# Japanese price help?



## trenna856 (Feb 18, 2016)

Hey guys, only new to the forum so forgive me if this has been asked. I did do a search but nothing turned up.
I'm from Australia and some of my mates and I want to head to japan next January. I know its a while away but i was hoping that some of you who had been from Australia could give me a rough estimate it of how much it cost you and if anyone had any good tips or places we have to visit.
Thanks in advance :smile:


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## Yume (Feb 15, 2016)

You can get a good week of snowboarding in Japan for $3000 through guys like Liquid Snow Tours and others. I recommend this since they organise your transport and ski passes etc. In terms of spending money it depends on how tight you wanna go. When i was there i was living off 80$ a day.


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

trenna856 said:


> Hey guys, only new to the forum so forgive me if this has been asked. I did do a search but nothing turned up.
> I'm from Australia and some of my mates and I want to head to japan next January. I know its a while away but i was hoping that some of you who had been from Australia could give me a rough estimate it of how much it cost you and if anyone had any good tips or places we have to visit.
> Thanks in advance :smile:


How long is a piece of string? Answer to your question depends on so many variables - where you want to go? how many of you? what kind and level of accommodation do you want? want to rent a car? etc.


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## trenna856 (Feb 18, 2016)

SGboarder said:


> How long is a piece of string? Answer to your question depends on so many variables - where you want to go? how many of you? what kind and level of accommodation do you want? want to rent a car? etc.


I suppose it was a bit of an open ended question haha
Anywhere people would recommend to go to start off with?
I'm sort of leaning towards Hokkaido for a few days and then possibly going to Nagano. Anybody whose been to both, would there be a favourite?


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## JDA (Feb 10, 2016)

Hi mate,

I just got back from 2 weeks and 3 days in Hakuba so here are some costs.

Flight Sydney - Narita return $1570
Airport bus direct to lodge $100 total cost both ways
Lodge $1500 sharing with one mate
Lift ticket $60 full day includes lunch, about $40 half day
Dinner $15 - $40 typically

If you have any other questions let me know. It was my first time there but I went with people who had been before. We had 13 powder days from a possible 17 and it blew my mind 

Here is a video of my first time doing a tree run in deep pow

https://youtu.be/U3JzmfH4_Ls


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## trenna856 (Feb 18, 2016)

JDA said:


> Hi mate,
> 
> I just got back from 2 weeks and 3 days in Hakuba so here are some costs.
> 
> ...


That looks amazing, I've never been in pow like that I can't wait haha
So did you stay on mountain then?
And did you go to any other mountains?


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

trenna856 said:


> I suppose it was a bit of an open ended question haha
> Anywhere people would recommend to go to start off with?
> I'm sort of leaning towards Hokkaido for a few days and then possibly going to Nagano. Anybody whose been to both, would there be a favourite?


Like @SGboarder said, it all depends on when, where, how, you want to do it!!!!!

If you're only thinking of a couple days here and there, I'd stick to one area as opposed to changing islands, or even big moves within an island!!!!! Odds are, if you stay in one region longer, then you're more likely to score a good dump!!!!! Unless you want to see a few places as your priority????? 

Ideally, start with a location that you like the sound of, then work from there!!!!!

As posted above $1500 for Syd > Tokyo is actually quite steep!!!!! I'd also opt to Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano over a Bus!!!!! 

Easiest way is to pluck out a few options, scope prices/costs, then add or trim as required!!!!!


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## JDA (Feb 10, 2016)

trenna856 said:


> That looks amazing, I've never been in pow like that I can't wait haha
> So did you stay on mountain then?
> And did you go to any other mountains?


In Hakuba you can stay in town almost anywhere and there are free buses which can take you to one of the resorts, there are about 8 resorts to choose from. We stayed at snowlines lodge which was walking distance from Happo-one.


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## trenna856 (Feb 18, 2016)

Mizu Kuma said:


> Like @SGboarder said, it all depends on when, where, how, you want to do it!!!!!
> 
> If you're only thinking of a couple days here and there, I'd stick to one area as opposed to changing islands, or even big moves within an island!!!!! Odds are, if you stay in one region longer, then you're more likely to score a good dump!!!!! Unless you want to see a few places as your priority?????
> 
> ...


The only problem with that is we are so undecided haha. We definitely want to experience a solid dump because none of us have ever experienced powder like i've seen on videos of Japan. But we also want to get around and make sure we experience as much as possible



JDA said:


> In Hakuba you can stay in town almost anywhere and there are free buses which can take you to one of the resorts, there are about 8 resorts to choose from. We stayed at snowlines lodge which was walking distance from Happo-one.


So if you stay in Hakuba there's 8 different ski fields?


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## JDA (Feb 10, 2016)

trenna856 said:


> So if you stay in Hakuba there's 8 different ski fields?


Yes, here is a random image I grabbed off the web showing the resorts.










I think you have more chance of consistent snow up on the island (Hokkaido), it can get much colder up there too. I'll be going back next year but I'm not sure where yet. What really appeals to me is the places without crowds and lots of snow, just got to figure out where that is.


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## Tubby Beaver (Jul 16, 2015)

Travelling between Honshu and Hokkaido will be a waste of riding time IMO unless you are coming over for an extended stay.....like 3 weeks or more. This season has been a weird one, very slow to start on Honshu (also an island). The resorts around Niigata and Nagano (and all the other places) took a while to get going. In the main snow levels are still quite a bit less than usual but the dumps did come and there are great conditions out there. Hokkaido was less affected by the weird start due to its northern lattitude, but again still has lower snow levels than usual. Being Australian, you would have heard a lot about Niseko, I'm sure.  Hokkaido has lots of other resorts that are fantastic as well. Rusutsu, Kiroro, Furano, the Sapporo resorts to name a few. The good thing about Niseko (other than the powder!) is that its a well developed village that has plenty options for watering and feeding and after dark entertainment. The only other area in Japan that has that is Hakuba, in Nagano. The other Japanese resort areas either have next to nothing to do when the lifts close or kinda subdued eating n drinking options.........don't be expecting crazy apres clubbing!  Sapporo is a large city so its has all the options you can think of for entertainment and it has 2 class resorts within the city boundaries. Its only an hour to Kiroro, 2 hrs to Rusutsu and an extra hour to Niseko. Its a great base if you want to have riding options.

Myoko and Nozawa Onsen also has varying degrees of eating and drinking in their village areas, Nozawa much more than Myoko. Nozawa is certainly expanding that side of it, but as its a year round town and not just a ski resort, it has a bit more going for it than other places.


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## trenna856 (Feb 18, 2016)

Tubby Beaver said:


> Travelling between Honshu and Hokkaido will be a waste of riding time IMO unless you are coming over for an extended stay.....like 3 weeks or more. This season has been a weird one, very slow to start on Honshu (also an island). The resorts around Niigata and Nagano (and all the other places) took a while to get going. In the main snow levels are still quite a bit less than usual but the dumps did come and there are great conditions out there. Hokkaido was less affected by the weird start due to its northern lattitude, but again still has lower snow levels than usual. Being Australian, you would have heard a lot about Niseko, I'm sure.  Hokkaido has lots of other resorts that are fantastic as well. Rusutsu, Kiroro, Furano, the Sapporo resorts to name a few. The good thing about Niseko (other than the powder!) is that its a well developed village that has plenty options for watering and feeding and after dark entertainment. The only other area in Japan that has that is Hakuba, in Nagano. The other Japanese resort areas either have next to nothing to do when the lifts close or kinda subdued eating n drinking options.........don't be expecting crazy apres clubbing!  Sapporo is a large city so its has all the options you can think of for entertainment and it has 2 class resorts within the city boundaries. Its only an hour to Kiroro, 2 hrs to Rusutsu and an extra hour to Niseko. Its a great base if you want to have riding options.
> 
> Myoko and Nozawa Onsen also has varying degrees of eating and drinking in their village areas, Nozawa much more than Myoko. Nozawa is certainly expanding that side of it, but as its a year round town and not just a ski resort, it has a bit more going for it than other places.


WOW all the information I could have asked for haha
I think in the end it will be a toss up between Niseko and Hakuba, I know the guys I'm going with want to spend a couple of days exploring Tokyo so Hakuba might be our best bet then we're already relatively close to it anyway
Thanks for all your help guys!!


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

trenna856 said:


> WOW all the information I could have asked for haha
> I think in the end it will be a toss up between Niseko and Hakuba, I know the guys I'm going with want to spend a couple of days exploring Tokyo so Hakuba might be our best bet then we're already relatively close to it anyway
> Thanks for all your help guys!!


You'll be flyin in/out of Tokyo, so Honshu (Hakuba) vs Hokkaido will be much of a muchness in regards to travelling access!!!!!


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## Tubby Beaver (Jul 16, 2015)

yeah initial transport times will be pretty much the same when you factor in the transport time between Narita and Nagano, if your connection flight to Hokkaido is fairly close then the total transport times will be very samey by the time you get to resorts....not much of a difference


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