I stayed at Tenjin Lodge and toured with Tenjin Guides for a week in early January 2025. Luckily, there was a deep snow pack already early in the season. Unluckily, we got rain on my second day. Kieran, the thoughtful host, advised I save the guided days for later in the week when the snow was better. Instead, I took a couple days to do some sightseeing. Where other companies would lack that kind of flexibility, the folks at Tenjin Lodge helped me make the most of my entire trip holistically. The snow eventually came down, and we had multiple all-time days with crazy Japan snowfall. If I can swing it in future seasons, I'll be coming back to Tenjin, and I'll be coming back to Tenjin Lodge. For people coming from the states who are not used to this kind of sidecountry access: on a typical day at Tenjin, skinning isn't necessary. Anywhere from 0 to 15 min of boot packing will bring you to gobs and gobs of sidecountry terrain that all feeds back down to the main gondola. Tenjin Guides can take you to a few different ski areas or pure backcountry (hiking only) zones in the area, but the primary goal on any given day is to ski Tenjin, and that's a good thing.
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We had a beautiful winter experience at the Tenjin Lodge. We had some unfortunate (and apparently rare) low snowfall totals during our visit, but our guide Kiernen did everything he could to make up for it. He went out of his way to take us to different resorts. We were able to explore spectacular outdoor onsens we would have never seen. We went to some hidden restaurants that had truly unique and excellent food. Kiernen was excellent at keeping touch with us as we had to change some of our plans around. Even with the low snow we were still able to hit some trees and some hikes. Thank you for the adventure!
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During my three-week stay in Japan, I encountered unanticipated weather conditions, with record warmth leading to bulletproof snow. Initially, I felt somewhat disheartened about the trip, especially considering the less-than-promising weather forecast for my last week. However, my perspective shifted when Kieren, our guide, came through with an unexpected adventure.

Despite the challenging conditions, Kieren managed to find a resort where we could ski side country powder—a thrilling experience that revitalized my enthusiasm for the trip. We explored several other resorts before venturing into the backcountry, where Kieren's expertise led us to untouched snow, creating unforgettable memories that salvaged my vacation.

I want to express my gratitude to Kieren for his exceptional skills in locating great powder and for his ability to find pristine, untouched snow that truly enhanced our skiing experience. Moreover, Kieren went above and beyond by providing transportation services, picking up from the bus station and dropping me off at the train station, as well as guiding us to different onsens each night—an added touch that contributed to the overall enjoyment and relaxation of the trip.

Kieren's dedication, resourcefulness, and hospitality made a significant difference in my Japan experience, turning what could have been a disappointing vacation into a memorable and fulfilling adventure. His efforts, knowledge and attentiveness created an exceptional vacation experience.
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I knew Tenjindaira from PowderHounds for years. I always wanted to be there. I finally booked this backcountry tour and went there in mid Feb 2024.

I stayed in Tenjin Lodge for 4 days. Kieren was a professional guide. He was very familiar with not only Tenjindaira but also places nearby, like Kagura and Hondai. Kieren was so energetic and passionate. You would surely be motivated. Kieren was also a very responsible guide. You would feel your safety was secured in the snow mountains.

Tenjin Lodge was wonderful place to stay. It’s very close to Tenjindaira. It’s clean and warm. I enjoyed the bath, bar and food during my stay. I really need to emphasize that food prepared by the staff was amazing which was far beyond my expectation. Last but not least, you would meet a lot of friends there.

I stayed less than a week in Japan. Most of the day was crazy warm. Temperature was above 0 from the morning and could reach 10 degree centigrade at noon. So you can imagine what I would encounter… But Kieren did his best to find some untouched snow for us. I still had some good laps and a good vacation. I would not blame anyone for the temperature. No one can control the nature. Only together we can make a change. So I wouldn’t comment on the powder this time. And I have decided to come back in a good season to see the real Tenjindaira. Then I would add another review for that tour.

By the way, I used PowerHounds as reference for years. This was the 1st time I book tour from PowerHounds. Due to some email problem, I lost contact with Kieren for a while. Greg proactively asked and helped us to reconnect. I really appreciated that. Thanks for your help. I would highly recommend PowerHounds to everyone.
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Kieren & the crew at Tenjin Lodge openned my eyes to where the really awesome snowboarding is in Japan. The guides were very professional and welcoming with a focus on being safe in the mountains. Exceeded my expectations, looking forward to returning to Tenjindaira.
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I’ve ridden a lot of mountains and there’s no better place for powerhounds. Massive long runs, epic powder, very few/well spaced trees. There is awesome snow everywhere in Japan but I’ve never seen runs as long or as untouched as Tenjin.

I’d give the fun factor and guiding 6 stars if I could.

Kieren is a fantastic guide with invaluable experience. We had a pro snowboarder in our group one day. Even boarders or skiers who are experts can still benefit from knowing where it’s safe and where it’s not when you’re ridding a big mountain like Tenjin.

All of the runs (except the summit) involve a 2-20 minute walk. This is a small price to pay for runs you would normally have to take a helicopter to.

Not for beginners. Paradise for powerhounds. Highly recommend the guiding.
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Had a couple of days guiding with Kieren.
First day was perfect sunny weather which we used to get to the peak which I recommend. Although snow was a bit slushy especially down low, Kieren still managed to find the best spots and his experience of the mountain and guiding itself is top notch.
Second day weather was a bit hit n miss but tried to make the most of it anyway and finished off with a trip to the local outdoor Onsen.
Can’t recommend Kieren and Tenjin highly enough, but come prepared in skill level and equipment.
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This is one for those who want to have a chance to get the amazing lines.

Dinner at the lodge is not why you stay there.

Coffee at the lodge is not why you stay there.

Slack country runs that blow your mind are why you stay there.

The people involved also make it a fantastic journey.
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Kieran and his guides provided for an epic 3 days guiding around Tenjin. Highlight was summiting and scoring epic lines on Tanigawadake! Fantastic rooms, food, staff and service at his lodge also.
Highly recommend for experienced boarders.
Can’t wait to visit again next year!
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We're a family of four from Singapore, including 2 girls who are aged 4+ and 2+. This is the first skiing experience for all of us, so we were quite nervous about how things would go. Through word of mouth, we found out about Kieren's company and I communicated with him via WhatsApp. The initial conversations were friendly, prompt and very accommodating. To make it a fair review, I should say that the follow up conversations prior to our arrival could've been better in preparing us in terms of what's needed and what to expect. However, a few days before the trip, Kieren did drop a rather detailed email on what's needed, logistics detail as well as what's available to rent. Which is great, but if provided earlier, could've helped us decide whether we were going towards the rent or buy mode.

From Day 1 of the skiing though, we have no complaints. Kieren (Day 1) and Nena (Days 2 & 3) were awesome. Extremely friendly, patient and kind. Picked us up from our hotel even though it's some distance away from their homes and drove us for almost an hour to look for the best available ski resort, especially the first day when it was raining in Yuzawa. All 3 ski resorts that we ended up in gave us a different yet meaningful experience and we really enjoyed ourselves.

Fortunately, my wife and I didn't require as much attention from them as we were able to figure out how to ski by ourselves (or so we think!!! :P) with minimal guidance, so they were able to focus on teaching the little ones. The 2 year old, being a 2 year old, was whiny and moody at times, but they were always encouraging and never lost their patience with either child. We're extremely pleased that they were able to ski and balance by their own by the end of the 3 days. Hopefully, they'll be able to master stopping effectively the next time. My 4-year old said she really liked both Uncle Kieren and Ms. Nena and that they'd both definitely want to come back for more skiing in future, which is testament to their joy factor.

Price-wise, given that this is our first and only company that we've approached, I can't really comment on whether it's value-for-money, but on an absolute basis, I'd say this is not exactly a poor man's sport. Hopefully we can get some sort of discount on lessons or rentals the next time we return??? ; )

Bottomline... Would we return and engage their services again? Resoundingly... Yes!
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I am a regular visitor - this is not my first time at Tenjin, and it won't be my last. I've seen Tenjin on snowier days, but despite the warm weather and the relative lack of fresh snow (by Tenjin standards), we found pockets of great untouched powder, all within easy access from the backcountry gate. Tanigawadake is a dangerous mountain, but Kieren knows the area extremely well and plans his routes in great detail, with lots of attention given to safety. Every tour I've ever been at in Tenjin was safe, enjoyanble, and fascinating enough to want to come back. I certainly will, and I can't recommend this place enough.
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Kieren was an excellent guide, very patient, safety was his top priority while trying to get us the best lines with the deepest pow. He has a great knowledge of the area and I will be coming back to test it some more.

The lodge is a comfortable, relaxed, social environment that has everything that you need. It isn't luxurious but has everything that you need.

I definitely recommend Kieren's guiding and the lodge. I will be back!
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We booked a week of private guiding with Kieren and stayed at Tenjin Lodge. We were a group of 4 experienced skiers.

We were hoping for epic pow, but unfortunately got epic sunshine and bluebird the whole week. Of some comfort, albeit little, the whole of Japan was the same and no new snow fell anywhere this same week. So just unlucky.

Despite this, Kieren was excellent as a guide and proactively looking to find us the best conditions. Each night and morning he presented various options for us to choose. He was/is extremely knowledgeable about the area surrounding Tenjin Lodge and this made our stay and the lack of pow still a fantastic trip.

As Tenjin is reknown for it’s steep terrain (which is very true!) and tendency to avalanche, it was very important to us that Kieren’s knowledge of the mountains and his mountain safety were up to scratch. From the initial contact to enquire about the trip through to the daily guiding and in situ activity, we thought Kieren was excellent. He’s a safe and diligent operator who also has a great sense of humour and great guy/guide to have with us. We were very appreciative by his manner even in less than ideal conditions (read ice, crud, slush etc) as he never showed any lack of enthusiasm and was always willing to ‘go’.

Having been a Japanese snow guide myself in previous years, I know first hand when lack of motivation hits in poor conditions and after weeks on the snow guiding various people, it can be very hard to get up and out every day especially when it’s sun and icy. Kieren looked at every day optimistically and never pressured or tried to steer us in a direction that would make his life easier.

All up, I can highly recommend Kieren and his team at Tenjin Lodge for their professionalism, commitment, value and all round good attitude/vibes.

Looking forward to getting back.....with some deep deep pow!
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Spent three day's on a guided Backcountry tour with Kieran at Tenjin and wish I'd stayed longer!
Great lodge, friendly atmosphere and epic skiing.
Will definitely be back!
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We booked the Tenjin package really short-term after we spent a week skiing in northern Honshu, because of the really good reviews on this website.
Overall we can confirm the recommendation as a powder heaven with steep and wide mountains.
Unfortunately it was raining on our day of arrival everywere in Japan, even on the high mountains. It was the first rainy day of the season! So all powder was gone and the snow was covered with ice.
Our two guides, Brandon and Kieren, the owner of the lodge, did everything to find the best spots in this conditions so we still had beautiful days of skiing. It was slightly harder with variing snow, but we could see the amazing potential of this resort, so we have to come back one day!

The lodge and staff was really nice and a very international powder community. It was a refreshing mix of ryokan and hot bath with international food and guests to sit together after a long day of skiing.

Many other guests have been there multiple times and we can understand why.
Surely we get better conditions next time as the mountain is a real powder magnet. Kieren found a good spot for his lodge and knows how to make your trip unforgettable.
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The trip was amazing. I highly recommend Tenjin lodge to all backcountry enthusiasts that are looking for something different from the mainstream resorts. Keiran and the team were fantastic - the lodge has a warm family communal feel and was a great place to socialize with other westerners. Very easy to arrive via train and the staff are nice enough to help out with a lift from the station if you have lots of gear.

Keiran is a decent Aussie bloke (getting rarer and rarer in to find in Japan) and really takes a personal interest in ensuring that his guests are not just happy, but also enjoying the skiing/riding. He is highly experienced with the local terrain (I believe 2nd to none for a foreigner) and takes safety seriously whilst still taking on the appropriate level of risk to ensure an awesome time.
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Thanks Kieren and all at Tenjin for very memorable three days. First and foremost, the professionalism and local knowledge of Kieren is unbeatable for anyone planning on visiting the Minakami area and other hills close by. Safety is, and should be a priority for all of us, and for this quality we both highly appreciated having Kieren leading the way! particularly as we are not young chargers any more. We could see he was wanting to let rip at times, but he duly accommodated our initial caution in the deepest snow we have seen or skied, and no matter how you ski the shallower stuff, it is a completely different skill set in that waist to chest (and above in parts) deep environment. We got lucky in some ways as the snow during our visit was unbelievable for us to see and ski (over 2m in 3 days) and Kieren put us on the goods every day possible and encouraged us to have a go, which for us unfortunately we thought was not Tenjin itself (closed too much snow!) ), but Kagura and Hodaigi which had never heard of, but now we rate as two of the best places we have skied in Japan (we have skied over 20 different Japanese hills). Spent the final day skinning up a creek way below Tenjin which was hard going in 30 to 60cm of blower and soft below that! but a couple hours of good hard slog was truly enjoyable as was all of the trip to Tenjin Lodge. Thanks mate.
The lodge itself was fun, efficient and friendly, and this was due not only to the staff, but also the other guests (mostly repeat regulars). True lodge feel.
Having missed an opportunity for a Tenjin hike, of course we will have to return :) and highly recommend this tour guide and lodge. Great experience.
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Me and my sister stayed at the Tenjin Lodge and participated in the beginners class during our stay there.
The location: Tenjin Lodge was a beautiful little lodge tucked away from what felt like the big tourist areas, giving it an intimate homely feel. Close to Doai Station and offering transport to the ski fields and Miniki station made it a breeze to get to and from
The service: Whilst Tenjin is laid back and friendly, this did not stop them from being punctual and consistent across the board. Kieran and his team offered extremely personalized service, and checked in on us to make sure we were getting the most out of our experience. Our teacher, Brenen was careful to tailor our lesson to our ability and how we picked up the skills. He was patient and understanding with us as beginners which fostered my confidence in boarding
Overall impression: i would 100% stay at Tenjin again and would highly recommend others to as well. The snow quality was incredible, I felt like I had been adopted into the Tenjin family, the rooms were well equipped for the cold and the snow boarding was fantastic. Thanks Kieren and the team for a wonderful stay
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Definitely do this tour! Firstly because Tanigawadake Tenjindaira is phenomenal and secondly because of Kieren.

Kieren ensured that we made the most out of our time in the Tenjindaira area and got us dialled in. The snow conditions were a little testing, and this gave Kieren more than the average challenge in picking the right ski area and zone to visit each day. Thankfully Kieren and his team know the area really well, are well connected with the local ski resorts to get the goss in a timely fashion, and they recognise the typical storm patterns. We could see many factors in his decision making and he let the group know the pros and cons of the options. He knew if the Tenjin ropeway would be going, whether the terrain under the ropeway would be open, and whether the weather patterns would be conducive to hiking to the peak. Or when Kagura or Houdaigi would be a better choice.

Kieren has some avi qualifications and whilst he isn’t an IFMGA qualified mountaineer, it’s probably more important that Tenjindaira is Kieren’s backyard and he knows it intimately. Tanigawadake is a finnicky mountain with a lot of associated risks. It was obvious how much effort he put in to maximise safety and keep the group tightly in control. His guiding was appropriately much looser at Kagura and he was more of a funster, and it was apparent that he knows the Kagura terrain very well too.

Despite the unusual snow conditions, Kieren made sure we had an epic time. He kept the stoke levels high whilst out skiing, but also facilitated onsen visits, a night at a Minakami restaurant, and made sure we had all we needed at Tenjin Lodge.

Tenjin Lodge is a very friendly lodge and so long as you’re not looking for super luxe accommodation, you’re highly likely to enjoy the vibe of the lodge. You can see our Tenjin Lodge reviews here.
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Keiren spent a huge amount of effort looking for the best powder and suitable terrain with a warming season and little fresh snow. He was very particular about our safety, and ensuring we experienced the local food and facilities. Although obviously our own responsibility a reminder about carrying water when hiking as it is getting warmer would be a good idea.

We really enjoyed the wonderful food, large room and surroundings at Tenjin Lodge but would like to see improvements in the drying room and provision of tea and coffee making facilities. Have enjoyed self serve breakfasts at other accomodation and maybe that might be an option.
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Hi all. Myself and 3 others recently had Kieran for a 6 day inclusive backcountry tour
Over this time we hiked tenjin ridgeline leading up to mt tanigawa/ summeted mt tanigawa and and rode surrounding areas. Specifically at tenjin, we dropped into the gullys and smashed the ridge's finding what I would say was the fastest deepest and steepest terrain I ever encountered on a backcountry tour in japan, all with the watchful eye of Kieran ensuring our safety.
If you are looking for serious time on board or skis riding as much pow as you can handle and milk every last second of the day doing exactly that then this is your place to do that.

The hospitality and food at tenjin lodge was amazing, the crew made us feel so relaxed.
The crew will be back next year to stay longer
Thanks guys.
Christian
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Tenjin lodge is an awesome place to stay, right near the Gondola.

Staff are helpful and friendly in a relaxed atmosphere.

I don't recommend anyone plans on going to Tenjin, but that's just me being selfish ;)
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I had the 3 day all inclusive package and it was well worth it. Much cheaper compared to other guide companies. Kieren and the whole lodge crew were super friendly and helpful. Luckily the weather was in our favour and got Tenjin perfect for 2 days! We got 1 meter of snow in 24hrs so pow was all time! I recommend staying longer as weather can get hectic up there, although Kieren has other options if tenjin closes. Thanks again to all the Tenjin Lodge crew for an awesome trip, I will be back for sure!
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