Baka Dasai
January 12th, 2004, 11:50 PM
<i>Are there any legendary resorts in Japan for carvers? Like a Buttermilk or Whistler?</i>
Good question. Anybody else know?
<i>Also, if you know of any good carving stores in Tokyo (or in Japan period) I'd love to know about them.</i>
Go to Ochanomizu in Tokyo (it's on the Sobu/Chuo lines). It's the ski/snowboard section of town. There are two stores there with a reasonable range of carving gear - Viento (part of Victoria Sports) and Himalaya. They're on the main road, almost across the road from each other. There's also another smaller store nearby that has a smaller range of carving stuff.
<i>I know next to nothing about Tochigi-ken. What's cool to ride out there?</i>
Tochigi 's not the greatest place for snowboarding to be honest, but <a href="http://www.hunter.co.jp">my local mountain</a> has excellent grooming and some reasonable pitches that make it good for carving. I'm always in need of riding partners, so anytime you want to come up, just contact me. It's an easy day-trip from Tokyo.
I sometimes go a little further north to the Bandai area in ***ushima. Much better snow up there. <a href="http://www.pref.***ushima.jp/kanko/k_hp_e/data_m/31009.html">Grand Deco</a> has some nice powder tree runs, and I'm keen to try <a href="http://www.nekoma.co.jp/">Nekoma</a> as its covered by my Hunter Mt season pass.