Welcome to the World of Japanese Sake

Sake is one of the most famous products in Snow Country which produces some of the best in the whole of Japan. Japanese visitors invariably pick up a bottle or two to take back with them as souvenirs of their trip and visitors from other countries often find themselves becoming fans once they have tried real sake.

Sake is a vast subject similar to fine wine in its complexity but no need to feel out of depth with this handy guide from the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association. They provide an easy to understand explanation of everything you need to know and explanation on how to get the most out of it.

Armed with your new-found knowledge you might be ready to tackle the Wall of Sake in Echigo Yuzawa Station where you can taste sakes from all over the region of all different types. There are normally some sheets in the back right hand corner in English that offer a guide to the labels and varieties.

Or if your interest is really piqued you can go on a tour of the Shirataki Sake Brewery.

A Sunny Day at Norn - Guest Post by Pelle

Pelle has been spending some time in Snow Country of late and was kind enough to let us know about his day at Minakami Norn

A sunny day at Norn.

We had the opportunity to spend a day skiing at Norn Ski Resort in Minakami after a relaxing stay at the ryokan Tatsumikan  in Kamimoku. For dinner we had food grilled over charcoal and nicely presented like it´s customary at ryokans and for breakfast we had the dazzling view from the top floor dining room of Tanigawa-dake bathed in sunshine. We knew then that it would be a fine day for trying out the slopes at Norn. Even if little English was spoken at the resort we managed to rent our skis without too much trouble. A few phrases and sign language gets you a long way. Also there is a form that you have to fill out with name, shoe size, length and weight that helped.

The ski resort is rather smallish with only four lifts of which three were running on the day we spent there.  Norn has six courses ranging from beginner to expert and gives a good range of experience even on such a small number of courses.  They have a small area with a snowboarding park and a kids area. Most of the courses were really good and fun to ride and I never felt it was too small for a day of skiing. We went on a Friday and there were quite a few others in the slopes but we never had to queue at the lifts. Also the view from Norn was amazing, I don’t think any photo can do it justice but I did try to capture it.

Norn runs free shuttle busses to and from both Minakami station on the local Joetsu line and Jomo-Kogen station on the Joetsu Skinkansen line. They have most facilities you would want in a ski resort except for an onsen.

In all we had a great day skiing at Norn and even if the staff spoke little if any English that was never a problem. Everyone was very nice and helpful so we left Norn with a smile on our faces.

Another sign of Spring...

The snow is gradually melting, a few mountain vegetables have already started cropping up on menus and   the cherry blossom forecast follow the weather forecast on the news each night - spring is certainly creeping up on us. Another sure sign of spring is the Bungy Japan's platform being fixed back onto the bridge in Minakami in preparation for another green season full of thrills.

Quite an operation, but now it is on it will be there until late autumn. Their season is due to begin on Saturday April 21st. Most adventure operators in the town should be up and running around that date so if you fancy a spot of rafting, canyoning, canoeing, mountain biking, paragliding and of course, bungy jumping, then Minakami has you covered.

Cherry Blossom Forecast 2012

One of the most anticipated signals of spring in Japan is the blooming of the cherry blossoms.

The progress of the blooming as it takes place throughout the country is keenly tracked and the early forecasts are already out. It seems as if they will bloom in Snow Country slightly later this year with forecasts at this stage saying sometime in mid April.

Keep an eye on what is going on at tenki.jp so you don't miss the best of the blooms. Cherry blossom viewing at your local park is not to be missed.

Okutadami Maruyama Spring Season

Okutadami Maruyama is a resort we mentioned before as one of the early openers in Snow Country. It has a bit of a peculiar season, opening early and then shutting for most of mid-winter before re-opening again in spring. The drive up there is an experience and the views from the resort are spectacular.

Their spring season kicks off this weekend and one of the best things about the resort is the killer park they set up with masses of features and a half pipe.

They will also host the Dragon Mystery Tour on April 7th.

The season goes well into May so plenty of "winter" left yet.

Ride/Dress like a local

It's been a big snow year in Snow Country and as the season moves into spring you might be thinking about treating yourself to some new gear. Before you rush out and buy the latest offering from a big manufacturer, have a look at some of the locally designed and tested kit from boutique makers.

Snow Country is home to several companies that make snowboards - they have a passion for the sport and are out there everyday putting their gear through its paces on the local mountains, as well as supporting local riders.

The 12 Snowboard team are Minakami locals and are usually the first up Tenjin on a powder day. Their boards have a cult following among the riders of Minakami.

Voltage Design are from the other side of Tanigawadake and make a split board that is popular among the backcountry riders. They spend a lot of time up at Kagura testing their new ideas. Their split boards were taken out and tested by the crew at Outdoor Japan who wrote an article on them.

Surge Snowboards are another team that are often spotted in the Minakami area who make a range of snowboards that will have you covered no matter what kind of riding you do.

If you are looking to dress like a local we have already mentioned the Snow Monkey brand that are based in Yuzawa.

There is also another independent clothing company that produces hand-drawn designs by one of the local park crew which you can buy online - faninari

The local designer also did the artwork for one of the goggle straps for some super-cool Dragon goggles.

Buy local and help support these Snow Country businesses.

Snow Experience Camp in Snow Country

There are vast differences in Japan between the urban and rural areas. In the countryside, tradition still plays a very strong role in the way of life and it is fascinating for city dwellers to get out of the concrete jungle and experience this. There are plenty of places offering such an experience and from March 27th to 30th 12 children will be given the chance to get in touch with the traditions of Snow Country at the Ecoplus Snow Experience Camp.

It is four days and three nights under canvas, camping out in the snow. The participants learn to prepare and cook their own food with the fire for both cooking and heating. There's mountain climbing, snow play, star gazing and of course a chance to learn about the way of life, culture and traditions of the area from people who have grown up here.

It's a great program and always a fantastic experience for those kids lucky enough to take part.

Park Summit 2012 at Ishiuchi

Spring is a great time to ride park at the ski resorts, with good weather and no massive dumps of snow to contend with. Many resorts put special effort into their parks between now and the end of the season.

Arguably the best terrain park belongs to Ishiuchi Maruyama which always has masses of features all over the mountain, two pipes and a bordercross course.

From 25th March until 8th April there will be plenty going on at Ishiuchi as they do some massive redesigning and reshaping of the parks. The Step Up Area, Beginner Area, Super Pipe Area, Slope Style Area and Freestyle Area are all slated for a major facelift with shapers from all over the country having some input.

All this work culminates in a big session on some of the new features - they'll be pro-riders throwing down, cameramen around to capture the action and prizes on offer. It is free entry but the features are likely to be big so not one for the beginners - though there are always plenty of places to practice for those starting out. The Ishigeki Session is Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th April.

Spring is the ideal time for a freestyle lesson if you've been watching the park all season and fancy getting involved.

You can keep up-to-date with the latest happenings at Ishiuchi Super Snow Park on their blog or Facebook page. Sure to be some great photos uploaded of the work in progress and the finish products in action.

Minakami in Outside Magazine

Minakami gets a mention in the April edition of Outside Magazine, the essential read for all those that love the outdoors.

In The Wander List feature introducing getaway secrets, destinations and perfect weekends, Japan gets a mention. Noting the drop in tourist numbers after the events of just over a year ago, it says Japan is safe again and should be back on every traveler's list. There are adventures to be had all over the islands and cheap hotels compared to pre-earthquake prices.

Minakami gets a special mention for the range of outdoor adventures available, with Canyons noted as the adventure operator and Bettei Senjyuan as the high-end accommodation of choice.

Pick up your print or digital copy and enjoy a great read!

High Water Season - Rafting on the Tone

Spring is creeping up on Snow Country. (You could be forgiven for thinking it is mid-winter today though with the snow falling outside.) There is plenty to look forward to during springtime. Cherry blossom is a big hit but for adventure lovers spring only means one thing - high water season on the Tone river.

The Tone is one of the best locations in Japan for whitewater rafting and has played host to the World Championships in previous years. As the meters of winter snow melt, the water makes its way down into the rivers turning the winter trickle into a raging torrent with some serious rapids.

Photo courtesy of Canyons

There is a spring-only 1 day course that takes in over 18 kilometers of the Tone with some great views on the way down. You also get a chance to run a famous section of the river that again is only accessible in the spring and has a series of thrilling rapids with just enough time to catch your breath before you get hurled down the next section.

Minakami has a fantastic reputation for outdoor activities so if you are there it would be a shame not to try some of the others - choose from canoeing, canyoning, bungy jumping, mountain biking, or paragliding.

The Spring Park at Tenjindaira

Tenjindaira Ski Resort has a reputation for some pretty serious backcountry terrain and even in-resort the runs are well known for their powder. Tenjindaira is always up in the top snowfall resorts for the whole of Japan and is always on the list for visiting pros - it gets the nod from Jake Burton too in his interview with Outdoor Japan.

What is not so well-known is that in spring Tenjindaira has a great terrain park. Being one of the highest resorts around it goes longer than other areas and in spring everyone wants to ride park. Happy to oblige, there is a dedicated team of park crew at Tenjin who design some good hits.

The park opened today and with Tenjindaira lasting until Golden Week in a normal year there is almost two months left in this season yet. With a 3.5 meter base up there at the moment this winter season at Tenjin may go on past the holidays in early May if the power- that-be decide.

With rafting season kicking off in April, when the snowmelt makes the rapids in the local Tone River serious whitewater, it is possible to ride park all morning when the snow is at its best, and then jump into a raft in the afternoon for some Grade 4/5 rafting.

More photos of the park on the Tenjin blog -  it gets bigger and better as spring goes on.

Japan Rising Campaign 2012

As a thank you to the international community for the amazing response after the events of last March the "Japan, Rising Again" campaign is being launched. As the first year anniversary of the devastating earthquake and tsunami approaches, Japan is still working hard to lure the visitors back by persuading them that Japan is still a fantastic destination.

This campaign is worldwide with things happening all over the place. Over in Yuzawa the accommodations are offering specials for foreign visitors. For further details and to receive a commemorative thank you gift head over the the Information Center outside the West Exit of Echigo Yuzawa Station.

Yuzawa Kogen Downhill Race - 1 April

Ever fancied yourself as a ski racer? If so the Yuzawa Kogen Downhill Race could be the ideal debut for you. Very much a fun event open to everyone, this race sees you trying to get from top to bottom at Yuzawa Kogen Resort.

It's 2,000 yen to take part but plenty of prizes up for grabs. You have to get your entry form in by 10th March. The course is a long, cruisy 2,200 metres down the Panoramic Course at the top of Yuzawa Kogen so no need to fear steep slopes or difficult terrain.

Lots of fun and very child friendly. It's the 51st time they have run this race and it has a long history of happy racers.

Yubiso Snow Festival - March 11

Yubiso is a little township that is part of Minakami. You will have passed through it if you have been to the Tanigawadake Ropeway. It is also home to many of the rafting and outdoor adventure companies that have made Minakami a mecca for outdoor sports enthusiasts.

Sunday March 11th is the Yubiso Snow Festival held in Yubiso Park on the way to Mount Tanigawa.

Giant snow sculptures of popular cartoon characters, a sledging zone for the kids and plenty of delicious local food are all there for you enjoyment. It runs from 10 to 3 on Sunday so pop along, and why not take in one of the famous onsen nearby? Or spend some time at one of Minakami's ski resorts that are all within a short drive from Yubiso. Work on the sculptures starts tomorrow so if you are heading up to Tenjin before the weekend you can get a sneak preview.

Right next to Yubiso Park is the Melody Road. Drive at 40 km per hour and grooves in the road play a famous Japanese tune. A pretty ingenious way to get people to keep their speed down.

Tokamachi Anime Festival - Mar 10th

The March events keep on coming and Saturday 10th sees the first ever Tokamachi Anime Festival.

Pop culture comes to Snow Country. People dressed as their favorite cartoon characters, a parade, guest DJs, an all-singing, all-dancing maid cafe combo - it's sure to help the campaign to keep Snow Country hip and happening.

The action kicks off in the afternoon with the fancy dress parade at 1400 and will carry on into the night. You'll have to get their earlier if you would like to don your outfit and take part.

It's the first time for this festival in Tokamachi so it could become a fixture, filling the gap between the Tokamachi Snow Festival and the Kimono Festival (on 3rd May.)

Ishiuchi Yonex RideOn Series Halfpipe - March 25

As the weather gets better the half pipe at Ishiuchi Maruyama is a great place to hang out. Give it a go or just watch some of the local riders put some solid runs together. There are two pipes over at Ishiuchi - a smaller one that is ideal if you are just starting out, or a much larger one if you fancy more of a challenge.

The Yonex RideOn Series has been going through the winter with the big air and slopestyle events already drawing the crowds. Sunday March 25th it is the turn of the half pipe to host the party.

There are Men's, Women's and Kids' categories and if the weather cooperates it will be a great event.

It's March

This winter is flying by. It is March already. Still plenty of snow time left but it has shot by. The snow has been pounding down for a couple of months and it has been close to a record-breaking year in terms of snowfall.

There is still lots of fun left yet and this weekend will be a particularly busy one in Snow Country. Wherever you are there is likely to be some kind of event happening close by.

Banked Slalom at Tenjin

Kandatsu King Freestyle

Yuzawa Snow Festival

Family Snow Walk

Typically the weather gets warmer into March and April so you can expect plenty more outside events to keep you occupied.