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Norway or Japan

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little_ey
Posts: 609 - Karma: 392
So should I save my money for a powder trip to Japan in December?

Or a trip to the birth of skiing?  Hitting the fjords via boat?
Jun 28 2009 4:32PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,398
well, do you want deep jibbing pow? or charging?
Jun 28 2009 4:45PM
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triebby
Posts: 8670 - Karma: 2,189
Well if you go to the good stuff in Japan, aka Hokkaido area, you.re probably gonna have a good time cus they get like 600 inches over 3-4 months. But like ^he said, you looking for deep pillowish, primarily tree stuff, or big open faces?
Jun 28 2009 5:10PM
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T-Nutcracker
Posts: 1056 - Karma: 434
Japan fo sho.
apart from sking you can see a completey different culture.
Jun 28 2009 9:41PM
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thelizards
Posts: 4042 - Karma: 43
For sure Japan, such a better experience, cuz if the skiing would end up being shitty you would much rather go to japan than norway
Jun 28 2009 10:03PM
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Scott12~
Posts: 73 - Karma: 10
Unless you have got some serious income and/or have already hit up all of the premier resorts in NA I say neither. Youll be forking over so much money in travel fees etc that you could go on 4 or 5 trips to places in utah montana etc.

If you dont like my realist assessment then I say Japan hands down. Always been a dream of mine, just needs to wait 5 or so years for me~
Jun 28 2009 10:03PM
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Kevski
Posts: 7056 - Karma: 2,785
It is a lifetime goal of mine to go skiing in Japan. I want to experience the snow that they get, the culture, the different trees, the FOOD. I might end up going more than once...

Norway sounds sick too, but it seems to me to be a lot of above tree line stuff, which I don't find as interesting. Yeah there are some huge mountains though, so if you were more into big mountain than deep pow and pow jibbing then Norway would be good. But it seems a little too similar to North America to justify an expensive trip in the middle of winter when Japan is an alternative...

Also I don't think Japan has much in the way of parks, if that has any impact on your decision. Norway seems to be good that way.
Jun 28 2009 11:18PM
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Hannah.
Posts: 4625 - Karma: 56
personally i would love to ski in japan over norway
Jun 28 2009 11:42PM
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skibum2292
Posts: 398 - Karma: 9
If it were me I'd go to Norway.
Jun 29 2009 12:13AM
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petesguitar1
Posts: 358 - Karma: 5
I'm all about Japan at the moment. trying to learn the language in preparation for a trip over. One of the airlines was having a huge sale so we just jumped online and bought 2 return airfares. We're now figuring out the rest. probably going to stay in Hakuba and ski around there.
Jun 29 2009 1:46AM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
I haven't been to Norway, but I can testify to Japan, being siiick! Do it.
Jun 29 2009 1:57AM
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jc_peggy
Posts: 34 - Karma: 384
Japan for sure
im staying there for a month at my freinds house and were gunna hit all the mountains
should b sick
Jun 29 2009 2:40AM
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Fev4ng
Posts: 225 - Karma: 62

I am norwegian, and I confirm the fact that many of the norwegian resorts are park/big mountain-related. Though the real experiences don't come from our resorts. If you're into charging above the tree line, and prepared for some hiking, you will be pleased. Shit is fucking expensive up here (like 10 USD for a beer). If you've got the money, hire a boat for a week or two and hike the mountains around the fjords. Amazing nature.

Click for larger image

Ask the guys on this norwegian forum if there's anything you wonder about. They're kinda like freeride/hiking gurus. http://www.friflyt.no/index.php?pagenr=32&zone=102&category=1000&subcategory=2 

Jun 29 2009 9:16AM
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feodor
Posts: 145 - Karma: 10
I have been both to Norway and Japan. I would definitely say you should go to Japan! Everyone who hasn't been there is missing out on the world's greatest powder and the most fun and relaxed skiing in the world.
Jun 29 2009 9:20AM
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little_ey
Posts: 609 - Karma: 392
I love to ski deep pow, but I also love to charge big open lines.

Japan would be a whole new level of wickeness for me, but there is something almost spiritual about staying on a boat for a week in the fjords and skinning up to earn some awesome lines that ski right down to the water.

As for experiencing new culture... I'm Chinese.  I know that Japan is different from China, but the food and people and bright lights aren't TOO different from eachother.
Jun 29 2009 9:37AM
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Cheech_Sander
Posts: 338 - Karma: 1,660
Im havin the same question. Got a free intl' plane ticket i have to use, either gonna be Japan or French alps. Prob not Norway or sweden bc i was there twice this past year


good problems to have
Jun 29 2009 1:39PM
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Contender
Posts: 3318 - Karma: 231
I remember I went skiing in Japan with my rents when I was really young.  Although it was a while ago, its amazing.  I ski in east canada right now and I really wish I could go back.  I dont know much about Norway but all I can say is that Japan is unreal, so much powder :D
Jun 29 2009 1:41PM
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JMEN
Posts: 123 - Karma: 907

Norway has probably som of the best big-mountain skiing in the world. But the problem is that most of the ski resorts isn't build on the really big  mountains. Off course you have places like Narvik, Hemsedal, Stranda and Røldal. But still if you wanna ski the best big mountains in norwa you will have to hike up, because heli's are not allowed to land on mountains in Norway without special permission. In the park scene we got really good places like Varingskollen, Hemsedal, hafjell and trysil. But compared to the US i don't think you will find the parks in Norway that good.

This is what i think of Norway after i started jibbing/ski pow 3 years ago.

Jun 29 2009 3:38PM
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little_ey
Posts: 609 - Karma: 392
I certainly have no problem hiking for my runs...

Actually, since I broke my leg, i've had more backcountry days than resort days.
Jun 29 2009 4:01PM
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Langdal
Posts: 106 - Karma: 13
As a Norwegian, I would go to Japan... I think you should consider Utah or the Alps if you want to get away from Asia, just because the conditions here in Norway are so variable and hard to predict. Didn't get that much snow on the west coast this year.
Jun 29 2009 4:49PM
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Dustin.
Posts: 13839 - Karma: 7,704
This, Japanese culture alone is worth the trip.  I love that country.
Jun 29 2009 5:10PM
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jennyboots
Posts: 114 - Karma: 9
I would say Norway...but just a heads up it's SUPER expensive, you gotta pay extra just to sit in a restaurant or use a public bathroom! but Norwegians know how to party and are very welcoming.
Jun 29 2009 5:24PM
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Jib-Life
Posts: 1086 - Karma: -4
Japan hands down.
Jun 29 2009 5:41PM
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Rez4frederick
Posts: 4740 - Karma: 40

That looks wayyyy to rocky to ski really, looks sketch as shit lol
Jun 29 2009 6:39PM
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SteevyC
Posts: 265 - Karma: 15
japan, just watch the beginning of PBR's "Reasons"
Jun 29 2009 7:00PM
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horton.
Posts: 16 - Karma: 15
more pow in japan....odds are you'll get better weather too
Jun 29 2009 8:50PM
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Mrvic.
Posts: 1033 - Karma: 154
Id say Japan after seeing the segment with sean pettit in the warren miller movie a couple years ago and in reasons. im sure either would be a incredible experience but the food culture and snow in japan just seems amazing.
Jun 29 2009 8:54PM
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