Why Now Is The Perfect Time To Book In That Trip To Japan
Imagine this:
You’ve been working hard all year. You’re burnt out and tired. You knock off on your last day of the working year before your holiday break and check Instagram. The first thing you see? Your buddies lapping it up shredding pow in Japan, and you get to thinking, 'why didn’t I book in that holiday?'
We’ve all been there before. But we don’t want to keep making the same mistakes over and over, so this year, we recommend acting early and not leaving your ski trip to chance this winter.
And trust us, we know. Lifts have just started spinning in Australia and New Zealand, you’ve already bought your new kits at all the end of season sales last year and are begging to use them. There’s a lot of different options screaming out for you to spend your money on them.
But while you’re 'umming and ahhing' about Japan, others are booking.
Don’t make that mistake. Instead, brush up on some of the reasons why we think you’d be much better off booking a Japow trip this year.
You Can Now Fly Direct
No more annoying layovers and connecting flights, you can now fly directly to Sapporo from both Vancouver (YVR) and San Francisco (SFO).
Waiiitttttt what?!
Yep! In case you missed the big announcement, both Air Canada and United Airlines are now serving up flights directly into Sapporo’s New Chitose, landing you only a short two hour train to both Furano and Niseko. That’s more or less like having a gondola straight from your doorstep to the slopes.
The catch? At this point flight services are limited, so if you want to guarantee easy travel this winter we strongly suggest getting onto it before they all sell out. That is, unless, the part of your trip you were most looking forward to was a 5 hour layover in Seoul…
And It Literally Couldn’t Be Cheaper
We’ve covered this one a few times, including at the beginning of last year when the Japanese yen dropped to a record low of ¥150 to the US Dollar. It’s currently moved down to ¥160 JPY to $1 USD. Meaning if you were to transfer $1,000 USD today, you’d score ¥160,289.01 in Japanese yen.
This is the point where we’d normally highlight that it’ll probably never be cheaper to travel Japan as an American than right now, but we don’t know that – it just keeps dropping.
Although, what we can guarantee is that for all you Americans out there, the value for money you’d get booking a trip right now is astronomical. So astronomical that it’s only economical to get in on it.
Ok, Maybe It CAN Get Cheaper
What do you mean it can be even cheaper?
Two words: Early Bird.
It may not be pow season just yet, but it is indeed early bird season. So if you’re on the hunt for epic deals and discounts, now’s the time to start checking.
Before you ask, of course we are running some pretty wicked deals ourselves, but that’s a topic for a different time. Halfway through a blog just doesn’t seem like a good time to mention that we are currently running 20% off rentals and lessons and guiding when you pre-book (did you catch that? Sweet).
But we aren’t just talking about us, we’re talkin’ accommodations that start to really ramp up prices towards the season's opening date. If you want to get epic accom that’s close to the mountain and doesn’t require additional costs for car rental to get to and from the runs, now’s the time to start locking them in.
Don't Tell Me, It Can Get Even Cheaper...
Bought an Ikon Pass for opening weekend laps at home? Do we have some news for you...
Furano is now covered under the Ikon Pass! So if you book in your trip and already have a an Ikon Pass on the ready, you can ride for free, literally.
Savings Aside, Why Else Should You Jump On Booking Early?
It’s Not Always Easy Organising
Have you ever tried to book a group dinner with your group of friends? It’s a true test of your patience. People don’t get back to you, people are keen but not ready to commit, people have different preferences of when they want to go – it becomes a nightmare situation pretty quick, especially if you leave it til the last minute.
Now consider that stress for a group ski trip… let’s just say it’s not a green run. So get in early, lock in those dates and give people enough time to get things like passports ready in advance.
Winter Rolls Around Pretty Fast, So Does Christmas
Want to know what happens when you leave booking in your trip til the last minute? Christmas shopping comes up and starts biting chunks out of your holiday funds as if it was a lost scene from a JAWS movie.
By booking early you can have the money already spent, leaving you more for the important things later on – like a brand new Burton Pathfinder to ride during your Japow trip.
And, There’s Some Pretty Sweet New Infrastructure
If you didn’t see earlier, Niseko Village has announced plans to upgrade their iconic Mori-no two-seater, changing it out for 86 new gondi’s, including 4 new ‘VIP’ cabins with tables fit for ‘light dining,’ and two with glass floors so that you can spot your mates on the and score epic POV photos without the need for drones.
Plus, Ramen, Onsen and Sushi
The list goes on. If you haven’t had Japanese food in Japan before, you’re truly missing out.
Honestly, a hot ramen after a day on the slopes is an unbeatable experience. It’s so good that you’ll almost be faking an injury just to justify heading in early while the rest of your crew stays out lapping.
And finally...
Work sucks, pow doesn't... enough said, really.
Don't miss out on epic early bird deals! 20% off rentals, lessons and guiding – huge.