Overall Rating

Otoe Day Cat Skiing

Otoe Day Cat Skiing4.5/55
Otoe Day Cat Skiing4.5 out of 5 based on 5 reviews
  • Recommend
    100%
  • Would Revisit
    100%
Hokkaido Explorer Tour

Otoe Day Cat Skiing - Reviews

Otoe Day Cat Skiing - Reviews

Awesome day with NAC Furano

Kim Flynn
27/02/2019
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • RiderType
    Snowboarder
  • Rider Level
    Intermediate
  • Rider Age
    18-35
  • Home Country
    Australia
  • Month:
    February
  • Admin Rating
    3

Awesome day with NAC Furano

Kim Flynn
27/02/2019
We went CAT boarding with NAC in Furano, from start to finish it was an amazing and memorable day. We had Sam as our main guide, Sam was friendly, funny, encouraging, energetic and made sure we got the very best runs. We also had Harry and Yuki assisting us and they were great too. We had an absolute ball and met some great people. Highly recommend NAC in Furano for CAT skiing/boarding. Most of the runs were memorable with good even steepness with only one a bit too tight to enjoy on a snowboard. It’s not your Canadian steeps but it’s certainly not Japenses flats that other Cat skiing outfits get you into. Definatley a highlight of our trip.
See our video here

Deep Central Hokkaido Powder

18/04/2018

POWDERHOUNDS.COM

Powderhounds Ambassador
Powderhounds Ambassador

POWDERHOUNDS.COM

Powderhounds Ambassador
Powderhounds Ambassador
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • RiderType
    Skier
  • Rider Level
    Expert
  • Rider Age
    36-50
  • Month:
    February
  • Admin Rating
    5

Deep Central Hokkaido Powder

18/04/2018
An old lift line at Otoe
Amazing powder
The aftermath of face shots
Short nicely pitched zones
A small bowl with gorgeous powder
The deep Central Hokkaido powder was incredibly impressive and the terrain had some fun little pitches; if only there’d been more powder riding it would have been phenomenal. OK we admit it – we’re very greedy powder hounds!

Pros
- The snow quality was superb and delightfully deep too.
- The guides were very enthusiastic and patient, and kept the stoke going all day.
- Otoe Cat Skiing was good as an introductory tour for those reasonably new to cat skiing and/or powder riding and low-end advanced riders.
- The transport option from Furano is a huge pro so that you can combine everything Furano has to offer with cat skiing.

Cons
- The day of Otoe cat skiing didn’t involve a lot of vertical – only 1,700 metres (5,577ft). The vertical may have been fine for lower advanced riders, particularly if they fall over a bit and use a lot of energy in the powder, but upper advanced to expert skiers and snowboarders may feel that their powder appetite hasn’t been satisfied.
- And as is common to most Japan cat skiing, there was minimal expert and no extreme terrain.

NB Our ratings we’ve provided are relative to international snowcat skiing operations, including BC Canada where the terrain is significantly larger and extensive safety standards are in place.

You can see our full Otoe Cat Skiing review here.
See our video here

Powder bliss

Ray Mayers
21/03/2018
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • RiderType
    N/A
  • Rider Level
    N/A
  • Rider Age
    N/A
  • Home Country
    Australia
  • Month:
    February
  • Admin Rating
    4

Powder bliss

Ray Mayers
21/03/2018
We were tempted by the discount offered by Mt Otoe cat skiing in a convertible cat. I.E. an open top cat and boy are we glad we were tempted. We were blessed with a huge dump the night before and traveling to Mt Otoe from Furano, it was the heaviest snow I had seen.

The guides were the best I had ever experienced and as they had scoped the mountain over the 3 years or so of operations, they knew every knook and cranny.

The snow was deep but light and it was joyous skiing down the great runs on offer.

We got in 8 runs as our group were all experienced skiers and riders. The extra runs just added to a magical day and even had some sunny periods. Don’t let the convertible cat put you off. It was very comfortable and not cold at all and being able to take in the views on the way up the mountains was an added bonus. If you are heading to Furano then you must do a day cat tour. It will change your life.
See our video here

Great cat riding with enthusiastic team

paul lanyi
26/02/2018
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • RiderType
    Snowboarder
  • Rider Level
    Expert
  • Rider Age
    51-70
  • Home Country
    USA
  • Month:
    February
  • Admin Rating
    3

Great cat riding with enthusiastic team

paul lanyi
26/02/2018
Sam the British guide
Yoko and Tom
On a whim, on our 2nd to last day in Furano, we called NAC cat skiing and spoke with super enthusiastic Mio. We asked a bunch of questions and were informed that they had no guests the next day but if three of us signed up, we'd essentially have the cat to ourselves. We took a taxi to the Furano Prince and signed up in 5 minutes. Mio was as lively in person as on the phone.

The next am the 25 person bus pulled up at our pension exactly on time. Hans, the Austrian lead guide (and expert yodler) greeted us and got us on the road with Teppi (sp?) our intrepid driver and cat driver. Along the way to Nac Otoe, we learned that the resort was abandoned and that we would be skiing on old runs and in the trees. After the requisite 7-11 stop, Hans handed out beacons.

We arrived at the beautiful resort with a unique architected building at the base. Quick change into boots and off to the cat we went. Having done cat skiing in BC and Utah, I expected a pretty spartan cat and was pleased to find a comfortable cat with bucket seats. We also met our second guide (Sam, a lively Brit), a photographer, a local bartender along for the day, Mio and Yoko, the co-owner of NAC who turned out to be a 50+ year old ex Olympic Moguls competitor (and man could she turn them!)

The terrain looked spectacular. After our first 25 minute up ride, we did a quick shakedown and voila we got the goods. boot to knee high. Perfect snow. Hans scoped us all out and figured out instantly where we should ski.

The terrain he selected was perfect. We were all hooting and hollering. Not thigh deep as we had hoped for but very varied and beautiful.

Lunch was Bento box at a local Onsen. Yummy! Very filling and thankfully, not ramen. No other Westerners there, in fact, we learned the only Westerners to go there were 'Catters.

May I stress again, only three paying customers on the Cat. So we got freshies every run. We did not experience any super steep terrain, but were not really looking for it. I would imagine after a Japow dump the place would be amazing.

Onsen aferwards was a perfect capper (included in the price). Best onsen of the five I visited. Gorgeous view.

First class operation. Great guides. Hans is as professional and skilled as one could hope for.

What a unique experience -- defunct ski area, great riding, beautiful terrain, very safe, Onsen, Japanese food... Go. Just go.
See our video here

Unreal powder at Otoe

Jason Kent
15/02/2018
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • RiderType
    Snowboarder
  • Rider Level
    Advanced
  • Rider Age
    36-50
  • Home Country
    USA
  • Month:
    February
  • Admin Rating
    3

Unreal powder at Otoe

Jason Kent
15/02/2018
Our day was absolutely unreal, fresh snow all day and thigh-high powder. Great runs in mostly wooded areas with some wide open bowls. There were 11 people in our group (10 riders, 1 skiier) and three guides, one of whom took photographs. Most runs were spread out so untracked powder was easy to find. The guides were very friendly and easygoing and set good lines for us. Their regular snowcat was down and they had a replacement cat with an open air standing cabin, it was fine and they gave us a good discount because of it. No discount needed, the day was a bargain at twice the price. Easily one of my favorite snow days ever.
See our video here