Snow Country Radiation Checks - All Resorts Safe

Radiation has been big in the news over the past year and it has been a concern for many visitors, especially from overseas. The powers that be have been keen to allay any fears and have been conducting test on all tourist spots in the region. Geiger counter wielding scientists have been a bit of a common site over the past few months here.

The good news is that everywhere has been given the all clear with radiation levels sitting well within the acceptable zone. With that fear out of the way you can head to Snow Country and enjoy the amazing snow that has fallen of late.

We've just been hit by almost 6 days of snow, giving us a very White Christmas and masses of the fluffy stuff piling up everywhere. Lots of work for the locals as they get their houses clear and dig the car out, but awesome for those here to enjoy it. Tsunan even made the news as one of the heaviest hit.

For those of you of a scientific bent the radiation results for each area can be found here:

Minami Uonuma

http://www.city.minamiuonuma.niigata.jp/site/tohoku-taiheiyooki-jishin/ski-dadiation-kekka.html

Uonuma

http://www.city.uonuma.niigata.jp/modules/momenttopic/index.php?content_id=218

Minakami

http://www.town.minakami.gunma.jp/01news/2011/files/163sokuteikekka.pdf

Yuzawa

http://snowcountryjapan.blogspot.com/2011/12/yuzawa-resorts-radiation-checks-no.html

Head up soon for some awesome snow conditions. Snow Country fully living up to its name.

Minakami Ryokan on CNN.com

We've long been recommending a stay in a traditional Japanese ryokan and a soak in a hot spring as an essential experience if you come to Japan. It seems CNN.com also think that the Japanese ryokan is a great way to experience the relaxing effects of hot spring bathing. Of all the ryokan in Japan, the one that made it into their article was Senjyuan in Minakami.

Senjyuan is a stunning example of the modern ryokan. The design of the building and the rooms takes the very best of the ryokan tradition and brings it up-to-date with the best materials and beautiful styling. They have hot spring baths in the rooms as well as the main bath area, and if natural is your favorite, their is even one down on the banks of the river. The views are always mentioned as well for good reason.

For the full article check out the link -

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/21/travel/five-hot-springs/index.html

or check out their English website for some great views of the ryokan

http://www.senjyuan.jp/e/

Matsunoyama Onsen Power

Matsunoyama Onsen was in the news tonight for their new geo-thermal power generation steam. They are using some of their abundant hot spring resources to produce renewable, environmentally sound energy. Today they had the opening ceremony for their power generation facility amidst plenty of press interest. With the power issues caused as a result of the events in March, safe,renewable energy sources have been much in the news. For a country rich in volcanic hot springs, projects like this seem to be a natural choice and many towns will be watching this with interest.

Matsunoyama Onsen falls under Tokamachi and was originally a staging post on the troop route from Snow Country to Joetsu. It is a quaint little spa town tucked away in the mountains and home to the fantastic Chitose Ryokan which has an amazing outdoor bath which alone is worth the trip when the snow is falling.

It is also home to one of those quirky local festivals that let you see a different side of Japan. This one sees newly wed grooms tossed into a snowdrift.

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.

Staying at a Ryokan

We've written before about the joys of staying in a traditional Japanese ryokan with their great food, onsen and awesome hospitality. At least one night in a ryokan should be on your list if you are visiting Japan. There is an association for ryokans over here - the Japan Ryokan Association - and they have a great guide on the ins and outs of staying in a ryokan. There are good tips on how to choose one, what to expect and important things you should know.

It is always good to be prepared but no one is expecting you to be au fait with the intricacies of Japanese etiquette - people are just happy that you have come to their country and are keen to introduce you to their culture.

The Japan Ryokan Association's guide is an interesting read with lots of good tips to make your stay a more enjoyable one. If you really want to come prepared they also have a printable guide that you can keep at hand during your stay, so if you can't remember how to tie your yukata...

Belnatio Snow Paradise

Belnatio is plush resort hotel just outside Tokamachi. It is a little off the beaten track as it sits on its own large estate. Come winter time this estate turns into a Snow Paradise offering a whole host of family activities.

There is a snow park for the kids to play in. Tubing. Snowmobiling. Snowshoe trekking and nature walks. Sled rides. Snow Rafting. And that is just some of the outdoor fun.

There are also extensive activity facilities inside with a pool, craft workshops and kids room, as well as an onsen and plenty of places to grab refreshments. It's an action packed day out if you only have one day but it is best as a base for the family vacation. Plenty to do in and around the hotel as well as daily shuttles to local resorts - you could be happy here for weeks.

Adaptive Snow Sports

As the flyer for the adaptive ski program at Neige notes, "Anyone can enjoy the snow." They have a highly trained cast of instructors who specialize in teaching all aspects of adaptive snow sports. People with all manner of disabilities have the opportunity to hit the slopes and experience the freedom of sliding down the mountain.

You may well have seen a sit-ski of some design rip past you on the slopes or seen a blind skier being led down the slopes by their guide while you are out in a resort. With the right equipment and instructor snow sports can be accessible to almost anyone, and just a glance at the top-level athletes in adaptive snowsports show you how dynamic it can be.

Neige have a full range of equipment from mono- and bi-skis, tethers, speakers for visually impaired skiers, outriggers for 3 and 4 track, and of course highly trained instructors who are equally comfortable introducing people to adaptive snow sports or honing already developed skills. They were previous based at Kayama Coast but due to the closure of that resort, they have made Yuzawa Nakazato their new home for this season.