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I have 2 weeks off from work in february and want to send it to japan. Anyone know where to find the cheapest accommodations, if I should get a rental car, and how much lift tickets are gonna cost?
GREEN_BASTARDAight, good to know. I'm trying to fly there in search of deep. I have some touring experience and all the necessary avalanche safety gear.
I couldnt help myself. The devil made me do it. I'm interested as well as the trip is on the list. Almost quit my job a few years ago to send it. Wish I had. Was a shit season here, and they got dumped on. Someday maybe?
Cheapest accommodations are probably AirBnB. The resort towns are usually fairly pricy, but sometimes you can find good deals on Booking.com. If you're traveling alone, many of the well-known resort areas have powder hostels where you can get a cheap bunk bed and cook your own food.
Rental car, depends on what you want to do. All resorts are accessible with public transportation, but a car is always convenient for getting around if you don't like waiting for the bus. A rental comes especially in handy for roadside touring.
Lift tickets aren't too bad - not more than $50 a day, usually more in the ballpark of $35-40.
You can expect to pay around $50-80 per day for accommodation and food (not including lift tickets).
GREEN_BASTARDI have 2 weeks off from work in february and want to send it to japan. Anyone know where to find the cheapest accommodations, if I should get a rental car, and how much lift tickets are gonna cost?
going in jan
ticket from Denver to Tokyo $620
housing im staying in two different hostels for a total of 14 days $673
japan rail pass $ 200
skiing varies any where from $35-75 for a day pass some mountains you can buy a one up pass for $5
food can be as affordable as youd like or you can ball out
Google is your friend hope you can pull it off!!!!!!!!!
It isn't a cheap trip on a podcast a guy had 2,000-3,000 and he was cutting it close on funds by the end of the trip. Big tip I got from that was an international sim card for your phone because if you don't get that your phone bill will be more than your trip. Ski bum pod cast give the Japan one a listen lots of pointers on it.
Just a heads up, you can't rent a car as a foreigner in Japan without an international driver's license. Luckily public transportation will get you everywhere you want to go, and it's fairly cheap.
search4freshiesJust a heads up, you can't rent a car as a foreigner in Japan without an international driver's license. Luckily public transportation will get you everywhere you want to go, and it's fairly cheap.
But don't let that scare you away, you can get an international divers license with just a small fee and no testing if you have an active US drivers license. I got one for a Japan trip in a couple days for about $20, but that was a decade ago.
SharkoBut don't let that scare you away, you can get an international divers license with just a small fee and no testing if you have an active US drivers license. I got one for a Japan trip in a couple days for about $20, but that was a decade ago.
I think I paid $35 for mine in Colorado last year. I'm sure it varies state by state, but I can't see it ever being too expensive. No test, just an application and a lot of reading. Super easy, and it allowed me to rent a van in Japan so didn't have to rely on public transit, and I could hit all the classic Japanese roadside avy barriers.
Europe is the same. I have resorts near my house where a half day (5 hours) is only 20 euros (and most have reusable key cards now). Granted our winters have been total shit the past couple years, but still.
As for the International License, I got mine at a AAA office. It was super easy and fast.
BrawnTrendsEurope is the same. I have resorts near my house where a half day (5 hours) is only 20 euros (and most have reusable key cards now). Granted our winters have been total shit the past couple years, but still.
As for the International License, I got mine at a AAA office. It was super easy and fast.
how on earth does that work? i was under the impression that US resorts are not running huge margins on their lift tickets
I did 17 days all in for around $3,200. Moved around a lot, did over a dozen resorts on both islands. Didn't travel super cheap, but was with a group which kinda offset. We did AirBnB for about a 3rd of the trip, and while it was cheap for the group, don't know how many you'll find if traveling solo. Half of the trip we had a small camper van which is a fun way to go, and while not cheap gives huge flexibility and you are kinda combining your lodging and transit into one bill. Though check your routes, tolls can add up really quick if you are trying to take direct routes anywhere. Hostels are pretty common in most of the tourist areas. As far as renting a car, make a decision what area you want to be in and then check your options. They do have public transit most everywhere, but then that limits your options for variety and snow chasing. The international license is cheap and easy, but actually driving there is something else. Food again can be as expensive or cheap as you want, you can get cheap 7-11 sushi for lunches (highly recommend) or spend a ton on tourist sushi every night.
SofaKingSickhow on earth does that work? i was under the impression that US resorts are not running huge margins on their lift tickets
You got that impression from 100 a day lift tickets? I think it's because there are more skiers here and someone is going to pay. Plus, north mericans are dumb and overpay for everything.
search4freshiesI think I paid $35 for mine in Colorado last year. I'm sure it varies state by state, but I can't see it ever being too expensive. No test, just an application and a lot of reading. Super easy, and it allowed me to rent a van in Japan so didn't have to rely on public transit, and I could hit all the classic Japanese roadside avy barriers.
I have an international driver's license right now because I am going to school in Norway but am from the states. Any idea if an international driver's license is applicable to any country or just the country/region it is intended for? Would be annoying to have to get another one but it is a very different region with different standards.
MacMahoooonI did 17 days all in for around $3,200. Moved around a lot, did over a dozen resorts on both islands. Didn't travel super cheap, but was with a group which kinda offset. We did AirBnB for about a 3rd of the trip, and while it was cheap for the group, don't know how many you'll find if traveling solo. Half of the trip we had a small camper van which is a fun way to go, and while not cheap gives huge flexibility and you are kinda combining your lodging and transit into one bill. Though check your routes, tolls can add up really quick if you are trying to take direct routes anywhere. Hostels are pretty common in most of the tourist areas. As far as renting a car, make a decision what area you want to be in and then check your options. They do have public transit most everywhere, but then that limits your options for variety and snow chasing. The international license is cheap and easy, but actually driving there is something else. Food again can be as expensive or cheap as you want, you can get cheap 7-11 sushi for lunches (highly recommend) or spend a ton on tourist sushi every night.
Thanks, this helps a lot. I will be travelling with at least one other person, and looking at airbnb's now, but any recommendations for the best deep stuff? I have some backcountry experience but my dad doesn't have a touring setup so he would likely be using trekkers on his magic j's.
Pancake_FuckerYou got that impression from 100 a day lift tickets? I think it's because there are more skiers here and someone is going to pay. Plus, north mericans are dumb and overpay for everything.
i got that impression from hearing from plenty of people (who were not the type to defend ski resorts just 'cause) telling me that the lift ticket prices arent just price gouging. i honestly know very little about the actual budget balancing of ski resorts.......but i do doubt your "north americans are dumb and overpay for everything" explanation is the key im missing here
GREEN_BASTARDAny idea if an international driver's license is applicable to any country or just the country/region it is intended for? Would be annoying to have to get another one but it is a very different region with different standards.
Better check yours, but mine was good anywhere.
Also FYI stop signs are triangles there, I think I blew through every single one for a week before someone brought that to my attention.
GREEN_BASTARDI have an international driver's license right now because I am going to school in Norway but am from the states. Any idea if an international driver's license is applicable to any country or just the country/region it is intended for? Would be annoying to have to get another one but it is a very different region with different standards.
Thanks, this helps a lot. I will be travelling with at least one other person, and looking at airbnb's now, but any recommendations for the best deep stuff? I have some backcountry experience but my dad doesn't have a touring setup so he would likely be using trekkers on his magic j's.
I will say this with that caviat of "Don't be an idiot and always play safe" but the snow pack in Japan is relatively safe. Many resorts have fairly easily accessible side country, and inbound trees, so the need to tour off resort is pretty minimal. We did a few backcountry days touring just for the variety, but you can have a great time and get the snow riding resorts most of the time, and get tons more laps. Unless you are going to the major tourist resorts, lift tickets are cheap, averaging $30-40 as people above said. Personally our best snow was in Kiroro Snowworld, and they have a great backcountry program there too, definitely worth putting on your list. We had some great snow in the Hakuba area as well, which is a cool space of 10 resorts all pretty close by, with an oldschool resort town and easy access to Tokyo. Theres a great guide outfit there as well if you are looking for something more adventurous.
No matter where you go, follow the #1 rule of skiing in Japan. NEVER DUCK A ROPE!. Its more of a major cultural thing than safety most of the time, but just don't. Japanesse culture is very much based on Respect. The patrollers have taken time to set up ropes, its their way of asking you politely not to go somewhere, so you reciprocate by respecting their wishes.
While your there, give yourself a day or 2 in Tokyo and be a tourist. I did 36hrs of just wandering the city alone after the rest of my group left, and its really interesting place.
ESBCheapest accommodations are probably AirBnB. The resort towns are usually fairly pricy, but sometimes you can find good deals on Booking.com. If you're traveling alone, many of the well-known resort areas have powder hostels where you can get a cheap bunk bed and cook your own food.
Rental car, depends on what you want to do. All resorts are accessible with public transportation, but a car is always convenient for getting around if you don't like waiting for the bus. A rental comes especially in handy for roadside touring.
Lift tickets aren't too bad - not more than $50 a day, usually more in the ballpark of $35-40.
You can expect to pay around $50-80 per day for accommodation and food (not including lift tickets).
And although it will still be a while until you're there, I think the snow will be fine and just like this. Especially if you're going to Hokkaido (my friend lives in Tokyo though)
GREEN_BASTARDAny idea if the snow will still be good mid-late february? I have school til the 15th, but can leave earlier.
GREEN_BASTARDI haven't secured lodging or ski passes yet so it's pretty open where I go.
I did Hakuba for almost a month. Probably around 2500 total maybe less honestly. Around a 5 hour bus ride from Haneda airport to Happo bus terminal, super easy to schedule rides online and the bus company I used was no problem at all. I think the bus was like 100 bucks. I can give you some more tips if you do Hakuba, but I've never been north so don't have much to offer there. Good luck dude and enjoy the pow & culture
SofaKingSicki got that impression from hearing from plenty of people (who were not the type to defend ski resorts just 'cause) telling me that the lift ticket prices arent just price gouging. i honestly know very little about the actual budget balancing of ski resorts.......but i do doubt your "north americans are dumb and overpay for everything" explanation is the key im missing here
Ski resorts in America are more susceptible to being sued, probably due to your lack of universal health care is my guess. But it is true that North Americans love to spend. They love their debt. Most places in the world don't have such a large chunk of the population spending more money than they have.
Also op, I'd like to hear what you find during your trip. Keep us updated.
Head to Hokkaido and hit the smaller resorts and you’ll be sweet, like old mate said you’ll get lift tickets for like $35 at the smaller ones.
If you’re going to Niseko stay here http://www.slowlifeniseko.com/ run by a fuckin mad cunt from Aussie, he’s an absolute legend. The smaller resorts are legit, avoid Grand Hirafu like the fucking plague.
As has been said respect is pretty big over there too, we ducked a rope and the patroller called us on it and you honestly feel like such a knob jockey, they get all not angry just disappointed.
It’s a rad place man you’ll have an absolute time. When you’re over there, if you decide to travel about, the Japanese usually have their baggage shipped around between accommodations, means your not dragging all your shit around etc, look into it as dragging a motherfucking ski bag round the city and though the metro and all those stairs etc ain’t fun bro. It’s cheap af.
Personally I wouldn’t hit Tokyo, worth flying into Osaka and spending a couple days in Kyoto though, place is rad. Like anywhere if you avoid the tourist spots the food etc is actually pretty cheap.
Skiing here is pretty cheap, I frequent Rusutsu which is about 52 bucks for a day ticket and it's huge for a Japanese resort, with lots of good inbounds tree skiing. I'd recommend checking out Furano and Asahidake while you're here, they're in central Hokkaido so they get really dry snow and aren't usually too crowded, though Furano can get mobbed by Aussies sometimes.
