Sushi Making and Sake Tasting Tour

Fancy a day off from the slopes? Or have someone in your party who doesn't ski or snowboard and is looking for something interesting to do in Yuzawa? We have just the thing for you...

This is a tour that should appeal to everyone with a love of Japanese cuisine.

Introducing the Sushi Making and Sake Tasting Tour.

One of Yuzawa's top sushi chefs will teach you how to handcraft sushi, after which you will be able to eat the fruits of your labor.

It is then off to Yuzawa's famous Shirataki Brewery to learn all about how they produce such a delicious easy-drinking tipple. Of course no brewery tour is complete without tasting the finished product.

A true gourmet experience!

A Safe and Prosperous Season

Winter is just around the corner. Some resorts have already opened and some are just waiting for one big snowfall to get their season cranking. It is a busy time of year for the ski resorts and any help is much appreciated. Many resorts have a ceremony to encourage a safe and prosperous season and that was the case today at GALA Yuzawa.

Everyone involved in the operation for the upcoming season, led by a priest from the local temple, raised a glass of sake and said a prayer for Winter 2013.

It is a big year for GALA and for the resorts in the area with celebrations for 100 years of skiing in the region still taking place. This November was also the thirtieth anniversary for the Joetsu Shinkansen line, that trusty workhorse that whisks people up from the capital to the mountains in just over an hour. You step off the bullet train right into the base of GALA's base building - an amazing set-up.

Snow Country Festival - Oct 6 & 7

Savor the best of Snow Country this weekend in Bokushidori in Shiozawa. New rice, new sake, seasonal fruits - it's going to be a gourmet's paradise.

It's all going on at the Gourmet Grand Prix in Shiozawa. If you are in the area this should be a definite stop on your itinerary. And a chance to get your hand on the very special limited edition sake cup holder.

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.

Yuzawa Snow Festival - 3 March 2012

In its 60th year this year, it is the Yuzawa Snow Festival on Saturday March 3rd 2012. Not only is it the 60th anniversary of the start of this festival, it is also 100 years of skiing in Yuzawa so there will be a great deal of  effort put into this year's celebrations.

There is always lots going on: a torch light descent from the top of Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort, fireworks, and local businesses competing to make the best snow lanterns. A portable shrine will be taken around the town and to the ski resorts.

It is usually a boisterous affair with many sake-fuelled locals lending a hand to help the shrine on its journey around town.

As with all snow festivals there will be plenty of food, drinks and friendly faces. Head towards the Nunoba Ski Ground from 1800 to see the action (with the torch light descent scheduled for about 2040.)

Tsunan Snow Festival & Snowwave @ New Greenpia Tsunan - 25 Feb 2012

February is mid-winter is Snow Country and there is masses going on. Over at the New Greenpia Tsunan on Saturday February 25th there is the Snowwave big air event. It is open entry with big prize money up for grabs. If you don't fancy your chances competing on your snowboard then it will certainly be a great one to watch as the prize money will attract some great riders from all over Japan.

It promises to be a great event because as well as the snowboard competition there is also a line up of DJs, singers, MCs and performance artists who'll keep the party mood going long after the honors have been handed out.

It also coincides with the Tsunana Snow Festival that is being held at the same time. Snow sculptures, winter food, hot sake, kamakura - it has all the elements that make the winter snow festivals such a good evening out for the whole family. And with all that snow Tsunan has been getting off late there will be no shortage snow to sculpt.

Kagura/Mitsumata Yuki Akari - Feb 25th

Kagura is one of the best known ski resorts in Snow Country. With its high altitude, large area and easy access from Tokyo it draws a large crowd of dedicated snow lovers. It also has one of the longest seasons in the area.

Before you get to the Kagura area itself you first pass through Mitsumata Ski Area though it is often just assumed to be one and the same. And at that base of this resort is the town of Mitsumata where you catch the ropeway up to the snow.

On Saturday 25th February Mitsumata hosts it Yuki Akari Festival which aims to light up all the surrounding snow.

Candles, fireworks, and sparklers are everywhere and create a wonderful effect on the shining snow. There are games to play, food to enjoy and local sakes to savour.

Head along to the Mitsumata Ropeway Car Park to join the locals who will make you feel very welcome at this celebration. Things start to get going as night falls at 1900 and the actual festival itself starts at 1930.

Candle Live, Yuzawa - 21 Jan

Candle Live is back for 2012 on 21st January. It is one of the highlights of the winter in Yuzawa and well worth checking out.

Rocking the theme of White Circus this year it kicks off at 1830 in the Chuo Park next to the Culture Center. This is a new venue for the event, moving from its past home on the ski slopes in the town itself.

You can expect a candle lit winter wonderland, live music, drinks and delicious snacks. It's always a great night and the view of thousands of candles flickering in the snow is breathtaking.

Taste of Snow Country Tour - Jan 21-22

Occasionally offers come around that are almost too good to be true and this is certainly one of them. In an effort to convince people that there is more to Snow Country than skiing and snowboarding, the Niigata Prefectual Government is sponsoring a tour to introduce international visitors to some of the other highlights of the region - festivals, food, culture and sake.

As it is being subsidised, it is a crazy 1,000 yen per person. This includes 1 night of accommodation, 2 lunches, 1 dinner, all tour fees and insurance. Too good to be true, right? The only thing you have to do is go home and wax lyrical about the wonders of Snow Country. Pretty fair swap if you ask me.

There are only 20 spots on this tour available so get in early. And you have to be signed up before Jan 10th.

So if you like snow festivals, shrines, food fresh from the Sea of Japan and dining out in izakayas drop us a line.

Yuzawa Harvest Festival - October 16

It is still harvest time in Snow Country and the harvest festivals continue. They are a time honored tradition in rural Japan and a great chance for the local population to get together and enjoy the bounty of the land. Snow Country produces lots of great crops, the most famous being the Koshihikari rice and on Sunday October 16th it is Yuzawa's turn to celebrate with their matsuri in the Chuo Park.

It is a great day out and even made it onto a current affairs program last year. There is lots to eat and drink, and you will get a real taste of the terroir of the area. Rice features in many of its forms - rice balls, mochi and sake to name but a few - and other local delicacies will be on offer.

The park itself is a beautiful location and sure to be full of families out to enjoy the activities, games and stalls gathered there for the Harvest Festival.

Ponshukan - Sake Tasting

Snow Country produces some of the best rice in Japan and also some of the best sake. Throughout the prefecture there are almost one hundred sake producers making many different kinds of sake. Sake is a vast subject comparable to fine wine in its complexity and different tastes. The Ponshukan or Japanese Sake Hall in Echigo Yuzawa Station can help guide you through the sake maze.

They have gathered together the 96 different brands from the region and offer them up for your delectation. 500 yen buys you 5 tokens, and armed with a tasting cup you can try the offerings from the different makers lined up on the wall of vending machines. It is fascinating to try the different styles and tastes, and you are sure to find some that suit your palette better than others.

If you find some you like there is a shop close by selling all the favorite brands. There is also a onsen topped up with sake in the same building if you fancy a hot spring bath with a difference. Or you can wander around the shopping area tasting the free samples of the local produce on offer.

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.