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Off-piste is harder to come by, and often frowned upon so be careful of avalanches, and angry resort staff. Choosing where you are going to go is the first step. As a rule, North is bestƒ the further south you go, the worse the snowƒ however, if you have got high mountains nearby, you may be in luck. WHERE
RENTAL Most resorts or minor ski areas will have rental shops with at least a modest range. IF they allow snowboarding, board rental is probably possible. Quality is variable, as with most resorts. Also, beware - if you are tall (say 6 feet or over) your size may not be available - especially with boots, call ahead and check beforehand. Most places will also rent out some ski/board wear. Costs vary, and if you're on a package trip, rental may be included. In general, you can expect to pay \4000 - 5000 a day (board + boots). Wear: \2000. LIFT PASSES The cost of lift passes vary from resort to resort but expect to pay at least 4,000 - 4,500 yen for a full day and 3,000 for a half day pass (12 noon onwards). Some resorts offer evening passes for about 2,000 yen or even all night passes for special events, cold and icy but not that pricey. TRANSPORT Driving is a very cheap way of getting to your resort, it is best to get a group together, share the tolls, and sleep in the car or a very cheap ryokan. Your only costs will be lift passes and board/ski rental, if you need it. It is even worth renting a car for the weekendƒ split 4 or 5 ways, it is cheap. Some resorts offer 'Day Trip' ticket deals. If you live vaguely close to a ski field (3 or 4 hours) it is perfectly feasible to go for a day tripƒObviously, if you use a car, that is easiest. If not, many resorts are serviced by ski-trains (usually JR), which run from major cities and connect with buses to get you to the slopes. Often the train company and ski field team up to offer a cheap day ticket, with train, bus, and lift passes rolled into one. These are usually bought at the train station. Inquire there, or call the ski field. You will have to get up very early, but if the field is within 2-3 hours of your home, you can get in a full day on the slopes. These offer good value, for example, the cheap day ticket going from Kyoto, to Shiga ski fields, generally cost about 7,000 - 8,000 yen (train, bus, ski pass). Board/ski rental is extra. PACKAGE DEALS Package deals can be a cheap way of getting your snow action and most students etc. opt for these. Package deals are to be found in the many brochures racked outside stations and convenience stores. Be wary though, the price quoted in bold will not be the final one, since premiums are added depending on when you leave (national holidays, etc). A package should include: return transport from your nearest city, accommodation, meals, lift passes, and maybe ski/board rental. However, verify what is included: often the meals and passes only cover half the trip, and you must buy your own for the rest of the time. Also, note: a "5 day trip" usually means 3 days skiing or boarding and 2 days travel. Enlist Japanese help to decode the brochures and work out what the actual price is, and what is really cheap. Inevitably, the beginning and end of the season are the cheapest times (December, March). Hokkaido is most expensive. Example price:- Hakuba 47 (Nagano), from Osaka, March. 4 days boarding, 5 days in total. Final cost (with absolutely EVERYTHING, including meals, rental, etc) is 43,000 yen. Boarding or skiing in Japan will cost you, but you'll have a great time and definitely worth it. For more information and a resort guide visit the Ski Japan website.
Many thanks to David Orr for his work on this snowboard and ski guide.
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