Day 3
Today we find our own powder turns, high above the resort of Akakura Onsen. After which we drank beer from yet another vending machine, before a taxi ride to Seki Onsen.
Day 4
Snow, snow, more snow, and a single man chair lift. The tiny resort of Seki Onsen is a powder hounds dream. With light fluffy snow up to your eyeballs; it’s often hard to see where you’re going, but it’s always a joy getting there.
Day 5
Meet Mr Inoue-san, the owner of Seki Onsen, in his crazy little office. He arranges us a guide, with a little flag on the end of a piece of bamboo. We take a long hike above the resort, through pristine birch forest, before blasting back down.
Day 6
Sadly we leave town through more falling snow, after a quick morning on the board. Mark and I agree that it’s easy to love Japan, and we vow to return for another snowboarding adventure really soon.
Travel Information
Flights
British Airways offers direct flights from Heathrow to both Tokyo airports – Narita and Haneda – from £580 return.
www.britishairways.com
Train
Best option is to buy a Japan Rail Pass starting from £166.00 for 7 days travel £265 for 14 days www.jrpass.com
Airport Transfers
Limousine Bus, Airport to down Town £17 each way.
www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/
Ski Resorts
Seki Onsen Ski Resort www.sekionsen.com/ Lift tickets £20/day
Akakura Ski Resort www.akakura-ski.com/english.php
Akakura Onsen Ski Area www.akr-ski.com/english
Guide
Dancing Snow Back Country Guides. One day tour is ¥15,000 per person (£85), which includes guide fee, insurance, lift tickets, lunch, and transportation. www.dancingsnow.com
Hire
Ski/Snowboard Hire Ski and Boots from £26/day Snowboard and boots from £20/day www.spicy.co.jp/english
Where to stay
Pete Coombs stayed at the Akakura Hotel Annex – Myoko Hotel www.myokohotels.com and the Yama no Yu Sekizen Hotel in Seki Onsen
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Hi Peter. Nice wrap on Myoko.
Just to let you know that the owner of Seki Onsen is Inoue-san (not Daisuke – maybe that was your guide’s name).
Cheers, Nic
HI Nic, Many thanks for the info and comment.. have updated the feature with the correct name. regards, Pete