Frequently Asked Questions
TRAVEL
Do I need a visa to enter Japan?
British, Australian, New Zealand (and many other countries) citizens will be issued with a 90 day visitor’s visa on arrival in Japan. Please make sure your Passport is up to date and valid for the duration of your holiday. Please leave enough time before travelling to apply for a new Passport, if required.
Do I need Travel Insurance?
It is essential to take out a fully comprehensive insurance policy before you travel to Japan, covering the full duration of your holiday. Please ensure your policy covers skiing and snowboarding, and in particular ‘off-piste’. Should you require any medical treatment, you will be expected to pay and then claim a refund from your insurance provider.
What if I don’t speak any Japanese?
Don’t worry, our trips are fully guided – we’ll be there to explain everything! It’s always a good idea to learn a few useful words, phrases and greetings. A few words here and there will be very much welcomed by friendly local Japanese people.
FLIGHTS
Where should I book a flight to?
Our transfers to Hakuba depart from Tokyo Narita Airport, so please book a flight to this airport only. Make sure that you book a flight that is scheduled to arrive at Narita on the start date of the Powder Tour or Girls Camp – Sunday 29 January 2012.
Which airlines do you recommend?
A huge number of airlines operate direct flights to Narita Airport from major cities all over the world. If you are departing from the UK – British Airways, Virgin and the two main Japanese carriers, ANA and JAL operate direct flights to Narita. For those travelling from Australia or New Zealand – Quantas, Jetstar and Air New Zealand all operate direct flights to Narita Airport. It is worthwhile checking out the baggage policies of the various airlines regarding the carriage of ski and snowboard bags.
MONEY & ATMs
How can I access money in Japan?
ATMs at the Post Office and 7-Eleven convenience stores both accept international credit cards to withdraw Japanese Yen in cash. Note that ATMs at Post Offices have limited opening hours, while those in 7-Eleven stores offer 24 hour service. VISA is the most widely accepted card, but please check the 7-Eleven website for up to date information on accepted cards. For information about foreign transaction fees, please check with your local bank before you travel. It is also worthwhile informing your bank that you will be travelling to Japan, to avoid having your card blocked.
Can I use my credit card in restaurants and shops in Japan?
In major cities like Tokyo, credit cards are accepted. However, shops and restaurants in ski resorts and rural areas of Japan will usually only accept cash. Japan is still very much a ‘cash society’, where people tend to use cash more than cards. It is worth noting that it’s generally a very safe place to travel, with extremely low crime rates.
Should I exchange money before I travel to Japan?
It is a good idea to arrive carrying a small amount of Japanese Yen in cash with you. You’ll find that the exchange rates offered in your home country are more competitive than those at the currency exchange desk at Narita Airport. Most banks in Japan will not exchange foreign bank notes either, so it’s a good idea to arrive with some Yen and use your credit card to withdraw more cash at an ATM.
ACCOMMODATION
Where will I be staying?
Powder Tour
We have hand picked our favourite ski lodges at each stop of the tour, for their welcoming and friendly Japanese service, great facilities and of course their location – close to the lifts! Each lodge has western beds, free wi-fi, great food, drying rooms, laundry facilities and plenty of space to relax.
Stop 1 – Tsugaike Kogen, Hakuba Norikura, Cortina resorts
Pension Andes (6 Nights) – Breakfast and Dinner included
Stop 2 – Charmant resort
TBC (1 Night) – Breakfast included
Stop 3 – Myoko
Mont Cervin (6 Nights) – Breakfast included
Stop 5 – Tokyo
TBC (1 Night) – Breakfast included
For further information and photos check out the Powder Tour page.
Girls Camp
Our camp is based at the luxury Gakuto Villas in Hakuba, just a few minutes walk from the ski lifts at Happo resort. The boutique two-story villas each have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, living space, free wi-fi, LCD flat screen TV, DVD player and access to private karaoke rooms. Breakfast is included each day.
The villas are ideally located close to lots of bars and restaurants. Eating out in Japan is a big part of the experience! Alternatively, there is also the option to cook as each villa has a fully equipped kitchen and shuttles to the supermarket are provided. The villas are 4-share. If you are travelling alone, we’ll pair you up with another girl on the camp to share a room with. If you are travelling in a group, we’ll put you together.
At the end of the camp we’ll spend one night in Tokyo at the boutique Granbell Hotel in central Shibuya. Breakfast is included. For more details and photos check out the Girls Camp page.
Can I book a single room?
Our standard prices are based on twin share accommodation. If you would prefer to have your own room, a single supplement will apply.
SKI & SNOWBOARD EQUIPMENT
Should I bring my own gear?
We highly recommend that you bring your own ski and snowboard gear with you. Both our Powder Tour and Girls Camp will involve riding off-piste terrain in deep snow conditions. Fat or powder specific skis and longer snowboards are ideal in Japan, where regular snowfalls mean lots of powder riding. The larger surface area of fat skis or a long snowboard gives you more float in deep powder snow. The Girls Camp provides coaching sessions for powder riding and terrain park skills, therefore an all mountain snowboard is also suitable.
Do you offer any discounts on new gear?
Yes! We work with Freeze Proshop based in Edinburgh, Scotland to offer all our clients an exclusive 10% discount on gear. Whether you are after some new fat skis, snowboard boots, outerwear, goggles or a GoPro helmet camera, get in touch with the crew at Freeze. These guys really know their stuff and can answer all your gear questions. They also ship internationally.
Do I need to bring avalanche safety equipment with me?
Powder Tour – Yes! Please borrow, buy or bring your own avalanche safety gear with you for this tour, as you’ll be doing a 2 day Avalanche Skills Training Course on the first two days of the tour. It is essential to bring: avalanche transceiver, shovel, probe and backpack. Alternatively, you can rent this gear in Hakuba, for the duration of the avalanche course.
Girls Camp – You do not need any avalanche gear for this camp. However, if you have your own avalanche transceiver, shovel, probe and backpack, please bring them – there is no harm in having them with you, as you may want to explore Hakuba’s extensive backcountry terrain on our non-coaching days.
What does the Avalanche Course on the Powder Tour involve?
We will run a 2 day Canadian Avalanche Association accredited AST 1 (Avalanche Skills Training) course exclusively for clients on our Powder Tour. On completion of this course, you will be awarded with a qualification. The course consists of one classroom day and one field day. You will learn about avalanche formation and release, terrain management, companion rescue and lots more. This course is an absolute essential for those interested in progressing in powder and learning more about terrain and safety in the mountains. It’s a really interesting and fun course, and having completed it ourselves, we can’t recommend it enough!
Included on AST 1: Two student manuals/textbooks, instruction, transportation, lunch, Avaluator card, CAA certificate and qualification that can be used as a prerequisite for further advanced courses.
COACHING & GUIDING
How many coaching sessions are included on the Girls Camp?
There will be 11 riding days in total. 9 of these will include a session with professional snowboarder and coach, Vicci Miller. A coaching session will consist of either a morning (8am – 12pm) or afternoon (12pm – 4pm) session. This will give you a good opportunity to learn new skills and put them into practise in your free riding time. The remaining 2 riding days offer you the chance to explore and experience Hakuba’s many resorts (there are 11 resorts spanning the length of the Hakuba valley). Lift tickets for these 2 days are not included in the package, leaving the choice up to you! Ride a new resort of your choice or take a day out to explore the village and soak in an onsen hot spring.
What progression skills will the camp focus on?
The camp will focus on a balance between terrain park and powder progression skills. Girls will be given one-to-one feedback from our coach. The camp is designed to be flexible – if the group would prefer to focus more on either powder riding or terrain park skills, we’ll cater for that.
TRAVEL TO JAPAN SINCE THE 11 MARCH EARTHQUAKE & TSUNAMI
Is it safe to travel to Japan since the events of 11 March?
We’d like to reassure all our prospective clients that it is indeed safe to travel to Japan. Governments all over the world (including UK, Australia, New Zealand, United States, France, Germany, Canada) are not advising against travel to Tokyo and areas of Japan which were unaffected by the disaster. Japan is committed to welcoming visitors from all over the world with an unchanging spirit of hospitality. Shops, restaurants and tourist attractions in Tokyo are operating as usual. For further updates and information regarding travel to Japan after the March earthquake, please check the Japan National Tourism Organization’s website.
Were the ski resorts affected by the disaster?
The ski resorts on Honshu (Japan’s main island) where our tours and camps are based were completely unaffected by the disaster. Hakuba and Myoko are located 400km away from the nuclear facility at Fukushima. Radiation levels in Nagano and Niigata are normal.
How can I support Japan?
Making 2012 your year to travel to Japan is fantastic way to directly support the people, local economies and tourism industry in Japan, who have all been financially affected by the disaster. Ride deep powder, experience wonderful Japanese hospitality, try amazing food and help Japan to recover!
