Nagano Ski Buffet
Overview
Experience the best of Japan - the thrill of deep powder, the beauty of an unique culture, and the fun of a great guided tour.
Enjoy some of the most amazing snow on planet earth, stay in a truly authentic Japanese ski village where you are the minority, visit mom and pop restaurants and mix with the locals, be entertained by Geisha, Taiko Drum, Shimansen Guitar, Lion Dance and Karate performances, visit the world famous Snow Monkeys, walk through ancient castles, temples and shrines and relax in natural hot pools. Where other companies may talk up the cultural aspects of Japan we include them in our tours so you get a truly authentic Japanese ski experience. And best of all you get to share this all with a group of like minded ski and snowboard enthusiasts, all hosted by instructor/guides who are just plain passionate about what they do for you as our testimonials attest to. And don’t forget our hidden gems that we leave as a surprise for you on your journey with us at JPC Tours.
Enjoy some of the most amazing snow on planet earth, stay in a truly authentic Japanese ski village where you are the minority, visit mom and pop restaurants and mix with the locals, be entertained by Geisha, Taiko Drum, Shimansen Guitar, Lion Dance and Karate performances, visit the world famous Snow Monkeys, walk through ancient castles, temples and shrines and relax in natural hot pools. Where other companies may talk up the cultural aspects of Japan we include them in our tours so you get a truly authentic Japanese ski experience. And best of all you get to share this all with a group of like minded ski and snowboard enthusiasts, all hosted by instructor/guides who are just plain passionate about what they do for you as our testimonials attest to. And don’t forget our hidden gems that we leave as a surprise for you on your journey with us at JPC Tours.
Inclusions
- Private transportation
- Breakfast
- Lift Passes
- Guiding and Instruction
- Cultural Performances
- Karaoke night
What to expect
Japan Powder Culture Tours are all about designing lifetime memories, and this guided tour will stay in the recesses of your mind for years to come. Your guide/instructor will introduce you to the best skiing that Nagano has on offer. Our tours cater for the advanced skiers who wish to experience as much powder as possible and explore the “slack country” of each of the resorts. Your Japanese ski adventure is not complete without being immersed in a culture that has to be experience to be appreciated. Visit the world famous snow monkeys up close, be entertained by a traditional Geisha performance, be entertained by the Taiko Drum, Shamisen guitar and lion dance, participate in a Karate performance, spend an optional recovery day or bad weather day exploring one of Japan’s oldest castles and temples in Matsumoto and Nagano, soak in the rejuvenating Onsens, taste the local sake and beer recipes and visit historic Shibu Town. And let’s not forget the second night where we all eat together at the Sushi train followed by an epic night in the karaoke bar, and the list doesn’t include the hidden gems we have up our sleeve that will amaze you and surprise you along the way.
Stop At:
• Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, 6845 Heion, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun 381-0401 Nagano Prefecture
• 7148 Oaza Hirao Shiga Kogen Sogo Kaikan 98, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun 381-0401 Nagano Prefecture
• Shibu Onsen, 2211-1 Oaza Hirao, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun 381-0401 Nagano Prefecture
Sample Menu
• Traditional Ryokan multi-course Japanese Cuisin - Night-time meals are traditional multi-course Japanese cuisine served by your own private waiter in the hotel dining area.
Stop At:
• Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, 6845 Heion, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun 381-0401 Nagano Prefecture
• 7148 Oaza Hirao Shiga Kogen Sogo Kaikan 98, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun 381-0401 Nagano Prefecture
• Shibu Onsen, 2211-1 Oaza Hirao, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun 381-0401 Nagano Prefecture
Sample Menu
• Traditional Ryokan multi-course Japanese Cuisin - Night-time meals are traditional multi-course Japanese cuisine served by your own private waiter in the hotel dining area.
Time of tour
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Meeting point
Yudanaka Station, Hirao, Yamanochi, Shimotakai District, Nagano 381-0401, Japan
Traveler pickup is offered
Pickup is from Yudanaka train station so you are taken to your accommodation
Traveler pickup is offered
Pickup is from Yudanaka train station so you are taken to your accommodation
Additional information
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Exclusions
- Air Travel
- Travel Insurance
- Equipment hire
- Dinner, lunches and drinks
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
Anna R
April 2020
My partner and I skied with our 4 boys aged 10-14 in January 2020 and had three days skiing with Jase and the crew which was definitely too short! It was our first time in Japan (although we are experienced skiers) and we spent a week in Hakuba and then onto Shiga Kogen with Japan Powder Culture ...
My partner and I skied with our 4 boys aged 10-14 in January 2020 and had three days skiing with Jase and the crew which was definitely too short! It was our first time in Japan (although we are experienced skiers) and we spent a week in Hakuba and then onto Shiga Kogen with Japan Powder Culture Tours which was definitely the highlight. The town (Yamanouchi) where we stayed is lovely - very authentic (it's not full of Aussies) and with plenty of onsens and nice little restaurants to choose from. Skiing with Jase is completely hassle free - we didn't have to think about anything, we needed a little bit of gear for the kids and it was organised seemlessly. We didn't have to think about where to buy lift passes, where to park, where to have lunch or where to ski - it was so nice just relaxing and enjoying everything without making decisions all day. Best of all Jase and his guides who are all lovely know the best places on the mountain without doubt - they are fun to ski with, they push you as much as you want to be pushed and they find stashes even when it's the worst season in years! We loved Shiga Kogen and we also skied at another resort which was small but fun and had a great restaurant for lunch that I never would have found without Jase. We also learnt about Karate and drumming one evening which was both fun and interesting and visited a couple of lovely temples so Jase manages to fit in the "culture" as well as the powder. We stayed at Hostel Aibiya and loved it - Yoshi and Seongmi are such a lovely couple and the place is immaculate. It's a lovely traditional Japanese Inn and well worth staying at. Being first time skiers in Japan the guiding of the Nagana Powder Zone tour was the best decision we made when booking our trip. Would definitely go back to Shiga (but don't tell too many people that cause we don't want it to get busy) and would go with Jase and Hostel Aibiya too. Highly recommend.aknottenbelt
April 2020
We enjoyed a week on tour with Jase and the team. Although the snow wasn’t perfect we had two awesome powder days right at the start. We were blown away by how quiet the fields were - you never wait in a line. You can find an untouched run at the end of the day and that’s why we are so glad we de...
We enjoyed a week on tour with Jase and the team. Although the snow wasn’t perfect we had two awesome powder days right at the start. We were blown away by how quiet the fields were - you never wait in a line. You can find an untouched run at the end of the day and that’s why we are so glad we decided to meet up with Jase and the crew in Shiga. Jase himself is fantastic, loads of fun and driven to do the best for his customers. We had lots of fun with the tour groups and enjoyed the daily rides up and down the mountain. We will definitely be back and have been telling our friends back in NZ put this untouched paradise on their bucket list. Shiga is also super easy access from Tokyo 😊marktJ6666TZ
April 2020
Overall we had a great time with Jase and his team although the experience was definitely hampered by mixed snow conditions. Pros: - they are well organised and the team clearly know the mountains really well - good cultural experiences alongside the skiing (temples, geisha visit and taiko drum...
Overall we had a great time with Jase and his team although the experience was definitely hampered by mixed snow conditions. Pros: - they are well organised and the team clearly know the mountains really well - good cultural experiences alongside the skiing (temples, geisha visit and taiko drum man) - good level of safety - spent plenty of time discussing avalanche awareness and providing training which was useful - the guides were willing to switch up the groups based on standard so had a good awareness for level and worked to make sure it was a good experience and we weren’t waiting around too much - all guides were helpful and provided technical support to the group when asked - accom is great (stayed at Aibiya) and their base, Yudanaka, is a cool little town Cons: - the tour was mixed in with a few other tours so the people would switch in and out a bit. This made it trickier to have a consistent ski squad of the same size and to create bonds with the other skiers - group size. Related to the above there was one powder morning when our group size got a bit out of hand - 9 people. This was also due to an issue with an injury in another group so not really the guides fault but it was tricky to get around and perhaps we should have agreed some sort of split (guided vs unguided) as we lost out a bit on a key morning of great snow - there was a range of skill between the guides. A few were great and experienced. A few were younger/ newer and less proficient at leading the advanced group So we found it a fun week with the tour and the other skiers, making some good friends. The snow wasn’t really there for us so I don’t think we had the authentic powder experience although we did have a few great days. Overall, the powder culture guys did a good job based on the conditions available to them - thank you guys.SOchsen
March 2020
Japan Powder Culture Tours delivered exactly what they promised. The exhilaration and culture experience of skiing Japan. Jase and his crew, John , George and Tyson are an excellent team which is well able to deliver on the promise of the most amazing Japanese ski holiday on offer. JPCT , base...
Japan Powder Culture Tours delivered exactly what they promised. The exhilaration and culture experience of skiing Japan. Jase and his crew, John , George and Tyson are an excellent team which is well able to deliver on the promise of the most amazing Japanese ski holiday on offer. JPCT , based out of the rural historical Onsen town of Yudanaka is well away from the those international ski towns. The region offers a large range of quality ski resorts including the massive Shiga kogen complex and some of the highest terrain Japan has to offer. What sets the JPCT experience above others is the ability for Jase and the team to cater for a broad range of skiing/boarding ability, differing personalities/nationalities and their ability to change plans to suit their guests. The guides are all experienced and qualified instructors, able to adapt to different personalities and conditions, always fun and informative and above they all always knew where to find fresh tracks at the right difficulty. The range of resorts available is incredible, during the warm days we were able to move to the higher ones or when the POWDER came we were able to ski it for days due the size of the terrain offered. The food was awesome, whether it was on the mountain or back in the village the food it was reasonably priced, lots of variety and always just amazingly delicious. Yudanaka the traditional Japanese Onsen town where JPCT is based is just magical, offering plenty of temples, Onsens and a variety of small family restaurants serving predominantly Japanese cuisine. The cultural aspect offered by JPCT was a special bonus for our group. We were able to visit the Zenkoji temple, the Matsumoto temple, shop the Nakamachi craft precinct, a large supermarket (yes believe me…it is a worthwhile cultural experience) and the Nagano Olympic stadium and museum. We also participate in the Giesha, Geisha, Taiko Drum, Shimansen Guitar, Lion Dance, Karate performances and Karaoke night which are entertaining and fun after a hard days skiing. We will no doubt be reminiscing about our trip forever and we are already planning our next JPCT holiday. The HamSonBeins (Ski Progression) - Australia - February 2020thespiritedmama
February 2020
The best thing about the Nagano ski buffet is the direct access we had to authentic Japanese culture in a ski resort. Where we stayed in the small town of Yudanaka - in lodgings that were clean, modern, friendy and run by Japanese local people, was simply beautiful. I couldn't have asked for bett...
The best thing about the Nagano ski buffet is the direct access we had to authentic Japanese culture in a ski resort. Where we stayed in the small town of Yudanaka - in lodgings that were clean, modern, friendy and run by Japanese local people, was simply beautiful. I couldn't have asked for better. I'd skied Niseko and Nozawa a number of years ago and was seeking that sense of exhilaration and freshness that you get when you feel you are truly away from your own culture. Through the ski buffet we were given this in spades. We (my daughter and I) met lovely like-minded people from around the world to ski with in our group. Over a few days we became friends and had a lot of those laughs that are generated through familiar banter. This was all encouraged by our organiser Jase and the guides, who gave fabulous tips on making the most of the small town, after spending a full day on the slopes. Handmade sushi in tiny restaurants, no problem. Homemade plum wine - easy. Onsens - gorgeous. The skiing tuition was sensational. Value for money having an all-day ski guide /instructor for the entire tour, remarkable. The groups were small and run on good timing; it was all very enjoyable, and easy. I have nothing but lovely memories, and much more beauty than I had anticipated. For me, the icing was the cake and the big birthday Kareoke song organised by Jase, for my daughter's 15th birthday. It was kind and personal, and I guess, a metaphor for the whole trip. Thoroughly recommended :-)Sulevy
February 2020
Japan Powder Culture Tours absolutely lives up to its promises! The guidance/instruction was highly professional and very individualized. Small groups allowed everyone to find their own comfort level, as we roamed over a vast network of lifts, trails, and off-piste powder caches. Lots of laughs a...
Japan Powder Culture Tours absolutely lives up to its promises! The guidance/instruction was highly professional and very individualized. Small groups allowed everyone to find their own comfort level, as we roamed over a vast network of lifts, trails, and off-piste powder caches. Lots of laughs as the guides, and whoever was nearby, helped extricate fallen skiers and their equipment from the deep snow, and lots of whoops when we all stayed on our feet. Staying in a ryokan in a small, un-westernized hot-springs town was the antithesis of the usual ski-town – a wonderful way to experience traditional Japan. There were shrines and temples around every corner, and beautiful old houses with upturned roofs. The extensive pre-trip info was invaluable for a first-timer to Japan, and the suggestions for some extra-curricular travel were spot on! Seeing the snow monkeys enjoying an “onsen” was an added plus. Lastly, a hat tip to Jase and his crew for managing every aspect of this complex operation with grace, humor, and skill.