In 2025, it’s secure to say that Japan is experiencing a tourism growth. Spark up a dialog with anybody, and so they’ve most certainly simply returned, simply deliberate or simply added the nation to their must-visit record. And upon jetting there myself, it’s straightforward to see why. Hanging an ethereal steadiness between modernity and heritage, Japan is actually like no different place on Earth. Higher nonetheless, in case you love the concept of a snowy winter wonderland, then take into account hitting the ski slopes, as Japan is at present having fun with document snowfalls not seen in years. And with resorts staying open effectively into April/Might, there’s nonetheless time to money in on any vacation or private days left for carving up contemporary tracks of “Japow”, pleasant gentle and dry snow that may go away you spellbound for extra.
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Most guests are likely to fly into the favored mecca ski resorts like Niseko in Hokkaido on the northern island of Japan. However for a change, we determined to hop on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, the bullet practice that rockets you to the snow area of Nagano, a hub of over 80 ski resorts, from the sprawling Shiga Kogen to the Hakuba Valley, which famously hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics.
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In on the lookout for a ski resort a bit off the favored observe however with a assure of experiencing this so-called legendary powder, we have been really useful Madarao Mountain. In my earlier snowboarding grommet life (pre-motherhood and dwelling within the northern hemisphere), I’ve been lucky to expertise the mountains of Snowbird, Utah; Mammoth, California; and Whistler and Fernie, British Columbia, simply to call a number of. However after a protracted hiatus from buckling into my board, I used to be trying to find a extra meditative (learn: straightforward), uncrowded expertise on the slopes. An ex-pro snowboarder buddy really useful Madarao for its “Madapow”, that means its northerly facets, which improve the standard of snow regardless of being a modest vertical mountain for the world of Nagano.
Madarao is a mid-sized mountain, with loads of snow and no carry strains, making it excellent for a rusty snowboarder like myself, who hadn’t been snowboarding in over 15 years, and my daughter, who was a whole newbie. Even my accomplice, an skilled skier and former ski patroller, discovered loads of difficult alpine tree snowboarding and ungroomed black runs on this powder playground. Throughout over 30 ski runs, 9 lifts and a vertical drop of 440 metres, the resort, which connects with Tangram Mountain, presents a lot terrain to discover. On the snowfall entrance, Madarao often averages 13 metres, however this yr, Japan has skilled a winter of exceptionally heavy snow not seen in many years.
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The heavy snowfalls of Japan’s snow areas are brought on by moisture-laden clouds bumping up towards the mountains alongside the spine of Honshu (the most important of the 4 islands that make up Japan) and releasing their moisture below the northwesterly winds blowing off the continent or down from Siberia. The result’s fluffy, dry snow: excellent circumstances for any winter sport lover.
We stayed on the Snowball Chalet Flats on the base of Madarao mountain. Snowball Chalet is owned by an Australian couple, Dan and Andy Solo, who purchased the run-down chalet again in 2016 when the world had nearly been undiscovered by any foreigners. Solely native Japanese family-run companies functioned in Madarao again then.
“Madarao had been a ski mecca within the 70s, an escape from the ‘wage man’ way of life, and it even held the second largest jazz competition on the earth at the moment”, defined Dan. However after the ski bubble burst, together with most of Japan’s economic system within the 90s, so did the city, leaving most of the resorts within the space uncared for or closed down completely. Quick-forward to 2015, and the bullet practice’s enlargement made it a mere stone’s throw (101 minutes) from Tokyo. As Dan says, “Discovering Madarao and Snowball Chalet was a diamond within the tough. The village was simply what we have been on the lookout for to deliver new life to a ski resort, probably to go bankrupt or fly.”
Having been nomadic snowboarder lovers most of their lives, Dan and Andy lived in ski cities throughout the globe till they fell in love with Japan again in 1997. They travelled by push bike pre-Web and the times of Lonely Planet as their tour information. After operating a ski chalet in Niseko again when it was a sleepy ski city the place solely locals skied, they found what powder circumstances have been about and a dream was born.
Whereas they each knew what they have been on the lookout for, life took on new challenges, and it wasn’t till 2014 that their compulsion took Dan and their fourteen-year-old son Akira again to Japan to hunt out a doable ski resort with potential. Andy held up the fort in Sydney whereas continually googling ski cities till she landed on web page 144 and located Snowball Chalet up on the market, which, as destiny would have it, Dan had been scouting close by. After closing the deal on Christmas Eve 2016, it dumped snow on Christmas day—a very good omen by snow-lover requirements—and so they haven’t seemed again since.
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We have been welcomed into the Snowball Chalet lounge with apres drinks and a heat fire by a cheerful Aussie host, Saxon from Brisbane, who was spending the season snowboarding and dealing at Madarao. You’ll discover many Aussies working the ski slopes because it’s straightforward to acquire a working vacation visa. Simply bear in mind to test in your snowboots for slippers earlier than you enter, a Japanese code of conduct in addition to a good suggestion for maintaining the snow outside. I took the chance to take pleasure in a Whiskey Highball whereas sampling scrumptious selfmade gyoza, native vegetable root pickles, Hijiki Seaweed and soba salad.
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Boasting an intensive library of uncommon vinyl from all many years to pattern, you’ll be able to take pleasure in a easy tune or, on most nights, from 6 pm, there’s a reside performer to sit back out to post-skiing. There are eating places and bars close by, however the choices are restricted, so reserving prematurely is suggested.
Snowball Chalet has a seamless on-line concierge service to permit one to pick out from quite a lot of eating places, type gear rent and guide classes earlier than arrival. There’s a famend worldwide ski faculty run by one of many Madarao locals, Aki Kitamura san, who really owns the favored pizza and burger joint on the mountain as effectively.
Our pretty Snowball studio was compact (like most Japanese dwellings), impressed by the Edo-era structure, with no expense spared to recreate a standard Japanese inside with trendy facilities. The peerlessly folded yukata units laid out on the mattress, lanterns lighting, tatami mats and display window doorways create the best cozy ambiance and apparently assist hold the warmth in. We had intentions of benefiting from the totally geared up kitchen, however on condition that our precedence was snowboarding we opted for the scrumptious breakfasts served on the lounge, together with a selection of conventional Japanese and Western dishes like dashimaki tamogo (Japanese folded omelette), yuzu-infused miso soup and bacon and egg rolls: all important to maintain the power for carving up the slopes.
Dan and Andy personal and handle a number of lodging, together with Snowman and Snowball Flats, each primarily based in Madarao, in addition to Shiki in Northern Nagano, a hop-and-ski from Tangram Ski and Golf Resort.
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The true hidden gem is the Yukimi Sano, a Meiji interval residence and teahouse. The property has been owned by a Japanese household for over 200 years and features a tea home, which was initially constructed for a marriage of a well-known artist virtually two centuries in the past. I discovered myself meditating peacefully, searching to an historic Japanese backyard coated in a blanket of snow, which is what the phrase Yukimi means. Simply past the backyard is a Sankyo, a Japanese rice warehouse that accommodates a goldmine of household vintage furnishings and artifacts left in pristine situation for Dan and Andy to include within the inside and decor of Yukimi. Dan’s background in advantageous arts and object design offers him the creative eye to create areas celebrating Japanese traditions and artistry however with a contact of Western consolation. By comforts, Dan expanded that a lot of Japan’s conventional outdated buildings just like the Ryokans have been lovely in craftsmanship and element, however lacked comforts like central heating, temper lighting, and comfy sofas wanted by vacationers. Between the Japanese ceramics and artifacts displayed on the finely completed wood tables, the eye to element is beautiful.
As Dan remembers the story of assembly a pair of their 90s promoting off their “heirlooms” in excellent situation, having collected them their complete life however having nobody to cross them right down to, he tells me about travelling the size of Japan buying lovely antiques to brighten their residences and permit the appreciation of artefacts to proceed.
So far as location goes, Madarao Mountain is ideally located in the course of a hoop of ski resorts, together with Myoko Kogen and Nozawa Onsen. We determined to take a look at Nozawa Onsen, not solely identified for having one of many oldest ski resorts in Japan however for the dozen or so public onsens (scorching springs), which might date again to the eighth century. What higher approach to recharge after a day of snowboarding than soaking in a pure scorching spring? Exploring the city of Nozawa Onsen gave us a glimpse of conventional Japanese tradition because the city has retained its sense of historic reverence with the village’s slender alleys lined with shrines and temples. The selection of eating places, tea homes and even karaoke bars is extra intensive than what you’ll discover at close by Nagano, so we took benefit of viewing the well-known snow monkeys on the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. It was virtually closing time, and for the monkeys, it meant feeding time, so a swarm of them of all ages and sizes descended down from the close by hills and scorching springs. I couldn’t assist however recall a scene in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, however now in happier instances.
Talking of happier instances, we wrapped up our ski journey after 5 nights wishing we may keep for extra. With so many hidden gems, together with snow-covered mountains and close by cities but to discover, I’ll actually be again to expertise extra of Japan’s winter magic. In any case, what’s 101 minutes of time journey from Tokyo? Attending to Tokyo, I assume.
To get to Madarao from both of the Tokyo airports, you’ll be able to catch trains to Iiyama, after which a bus or taxi to the resort. Or from Haneda or Narita Airports you may get a Chuo Taxi or Nagano Snow Shuttle to Madarao. Uncover extra or guide your subsequent keep here.
PHOTOGRAPHY: SEAN SLATTERY
MODELS: GRACE SLATTERY, GABRIEL FLIPP
GRAZIA PACKING GUIDE:
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