaurants you can choose from. Should I ski in Niseko (Hokkaido) or Hakuba (Nagano)?This is a hotly debated question in bars and restaurants throughout both Niseko and Nagano. No doubt this chart will contribute to the controversy, but this seems to be the generally agreed upon strengths/weaknesses of each ski hill. Not sure which is best? The Renaissance Rider gets them all!
Strengths/weaknesses out of 5
(5= best, 1= worst)
What's the food like?On the Renaissance Rider and Storm Chaser, breakfast is included as part of the experience. Breakfast is usually a western style buffet with Japanese food options as well. Lunch is completely up to you as usually we're on a ski hill. Lunch is usually Japanese cafeteria style with options such as Curry Rice, Beef Bowl/Gyudon, Soba, Ramen, and various other types of noodles,
Dinner reservations are always made in advance by the guide. Dinner restaurants are chosen for their local specialty and are personally selected for quality, authenticity, and deliciousness. Dinner is completely optional so you're more than welcome to do your own thing if not interested. On the Snow Tow, dinner is on your own, though the lodging is in close walking distance to many different restaurants you can choose from. |
What is the required skill level for these trips?
Since the 7-Day Snow Tow isn't guided, there is no required skill level as you'll be skiing on your own terms at your own pace. For the 13-Day Renaissance Rider and 7-Day Storm Chaser, the following applies:
For snowboarders: critical skills are the ability to hold a strong edge allowing for good high traverses without losing too much elevation (particularly important to make the most of the back bowls) and the ability to read terrain effectively - you have to be just a bit smarter than the average skier to avoid the deep pow and flat spots. Also many runs will end with winding, bumpy trails through the forest that you will need to be able to navigate.
For skiers: the biggest challenge typically comes with skiing through deep snow and through trees. Much of the best skiable terrain occurs below treeline so its important that you are able to consistently turn where the terrain dictates. Managing this in deep snow is of particular importance. A great tool to help improve your ability is a good set of fat skis and we highly recommend upgrading with a rental ski for your trip with us if conditions are deep and you aren't skiing a fat ski.
For snowboarders: critical skills are the ability to hold a strong edge allowing for good high traverses without losing too much elevation (particularly important to make the most of the back bowls) and the ability to read terrain effectively - you have to be just a bit smarter than the average skier to avoid the deep pow and flat spots. Also many runs will end with winding, bumpy trails through the forest that you will need to be able to navigate.
For skiers: the biggest challenge typically comes with skiing through deep snow and through trees. Much of the best skiable terrain occurs below treeline so its important that you are able to consistently turn where the terrain dictates. Managing this in deep snow is of particular importance. A great tool to help improve your ability is a good set of fat skis and we highly recommend upgrading with a rental ski for your trip with us if conditions are deep and you aren't skiing a fat ski.
What happens if there's a skills mismatch between me and the others on the trip?
This is an important question as no one wants to be in over their head, holding up a group or conversely spend their day standing around waiting for others to make it down the mountain. We fully understand this and want to make sure we communicate clearly about the expectations regarding this trip. In general though, our trips are geared towards advanced-intermediate.
Japan Ski Tours reserves the right to direct guests to on-piste terrain if your guide determines that your skill level is insufficient to safely navigate off piste terrain and natural hazards on any group trip. Japan Ski Tours guides will NOT provide on piste guiding for the weaker skier / rider but rather focus on skiing more challenging off-piste terrain with those that are capable. Refunds will not be offered in the event of this occurrence.
In general, we expect guests to be fairly proficient in off piste terrain - you don't necessarily have to have the best form or style but need to be capable of making your way down.
Japan Ski Tours reserves the right to direct guests to on-piste terrain if your guide determines that your skill level is insufficient to safely navigate off piste terrain and natural hazards on any group trip. Japan Ski Tours guides will NOT provide on piste guiding for the weaker skier / rider but rather focus on skiing more challenging off-piste terrain with those that are capable. Refunds will not be offered in the event of this occurrence.
In general, we expect guests to be fairly proficient in off piste terrain - you don't necessarily have to have the best form or style but need to be capable of making your way down.
