Firstly, I would like to say a huge thank you to Jase and the team! I joined the tour for 10 or so days at the end of December start of January and every aspect was incredible.

Yudanaka was a quintessentially Japanese little town with narrow streets, temples, onsen and incredibly little eateries. The Japanese rooms at the Royakan are a paragon of practicality. Always warm and always welcoming, with warm green tea at the ready and a cute daily sweet. The staff were lovely and the onsen at the end of a day Japanese snow was just the best!

Each day was organised and brought with it an new adventure of snow, mountains, cultural immersion, quirky lunch places and amazing stories from the guides and guests.

The snow was incredible and I enjoyed skiing with different guides as each had their own style, wisdom and guidance to share.

It was a very rejuvenating trip and the perfect way to start the new year - already looking forward to the next one!
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Get in early with Japan Culture Tours.
Wouldn't be surprised if they are fully booked next season.
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The information (FAQs) provided before the trip was very comprehensive and made organizing my travel easy. The "Japanese experience" at the hotel as well as the food and entertainment were fun. I visited in the first week of March: we had fresh snow and powder the first and second days but this changed to spring skiing for the remaining week which was a little unexpected and disappointing. The groups were small and intermediates were separated from beginners and advanced skiers. I met some amazing people whom I hope to meet again some time.
I had a lot of fun and am seriously considering going back next year, perhaps in January or February.
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What a fantastic time we had! Having never been to Japan before, this trip was the perfect way to get immersed in Japanese culture and, most importantly, the JAPOW!

The team at JPCT emulated everything Japanese - warmth, patience, respect and humility. The entire trip was so well organised and delivered everything as promised. Our entire cohort was exceptional too - we were respectful of each other and got along swellingly. We made great friends through this trip and planned to do this together again. Each guide was a seasoned veteran and knew precisely when to push or hold back and balanced the dynamics of varying skiing/snowboarding abilities well. I have definitely left becoming a better skier

In summary, I am having massive withdrawals of the culture, the powder, the fun, the escape from our monotonous daily lives and I would absolutely do this again in a heartbeat.
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• Do not pay attention to fake news. Shiga Kogen goes off with POW in any season.
• Boof heads need not apply. There is a policy for your kind.
• Beware the green light district. A different kind of downhill slope awaits you.
• Do not overestimate your ability. The mountain will take its revenge. Be realistic and you will be rewarded by the mountain with sublime conditions.
• If Australian, do not steal things, all eyes will be on you.
• Do not wear shoes on Tatami mats. Samurai sword awaits your toes.
• Do not ignore the Onsens. Your muscles and joints will take their revenge.
• Work on your abs. Humour on the road trip could split your sides.
• Don’t bother if you don’t enjoy your tucker.
• Don’t be shy. No matter solo, couple, family or group.
• You will have to put up with people from all over the world and all walks of life.
• It is addictive. No form of rehab will cure you once you have a taste. Three tours and counting for me. Frightening to see family and friends so concerned for my well being.
• Jase and his crew are bullies. They make you have fun and smile whether you like it or not. They act in the most sneaky of ways to make you a better skier/boarder. You like it and feel good, must be a sin.
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I took the powder chaser trip with Jase Caulton and his team back in December 2019.

It was an excellent and well organized trip that delivered what had promised.

Jase is an excellent ski guide knowing very well the Shiga Kogen area and how to move around quickly based on the snow condition, increasing the chances of fun and fresh snow everyday.

My snowboarding skills and techniques improved a lot, either on slopes and fresh snow, thanks to Jason's suggestions and I feel much more confident riding now.

The local culture is very authentic and deserves the trip itself, the food and the onsen were amazing.

I enjoyed a lot staying in AIBIYA lodge, a lovely and comfortable place to stay after a long day on the slopes.

All in all a great experience and I hope to be back next season!
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A bucket list extravaganza! But not one that can be ticked off...this one is worth repeating.
We were a party of six of similar standard that had varying needs which Jase, being the extraordinary man that he is, fulfilled all requirements. We all had so much fun and are getting together for "raves" about our adventures. (Actually everyone and anyone is getting an earful and being subjected to the massive photo gallery!).
It was non-stop adventure whether on piste or out pissed. Ever done karaoke? It's a hoot. (even for those of us that can't sing) Jase shares his love of the Japanese Culture like no other. (And he can hold a tune very nicely indeed). He provided a Geisha performance, Karate Master demonstration; including a lion dance, drumming, and instrument playing that was interactive which bonded the group, a cultural bus tour on a rainy day to see a castle, temple, museum, Olympic stadium, Mega sports store, quaint villages and shopping streets. Jase will go to any length to show you a good time. The daily bus rides were a riot of laughter with his "True Stories" and boom box music. Always an opportunity to get on the mic and share stories of your own. The crowd will let you know how effective you are at the telling! It can bring out another side of the ones you know that is very entertaining. We made some great new friends.
Jase has an amazing crew backing him up in John, George, Tyson and Yoshi. They all work so well together, putting in big days, yet make it look effortless. Four in our group needed skis and were even switched from all mountain to powder skis as required, as was everyone else on the tour. Upon arriving at each mountain we meandered into the resorts to put on our ski boots while they unpacked our skis and poles presenting them in an orderly Japanese fashion for us to take onto the slopes. The powder they found for us was incredible. In the peaceful environs of the trees we came upon "paddocks" of untouched powder to drift through to our hearts content. Then back on the lift for more. They cleverly "strip grazed" the area so that every time we skied in there were fresh tracks to be found. We received coaching on how to ski the powder and to improve our technique. We wore avalanche packs and beacons and had instruction on how to use them and why they were necessary. Safety is a very high priority of the company and Jase knows every inch of the mountains and can be on hand for any group needing support.
The banquet meals provided on two of our nights was sensational and the other nights gave us the opportunity to sample the local cuisine upon suggestion from the crew. Going out gave us the chance to meet up with new friends we had made during the day. And typically, it was no effort for Jase to drop us off if he was heading out. The breakfasts were delicious too and a great way to start the day.
The end of the ski day was a restorative soak in the onsen to revive our muscles. Devine.
We, the "Hammondbeinson's" , extend a humongous thank you to Jase and the crew for a terrific experience that has us planning a return adventure.
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A week after returning from Japan I still can't stop thinking about the terrific powder/culture tour Jase and his able crew gave us in Yudanaka and Shiga Kogen. I don't remember having so much fun with a group of skiers/snowboarders since high school! Though unusually warm for January, the conditions improved throughout the week to satisfy even our most hardcore powderhounds. I so appreciated the ski instruction I got every day -- I needed it! I also loved the field trips, or "hidden gems" Jase provided. He kept us busy from dawn to dusk, and if we needed anything he and his guides obliged. Culture, food, hot springs, karate and geisha demonstrations filled the non-mountain time. I left the tour exhausted but so wanted to stay another week. Highly recommend this trip!
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I joined the Nagano Progression tour and had a great time. Jase and his crew are seasoned guides and know the mountains inside out. The guiding was well structured - Jase assessed our skills well and gave candid and useful tips to help us progress our riding, while taking us to new areas and eventually into the powder when we were ready. Also appreciated Jase's sense of humor and amusing stories.

The group was good fun and we were all like-minded in seeking the Japan powder snow experience.

Finally, the AIBIYA lodge was a homely and comfortable place to stay after a long and tiring day on the slopes. Yoshi and Seongmi were very approachable and made sure the guests were well looked-after.
All in all a great experience and I hope to be back!
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My needs were that I was travelling solo and I needed instruction on my own skiing technique. Huge tick for the social interaction with other solo travellers and couples and families alike who all had a great time. We all went out for dinner together most nights after indulging in the great choice of Onsens available close by. We also experienced local culture which is great as you learn about the way the locals have lived in Yudanaka which has not yet been clinically anglicised like Tokyo. It is still old Japan which is a great thing to experience.
Huge tick also for the instruction on how to negotiate the powder and how to ski generally. The instructors all know what they are doing (all brilliant skiers) and the delivery is great because of the relaxed and laid back approach. You don't actually feel like you are being instructed by a ski resort robot because every day is just fun and they know how to find the snow, wherever it fell overnight. You are with the group for the whole day so it's not like being in ski school for an hour or two and then told you can leave. In fact, for the first time visitor, it would be impossible to replicate the choice of where to ski for the day as in the time I was there we discovered three different mountains and had access to JPCT's local knowledge of which slopes were best to suit the ability of whoever was in the group.
Jason's "true" stories are remarkable. The truth is always stranger than fiction but he does push the envelope in a way that calls out the quiet ones for a contribution to the banter on the bus trips. It also challenges the ones who ask too many questions! If you want to know what that means, just ask him a question........
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