*****Just Brilliant ***** Being a solo traveller, this was a last minute trip diverting from a disastrous no snow Whistler holiday. Diversion success. Best snowboarding trip ever!!!! IMO it will surpass your expectations of a "Tour". I have travelled most of my life, surfing & snowboarding, never been a "Tour" kinda guy. But as you know being on the mountain solo can be boring, time consuming looking at Mtn maps where to go, how to get to x y z spot & kinda unsafe if you're going through the trees. This JPCT exceeded my expectations. The lads are just that, Jase & his minion team of Kiwi lads that know the mountain , know how to ski & snowboard (yes, some of the guides do both, so they know what you want) Jase ,Oscar, Gus, Harry & George were just all epic crew. It's not your normal tour, definitely not PC 😂🤣🙉🙊they have a good laugh & banter, that’s 1 of the beauties of this tour, it’s totally fun times….. but they will pull you into line when on the mountain for safety reasons. You will part of a little Japow community. Jase creates a WhatsApp Community for the upcoming day on the mountain,night time events,dinners and to share your memories It’s full noise from the time you get up until zzz time. It’s breakfast then on the Magical Shinkanzen Bus that leaves on time!!!! Don't be a "Paul” & get to the bus at 7:36 when departure says 7:35, it will & has left on time to the mountain. In a nutshell, no Après here or party pubs/nightlife, this is not Niseko or Hukuba, you eat, sleep, ski/ride, onsen, sleep 😴 & repeat 🔁 It's a culture tour too, you will get a true Japanese Cultural Injection, not a Westernised memory. You will get to experience traditional: Geisha dance , dragon dance, an X Karate champion, a great fun new drinking game (hosted by the beautiful Geisha) & a drumming show, oh and a comedian 😊 🤣😂 Jase a has a little town cultural tour you can do to just to get that (oh read the info he give you lol) , Yudanuka, Obuse Town, Shrines, Nagano, all great places to visit if you have chill day or after your tour has ended. If you ski, they will improve you. If you snowboard, as above & they will tow you out of flat spots. They will take you to some awesome places on the mountain that you didn’t know existed, that's the beauty of this tour. YOU GET BANG FOR YOUR BUCK $$$ As above mentioned, you're not studying mountain maps, you are up down up down up down, it’s full noise until your body can’t handle it. Your choice 😊 All you must do is read all these reviews, if you are solo, GO, you will meet likeminded mountain people with the same cool vibe and froth. Jase is awesome too, he gave me his Minion 🙏🏼 😂 THE PROs -Awesome guides with knowledge of the Mtn -If you need skis or a snowboard, you can hire them -Great community feeling with the crews -Awesome restaurants & authentic Japanese meals in town -Great like minded people that you will meet -Oh, the mountains, no crowds, lift lines -Japow The CONS -Seriously can’t think of any, it was Awesome Cheers lads 🤙🏼 Happy 😁Travels FLegends

I recently finished another great Japan ski trip with the Jase and the rest of the Japan Powder Culture Tour (JPCT) guide team. My first trip was in Feb 2023 and after a fun time then, I went again this year in early Mar 2024. Jase and the all-star guide team have tremendous knowledge all the resorts in the Shiga Kogen / Nagano area and the base village of Yudunaka. Every day the JPCT team puts you on the Japan powder (on and off piste) and gives you the right balance of challenging terrain, fast pace, and helpful instruction as needed. Beyond the great snow, there is a plenty of good camaraderie among fellow skiers & snowboarders, especially if you are a solo traveler looking to ski/ride with others of a similar skill set and passion for powder. I also have to give props to Jase for his fleet of quality rental equipment (very pleased with the powder ski setup he provided). Beyond the time on the snow, Jase always makes sure you have a good time via the cultural activities, team meals, and some great onsen hotels in Yudunaka. Highly recommended!

Awesome trip. Jase and team did an amazing job. We were a group of six from expert to intermediate and we all had a fantastic time. The skiing, rokan, food, culture could not have been better. It's a well run machine. We will be back.

Jase and the team done excellent job and very accommodating. Booking was breeze and as soon as we arrived the accommodation (hotel transfer from/to Yudanaka train statiin was included), his team took us in for equipment fitting. They made sure our gears fit us well for all day of skiing, safety first. Jase got us ryokan style room at Hotel Omodaka. The owners and the staffs were very nice, and food was delicious (more like home cooking japanese dishes). Jase did mention before the booking that some people complained the room can be cold, but we found it cosy, clean, comfy and great view. The course we did was 1 day ski and 1 day self guided cultural tour. We never ski before and Jase paired us with local japanese instructor, Naru, who's the best instructor for total noob like us. Only after an hour of lesson witj him, we did slope and started doing high speed, snow wave, etc. What's unique about this tour, 1) On daily basis, Jase would check the weather and decide where to go for best snow experience, 2) whatsapp community group keep you informed, 3) Pleasant surprises during the tour. Jase definitely one of a kind guy. He entertained us with his 'fun facts' about Japan. It's good fun although not too sure about the accuracy, but i wouldnt dig up dark web for it.

We are intermediate skiiers and have not been on a group skiing tour before we happened to come across the Powder Culture Tours website. We liked what we read on the website but we were not sure whether our skiing ability was good enough and sent some queries to Jase , who promptly answered our queries. Jase was very upbeat, energetic and genuine when we met him personally. Our accommodation and ski here was organisée by him and was very good. We were looked after very well by the excellent guides and groupes with similarités standard skiiers. Service was A1 and we had a fantastique time.

I'll make this short and sweet. It's 7 days after leaving Japan, and I am now fully functional. Not for any other reason than Jase and the boys finding us the freshness for 9 days. Mind you, we only had snowfall for 2 of the 9 days... The rest, bluebird. Their operation is efficient, absolutely hilarious, and the guides (and Jase) are world class. They care about skiing, laughing and having fun... Which is what our wide range of demographics that booked was looking for. We partook in the Legendary Roadie. I wish I knew how much fun it would be because I would have booked my wife (who stayed at home in the US) a proper holiday whilst I was away. Life is fine now, but the s&*t eating grin from perpetual Pow persists. Honestly, if we went to Japan and did not have guides, we would have had 2 days of Pow. Thankfully, we were exhausted each day because the boys found us the goods even when we thought it was going to be an off day. Untracked goods... All sorts of stars to you and the boys. Thanks for your hospitality, and so glad we got to enjoy the raw side of Japow vs the commercialized north island. Thank you for the time of our lives. Not sharing additional photos for fear of my boss's retaliation.

I took my 13 & 14 year old boys for first Japan ski experience Jan'24. I wanted it to be memorable to them for the fun & good vibes, powder and a little non-touristy genuine culture. Jase & his team delivered on all fronts. The guiding crew are great fun but also very good at their job including safety first, fun & good memories a close second. Jase has amazing energy running the show and legitimately wants his clients to have the best experience, he cares being naturally service oriented. He is very good at ensuring each day the skiing choice is made to maximise the day for all, which for advanced skiers like us was proven by our 5 days being fresh powder found every day despite no snow falls in between! The additional cultural shows were fantastic with genuinely impressive talent. I noticed repeat customers present in the wider groups which says something and the clients Jase has just seem good people so we enjoyed all the group. Jase is also very good at providing good information (including logistics) before hand to set a realistic expectation of what to expect and for help. Thanks Jase and team, you provided wonderful memories for myself and my boys more importantly.

This was an amazing trip with a great mixture of skiing and cultural activities. Jase and the guides were knowledgeable of the various skiing resorts and knew the best places to get powder. Transport up the mountain was easy and stress-free. Jase also knew all the best spots to get food and would kindly drop us at places for dinner. All the people on the trip were friendly and approachable which made the trip much more enjoyable as a solo traveller. Couldn’t recommend this trip enough and will definitely be coming back!

If you love the snow, want to improve your ski abilities, but also want a taste of Japanese culture and would enjoy a stay in a local Japanese town – then this is the tour for you. Just completed the Beginners Ski and Culture tour (6 days). It was an energetic and fun week. Skied some beautiful runs, improved my ski skills, met new people and had plenty of delicious Japanese meals. The logistics of skiing are all taken care of by Jase and his team. They really consider the conditions to ensure you have a great ski experience each day. Jase certainly makes sure every day is eventful. George, Harry, Gus and Oscar were our guides. They are great guys, really patient in their instruction, happy to have a chairlift chat, and, importantly, sing karoke songs when required. Adding to my trip experience was the retro charm of staying at Hotel Omodaka. With a comfy futon, views from your room, and delicious in-house formal meals – every night is onsen night at Hotel Omodaka. Visiting the cute locally-run restaurants in town and the snow monkeys also added to the Japan ski experience. If you are nimble, can go with the flow, want to improve your ski skills and are keen to experience skiing in Japan then consider this tour.

Solo Skier (intermediate to advanced). I can’t speak highly enough about the quality of this ski trip. Jase and the rest of his guides do an outstanding job in delivering the following features to those who are adventurous enough to book this trip: Powder – lots of it with multiple ski locations in reach – we chased the powder every day. Excellent instruction from his guides – I was able to improve my form and ability during this trip. Wonderful accommodations: traditional Japanese rooms and daily Onsen were a lovely feature of the trip. The Japanese culture features were also a lot of fun. Jase knows how to pack the day and keep it interesting for everyone. I also appreciate that Jase accommodates all levels of skiers, which really makes this trip great for families and couples. Overall the quality and amount of snow is unprecedented. This, in combination with top notch guiding and a good dose of Japanese culture, makes this both a unique experience and some of the best skiing available on the planet. I will definitely return!

Our group of 7 kiwis (all experienced skiers / one snowboarder from New Zealand in our early 20s) went on a three week ski trip to Japan, covering 4 different ski regions. To finish off the trip, we stayed three nights in Yudanaka and organized two days guided skiing with George at Japan Powder Culture Tours. Having just scored some epic powder up in Hokkaido, we had high expectations going into this final leg of our trip. Having not snowed for 5 days, we were worried we would be skunked and left disappointed with our time in this region. But that was far from the case. George took us through untouched tree lines all day for the two days we were with him, scoring insanely dry, deep pow, and finding some epic lines. We were stoked. Everywhere we went we felt we were the only people on the mountain, with an insane amount of terrain to access. The mountain we skied both days (from different sides) was overwhelmingly large, and the best way to experience it at its best is definitely with a guide. We were all left extremely stoked and couldn't recommend Jase and JPCC higher for those keen on skiing (or boarding) some good pow and epic terrain. Jase knows the region inside and out and will get you to the best conditions each day, and drive you in his bus to fun cultural events in the evening. Our time in Yudanaka was definitely a highlight of our trip and we all cant wait to come back!

First off what can I say, Japan Powder culture tours exceeded my expectations. Guides Harry, Oscar, Gus and George are all extremely talented skiiers and know all the mountains exceptionally well. Finding untouched powder runs three days after snow and knowing all the right tree and lift runs. With Jase leading the charge in the morning it’s a well organised machine of a team. I went in as what I thought I was an intermediate boarder by day two the team had corrected my posture, controlled my erratic movements and had me mowing down moguls like a groomer at 2 am. Well elevating me above my mates allowing me to run rings around all the other ɡaiʑiɴ on the rest of my trip in Niseko. Thanks again I really appreciate it hope you all have the best season with plenty of Puki Yuki

Really, there's no point in contemplating or thinking about it. Just book it - you won't regret it 1000%! I booked Jase's tour as a single female snowboarder. I wanted time away from my mundane 9-5 and just get away from it all while improving my snowboarding, specifically in powder and experience the famous jaPOW. Boy, I really got it. We had powder everyday! The unique thing about Jase's tour is that he and his crew know where to go to find jaPOW. So even when the on-piste runs don't seem to have much powder, they will take you to places that do so that you're assured that you experience FRESH untouched jaPOW. It's amazing! They crew knows the runs and the mountains forwards and backwards, knows where and when it's safe to go. They are all patient with their instructions, enthusiastic about the sport, and will make sure you get that powder that you came to Japan for. Not only do you get to experience japow, Jase will also make sure you experience cultural aspect of Japan as well - visiting shrines/temples, geisha show, taiko drum/karate performance, sushi train, lion dance, karaoke, etc. One of the ski instructors, Harry, even brought out his saxophone to show off his musical skills. Most other tours do not include this aspect into the tour packages, and it really made the trip unique and interesting. The ryokan Yumoto where I stayed had an in-house onsen which I took advantage of everyday after snowboarding which helped the muscles recover and probably is what allowed me to snowboard everyday for 8 days straight. My room had western style beds and Japanese living area that was spacious with room for all my gear. Oh, and the breakfast and in-house dinners..So delectable,... so scrumptious. I miss it everyday. All in all, very worth the money, time, energy, and effort to make this trip happen and I will cherish the memories for a long time. Hoping to repeat the trip next year for more japow!

I learnt how to ski with Japan Powder Culture Tours back in March 2019 as a complete beginner and had a great experience on the ski slopes of Nagano. Jase and his team has a structured way of teaching the foundations of skiing that is easy to understand and the rest is practice. This year I wanted to do a little ski holiday over Christmas and came back to JPC because I trust Jase and he takes good care of all his clients. All of the instructors are amazing, patiently teaching and correcting my technique. They gave exercises to do for each run, things to focus on...what my body needs to do to ski better. We were split into groups based on ability and there was 1 instructor to 2-3 of us, or at most 5 at any one time. Each of us always got the attention and instruction that we needed. I'll share more about my 2nd day to illustrate how patient and dedicated the instructors are: Jase wanted to really help us cement learning the side slipping technique so took us to a high and steep slope (of course he didn't give us a heads up before otherwise we wouldn't have gone)! I understand that learning and improving is getting out of one's comfort zone and being on that steep slope definitely motivated me to adapt and learn! Harry was our instructor for that day and he stayed next to us the whole time, sometimes blocking me from sliding too far forwards or backwards. I was scared I'd take off down the slope or roll down, but of course that didn't happen. Even though it was a bit scary, I felt safe as Harry was there the whole time talking us through what we needed to do, how to do it, correcting us and watching us slowly make our way down at the pace we were comfortable with. It took us 1.5 hours to get down that slope and he stayed next to us the whole time! On the third day George, who instructed me that day, taught a few things that helped tie everything that I learnt the previous two days together and I felt smoother going down the slopes! I felt more confident with my skiing and started to have more fun! What I like also about JPC Tours is that we go to ski resorts that are largely local and not overrun with tourists. The experience feels authentic and there's a bit of culture as Jase will share about the region and Japanese culture. I missed the karate, geisha and taiko drum performance as that was on the evening of my arrival day as I was exhausted from traveling all day but the others in the group enjoyed it. The accommodation arranged at Omodaka is wonderful, the room was spacious and warm. Everyday we had an amazing and healthy breakfast feast to fuel up before driving out to the ski slopes. And of course coming back to the onsen after a day of skiing is the best way to wrap up the day and help those tired muscles recover. A thing to note is that Hotel Omodaka (and most accommodations in Yudanaka) don't have showers attached to the rooms, so one would have to go to the onsen (located within the same building) to take a shower. Initially I felt that wasn't something I'd like but it is actually ok - I went to the onsen everyday anyway, and for hygiene purposes one would shower before getting into the onsen. It is never crowded in the onsen, male and female are separate, nudity is completely normal and no biggie, everybody just minds their own business. I highly recommend the onsen experience, it is quite something different and a Japanese tradition. Everything that one needs is provided in the onsen and shower area. There are also hairdryers, face/body moisturisers. My stay included one dinner in the hotel and it was the best dinner I've had in years! It must have been 8 courses with some side dishes, all meticulously prepared and delicious! It was very nice of Jase to take us out to karaoke at the Geisha bar on Christmas night, we had fun! Good vibes from the crew and fellow skiiers/snowboarders in the group. I can't wait to come back again and improve my skiing.

We are a family of 4 with two teen boys (16,18 yo). We are all essentially fresh beginners and wanted the young ones to experience a proper introduction to skiing. Jase has this covered to the hilt. He and his team are incredibly patient, reassuring and very knowledgable with clients. We got fitted out completely with all ski gear (included in package) in a very non-rushed manner which is the first thing I appreciated and was very different from what you'd experience with other ski shops / schools. It felt very much like we were the only ones on tour with him and crew most of the time which is an absolute luxury. Even the proper method of carrying skis and walking in boots was covered at length. Although my eldest boy started off not keen with the idea of skiing at all, Harry, Oscar and George were all extremely patient and supportive of him and he now has returned with a sense of accomplishment that he can actually ski at the end of the tour. We stayed at the Biyu which provided a mixed Western - Japanese style room. All the in-house breakfast and dinner meals were so sumptuous and attention to detail quite amazing. Onsen (natural hot spa) post-skiing was also very enjoyable. The hotel is very clean, staff professional and very welcoming. The daily tours to the mountains with the crew and several other guests were always well run, on time and stress-free. Early mornings in the subzero temps can be a little difficult to wake up to so early nights for those who need a little more sleep than others would be a good idea, since you'd want to enjoy the provided breakfast without rushing. The ski lessons were wonderful, just enough theory and the crew were very gentle and patient with everyone on tour. As the days went on, everyone progressed at their own pace and it was good to see the crew cater to the individuals without any fuss and without pushing anyone outside their comfort zone. I had a knee injury on the slopes on day 2 which was a bummer but Jase looked after me really well all the way through. I have to say that being "rescued" by the Japanese crew in a "sleigh" was the most fun ride I had in ages! Jase and his team checked in regularly just to see how my knee was progressing and supplied ski poles and also snow shoe spikes to make sure I didn't lose my footing. The cultural component of the package consisting of a magic show, Geisha and karate / taiko drums / lion dance were very enjoyable too and a must see. They were the icing on the cake and a very nice complimentary touch to the day's skiing. Harry's impromptu saxophone performance on the bus was a pleasant surprise from a multitalented bunch! On days where there was no in house dinner provided, Jase was able to point out good local small restaurants which were both delicious and of great value. Thank you Jase, George, Harry, Oscar and Gus. We all had an amazing time with you lot and will highly recommend this experience to friends and family.

Wow, what a great experience. It was so much fun I stayed a few extra days. I enjoyed the mix of people from all over. Great team of tour guides. Well matched groups based on skill level. Onzen oh yeah. I also really appreciate the cultural experience that was offered. Snow monkeys, National Parks, samurai castles, sake breweries, it’s all there if you want to take a break in between or before and after. 5/5 Will do it again.

I (female solo traveller, 27 years old) attended a 10 day tour with JPCT in February 2022. I had a mixed experience, with some great skiing and meeting some nice people, but with several bad experiences meaning I would never return or recommend JPCT to my friends. Good: -I stayed at Abiya, the cheaper of the two accommodation options, with a private room and shared bathrooms. Abiya was really lovely, run by Yoshi and Seong-mi who went above and beyond to make me feel welcome and help me whenever needed. -The snow was great. I skied all but one of the tour days and we skied everyday at Shiga Kogen, which felt like a very authentic Japanese ski resort. -When Jase (Jase/Jason, the guy who runs JPCT) was leading/’guiding’ my group, he ensured that ability levels were well-grouped, even if that meant there were fewer people in our top group. However this was not the case when other employees were leading our group, so I did spend several days in a more mixed ability group, having to wait for slower members. Bad: -I rented ski equipment from Jase, and the whole experience was not good. Firstly, I was not trusted to advise my own din setting, despite being a very experienced skier, and was put on a much lower din than I normally ski. I was also on significantly longer skis than I’d ever previously skied. When I questioned this, I was gaslit by Jase, saying ‘you put down that you’re an advanced skier, these are skis for an advanced skier, are you not advanced?’ in a tone that I found upsetting. What he should have said was ‘typically in deep powder in Japan, you want a longer ski that you’re used to in North American and Europe. Why don’t you try this for a day and see how you get on, and if you want something shorter we can change them’. It turned out the skis were a good size for me, so he wasn’t wrong with the length but I felt that the way that this was questioned was unpleasant. Thankfully my group leader when we were out skiing did also adjust my din for me, back to my usual setting. However this was not the end of the drama. About 4 days in, the binding on one of my skis had come very very loose of the ski. This was only noticed by another client in my group, and not Jase, and Jase then advised me to ski gently down the piste to the bottom of the resort where we’d fix it. I (perhaps naively) followed these instructions and towards the bottom of the piste the entire binding came off from the ski. Fortunately I was travelling slowly and was unhurt, but this could have been much, much worse. After this happened I was again gaslit by Jase, claiming I’d ‘broken’ his skis. I felt extremely unsafe and immediately went to Yoshi at Abiya, who kindly helped me purchase my own skis in Nagano through his contacts there. -There was quite a misogynistic vibe. ‘Story time’ on the bus and ski lifts with group leaders / ‘guides’ often telling stories that did not make me feel comfortable. -I was given the impression from the website that there were distinct ‘tours’ at distinct dates that groups booked on to. This turned out not to be the case, as I didn’t meet anyone else booked onto my ‘tour’ with the same dates. There were several different tours with different descriptions that were all lumped together over the same dates, so I ended up skiing with people who had signed up for the ‘grey snowmad’ (55+) tour. Basically everyone books onto different tours with different dates and everyone is just lumped together, all going on a big bus to the same location for the day, almost always Shiga Kogen. The upside of this is the ability to have many groups, meaning similar abilities can be most accurately grouped together. But I was expecting everyone to start and finish on the same day, whereas in reality people were coming and going throughout the trip. Not a massive problem, just not the impression I got from the website. This also means the evening entertainment is also very ad hoc and fairly last minute - often you don’t find out what is going on that evening until that afternoon and the majority of evenings were just sorting yourself out for food. - Use of avalanche safety equipment was required, but for those that hadn’t used it before, very minimal training was provided. - At points the tour didn’t feel completely respectful of Japan and their customs. For example in Shiga Kogen you were not supposed to go into the sidecountry (judging by the shouting we often received from local instructors), but this was always ignored. And often the phrase ‘don’t take out a native’ was used which I found rather offensive. Additionally, while wearing face masks was very strongly encouraged indoors in Japan at the time, there was no effort by group leaders / ‘guides’ to follow suit and be respectful. -Finally, I have mentioned ‘guides’ throughout this review. These are the employees of Jase who were advertised as ‘guides’ on the website. However the majority possessed no guiding qualifications or professional guiding experience and I was not aware that any of them had been trained in avalanche safety. In Europe a ‘guide’ is a qualified mountain guide, but the term ‘guide’ in Japan seems to have no such protected status, and as such anyone can proclaim themselves a ‘guide’. Something to be aware of for all skiing outfits in Japan. All in all, I did have a good time. But there were several things that tainted the trip for me and I would definitely not return again or recommend JPCT to a friend.

I already booked my next trip with Jase and his crew. It will be my 4th and surely not my last. For me what makes Japan Power and Culture is obviously the ski experience. Skiers and boarders are placed in groups according to skills, and each group led by expert guides with deep experience on where to find the best snow on that day. This brings me to ski areas with snow quality and with challenges tailored to my ability. Each day brings a new experience and with the reassurance of skiing with a guide. But the social bonding is also unique – with different cultural programs every evening under the guidance of Jase. Overall JPCT is such a good experience not to be missed whether expert or beginner! Hans

Yudanaka is a beautiful quiet town with plenty of restaurants to choose from, and convenient transportations. I came at a time where snow god was too busy, but Jesa is full of surprises, and always manage to find the best slopes to have fun. It was perfect for beginner like me. Jase is by far the best ski coach I had who coaches with heart and passions (aka he can be loud), and time with him had made me a safe and improved skier, for all the hard works he put in. The hotel Ryokan Biyu is with all the dated hotel charm with wonderful daily breakfast. Skiing+Onsen makes the best combo. I would love to come back next year.

The information (FAQs) provided before the trip was very comprehensive and made organizing my travel easy. The "Japanese experience" at the hotel as well as the food and entertainment were fun. I visited in the first week of March: we had fresh snow and powder the first and second days but this changed to spring skiing for the remaining week which was a little unexpected and disappointing. The groups were small and intermediates were separated from beginners and advanced skiers. I met some amazing people whom I hope to meet again some time. I had a lot of fun and am seriously considering going back next year, perhaps in January or February.