Can you believe it’s only 60 days until both Niseko United and Furano’s lifts start spinning? That’s right–60! Which may be too early to bust out the advent calendar, but it’s certainly not too early to start getting things in order for your trip.
For those who didn’t pick up on what we meant, that was a polite way of saying: IT’S TIME TO GET ORGANISED!
Before you know it, you’ll be boarding a flight and regretting the things you didn’t do to prepare, so here’s a few tips on what you can do to make your trip even easier this winter.
Exercise
First things first: getting in shape. As everyone knows, there’s nothing worse than setting a physical fitness goal months out from an event, only to realise the night before that you’ve done absolutely no work and your body is in the exact same form it was when you set those goals.
Don’t do that this JaPow trip.
Whether you’re want to keep it simple or you’re planning on hiking into uncharted backcountry terrain, you’ll notice a significant physical strain on your body after a day of riding. Times that by five consecutive days and there won’t be enough onsen in the world to make your muscles feel better. Give yourself an advantage by starting a steady exercise regime now so that by the time you’re here, your body is in tip-top shape.
If you’re short on time and can’t work out your whole body, here’s some essential areas we suggest giving some love to:
Cardio
No matter what style of rider you are, you’ll most likely be on-snow exercising for up to eight hours a day. Trust us, you’ll want your cardio in the best possible shape it can be. Plus, with all the weight you shed in the lead up, you’ll be able to eat all the best food Japan has to offer, guilt-free!
Legs
What will you be standing on ALL DAY while you’re out on the slopes? Your legs! Start muscle training now and surprise yourself with how much easier it is to get your legs back when you first hit the snow – you’ll also be grateful when you’re walking 40,000 steps a day in Tokyo!
Balance
Just because you aren’t here yet doesn’t mean you can’t practise freestyle tricks. Grab yourself a cheap balance board off Amazon and reap the benefits when you stomp that first boardslide this winter!
What To Pack
If you’ve ever flown to Tokyo, grabbed a connecting flight to New Chitose, and then jumped a train to Niseko, you’ll know why we suggest packing light and hiring your gear here. It is tiring, to say the least!
Although, we also know that so many of you like your own gear and refuse to ski on anything else. We get that. With the current price of snow hardgoods and outerwear, why wouldn’t you want to use them each and every chance you possibly get? Gotta get the return on investment somehow.
So for those of you who are planning on bringing your own gear to town, here’s a quick guide on the absolute essentials we recommend packing:
Winter Wear: Thermal layers, waterproof ski jacket, snow pants, warm socks – essentially anything that will keep you warm and dry while out on the slopes.
Accessories: Not only do accessories look sick and help tie an outfit together, they are absolute MUSTS when visiting the snow. These include: gloves, a beanie, sunglasses and goggles.
Après Fits: Naturally, you’re going to want to be looking pretty fly when you’re enjoying all of your post shred après, especially considering après is when the camera gets busted out the most! Make sure you pack comfortable outdoor boots and warm casual wear for peak relaxation steez after skiing.
Ski/Board: While barefoot skiing is a very big deal in the waterskiing community, it’s not quite as common in JaPow! Make sure you don’t forget your planks! Unless, of course, you wised up and decided to rent them…
Sort Your Lift Pass
Want to get out on the slopes faster? Speed up the process by pre-purchasing your lift pass. You’ll still need to collect it from the ticket office on the mountain, but you won’t need to waste any time filling out boring paperwork!
Pro tip: If you purchased an Epic pass during the last Australian snow season, you’ll score five consecutive days riding resorts in the Hakuba Valley and at Niseko’s neighbouring resort of Rusutsu, so make sure you bring your pass along with you!
Unsure which pass will best suit your needs? Read our comprehensive guide to buying lift-passes in Niseko, Hakuba or Furano, here!
Accommodation
Trust us, accommodation will NOT get cheaper or more available the closer to the ski season it gets. JaPow holidays are in high demand this winter, make sure you have your accommodation sorted well before your holiday start date to secure a place to stay this winter.
Unsure which accommodation will best suit the needs of you and your loved ones? Why not look into our Trip‘s packages? Accommodation, rentals, lessons, transfers and lift passes all in one inclusive bundle, tailored towards your wants, needs and riding goals.
Rentals
Things That Can Breakup A Relationship While On Holiday:
- Cheating
- One party getting more intoxicated than the other
- The stress of catching a connecting flight while lugging a packed snowboard bag around.
As we mentioned earlier, travelling with your gear can be a real pain. So, if you want to reduce the hassle and save a few bucks on exorbitant baggage fees, we recommend hiring your gear!
‘But where would I EVER get ski gear from this close to the winter season?’
Alright, listen up…we might know a guy. Us, of course. Rhythm Japan offers over 3,000 of the best new models of skis and boards each winter season, so if you’re still looking for a ride to secure this winter, we’ve got you sorted.
Although, fair warning, JaPow is in high demand this season. Like, super high – it’s looking like our stores will be crazy busy. So, if you’re scared about missing out, we recommend booking now.
Plus, by pre-booking, you’ll also score exclusive access to skip the check-in process everyday between 1 – 3 pm! Score!
All that seem like too much effort? Why not look into one of our all-inclusive Trips packages? Accommodation, rentals, lessons and lift passes all in the one bundle, what’s left to think about?
