Carrots from under the snow

Food and cuisine are important parts of life and culture in these parts. Many of the foods that are traditional to this area are tied up in the climate and geography of the region - warming dishes for the long winter months and ways of preserving ingredients to last until after the snow melts.

There are plenty of dishes and treats to explore and some of them are pretty unique. One that pops up again and again are carrots that have spent the winter under the snow.

An accidental discovery but one that meant sweeter, tastier carrots. It is now common practice in these parts and if you are staying up this way you are likely to come across them at some point in your travels. You can even buy candy made from them and there are also places that put them in their soba noodle mix!

For more of an explanation, check out this page at snow-country.jp

Snow Country Freak magazine

The bizarrely titled Snow Country Freak magazine have just brought out their winter issue. It is a free guide to everything that is going on in Snow Country over winter. Unfortunately it is only in Japanese but it is a wealth of useful information if you can get someone to help you decipher it.

Contents -

"500 yen off" voucher for day passes at Yuzawa Nakazato, Maiko or Muikamachi Ski Resorts
Maps of the area
Event lists by month
Ski Resort Events
The best meals on the slopes
A voucher for the one day upgrade pack at GALA (lift ticket, 500 yen voucher, and discounts off rental and lessons.)
Activity guide
Onsen guide
Gift guide

You should be able to see this free magazine online too

Snow Country Omiyage

Omiyage is very Japanese - the tradition of buying a small gift from wherever you go to give to your family or workmates. It is fantastic when people come round with a small taste of where they have been and you get to try some really interesting little snacks.

Everywhere you go in Snow Country you will see selections of individually wrapped sweets to take away with you. The rice and sake are also popular gifts to give from this region.

Here's an unusual option that you can get locally, similar to the bamboo-wrapped sticky rice sweet (sasadango) is this bamboo-wrapped sweet - sasaame.

Boiled sweets with an unusual flavor folded into a dried bamboo grass leaf - really tasty and very interesting packaging. They are sure to raise some eyebrows as a gift but everyone we gave them too thought they were delicious too.

If you make it up to Snow Country, don't forget to pick up some kind of souvenir to take away with you

Own a place in Snow Country

Interesting article today on NewsOnJapan originally from BloombergBusinessWeek about traditional homes in the Japanese countryside being renovated and sold/rented.

This is something that has been happening in Snow Country too. There are plenty of properties out there that have fallen into disrepair as youngsters flee the countryside for a life in the city. Determined not to let these fantastic houses disappear some people have been stepping in to preserve them.

The Echigo-Tsumari Art Field has been turning some beautiful old buildings into works of art or using then as the settings for installation pieces.

You can even get involved if you are interested in having a place in the country of your own. Head along to some of the buildings that have already been renovated and you will be inspired. Preserving these fantastic timber framed buildings that are works of great craftsmanship themselves is a great project to be involved in.

New Skate/Snowboard Shop in Muikamachi

Welcome news for Snow Country boardriders as a new Skate and Snow Boutique opens up in Muikamachi.

Given the amount of ski resorts in Snow Country and the popularity of skiing and boarding among the young, it often surprises visitors that there are not more gear shops round these parts.

High Push are hoping to fill this gap in the market.

They had a rather painful Gland Opening on 8th September but seem to have recovered enough to keep business hours. As well as hawking the big names in snowboard and skate gear and fashion they hope to be a bit of a hub for all things board in and around Minami Uonuma.

Best of luck to them.

Cooling off in Snow Country

It's the height of summer and although Snow Country is cooler than the cities it can still feel pretty hot and humid. Never fear though, there are always ways to escape the heat.

1. Grab some great summer food
Shaved ice with fruit syrup is a summer favorite, especially at festivals. Cold soba noodles or watermelon are also great ways to cool off. Or a few glasses of ice cold sake can work wonders.

2. Jump in the water
Easily one of the most fun ways to chill out in summer is find some water, be it pool, water park or river activities. Or even just a stretch of river to laze in works.

3. Head up high
There is some great hiking or plenty of easy way to access the cooler temperatures at the top of the mountains - even a bit of summer skiing if you are interested.

4. Alternatively head deep underground!

5. Have an onsen
It sound counter-intuitive but a nice hot bath will leave you feeling cool and refreshed. Snow Country is blessed with lots of great onsen of all kinds.


Whatever you do, escape the city and head to the mountains.

Snow Country Festival in Tokyo

Snow Country is hitting the road. Tired of telling you how great the local sake is and how awesome the local gourmet tastes, we're heading down to Tokyo so you can get in on the action.

Get yourself along to Nihonbashi in Tokyo and find out what all the fuss is about; the best rice you will ever eat and the smoothest sake.

This opportunity is around for just eight days from Monday August 27th to  Monday 3rd September so get down there to titillate your tastebuds. You'll definitely want to head up to Snow Country once you know what is on offer.

Gunma Welcome Card

As part of the Visit Gunma campaign there is a coupon book available which also acts as a handy guide to the hot spots of the prefecture. It aims to enhance your experience of travelling in Gunma and is not only packed with the sights you should see but other useful information such as handy phrases, useful contact numbers and transportation information. There is also a great guide map inside the back cover that helps you get your bearings.

The main sections are broken up by region and then by Experience, Gourmet, Souvenir and Stay with most places offering a special or free gift to bearers of the coupon book. For those coming to Snow Country there are plenty of offers in the Minakami and Sarugakyo areas. If you are heading up this way you should really slip one of these into your pocket and reap the benefits.

For more info you can email the Visit Gunma office.

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.

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 Monkey Clothing

If you are in the market for some new threads the winter check out some locally made Snow Country apparel.

If you've been out an about in snowy parts of Japan you may well have already seen some of the Snow Monkey clothing for sale in shops at resorts. They are well known for bright colored T-shirts and hoodies with Snow Monkey written in big Japanese characters.

The make for stylish additions to your wardrobe or really cool souvenirs for those people at home. Snow Monkey have also produced a charity T-shirt to help out with the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Ryo Ishikawa Museum

Ryo Ishikawa, Japan's young golfing superstar, has his range of souvenirs and memorabilia for sale in Echigo Yuzawa Station. This might seem a bit strange considering he is from Saitama prefecture not Snow Country, but Yuzawa has become a hotbed of Ishikawa fandom. Tucked away beside the Yuzawa Kogen Ropeway is Risu No Ie which houses a Ryo Ishikawa Museum - not bad going having your own memorial museum before you are legal old enough to drink.

There are a whole collection of photos of the young star, outfits he has worn and things he has used as he is growing up and during his bright career as well as some trophies.

Best of all though is a veritable cottage industry in Ryo memorabilia. A cartoon version on his face appears on lanyards, golf balls, candies, ball markers, putting practice cups - you name it..... There is also a small, cuddly Ryo-kun doll. If you know a fan, then you can stock up on a huge array of goods as well as picking up an autographed picture.

Rumour on the street is that he comes up to Yuzawa to do a bit of cross country skiing when he is back in Japan over winter, so keep your eyes peeled next time you are out on the Xcountry course. You never know who you might bump into...

Vita Magazine in Yuzawa

Himawari are a real estate agency in Yuzawa town on the east side of the station. They publish a magazine with a guide to all the local restaurants and events, and although it is only in Japanese, it is a useful resource if you are in the area. You'll find it in the station, outside Himawari or dotted around town.

The staff give their recommendations of where you should eat and most restaurants have a discount coupon in the magazine that will get you something if you are eating there.

Himawari specialise in resort mansions and apartments. During the Bubble Period when skiing was the thing to do in the winter, resorts and big resort mansions were popping up anywhere there was space. As you drive into Yuzawa today you can see the slopes dotting the hills and big apartment buildings in rather odd places. Since the crash the price of these flats has been steadily coming down as people do away with their holiday pads and second homes, and they can now be picked up for a song. Himawari have the low down on all the latest offerings and the Vita magazine has a list of what is available. Interesting to browse, and if you are in the market for a pad close to the snow for winter, or a country retreat to escape the city heat during summer, look no further - there are some incredible bargains to be had.

Snow Country - Arrive in Style II

We've mentioned the possibility of getting to Snow Country by steam train and for the die-hard steam engine fans among you there is even a super stylish-commemorative baseball cap.

Be the envy of your friends. And if this isn't enough for you there is a whole range of steam engine themed gifts available - mouse pads, fans, stamps...

Koshihikari Rice

Snow Country has a proud gourmet tradition and central to this is the rice production of the region. As we approach the end of summer we are getting close to rice harvesting season, and everywhere you look, the rice fields are covered in green. A common image used is the the green sea: gusts of wind move the mature rice plants as if waves are passing through them. The four seasons are an important part of life in Japan and it is a beautiful time to visit Snow Country.

The Koshihikari strain of rice is grown in many parts of Japan but the rice grown around Uonuma is highly prized and frequently commands the highest price in Japan. One of the main reasons for this is the  due to the snow. As the snow melts in spring, all that crisp, pure water floods the rice field and helps produce such a tasty end product. The frequent rains of early summer and hot, humid temperatures afterwards provide ideal growing conditions.

Rice has always been an important crop in this area. It stores well over the snowbound winter and is also the base for many of the important products of the area such as sake, rice crackers and the different mochi sweets. The stalks of the rice plant are used to make tatami and in times past were also used to manufacture over garments, headwear and footwear for use in the snowy months. It is easy to see why it is highly revered in these parts.

The rice farmers work hard all summer and autumn but the snow buries their workplace for half the year (something many modern workers should pray for) forcing them to pursue other lines of work. If you find yourself in Snow Country for winter there is a good chance that your minshuku owner, lift operator or ski instructor has had a hand in producing that delicious bowl of steaming koshihikari rice you tuck into a lunch time. The deep, leathery tan is normally a good indicator.

SnowCountry Stamps

You know an area is on the up-and-up when Japan Post release some commemorative stamps!

The rich natural environment around Minami Uonuma gets the treatment in one set.

And Untoan Temple is celebrated in another.

Use these and your postcard will be the envy of all others.

Snow Country A-Kyuu Gourmet and Local Produce

SnowCountry is well known for the quality of its food. Part of the reason for this is the use of fresh, local ingredients. The Koshihikari rice gets a lot of the press but there is a thriving agricultural tradition in Snow Country that ensures the chefs of the region are well supplied with seasonal goodies.

The people living here benefit as well, as there are an abundance of small holders selling direct to the public. Drive along any main road in SnowCountry and there is a good chance you will see a stall selling the freshest fruit and vegetables.

Many of the supermarkets support the local farmers by having sections of locally grown, fresh foods alongside their usual produce. Buying local is good for the environment, good for the local community and great for the consumer. Next time you head past a little stall, make sure to drop in and get the freshest, tastiest food SnowCountry has to offer usually at a bargain price.

Echigo Yuzawa sake - Shirataki

Snow Country is well-known for the quality of its rice. The famous Koshihikari rice from the region is often regarded as Japan's highest quality and tastiest. The snowmelt each year floods the rice fields with the crystal clear, pure water. With these two perfect ingredients the Japanese sake made in Snow Country is also some of the best. There are plenty of local brands but just a stones throw from the station is the Shirataki Brewery.

This family owned brewery has a long history of sake making and produce a full range of different grade sakes. They also offer a tour of the facilities, during which you get to learn all about the process of sake making and afterwards you get to try a few of their different products. They have a great English website that is a good jumping off point if you are new to the subject of sake. Armed with a bit more knowledge there is a whole world of sake to get acquainted with.

Snow Country Spring Water.

Snow Country spring water has arrived - move over Evian and San Pellegrino. Sisul have started bottling and selling the mineral-rich spring water from Snow Country.