Can ostriches ski
Posted in Japan
Tagged Can animals ski, ski japan, skiing ostrich, snowboarding, wacky japan ads
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Black Blue White Hakuba
Grab yourself a warm cup of green tea, sit yourself down and put the show on full screen. This footage is absolutely beautiful and matches very well with the calming music. It gave me a real sense of what I feel when I am on the Hakuba mountain range and it is so easy to find a quiet spot around here to watch the world pass by. The night vision with the reflection of the stars in the lake was truly spectacular. A piece of visual art. Thank you to Mockmoon for sharing with us.
Posted in Hakuba
Tagged hakuba movies, Japan, mockmoon hakuba, Nagano, snow, time lapse hakuba
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Mr plow
The rooster tails from this thing must be massive.
Japan gets huge amounts of snowfall, in fact more than most places in the world. When you also run the most efficient train system in the world then sometimes it’s going to take some big machinery to keep things moving. With a snow plough attached to a locomotive they can charge through the stuff clearing the tracks so you can rest assure you will make it to the slopes to make your own fresh tracks.
Autumn Snow
The views cease to amaze me and I appreciate everyday I am here.
It’s a beautiful day here for a picnic by the river today, the 4th October. The sun is shining the Autumn colours are showing their flames and there’s a little snow on the peaks to remind us to hurry up with all of our outside jobs. It is good to be able to really relax and take in this environment for a lazy lunch by the pristine waters of our rivers and streams. possibly followed by a 15 minute siesta 🙂
Posted in Hakuba, snow
Tagged First snowfalls in japan, Hakuba, hotels, ski japan, snowjapan
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Snow on the peaks
The snow season is coming.
It’s been snowing up on the Hakuba peaks and everybody’s talking about it. There was a dusting up high last week as I mentioned in a previous blog but this time we can all see it on the mountains. They have been shrouded in cloud the last few days but this morning it cleared enough to confirm what was on every locals mind. We have all been adding an extra layer of clothing due to the cold and the discussions around town have been snow hyped. The summer tourists who come to escape the heat are moving away and are replaced by us snow addicts who just can’t get enough of the stuff. Its time to start thinking about your next snow holiday in Japan.
Thai restaurant in Hakuba
Great sliding, cold beers, good friends.
Bangkok-ya is located at the Nakiyama base area of Happo One and is a great spot to grab a bite to eat and a cold beer or thai whiskey. Kaz the owner has spent a lot of time in Thailand working on his menu. For me, it is difficult to go past the tom yum soup which warms you up inside especially on those chilly days. The curries are delicious and he also makes some good spicy chicken. Due to it’s location it receives the afternoon sun so what better way to finish the day skiing than to have a couple of drinks and watching everyone come down off the mountain. They are also open in the evening for dinner.
Posted in Food, Hakuba
Tagged Apres, eating out in Hakuba, ski japan, snowjapan, Thai restaurants in Japan, What to do in Hakuba
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Sake
It's a tough job but they all have to be tasted.
When I dine out in Japan I enjoy trying out a different sake each time. Sake : [pronounced sa – ke] is a rice-based alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin. It is called sake in English but in Japanese, sake (酒) or o-sake (お酒) refers to all alcoholic drinks in general. The Japanese term for this specific beverage is Nihon-shu (日本酒), meaning “Japanese alcohol”. Sake is also referred to in English as rice wine but unlike wine in which the alcohol is produced by fermenting the sugar naturally present in grapes, sake is made through a brewing process more like that of beer. In Japan sake is served chilled, at room temperature, or heated depending on the preference of the drinker, the quality of the sake and the season. Typically, hot sake is a winter drink and high-grade sake is not used because the flavors and aromas will be lost. Like wine there are many different tastes. In Hakuba we have our own local sake called Hakubanishki which is available at most establishments. Give it a go and try it hot and cold to see how you like it best and beware the usual alcohol content is 15%.
Posted in Food, Hakuba apres
Tagged drinking in Japan, 酒, how to drink sake, how to make sake, Sake in japan, 日本酒
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Coming into Hakuba
A welcoming site any time of year.
Most people who come to Hakuba on a holiday will come via the bullet train to Nagano and then catch either a bus or hotel van out from there. During the winter time as you wind your way through the mountains you will see the snow building gradually on the side of the roads. There are a number of bridges and tunnels and lots of scenic views along the way. One of the best views is the moment you drive through the forest and see the Hakuba sign. Even at this time of year in September it is a beautiful sight with the flowers still blooming, the rice being harvested and previous years snow still on the mountains. In winter the snow will reach the bottom of the sign in the picture and everything is white around it.
First snow in Hakuba for this season.
The snow starts to fall up at Hakuba Sanso summer lodge high up on the mountain
It’s always exciting to get the first snow for the season. This year it was very early and although it will be gone by now, it still gets everyone fired up around here. The equinox has just passed so the days will be shorter and the temperatures colder. Everyone is starting to talk about their new ski’s or what other gear they need to get, season passes for which mountain and also stressing out about getting those last minute jobs done before it really starts snowing down in the Valley. It reminded me that I needed new gloves.
Posted in Hakuba, snow
Tagged First snowfalls in japan, Hakuba first snow, ski, ski japan, snowboarding, snowjapan, When does it start snowing
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Hakuba BC hucking
About to launch. He stomped it too.
When it comes to hitting the big backcountry lines, I usually choose the conservative way down. I like it steep and deep but some people are looking to go big. There are lots of natural hits and drops here in the Hakuba back country and there is something that will test even the most extreme skiers and boarders of the likes of Jeremy Jones or professional free skier Takehiro Sakamoto (pictured). With the word out about Hakuba we are going to see a lot more of this action taking place.
Posted in Backcountry, Hakuba, ski and snowboard, snow
Tagged Backcountry, big hits in hakuba, Natural hits, ski japan, snowjapan, steep and deep
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