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.