Big Winter for Snow

It has been an amazing start to the winter season with lots of snow falling since mid-December. There are all sorts of statistics being thrown around: best start to the season for a decade, more snow by early Jan than the whole winter last year....

One of our favorite places to go to for snow information in the Snow Country region is the Tsunan town website. Tsunan is just on the border of Niigata/Nagano and always seems to get masses of snow. They have a daily update of temperatures, snowfall and snow depth. It makes for great reading and there is even a comparison with the same date last year.

This is the Tsunan Town Snow Information Page
Scroll town for the tables with the snow data starting in November.
Here is the table for December
Date on the left
The next four columns are for the town hall and are (1) temperature at 0900, (2) snowfall for the 24 hours, (3) snow depth at 0900, and finally (4) snow depth for same date last year.
The next four columns are for a different location in Tsunan.

The numbers for the snowfall in the day show you what a big winter we are having.

It's not called Snow Country for nothing!

Tsunan Sunflower Field

Have you ever wondered what 3 ha. of sunflowers look like? Well, this weekend could be your chance to find out. The famous sunflower field in Tsunan town is in full bloom at the moment and this is the last weekend that it is officially open.

From the Tsunan Town page

It's an amazing sight and well worth the trip over there to have a look.
Full details on the Tsunan Town Sunflower Field page (in Japanese.)

Take the camera and see if you can get a snap worthy of entering into their Photo Contest. Entries due in by 31st August.

Cherry Blossoms and Snow

Cherry blossom season is a big deal here in Japan, and is already underway for this spring. It is a few weeks away here in Snow Country but there are some amazing places to enjoy the beauty of the blossoms. One of the most famous is The Cherry Blossoms of Nakago which draws crowds of admirers and photographers keen for some picturesque shots.

Most cherry blossoms are dotted in a park or by a stream but the ones here have a stunning mountainous backdrop, are reflected in the lake and have native cedars to offer some contrast. Often when they are in full bloom there is snow on the ground too, which makes for some truly stunning photographs.

Spring is a beautiful time to be out in the nature of Snow Country and sights like this just make it even more worthwhile.

Snowwave 2013 - Mar 2nd

Calling all snowboarders - Snow Wave 2013 is just around the corner and they are looking for competitors. If you like the idea of throwing yourself off a giant jump in the name of a good time, you might want to make plans to be in Tsunan on Saturday March 2nd.

It runs hand in hand with the Tusnan Snow Festival so you can make a weekend of it. Being full of hip young kids there is a bit of a party afterwards too so as well as seeing the famous floating lanterns at the Snow Festival you can let your hair down.

Even if you don't fancy taking part, it is fantastic to watch to get on over there.
Check out their Facebook page for details

Tsunan Snow Festival 2013 - March 2

We seem to be on a bit of a roll with snow festival dates at the moment so just to make sure nowhere gets left out, here's the save the date for the Tsunan Snow Festival - March 2nd

Live music, treasure hunts, food and drink, igloos, snowmobiles and other winter-themed goodies. The really cool thing at the Tsunan Festival is the sky lanterns. These clever contraptions lift themselves up with their own hot air and hundreds of them illuminate the night sky. It is an amazing sight and one that you will not forget in a hurry.

Tsunan is constantly up there as one of the snowiest places in Japan so a trip here can be an eye-opening experience.

Snow is a Treasure

Interesting article  (The New York Times) from the big winter back in 2006 when record amounts of snow fell, on the struggle to keep on top of the snow clearing.

It is a task that takes massive amounts of manpower, even in this day and age, but must have been a huge endeavor before road sprinklers and snow clearing machines.

The article is written about Tsunan which is consistently up there as one of the snowy places in Japan.

Some great recollections from the older residents, and although they admit that it is a constant battle against the winter snow, it is still seen as a treasure.

Echigo Akiyamago Driving Course

It is autumn here in Snow Country - it really is one of the most beautiful times of year and it is hard to put into words how amazing the colors of nature are in this region. It is a spectacular change from season to season. The white of winter being replaced by the vibrant greens of spring and summer and then the reds, yellows and oranges of autumn. The mountains are a great place to experience the changing of the seasons.

One of the top places in Snow Country to see the colors is Akiyamago. The intense colors draw sightseers and photographers from all over the country. For a fantastic day out you could do no better than the Echigo Akiyamago Driving Course. It takes in some great regional sights and just the scenery out of the window is worth the journey in itself.

Jabuchi Waterfall is a highlight

and Maekura Bridge is also a famous spot for stunning autumn color photos

There are 8 stops on the itinerary but plenty more in the area to see and do. An escape to the mountains in autumn is simply a must-do.

La Festa roars into town

A real treat for classic car fans in Snow Country as La Festa roared into town today. A visual treat to be sure and you could even hear them coming a mile off - that deep throaty roar of high performance engines bouncing off the surrounding mountains.

A brief stop for lunch at NASPA New Otani in Yuzawa after passing through Tsunan and Tokamachi. This afternoon sees the tour heading over the other side of the mountain range into Gunma on the way to Shibukawa. They'll be back in Harajuku on Monday.

Plenty more images at the La Festa Gallery - check it out later for some great shots of these beautiful machines passing through this beautiful area.

Classic Cars - La Festa Autunno in Snow Country

Fans of classic cars and all things oily need to makes some space in their diaries in October for La Festa Autunno 2012. From 19th to 22nd October some amazing vintage vehicles will be making a round trip from Harajuku. As part of their three day tour they will pass through Tsunan, Tokamachi and Yuzawa in Snow Country, as well as scooting through parts of Gunma.

Map & Schedule

Even if you are not a fanatical petrol head, it is great to see (and hear) these old cars roar past. Many of them have been lovingly restored and are in impeccable condition. There are a few stops on the way so you can get up close and personal with the entrants.

This classic car rally has been going since 2001 and is sure to draw enthusiasts and the curious alike.

Powder Ski Magazine Winter 2013

If you are getting excited about winter already then you probably want to start indulging your passion. The winter 2013 edition of PowderSki Magazine is out in Japan and Snow Country gets a mention.

Their cover story is all about tree runs. After some pretty mouthwatering glossy pictures they have a guide to the best tree runs in the country. As you would expect, Snow Country favorites Kagura and Tenjin get a mention but a few other lesser known resorts also make the cut. Houdaigi, Nakazato, Tsunan and Kandatsu all have column inches dedicated to them too.

If you are keen to find the best tree skiing and boarding this winter and discover some new stashes, this could well be a sound investment.

Another JR poster...

Another poster from the good folks at JR. This time it is pushing Niigata prefecture as a destination and both the images they have chosen come from within Snow Country.

Head to Yairo just north of Urasa and you will find yourself driving through field after field of watermelons ripening in the warm summer sun. Shops and supermarkets are full of these famous watermelon at the moment and chilled watermelon is a summer staple in Japan. Yairo watermelon are famous throughout Japan.

Over the hill in Tsunan they have a summer sunflower park with acres of giant sunflowers as far as the eye can see. Unfortunately it has finished for the 2012 season (it closed August 21 this year) but it is a stunning sight and well worth heading over to see.

Snow Country on Prime Time TV

Snow Country made a brief appearance on popular TV show ナニコレ珍百景, a program that showcases the weird and wonderful all over Japan.

Snow Country encompasses towns in 3 prefectures: Gunma, Niigata and Nagano. On the border of Nagano and Niigata prefecture a yearly tug of war match would take place between the middle school students of the towns either side. With prefectural pride at stake both teams were keen to win, and adding a bit of spice to the mix the location right on the border is not actually flat with one team standing on a slight slope (decided by a game of paper/scissors/rock.) Unfortunately, due to one school having now closed this interesting little battle is no longer a yearly event ending years of tradition.

Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale 2012

It is summer in Snow Country which mean time for art in the outdoors with the Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale.

This is an amazing project that is just get bigger and bigger. It is pretty difficult to describe everything that is involved, so it makes much more sense for you to just come up and check it out for yourself. Based in an around Tsunan and Tokamachi, there are projects and artwork from artists from all over the world.

The art itself is in different locations with different settings: abandoned buildings, fields, parks, great halls... You could spend days here and still not cover everything but you are guaranteed some amazing spectacles at every turn.

Their website is really comprehensive with some recommended itineraries to help you get the best of your time there, links to the best places to eat and of course a sneak peak at all the artworks (though they are all much more impressive in real life.)

It is a must see and a very unique art event. It runs until mid-September so you can come back again and again.

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.

Tsunan - One of the snowiest places in Japan

It was on the news last night that Tsunan is currently one of the snowiest places in Japan this winter. We've rolled into February in the middle of a period of heavy snowfall that is keeping everybody busy. It is an exceptional year and rivaling the winter of 5 years ago when Tsunan was also among the snowiest places in Japan. That year the Self Defence Forces were out in force to help with the snow clearing effort and students had to be airlifted from their homes to get to their college entrance exams.

To get an idea of how much snow is actually falling in Snow Country you can keep an eye on the Tsunan Town website where they have table with the snowfall for the year. It makes interesting reading. The data is for two locations in the area and the columns, left to right are
Temperature at 9am
Amount of snowfall for the day in cms
Total amount of snow built up at the location at 9am
Last year's total build up on that date.

From 26th to 31st January over 3 meters fell with an amazing 112 cms falling on 28th alone.

Snow Country is living up to its name. The silver lining though is that will be plenty of snow for the snow sculptures for neighboring Tokamachi's Snow Festival in the middle of this month.

Ski Resort Opening Dates - Sakae, Tsunan & Tokamachi

Rounding off the opening dates for resorts in Snow Country. Again - planned dates only at this date. It has been snowing today in the region but all the resorts need more snow yet so it is possible that certain places may have to postpone their opening or receive one of Snow Country's legendary dumps.

Sakae

Sakae Club - 23 December


Tsunan

Greenpia Tsunan - 17 December
Mountain Park Tsunan - 23 Tsunan


Tokamachi

Matsunoyama Onsen - TBC
Nakasato Kiyotsu - 23 December

Visit Japan Campaign

Japan is trying really hard to boost its tourist numbers at the moment which have suffered a downturn of late due to the events of the last year. One of the big pushes is the Visit Japan campaign.

Part of this is local businesses all over the country proffering small offers as incentives to travelers as part of the Super Saver Coupons. There are a whole load of these under different categories but if you are in Japan it is probably worth having a quick browse to see if there is anything offered in your area.

There are several ways of getting hold of the coupons; you can download an Android app, carry a Visit Japan card or download a paper copy.

If you are up in Snow Country some of the offers available are free gifts, free onsen entries, free late check outs, free drinks and cash discounts from the likes of Takahan, Hatago Isen, Canyons, Echigo-Tsumari Art Field and Kandatsu Kogen Ski Resort.

Keep your eyes open and there are usually some deals around.

Rafting on the Shinano - November 5 & 6

Minakami is well known as the outdoor adventure capital of Snow Country but there are plenty of other areas offering adventures. With several major rivers running through Snow Country there are great places to raft all over the place. The Shinano is Japan's longest river, and one of Minakami's best known rafting outfits is heading over there for a weekend of rafting on November 5th and 6th.

Spring rafting is the best season for rafting in Minakami but at other times of the year Canyons head further afield to search out the rapids and whitewater. Autumn is a great time to head down the Shinano with stunning views of the changing leaves, warmer temperatures than the Tone and some great sections of water.

The tour kicks off right on the border of Nagano and follows the river back into Niigata. A delicious lunch of local ingredients is enjoyed on the banks of the river, which also gives you the chance to catch your breath after the high thrills of the morning, and then it is back on the water. The day finishes off with the requisite soak in a natural thermal spring bath.

A adrenaline-packed way to spend an autumn weekend.

Forest Therapy in Tsunan

When many people think of Japan they think of hi-tech, big cities but if you venture away from the sprawling metropolis you soon find yourself in areas of great natural beauty and tradition. Many people come to Snow Country to get away from the fast pace and stresses of modern urban life and rediscover the beauty of nature.

One initiative that is marketing itself in this vein is the Forest Therapy Road in Tsunan. It is a beech forest with walking trails that offers relaxing strolls as you immerse yourself in the peace and tranquility of your surroundings.

This beech forest offers beautiful walks with stunning scenery that offers different views throughout the four seasons. The peaceful atmosphere and fresh air will soon have you forgetting the smog, hustle and bustle of the cities and have you yearning for a simpler life closer to nature. There are also guided tours available at certain times if you are looking for some local knowledge.

The forest and its hikes have been featured on television programs which attest to the therapeutic effects of time spent among the beech treees. After a relaxing hike through the forest why not head to one of the local onsen to complete the R&R experience? There are also guided tours available at certain times.

Najomon - Folk Craft in Tsunan

Najomon is one of those great institutions that is keeping the past alive and keeping people in touch with their history and culture. They have a broad range of programs that are very hands-on and are divided into different categories.

The Jomon Experience - the skills you learn in this area are making earthenware trinkets and charms, weaving and experience life in Jomo times. There are traditional wood and straw shelters from the Jomon period and you can try to make a fire the way it was done back in the day which is a really satisfying challenging.

The Folk Experience concentrates on other traditional crafts from Snow Country. Staw weaving was an important skill that provided many of the essentials of day to day life. Paper making and dyeing are other skills you can try your hand at.

The Agriculture Experience - Agriculture is an important way of life in Snow Country and you can learn more about its place in history. Rice is a major crop in these parts and you can take part in the traditional method of harvesting as well as use some of the tools that you have seen in the museums in the area.

Tsunan is a beautiful area and The Nature Experience let you explore the environment, its plants and animals. Watching the fireflies is a great summer experience or winter lets you head out on snowshoes.

The Craft Experience is a great one for the kids. Use wood, ceramics, nuts, gourds and twigs to create many different works of art. There are examples for you to copy or let your creative juices flow

The Food Experience is a personal favorite as you get to eat the fruits of your labor. All the different things you can make have been staples of the area for ages. Using traditional tools you will get to make  treats that are still enjoyed in Snow Country to this day - sasadango, ambo, soba as well as baking with rice powder and flour.

There is a wealth of experience to keep you entertained in Najomon and with so many different things to choose from there is sure to be something for the whole family.