Itinerary
Day 1: Meet at Morioka train station 6:45pm
If you'd like to meet the group in Tokyo Station, a pickup there is provided at 3:30pm to catch the bullet train to Morioka. Otherwise catch the train or get transport yourself to Morioka.
Day 2-5: Storm Chase in the Iwate region
The area surrounding Morioka explodes with ski hills in every direction. Depending on the conditions, you'll hit Geto Kogen, Tazawako, Hachimantai Panorama, Shizukuishi, Appi Kogen or Hachimantai Shimokura, Amihari or Iwate Snowpark ski hills. With so many options sometimes it can be hard to choose!
One of the days your group will have its own private snowcat to go cat skiing at an abandoned ski hill.
One thing's for sure though, there will be negligible foreigners there and there'll be very little competition for our pow, if any.
This section of the trip does involve a fair amount of driving. Every day you can expect to travel 45 minutes to 1.5 hours to a ski hill in one of the adventure vans.
Each night you'll be heading back to the vibrant city of Morioka where you'll see a traditional dance performance, have reservations to the best local cuisine, and have an abundance of nightlife options, if that's what you're into.
On the evening of day 5 you'll pack up and head 2 hours north to Aomori (near Hakkoda).
Excitement of the bullet train
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Staying in great Japanese cities
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And food to die for!
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Day 6-7: Ski Hakkoda in Aomori
Hakkoda is one of best undiscovered gems left to be found in the Japow universe. In the same fashion as Asahidake in Hokkaido, Hakkoda is a single ropeway (tram) that opens up incredible backcountry terrain. Depending on where you want to go, one run can take 30 minutes or 1.5 hours. At Hakkoda, it's all about the quality. However, because of its location it often shuts down due to bad weather. In this case we've got some exciting backup options in the area that will still leave you satiated.
The two days in Hakkoda are backcountry days which are accessed by a tram. That means that while the tram takes care of 90% of elevation gain, you'll still be hiking anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes per run on terrain that varies from flat traverses to moderate climbs. Since you'll be doing 2 runs per day, that means you'll be touring for between 1-3 hours per day. But it's worth it and the snow quality is worth it!
If you have your own touring equipment, you will definitely want to bring it for these two days. If you don't have your own gear, the guides have snowshoes available for you to use along with an avalanche safety setup for no additional cost.
More than just skiing and snowboarding, Aomori is a unique and interesting culture with its own traditions, dialect and yes - amazing local food. In this town you'll be feasting on sushi, seeing a musical performance, and can even learn some traditional dances (if you're in the mood).
Day 8: The end of the tour
If you opt to buy the Tohoku JR East Rail Pass, you can take the bullet train on the morning of the last day and be back at Tokyo by noon or Narita Airport (NRT) by 1:30pm. Or you might choose to catch a train up to Hokkaido.
If you're planning on staying in Tokyo for a few days at the end of the trip, note that you can mail your ski bag for about 2,000yen straight to the NRT or HND airports. That way you won't have to lug it around!
More information on this is in the Logistics section.