Cutting, Chopping, splitting..... 1 load down, 9 to go! In Hakuba, spring is for chopping, summer is for drying, and fall is for stacking. We'll have plenty of wood for the wood stove again this coming season. Nothing like coming back to the lodge after a good day out and sitting by the fire for a few hours .....

We have moved west, back to the ocean, rocky coasts, beaches, kayaks, surfin', hammocks, sandles, jungles, and back to Guesthouse tabi-tabi in Shimoda Izu. Lots of chillers on the coast. Check out how we celebrated 4/20 here.

No reason to worry though. We will be back in Hakuba again before snow falls!

We got married last year on April 1st so April Fools is our wedding anniversary! After tying the knot a year ago by handing in some papers to our local town hall we headed off for a romantic night at Chujokan Ryokan at Hoshi Onsen in Gunma prefecture. I have always wanted to visit Hoshi Onsen because our private bath at tabi-tabi was inspired by the enormous wooden baths at Chujokan Ryokan, the builder's favorite onsen.

          Hoshi Onsen's famous 1000 man bath                             tabi-tabi's Private bath

Chujokan was built in 1875 and is considered by many people to be one of the most beautiful ryokan in Japan. I highly recommend it too! The service, the food, the onsens, the location, the history... all was superb! It was so great in fact that we quickly decided that we should treat ourselves to a night at a ryokan on April Fools every year.

This year we stayed in Bessho Onsen at Hanaya Ryokan in Nagano prefecture. Hanaya Ryokan is Japanese by design but is decorated in the wayosechuyoshiki style. Basically "wa" is for "wafu"(or all things Japanese) on "yo" is for "yofu" (all things "yoropean"). Hanaya Ryokan was originally built as someone's private mansion during the Meiji period. It was at this time that Japan opened its doors to the outside world and wealthy people started buying European clocks, lighting. and tableware.  Much of which can still be found in historical houses, museums, and antique shops throughout of Japan.

Here are some more pics of the beautiful Hanaya Ryokan:

*click on the pics for larger images in flickr.   N~joy!

Although we were free from tsunamis, had plenty of electricity, and only felt one or two shakes from the ongoing earthquakes, the the details of the nuclear power plants were slowly unfolding, gasoline and kerosene supplies were limited, and trains were running off schedule. The situation was constantly changing, and the accounts of what was happening often contradicted each other, depending on which news program, blog, articles, embassy website... we read. Two of our guests were sent tickets from their worried parents and off they went. A few more changed their flights and we decided that it was time for a farewell fundraising nabe.

Yasu did the shopping and the cooking and made 4 pots of kimchi miso nabe for 16 of us. In return we asked everyone to make a donation to a local NGO who would be providing rescue and relief to those in Northern Japan. We were able to raise ¥43,500 at the dinner party. We also donated the money from newly arrived guests and sent a total of  $650 to Shapla Neer in Tokyo.

It felt great to DO something. We had all been a bit nervous, confused, stressed, worried, frustrated... from watching the news. Making the effort to make a change relieved a lot of anxiety. I also went to Hakuba City Hall to find out what else I could do. They provided me with a list of goods that were needed up north and in the shelters and I sent ¥9000 of feminine hygiene products to help out some of the women who couldnt get to a drugstore to pick up their monthly needs.

If you are troubled but what you see on television I highly recommend you DO something as well. If you can't physically be there to make the change than support those who are there by donating some money. Every little bit helps. A dear friend I lived with when I first moved to Japan has been making cute skirts for kids for the cause.

Her made in California Hana Skirts are for sale here on etsy and modelled on her Fru-t blog.

If the skirts are a bit too girly or not quite your size, check out these charitable trousers from betabrand, Japants:

Here are some other links to Japanese and international organizations providing aid in Japan:

American Red Cross
Canpan Fields (Japanese NPO)
Save the Children
Non-Believers Giving Aid (scroll down the page for Japan earthquake relief)
NGO Jen (in English and Japanese)
International Medical Corps
Association of Medical Doctors in Asia                                                                                                    Shapla Neer                                                                                                                                               Japanese Red Cross  

If you are not in the mood to donate to the victims of the 3-11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, then I suggest seeking out another cause. There are plenty of people, places, and creatures, on this beautiful planet that could use some help.

Arigato!

Remembering some good silly backyard jib sessions at Lodge tabi-tabi. Featuring Baz and friends in the Deep Forest Fun Run at Lodge tabi-tabi during the 2009/10 season. Thanks Chris, for making, and posting, this awesome little flick.

山ごもり (pronounced yamagomori) is Japanese for snow-bum. 山 (yama) means "mountain" and "komori" is a term used to describe a recluse. It can have a real negative connotation, well at least among those living the regular 9 to 5 (which in Japan is more like a 9 to 9!). You may have heard of "hikikomori",  a term used for social recluses who refuse to leave the house for years if not decades. Recently the "soto kimori" has been drawing some attention. "soto" means "outside". These are basically people who are escaping Japan (in the eyes of some), or just travellers (in the eyes others).

Want to be a yamagomori? Live in the mountains for a month, or two, or three? Shred pow everyday and live among other like minded snow freaks? We have great deals and facilities for all those who are ready for a season in the snow! Check out our photo album and facebook page for pics of our living/dining area with wood burning stove, funky green professional kitchen, Japanese style living room with flat screen TV, DVD player, stereo, and board games, dryroom with custom work benches and waxing tools, a huge backyard ready for more jib sessions, and a huge Japanese style bath to soak away all the aches and pains from another hard day as a full-time yamagomori.

One month of accommodation: 60,000 yen

Two months of accommodation:110,000 yen

Three months of accommodation: 150,000 yen

Season pass: 48,000 yen (early bird for Hakuba 47 & Hakuba Goryu)

If you are thinking about it, but still got questions, check out the FAQ or just send us an email to:

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Some of the Think Thank crew stayed with us last season. We never really saw them though. They were out the door before I woke up, and rarely got back before dark. These guys work hard!!!! Check out Ransack Rebellion to see what they were up to all day.

but this is just a teaser. You can get the full deal here

Think Thank came and went and has 8 minutes of video to prove it.

We would like to thank Think Thank for joining us!

The Think Thank crew was in Hakuba for the first overseas Boxes for Days, and working on footage for their new movie "Ransack Rebellion". Looking forward to seeing them shred parts of the hood that no boards have dared go before. As a farewell gift we received a copy of "Right Brain. Left Brain", the 2 disc film to cover both sides of the noggin has been described as, " Meticulously messy, precisely unpredictable and controlled chaos; snowboarding is everything and can do anything." Here is the teaser for yah:

and a pic of us with them:

Jesse Burtner, Miyuki from Snowstyle Magazine, Maki who shreds for Replant in Hakuba, Mike Yoshida,  Christina Burtner aka Pika (photgrapher, graphic designer, artist.....), Ted Borland, Ross, Chris Larson and  Sean Genovese from Dinosaurs Will Die)

After a long winter of snow-filled skies, I must admit I do look forward to a bit if sunshine, and Obinata-no-yu is my favorite place to catch up on my vitamin D. It's closed in the middle of winter but re-opens just as the days start to get a little longer and the clouds give way to more bluebird skies. When there is snow on the ground the taps and showers are also covered up so you have to wash the old fashioned way by sitting next to the hotspring and splashing yourself by dunking a bucket into bath. Don't forget to get wet, lather up with soap, and rinse yourself clean before lowering your (now goose-pimply) body into these alkaline-rich mineral waters.

Open: 10:00 - 17:00
Closed: November - February
Price: ¥500

We have passed Kajika Onsen Ryokan a number of times on our way to Takasekan Onsen in Oomachi. Even tried to go there once but because the onsen is only available from 10 to 3 for non-staying guests, it's been a bit hard to catch. This time we were intent on trying Kajika Onsen and I am glad we made the extra effort. Kajika is a beautiful Ryokan surrounded by a peaceful snow-covered forest. They have one indoor and one outdoor bath available for non-staying guests to use before check-in time. The two baths have two different types of natural mineral waters. The indoor bath has simple alkaline clear water, while the outdoor bath smelled more sulfurous and was loaded with yu-no-hana which literally translates as bath flowers but looked more like bits of volcanic ash. Proof that it's a 100% natural mineral water hotspring.

Open: 10:00 - 15:00
Price: ¥800 adults / ¥500 kids
Access: You can find it on our google map here

I've been suffering from a cold so, as advised by my naturopath, I've been turning to all things hot. This week I have soaked at the Yamada Ryokan Onsen for a long dip in healing waters, put extra tabasco on my Tacos on Monday, had a good dose of wasabi on my tofu last night, been drinking hot yuzu tea, and spent a few hours sweating it out at Escal Plaza's Spa. The Spa at Escal Plaza is nothing fancy but has all of the required basics for only ¥600. There is a large changing area with free lockers, showers, a large hot bath, a sauna, and a cold plunge pool for those who prefer to bathe the Scandanvian way (alternate between heat and cold). Their super convenient location on the first floor of Goryu Ski Resort's main building, makes it possible to get warm and clean while waiting for your friends to finish up their day on the mountain.

If you are an onsen virgin (as one of our guests called it) you may be feeling a little reluctant to bathe with the locals. Many foreigners feel strange about being nude with others, but let me assure you, everyone is naked under their clothes, and everyone leaves their clothes behind when they take an onsen. If you too undress, you will fit in perfectly, no need to feel uneasy or out-of-place. And anyway, you will most likely never have to see these people again so who cares if they get a peak at your barest essentials.

Even if you don't care about the nudity, you may be worried about embarrassing yourself by committing the worst of faux pas while having nothing on to cover up the shame. The first time I went to an onsen I had a good friend take me through the process step-by-step. I have to admit it was not the most relaxing experience the first time around, but now, 100s of onsens later, I have to tell you this is an experience not to be missed! So let me take you through the process step by step and hopefully you too will feel confident enough to have a go at one of Japan's oldest and most popular traditions.

Click on "continue reading" for a detailed 9-step onsen procedure.

Those of you who were in Hakuba a few years back will fondly remember Obuya Onsen. The onsen with endless options. Obuya has a new owner and is now called Hakuba Genryu no Yu. They have a large washing area, large indoor bath, large outdoor bath, a steam room/bath inside a tiny hut, and a good selection of single use baths where you can put your feet up and your head back. This you must try during one of Hakuba's big snow falls. Watching huge lit up flakes floating towards you can best be described as a adventure through the galaxy,  all while keeping warm and soaking in the therapeutic waters of one of Hakuba's best mineral water sources.

UPDATE: The smaller baths and the steam room will not be put to use this winter. The indoor and outdoor baths are still fabulous though.The indoor bath area still smells of fresh hinoki, a Japanese cypres admired for its strength and aromatherapeutic qualities.

The outdoor area is steamy and the stone bath is surrounded by a thick blanket of snow while the hot alkaline rich water does wonders for dry winter skin.

Hakuba Genryu no Yu is a 10 or 15 minute walk from Lodge tabi-tabi. Just a few steps past the popular steak house, Guu.  You can also find it on our recommendation map here.

Charge: 500 yen
Open: 9:00 - 21:30

If you are craving some western food while on the mountain, you might want to try Pizza House Luis. They are conveniently located just below the gondola station at Hakuba 47.  Luis Pizzas have 3 different sauces to choose from; garlic sauce, basil sauce, codroe and mayonaise sauce, and your standard tomato sauce. These thin crusted Italian style pizza pies only come in one single serving size and cost ¥1200 - ¥1500 each. They also offer snacks like hashbrowns, fried chicken, curry buns, and saugages for ¥200 - ¥500. And serve draft beer and Italian wine to help you wash it all down and work up a bit more courage for your afternoon on the mountain.

Gu~ Steak House in Goryu has tender juicy steak to fit every budget. Set menus with slabs of sizzling meat on a hot plate and a bit of corn start at ¥800. Customers can help themselves to rice, soup, green tea, and water.  They have a picture menu making it very easy for anyone to order. The above meal is a 150 gram steak alongside a 230 gram chicken fillet which comes with a side-salad, and all-you-can-eat rice and soup for ¥1000. If you go there for lunch, you can take ¥100 off each set. They also have minced meat paddies, rib steak, and if you want to best, their wagu beef is ¥4000 for 300 grams.

Gu~ is about a 15 minute walk from Lodge tabi-tabi, you can also find it on our walking map here. It's very close to Genryu-no-yu Onsen so many of our guests like to do both.

Lunch: 11:30 - 14:30 (last order 14:00)
Dinner: 17:00 - 20:30 (or until the meat runs out)
Closed: Wednesdays

There are soba shops all over the Hakuba Valley but my favorite sansai soba is from Yamato Soba. Sansai means mountain vegetable, these wild and nutritious plants are loaded onto a plate of cold soba noodles along with some grated daikon, green onions, shredded nori (seaweed) and wasabi. You have to pour over the soba tsuyu (sauce) yourself. It comes in a ceramic flask, make sure you mix up your plate well then dig in and slurp away. Yes, it's OK to slurp your noodles in Japan. In fact, the locals feel that you will be missing out on some flavor if you don't. 

If you get zaru soba (plain noodles in middle pic below) you will get a small cup of soba tsuyu where you can add your desired amount of wasabi and daikon. Then you load up on noodles with your chopsticks and dip it into the cup, slurp, chomp, and swallow. 

Yamato Soba has cold and hot versions of all of their dishes. You can also order udon (a thick white noodle) instead of soba (brown buckwheat noodles). 

There are always a few specials to choose from like the seasonal tempura and okowa (sticky rice mixed with beans, see pic below). Today they also had kurumi soba which is a walnut dip instead of the usual soy-sauce based dip. Oishikatta (It was yum)! 

Yamato Soba is about a 10 minute walk from Lodge tabi-tabi. You can also find it on our walking map here.

Hours: 11:00 to 16:00  (and sometimes 17:00 or 18:00)
Closed: sometimes  

四十七(Yonju-nanna) is Japanese for forty-seven and is one of the best restaurants on the mountain if not in the entire village. They serve excellent traditional and modern Japanese dishes at very reasonable prices. It is no more expensive to eat here than in one of Hakuba's izakaya down in the village. Yonju-nanna is located just behind the main cafeteria at the top of Hakuba 47 in the gondola station. If you like garlic or if you are trying to fight off a cold be sure to try the niniku-maru-age, a deep fried bulb of garlic for ¥400 (see second picture below). To make things easy they also have a good selection of teishoku, set meals that come with rice, miso soup, pickeled veggies, and tofu. I had the deep fried oyster teishoku for ¥1300 (3rd picture below, rice is also served but didn't fit in the cropped photo). Menu is in Japanese and English. Don't forget to say gochisosamadeshita on your way out.

Nagano prefecture is known for Shinsyu Soba. Shinshyu is the old name for what is now known as Nagano Prefecture and soba is a buckwheat noodle soup made with a simple soy based broth. You can find Soba restaurants all over Hakuba and the rest of the prefecture. Tonegawa Soba has got to be the best soba restaurant in the Hakuba village. As you can see it is set in beautiful old Minka (Japanese farm house) complete with irori (a sunken hearth used for cooking and eating), kotatsu (heated tables), and hand-made hanten (a quilted robe for guests to wear).

Tonegawa Soba Shop is a 15 or 20 minute walk from Lodge tabi-tabi. You can also find it on our google map here.

Another amazing day in the backcountry! There is nothing like it! If you are fit enough to hike with pack, and are an advanced level skier or boarder, I highly recommend heading out into the backcountry to earn your turns.... with a qualified backcountry guide of course!!!! There are so many risks you may not be aware of. Knowledgable guides will be able to choose the terrain that suits your abilty so you can have your best day out ever! Moreover, you will need avalache saftey equipment to minimize the risks. I suggest you contact Evergreen Outdoor Center for more information about backcountry tours, avalanche awareness training, and equipment rentals. You will not regret it!

If you still have some energy left, or took a day off and are now itchin to get on the mountain, we highly recommend you check out Yanaba Snow Resort for a nye-tah (Japanese for night skiing). As you can see on the course map above, half the park is lit up as well as the "cross course line" off on the skiers left. A "nighter" is only ¥1500 and includes a drink. Good fun when you go with a bunch of friends, you are either shredding or watching your friends have a go while riding the lift.

To get to Yanaba Snow Resort from Lodge tabi-tabi walk to Kamishiro station (10 minutes) and take the 9 minute, 200 yen ride to Yanaba Ski Jo Mae Station (the resort has it's own train station!).

Kamishiro to Yanaba Ski Jo Mae evening train schedule
depart - arrive
16:36 - 16:45
18:15 - 18:24
19:27 - 19:36

Yanaba Ski Jo Mae to Kamishiro evening train schedule
depart - arrive
20:28 - 20:37
22:14 - 22:23

Start: 17:30
Finish: 21:20 (21:50 on Friday, Saturday, and day before a holiday)

During the 2011/12 season Jeremy Jones hooked up with Dave (aka Yeti) from Evergreen Outdoor Center to hike the hills in Hakuba, and do some serious shredding for the upcoming TGR film, Further.

山=mountain and 菜= vegetable together you have "mountain vegetables" or "sansai" in Japanese. Spring in Nagano means there are mountain vegetables everywhere and wild vegies are not only fun to pick but these forest treats are also very healthy. I picked "chanmerro" from the tabi-tabi grounds then washed these flower-like delicacies, covered them in flour and batter, and deep-fried them into "sansai tempura".

What you need:

canola oil for frying

sansai like fiddleheads and chanmerro

1 cup of flour

1/3 cup of water

1/4 tsp of salt

1 egg

Prepare the tempura batter by mixing the water, flour, and egg. All the ingredients should be chilled, and keep some ice-cubes in the batter when you are cooking to keep the batter cold.

Heat oil in a deep pot. You can test the oil by dropping in a bit of the batter. The batter should bubble and stay on top.

Cover the sansai in flour before dipping them in the tempura batter (water, flour, and egg). Gently drop the sansai in the oil and cook until it starts to brown (2-3 minutes). Take the sansai out and let drain on a paper towel. Salt generously and serve. 

Lodge tabi-tabi staff, Yosuke from Tokyo, has been eager to teach some Japanese cooking to our international guests. Tony (a returning guest from Australia) is a big fan of okonomiyaki and had fun learning how to make this simple Japanese dish at home.

What you need:

• 4 to 5 tablespoons of stock (fish stock or veggie stock)
• 60g / 2 oz all purpose flour, sifted
• 3 ‘large’ (60g each) eggs
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of Japanese (pink) ginger
• About 300g / 10 1/2 oz. (about 2 packed cups) shredded cabbage
• 3 tablespoons of chopped green onion
• 1 tablespoon of dried shrimp (optional)
• Oil for cooking

The topping:

       bonito flakes, okonomiyaki sauce, and mayonnaise

Making okonomiyaki is easy! Just put all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Next, pour the batter into a heated and oiled frypan. Cook for 3 minutes than flip. Cook for another 3 minutes and flip again and cook for  a final 3 minutes. Toss the Okonomiyaki onto a plate and top with okonomiyaki sauce, bonito flakes (katsuoboshi), and mayonnaise (preferable the Japanese kind).  Cut into bite sized pieces and enjoy!

Before eating, Japanese people say, "itadakimasu!".

It's International Woman's Day today so this one is for the laydeez! Women have come a loooong way, so long in fact that women are now able to pee standing up! That's right Freud, time to scrap your male-centered penis envy theory. With the right gadget, women too, can relieve themselves anywhere anytime. Find yourself in a dirty john? Behind a skinny tree? A urinal? Or in the back-country above the tree line without a bush insight (and not wanting to reveal yours)? All you need is an FUD (female urination device). This season I have started using P-mate, a very simple origami-like funnel that catches your stream and sends it off away from your pants and shoes without the need to drop your drawers.

This product has been a goddess-send for a woman like me, who wears bib pants and spends most of her back-country days hiking with the boys. It's even easier if you wear boys tights underneath and make good use of the hole in the front.

P-mates are only $4.95 for a pack of 5. Although they are disposable, I re-use each one a few times by giving it a rinse before placing it back in the zip-lock bag.  I ordered mine online direct from their website. International orders have a $15.00 shipping fee. Which is not bad at all if you stock up and buy some extra for your female friends.

Go Grrrrlz!

For any and all back-country gear, summer and winter, hiking and skiing, buying or renting, we always go straight Rapie. I used to comparison shop, and waited to return to Tokyo thinking I could get a better deal but now I know better. Rapie has the best price for the best products and sells everyhing you could possibly need. I also found out they will order it for you if it is not in the store, and fix anything that is ripped or broken like zippers or tears in your tent. You will not find better service or expertise anywhere.

Rapie is on the 148 (main road of Hakuba) near Max value. You can also find it on our google map here.

Open: 13:00
Closed: 19:00

I already have one of these awesome chestpacks from Hobo Greatworks. I use it back-packing and in the back-country. I have the Hobo Pathfinder Mini which fits a 500 ml. bottle of water, my snapshot camera, my phone, and a few snacks. It keeps everything right there in front and within easy reach so I don't need to take off my big pack to get to my basic gear. At the moment they are having a 100% for Tohoku Kanto Charity sale which means all of the money is going to Tohoku relief, not just the profit but everything. So essentially if you donate 5000 yen to the Tohoku Charity through Hobo Greatworks you will get a free bag. Yasu has just ordered one for himself and I am thinking of buying a few gifts for my back-packing friends.....

You know you love powder but do you know Powder Love? According to their facebook page:

"Powder Love Hakuba is a yearly, live-music, DJ and festival style event held both inside and outside of Tracks Bar in Hakuba. The Event will feature a nightclub in the basement of Tracks with a top international DJ line-up, while the first floor will feature live music and performance artists. To add to the good vibes of the event there will also be food stalls and a huge bonfire outside with an icebar , more music, Fire shows , Jump / Jib course and a video projection snow display." ...and plenty of prizes to be won!

Here is a video of last year's jib stars in action:

Live Floor:

デリシャスウィートス Japanese wild show
Swell - Dub Reggae with Jazz infusion
Semi-on - Gypsy Punk Funk
Rawshana Belly Dancers
Anbassa- Reggae
Sabunyuma -African drums and dancers
Very Special Guest
And More ( to be announced )

Club Floor:

 Aron-T . dbi-UK
Mitch 4-the Love ( Australia )
D J Paul T
DJ Mike McKenna from U.K / Dj Seeb from Italy
DJ Dave B　/ DJ Dom Pang / DJ Hirro / DJ HSK
Drew Moon from Australia (Rendered SPACE records)
Big Ted from NZ / DJ Chris Edmeads / DJ DR Juan
Soulza from Brazil
Yanbe Giant Swing - Dance hall Ragga
Jimmy- Techno House

Chill Zone:

Ice Dee Jay set / Snow Bar / Maxime Fire show
VJ show by HEADFUL
Jib and jump course
International Food Stalls

かまくら　(Kamakura) is not just the name of Japan's old capital, but it also means igloo in Japanese. From February 10th to 19th, you can explore a whole mura (village) of Kamakura at the bottom of Hakuba 47. There is a large Kamakura Bar, a Kamakura shrine (see pic above) and many little Kamakura where you can eat and drink with your own circle of friends. On the weekends there will be shops set up selling Okonomiyaki, chijimi, omelletes with fried noodles, hot sake, freshly roasted chest nuts, and more.... We had a Hiroshima Style Seafood Okonomiyaki. It was fresh, hot, tasty, and only ¥500.

O-shogatsu means New Years in Japan, and although this is one of Japan's biggest annual celebrations, there isn't a whole lot of Champagne popping going on. Last night 10 tabi-tabi-ians said goodbye to the new year by eating some toshikoshi soba at The Tonegawa Soba Shop. Toshikoshi means end of the old year and start of the new year. Soba is a bowl of buckwheat noodles served in a hot soy based soup. The long noodles symbolize a long and hopefully healthy life.

After our steamy bowl of noodles, we walked through the old Iimori village to Chogokuji Temple  for Hatsumode (New Year's temple visit). Inside we listened to the Buddhist priest chant and pray for the new year that lay ahead, we then went to a large tatami room where we shared amazake (a sweet non-refined sake) and ate mochi, rice crakers, and tsukemono (pickled veggies).

Once we had our fill, we went outside again to ring the temple bell. Everyone got to have a go at swinging the large pendulum. According to tradition, the bell must be rung 108 times. Each ring represents one of 108 earthly temptations a person must overcome to achieve nirvana. I'm sure, 2012 is going to be a good year!

Akemashite Omedeto! (Happy New year!)

紅葉 (pronounced koyo) means fall colors. I know there is still a lot of green in there but actually I took the pic of few weeks back.  I suspect that all the green leaves have long changed color and fallen on the ground... soon to be obliterated by meters of white snow.

During the green season, Hakuba is a mecca for hikers and mountaineers. People from all over Japan come to challenge themselves and be humbled by these imposing hills. No need to be afraid though, Hakuba has routes for every level of hiker, from winding trails with wooden boardwalks to steep terrain and chained rock walls. If you do decide to climb to the summit and hike the ridge line, it is best to do an overnight and stay at one of the mountain lodges on the top (from 6300 yen a night for dorm). Last week was my third time to trek the peaks and although I struggled with muscle pain and a headache from the altitude, I also glided through currents of unbounded energy and bodiless joy received from the preserved beauty of these mystical mountains. 

 The Hakuba Goryu gondola is still open for the green season. It's not easy to see green these days though. Instead Hakuba's trees are proudly displaying their fall foliage. The gondola at Hakuba Goryu along with Hakuba Happo and Hakuba 47, will be running until the end of October. Once you get to the top of Goryu there are all kinds of hiking routes to choose from. As you can see in the picture above, many of the trails have wooden boardwalks making it possible for hikers of all levels (and kids in strollers) to enjoy some autumn colors. For those who don't mind a bit of a challenge, and some steep terrain, the trails will lead to some spectacular views of majestic Mt. Goryu (as seen below). The Goryu gondola is only a 10 minute walk from Lodge tabi-tabi, you can also find it on our recommendation map here.

It was an absolutely beautiful autumn day in Hakuba yesterday so we decided to take Happo Gondola up to have a closer look at the freshly fallen snow on the top of the alps. These majestic peaks are known as Hakuba San Zan (白馬三山), from right to left, Mt. Shirouma, Mt. Shakushi and Mt. Hakuba Yari. I highly recommend this little hike to Happo Pond (Happi Ike). It costs 2600 yen for a return trip on the gondola top two lifts. Once you get off the top lift just follow the trail for about an hour for a loop around the pond. Pack a lunch, there are lots of benches for you to enjoy your sandwich and the stunning view.

初雪 (pronounced hatsu yuki) means first snow!!!! It's October 3rd and the Hakuba Alps are starting to cover up all already. Getting very excited about the season ahead!

If you are looking for a night out in another part of town, this is the bus for you! The closest stop to Lodge tabi-tabi is #4 Goryu Jankenpon. You can also find it on our Goryu walking map here.

The best way to explore Japan's country-side is with your own set of wheels. We suggest you check out ToCoo! rent-a-car. They have over 800 outlets, offer services from 12 different car rental companies, have a huge choice of vehicles, and an easy-to-use English website where you can check prices and reserve your vehicle. Although you can pick up your car at the airport when you arrive, most people prefer to make their way to Nagano by bus or train, and pick up their car in Nagano City instead. If you pick up your vehicle in Nagano or Matsumoto there is no extra fee for snow tyres, you can also request ski/snowboard racks, child seats, and all cars come with GPS. There is no extra fee for dropping off your vehicle at a different location as long as it is in the same prefecture. Smaller vehicles go for 4200 yen a day and they also offer long-term discounts. Driving in Japan is remarkably easy, other drivers are courteous, just remember to leave a little extra space between you and the car ahead when you are driving on snowy/icy roads.To rent a car in Japan you will need a credit card, a valid driver's license, plus an international driver's license which you have to get in your home country. Click on the pic for more details.

If you have a bit of extra time to spare and you're not lugging a board bag or skis around, then you might as well take the Keisei line from Narita to Nippori. The Keisei Main Line Limited Express (the red line) takes 76 minutes and costs only 1000 yen.  At Nippori Station you can transfer to the Yamanote line for the 21 minute, 190yen ride to Shinjuku, or the 11 minute, 150 yen ride to Tokyo. From Shinjuku you can catch the Keio Highway bus to Hakuba while Tokyo is the main transfer hub for the Nagano Shinkansen.

Check out Hyperdia to help you make sense of all of Japan's train routes, here.

For any and all transportation questions, you can also call the super friendly folks at the JR English Info Line at: 050-2016-1603 . Drop the first zero if you are calling from overseas and don't forget to add Japan's country code, 81.

The fastest way to get to Tokyo from Narita Airport is to take the N'EX (Narita Express) train. You can depart from either terminal and choose from a number of arrival stations including Shinjuku, Tokyo, and Shinagawa.

If you are transferring to the Keio Highway bus bound for Hakuba you will want to get off at Shinjuku Station. If you plan to take the Shinkansen (bullet train) bound for Nagano, you should get off at Tokyo station.

The journey will take from 65 - 105 minutes depending on your departure time and destination. The one-way fare to Tokyo station is 2940 yen. If you wish to get off at Shinjuku, Shibuya, Shinagawa, or Ikebukuro the fare will be 3110 yen.

For more details on fares, departure times,  combination tickets, and online reservations click here.

Keep in mind, trains station are often underground and require maneuvering up and down stairs and escalators, or elevators if you are lucky. If you have more bags than you have the strength to carry, I highly recommend taking the bus to Tokyo instead. You can read about the Narita Aiport Limousine bus here.

If you would rather not stop in Tokyo at all, and come directly to Hakuba from Narita Airport, you can take the shared Chuo Taxi. To find out more and to make your (required!) reservation, click here.

 

The easiest way to get from Narita Airport to central Tokyo is by the Friendly Airport Limousine Bus. Most of you are probably wanting to take it to Shinjuku Station's west exit but there are endless destination points to choose from including major Tokyo Hotels.

Terminal 1 has five tickets counters, while Terminal 2 has two tickets counters, all with helpful English speaking staff. Buses depart right outside of Narita aiport's central exit every 20 minutes. The bus stop is on the ground level so no bags to haul up stairs or maneuver through escalators. You can roll your airport luggage cart through customs and right up to the bus luggage compartment. There are even some friendly staff attending to passengers, checking tickets, and making sure your gear is safely stored in the baggage compartment under the bus.

Ask for a window seat to get some great views of Tokyo bay and the urban sprawl of one of the most densely packed cities in the world.

A bus to Shinjuku will cost you 3000 yen one way and take between 85 to 115 minutes depending on traffic. For current travel times, fares, departure and arrival options, check out their English site here

道 (Michi) means road, の (no) is a possessive like our 's, and 駅 (eki) means station. Together you have "Road Station", which have all of the conveniences of train stations but is made for drivers and their cars. All michi-no-eki are organized by the government, and provide basic travel needs like free parking, 24 hour restrooms, and tourist information. Michi-no-eki is also the hub of many small towns providing them a place to promote tourism and trade. You can often find locally grown veggies, food stalls and restaurants with local specialties, souvenirs, hand-made goods, and sometimes even onsens! Michi-no-eki's merchants are carefully selected to represent the town so you can be sure to find the best food and the most welcoming folks at the road-side michi-no-eki.

Hakuba's michi-no-eki is an easy walk from Lodge tabi-tabi, check it out on our walking map here. They have a soba shop, oyaki shop, and in the summer, a gelato stand. They sell local veggies and souvenirs, and provide free parking and restrooms. If you have a car, I highly recommend visiting the Otari michi-no-eki. Otari is the next town if you are driving towards the coast. If you are driving to Nagano City, you will pass Poka Poka Land, Miasa's michi-no-eki, which has a spa with powerful jet-baths, sell cheap local vegetables, and has a great restaurant next door called Miasa Shokudo. Japan has close to 1000 michi-no-eki scattered throughout rural Japan so take note of the michi-no-eki symbol below and you'll know where to take a break the next time you are on the road.

True Player's Skate Park will have its grand opening in April, but they're already letting skaters ride the ramps. True Player's is an excellent indoor park with big well shaped ramps and other street skate items, and for ¥500 a day you can't go wrong anyway. True Player's is in a gym on the same road as Mimizuku Onsen near Happo. I will add it to our recommendation map here.

Open: 12ish to 9ish (everyday-ish)

December 31st, 2011 was the first day I have ever snowshoed for the sake of snowshoeing. I usually have a board on my back and a beakon on my front, when I have snowshoes strapped to my feet. But on this beautiful blue bird day, I only brought my lunch, some hot tea, and great company.

I highly recommend getting away from the liftlines, and the powderhounds for this incredibly picturesque and amazingly peaceful trail that winds through forests and opens up to a panaromic view of Japan's Northern Alps.

You can rent snowshoes at Minekata Ski Resort Hakuba for only 1000 yen, while the lift to the top is a mere 400. Another option is to buy a lift pass (half day 1900 yen, full day 2800 yen) do a bit of sliding, and a bit of walking.

On the way back down, follow the cat track to Reflet, a great little cafe/restaurant that sells real hot chocolate and home-made cake. I also recommend their feshly baked cookies to take-away.  A great way to end an awesome day.

For all things backcountry, we suggest you get in touch with the people all Evergreen Outdoor Center. We did, and so did Jeremy Jones! Get a sneak peak of Jeremy Jones' epic adventure here.

Evergreen provides a variety of levels of Avalance Skills Training courses, and Guided Backcountry Tours, so you too can go deeper and stay safe.

If you need rental gear, Hakuba has an ever-growing number of choices. However, for price, quality, and service most of our guests are satisfied with the options available at Spicy Rentals. They have everthing you need for dowhnhill and cross-country skiiing, and snowboarding. They carry large sizes, stuff for kids, helmets, powder boards, beginner and high-perfomance gear.

They open before first lift and are right across from Goryu's main entrance so you won't miss out on first tracks. We have posted a Spicy Rental's pricing chart in the lodge plus our guests will receive an extra 20% off on all their gear. Click on the pic for more details.

Rental Gear at Lodge tabi-tabi:

At the lodge we also have a small selection of rental snowboards, boots, outerwear, gloves, and goggles, at well below the going rate. Sorry, our gear is available on a first come first serve basis and can not be reserved. Please let us know when you are checking in if you are interested in having a look at what is available.

Snowboard with bindings: ¥1000/day
Outer wear: ¥500/day
Goggles: ¥500/day

Da Monde is commonly known as "Darts Bar" and rightfully so. They have 2 electronically operated dart boards that will keep track of your score so you can focus on your toss. They also have karaoke, and a good selection of manga for those who prefer to put their feet up and do a little reading (in Japanese). Da Monde is about a 10 minute walk from Lodge tabi-tabi, you can also find it on our Goryu Walking Map here.

Lantern Rirun is an old lodge with a great new bar and after-hours club serving strong drinks, danceable tunage, and a super-chill local vibe. The night I was there DJ Haiyato was churning out some sweet trance and techno, along with some housy beats. He was well in tune with the crowd and kept all of us wacky people on our dancing feet. Looking forward to getting loco with the locals again soon! 

Check out Sauce on any night of the week for beers, cocktails, and light snacks. Love their plate of crispy fries alongside a rum and coke. They have events, local DJs, photo exhibits, opening parties. Last year I spotted Jeremy Jones playing fuse-ball with the locals during a release party for the magazine, Hand. I hear no-one can beat the owner, YJ, at his own game though. They also have darts, cozy couches, and a large bar with friendly staff. Sauce is about a 10 minute walk from Lodge tabi-tabi. You can also find it on our recommendation map here.

Karaoke, lasers, a smoke machine, a discoball, slot machines, a projector,  an acoustic guitar, open-mike nights, a pool table, bikes and other motorized vehicles.... Bike Bar has it all. The owners are more than happy to help you choose a drink and a bite to eat as well. The blue cheese in their home-made burger was a hit the night I visited. The cake-like pudding with ice-cream was definitely an Ozi serving so best to share.The pumpkin soup came in two sizes but the small was plenty. I suggest you go with a crowd and make good use of all their toys, or join me this Thursday to swing away to some funky bass lines, when Swell will be making their first appearance at Bike Bar.

Bike Bar is a 5 or 10 minute walk from Lodge tabi-tabi. You can also find it on our recommendation map here.

For cheap eats (burgers, burritos, pizza, nachos for 600 yen), veggie options (pizza, burgers, burritos all have a veggie version), free pool table, beer on tap, strong cocktails, super friendly folks, and some of the best live music I have ever seen, Tracks Bar continues to bring the usual suspects and local crowds too. There is no reason not to have a few at Tracks. Tracks Bar is only a 5 minute walk from Lodge tabi-tabi, you can also find it on our recommendation map here.

At 3 pm tabi-tabi staff and guests piled into the van ready to experience a little culture. First stop was Oyaki Mura in Ogawa. Oyaki is a veggie filled bun popular in Nagano prefecture, and mura means village. According to the oyaki maker (man in blue), in the old days people who lived in the mountains made these everyday. Due to a shortage of flat land, rice paddies were limited, therefore rice in short supply. The mountain people of Nagano grew wheat for flour, that could be made into dough and shaped and stuffed into oyaki. On this day we got to do the shaping and stuffing ourselves. We all made 2 varieties of oyaki. First, the standard nozawana which is a green leafy vegetable that tastes a little like spinach but is actually from the turnip family. Then, the unohana variety, which is a dry roasted tofu pulp mixed with veggies. We shaped and stuffed, and the the obasan (auntie) helped us close up our little pockets of veggies before the ojisan (uncle) cooked them up for us on the irori (open fire). After we had our fill of handmade (and very tasty!) oyaki, we climbed back into the van and headed off to Nagano city for the Tomyo Festival..... (see part two for the rest of our little adventure).

With bellies full of tasty treats, soba tea, and a lesson in Japanese culture, we headed off  to Nagano city for the 9th annual Tomyo Festival. This incredibly beautiful festival of lights is held every year at Zenkoji Temple to commemorate the Nagano Olympics  "and to pass on to the future generations the Olympic spirit of praying for peace. In this event, the message for peace is conveyed through lights with the aim of reaching out to the world". The main buildings of the temple are lit up in different colored spot lights, while smaller temples (Zenkoji is made up of 41 temples and shrines) put on their own more intimate candle lit displays. There were also streets filled with lanterns crafted by various artists, while another cobble stone road was filled with boisterous vendors selling hot sake and local festival food. I'm already looking forward to the 10th annual Tomyo Festival. See you there next year, and peace be with you until then...

On January 18th we arrived at Shiga Kogen Resort for fresh groomers and a wee bit a pow. It was a beautiful bluebird day so you could still see the Northern Alps we left behind in Hakuba. We spent half a day exploring Japan's biggest ski resort, and then had lunch on the mountain. After lunch we made our way to Jugokudani Monkey Park to see the famous monkey onsen. Here are a few pics of the tour.

We've got all kinds of road trips, tours, and packages available. Find out more here

Yuki means "snow" and "ita" means board, but this is not your average snowboard. These handcrafted rockered snow planks that come complete with stomp pads and leash cords are the ultimate powder surfers. You can not imagine the fun you can have cruisin' country roads, scoping lines, hiking hills, sampling from a quiver of sticks, and floating through pow surrounded by the tranquility of nature only broken by the laughter of friends.

Yuki-ita tours are now available at Lodge tabi-tabi. An afternoon session in a secret powder stash, door-to-door transportation, unlimited use of the above quiver of sticks, and a hot lunch with coffee or tea in the outdoors is less than a day pass at the resort.

Yasu will also be providing some basic instructions but once you try it you will see that no experience is necessary to stand up on a binding-less board and float down a powderful hill.

More pics here. Enquire within.

On March 3rd a whole crew of us found powder paradise. Our very own Powder Paradise in fact. See if you can spot anyone else in the resort?! You can read about it here.

Rich, one of the Snow Season Japan guests that came and stayed for the 2011 season, made this awesome little video about this awesome powder day. Makes me "Woohoohoo!" everytime I watch it!

Thanks, Rich!