If you’ve spent years navigating crowded ski fields and hard-packed runs, this experience will completely reframe what skiing can be.

We travelled as a family of five, with three daughters (20, 18 and 15), covering abilities from intermediate through to advanced. Jase, Tom and the team at Japan Powder Culture Tours seamlessly accommodated that mix. Each day we could ski at our own level, shift between groups if needed and still share the experience together as a family.

Even before booking, communication was excellent. Once on the ground in Yudanaka, the execution matched it. Gear was high quality and properly fitted, and everything ran smoothly from start to finish.

Having Jase choose the resort each day removed any need to plan or second guess. With over 2 metres of snow during our trip, we were treated to the best of Japow, and the guides consistently found untracked powder which tested even the most accomplished skiers. Their mix of personalities kept things fresh, and the coaching was practical and confidence building without being overdone. By the end of the trip, all of us had noticeably improved.

Off the mountain, the cultural element really elevated the experience. We stayed at Hotel Omodaka and genuinely enjoyed the tatami floors and futon beds and the daily routine in both indoor and outdoor onsens has to be experienced to be believed.

Rather than a generic ski holiday, there were genuine opportunities to engage with Japanese culture including Karate and Taiko performances, Geisha and magic shows, temples, shrines, and forest walks.

Food was outstanding on slopes and there was a excellent mix of dining options from local family owned restaurants to the sushi train experience organised throughout the trip .

Jase brings real energy to the week. He’s organised, attentive, and clearly invested in making sure everyone gets the most out of it, which shows in both the big decisions and the small details.

Overall, this is a very well-run operation that delivers exactly what it promises: excellent skiing, minimal hassle, and a genuinely richer travel experience.

If you want consistent snow, great guides, and a trip where everything just works, Japan Powder Culture Tours is an easy recommendation.
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I can tell why this tour had so many return guests, an overall wonderful experience. I would want to return too. The guides are all fantastic, they love their job creating a great vibe. They do what they say and find great snow even when it hasn't snowed for days. The accomodation SML was wonderful, very comfortable and clean. Cool bar space and a hot onsen. Jase makes sure everyone gets a good feed each night and there is a very large bunch of socialable people of all ages from all around the world to enjoy some time with. What a blast.
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It was a great experience for a father-son trip. So many things going for it. Loved that we were away from the big resorts and really felt like we were having a real Japanese experience.
Jase is doing many things to build the operation. All moving in the right direction. I know he wants this, but would be good to have other individuals also 'lead' the days. Would provide a bit more variety and would ease the relentless attacking of Australians (that is a joke!). Definitely be recommending.
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I had a great time on this snowboarding tour in Japan. The Shiga Kogen area was fantastic, with beautiful terrain and a unique atmosphere. Snow conditions meant we did a bit more resort skiing than expected, but that’s just part of the reality of chasing snow. The group had a mix of skill levels, which sometimes showed, but the guides handled it well. Everyone was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely passionate about sharing the area and Japanese snow culture. Overall, a really enjoyable and authentic experience in a special part of Japan.
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Had a great time in Japan with Jase and the team. We went to a different resort every day where ever the snow was good. They also organised fun events in the evening. Highly recommend these tours
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Jase and his team delivered everything they promised and then some! Great skiing and great cultural experience.
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Mixed ability couple on the powder zone tour in January 2025

We had a great experience with Japan Powder Culture tours and would recommend it to anyone who wants to experience great powder skiing and Japanese culture with good food and decent accommodation. We had a great group to ski and dine with and Jase's organisations kept us on schedule and maximised what we got out of our time in Yudanaka.

Background
I'm relatively experienced at skiing but no expert powder skier l. I'd worked a season in zermatt as a guide, race trained for 10 weeks and completed about 6 weeks ski mountaineering/touring routes.
My girlfriend could ski any piste but had no powder experience and would not be confident in bad steep conditions.

Overall
This trip worked because we could get split up based on our ability but meet at lunch and in the evenings and had the option to free ski together if we wanted. Jillian got instruction from an 80 year old legend and tips from Dan the guide as well. Dont worry about which trip to go on, other than the roadie its really just about the number of days skiing and if culture shows are included.

Pros
Snow - the best and most consistent I've ever experienced. The lines re generally shorter than Europe and almost always tree akiing with the odd 300m line of wide open but nog the conix steep couloirs type (Maybe if you go to Tenjin).

Food - the restaurants and mountain food was excellent. It's rarely as fancy or modern as european resorts but the quality and price is as good if not better.
Gear - Jase has great quality powder skis. I brought 100 touring skis but we had so much snow (waste deep on 1 day) that i hired 122 black crows. I could have skied my own fine 2bh but it was nice to have good fat skis.
Onsens - the hotel omodaka had great indoor and outdoor onsens
Guides - Naru, Jase and Patrick did a great job of finding great lines. Jillian got instruction on powder skiing and tips from hutch and Dan.
Organisation - Timings are kept tight and information shared. Jase runs a tight ship.

Cons
Not so much a con but the accomodation is a little more basic than you may expect if you compare it to a chalet type european option. Omodaka is warm and comfortable and the cultural aspect of staying in a Japanese trad hotel and room was cool. The breakfast was OK with plenty options but not a highlight. There isnt really a bar but the cultural evenings are great and you're generally pretty tired so its not a biggie.

Conclusion
A great experience with guiding and some instruction with a great group of guides and people on the trip. Hotel is comfortable enough and OK price considering the guiding. Most of the guides are very experienced and can give instruction but they are not all as qualified/experienced as you would see in Europe (not really an issue but dont think you are getting instruction 9-5). Jase is pretty direct (which helps with herding the cats) and likes to joke around so bring your sense of humour and you'll have a laugh.

We loved it and had a great time. Value for money was pretty comparable to Europe with accomodation being a little lower standard than France/Switzerland for the same price but the amount of powder skiing in trees was unmatched.
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This was my first trip with JPCT and I already know it won't be my last. Before coming on the tour I'd skied about 20 days, mostly in Australia and New Zealand. As a solo traveller, I was looking for a ski tour that was more focussed on skiing (rather than partying and sightseeing) and JPCT fit the bill perfectly. Jase runs a well-oiled machine and things run like clockwork. I was picked up shortly after my arrival on the first night to arrange gear from the quality supply that Jase has amassed. Boots were expertly fitted by his team as well as skis and poles sorted. We were up early the next morning and I was paired with a snowboarder of similar ability for the day to assess where our skill level. My guide for the day determined that my skill was enough to ride powder the following day so we went and changed out my skis that evening. Day 2 I was in the same group but we went out with a different guide in search of powder at Shiga Kogen. He threw us straight in the deep end and by the third run of the day we were skiing tree runs through untouched powder. Throughout the following days I was lucky to be solo with a guide one day, have a few easier days to let the legs recover and then on the final day was in a larger group with some more advanced skiers. It was by far my favourite day of the tour as we skied from one end of Shiga Kogen to the other and back, finding powder at every opportunity with Jase as our guide. There were times I underestimated my ability but he assured me that he wouldn't suggest I ski anything that I wasn't capable of (and he was ultimately right). I was challenged, in the best possible way and I finished the tour with a full cup and so grateful for the week with Jase and the team. Jase is so passionate about what he does and it shows. He loves to show people the paradise he has discovered at Shiga Kogen and surrounds. Across 6 days on the mountain, we were able to find powder despite there not being snowfall every night. The resort we visited is relatively untouched by foreigners which meant that across the week, we didn't wait longer than 10 minutes in a lift queue - and that was their busiest time of the year (New Years) . My skiing improved a lot over the week as well. Each guide was able to provide a different perspective or insight that helped to improve my technique. I would without a doubt recommend this tour to anybody wanting to ski (or snowboard) powder in Japan. I cannot thank Jase and the team enough for the experience and look forward to booking another trip with them soon.
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This is a fantastic trip and would thoroughly recommend.

I was guided by Jase, Harry, and Dan over a 6 night trip and they were all amazing. Their knowledge of the mountains is unreal and they can take you through some really interesting terrain and fresh powder runs. Jase made sure the logistics were worked out for us - all we had to do was turn up and everything was sorted out. Shiga Kogen was such a cool mountain to visit with very few foreigners and no queues.

I was stoked with how Jase and the team took us off piste a lot for fresh tracks and tree runs, but it also felt safe. They take safety pretty seriously and provide you with the right gear (e.g personal locator beacon, probe, spade). Overall my improvement was massive and really appreciate how well I was looked after.

I’m sure I’ll be back at some point in the future!
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This is a fantastic trip and would thoroughly recommend.

I was guided by Jase, Harry, and Dan over a 6 night trip and they were all amazing. Their knowledge of the mountains is unreal and they can take you through some really interesting terrain and fresh powder runs. Jase made sure the logistics were worked out for us - all we had to do was turn up and everything was sorted out. Shiga Kogen was such a cool mountain to visit with very few foreigners and no queues.

I was stoked with how Jase and the team took us off piste a lot for fresh tracks and tree runs, but it also felt safe. They take safety pretty seriously and provide you with the right gear (e.g personal locator beacon, probe, spade). Overall my improvement was massive and really appreciate how well I was looked after.

I’m sure I’ll be back at some point in the future!
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