Jase and the team did an excellent job and were very accommodating. Booking was a breeze and as soon as we arrived the accommodation (hotel transfer from/to Yudanaka train station was included), his team took us in for equipment fitting. They made sure our gear fit us well for all day of skiing, safety first.
Jase got us ryokan style room at Hotel Omodaka. The owners and the staffs were very nice, and food was delicious (more like home cooking japanese dishes). Jase did mention before the booking that some people complained the room can be cold, but we found it cosy, clean, comfy and great view.
The course we did was 1 day ski and 1 day self guided cultural tour. We've never skied before and Jase paired us with local japanese instructor, Naru, who's the best instructor for total noob like us. Only after an hour of lesson with him, we did slope and started doing high speed, snow wave, etc.
What's unique about this tour, 1) On daily basis, Jase would check the weather and decide where to go for best snow experience, 2) whatsapp community group keep you informed, 3) Pleasant surprises during the tour.
Jase is definitely a one of a kind guy. He entertained us with his 'fun facts' about Japan. It's good fun although not too sure about the accuracy 
See our video here

Hey Jase, just wanted to thank you and the guides for such a great JPC tour! I was so thrilled to discover that skiing is much like riding a bike, even after a 20 year hiatus! Gus was great with us and our 17 year old son has found a new passion, for snow boarding. Even my novice husband felt a sense of accomplishment and engagement with the group.
We were struck by how well the guides related to all the people we learnt with, the small groups and the agility with which different abilities could be catered for by moving across groups as progress developed. Another excellent aspect was how easily we were able to slot the snow component of our holiday in amongst our broader travels. All the organisation was seamlessly taken care of and included in our beginners package, with attire, equipment, lift passes etc all sorted for us. It was uplifting to meet new and interesting people, without feeling as though we were required to be together any more than we wanted to be and all this occurred within a relaxed vibe, but was just so well organised. All the best and thanks for catering so well for us all. (Biyu was fabulous too!)
The Swan family
See our video here

Japan Powder Culture Tours is truly a one of a kind experience full of personality and charm. Jase, our guide and owner of the company, was zany and lovable but that never stopped him from hosting a professional, well oiled and most importantly, memorable tour.

Huge props have to be given to our ski instructors: Harry, Oscar and Gus. As beginner skiers, our group of three took the three day package and each of them watched over us per day. Despite switching amongst themselves, each of their lessons flowed into next which allowed us beginners to develop at our own pace. It also goes without saying that we could not have asked for better teachers as they were patient and accommodating to our varying skill levels.

I could go on about our accommodations, the eating places, performances, sights, karaoke, the skiing and of course, our guide and instructors. All of these experiences made our trip into something we won't forget. Expounding on these experiences would mean little compared to actually living through them.

In short, our group wholeheartedly recommends Japan Powder Culture Tours as an introduction to Japan and skiing. Thank you to the crew for making it so.
See our video here

Jase's tour can be summarised succinctly, in my opinion, as follows: intentional chaos, proactively reactive and seriously fun.

Intentional chaos - as a planning freak, I am one to abide by strict scheduling, time discipline, and a very low tolerance for surprises. Jase's group appeared to me initially as quite the opposite. They were spontaneous and somewhat unpredictable (never knew what kind of stops we were gonna make at any point of time) but ultimately in hindsight it was clear that all of it was quite intentional (at least it seems to me), and extremely well executed.

Proactively reactive - Jase's group is full of energy and is constantly checking up on us and anticipating our every question and need. They also adapt very well to changing circumstances, and were quick to react accordingly (think unexpected injuries, differing skill levels of participants, unusual quirks and needs, etc.), thus always ensuring that they provide a unique and tailored experience to us.

Seriously fun - the 3 pillars they would constantly preach are safety, fun and improvement (P.S. Harry, I remembered!), and in particular I think that Jase's group takes "fun" extremely seriously. They will go to great lengths to ensure that each and every one of us have a good time and leave with absolutely nothing bad to say (:

All in all, my partner and I had a superb experience with Japan Powder Culture Tours. What to me was more impressive is that it wasn't a single individual that contributed to my great experience, but truly a team effort, and I think Jase has a really solid team, so a big shoutout to Harry, (new) Gus, Oscar and George. I will gladly recommend this group to anyone looking for good company to go get some of that J Pow.
See our video here

Service: 6 night Package/5 days Snow Boarding
Dates: 22•12•23 - 27•12•23
Visiting Country: Australia, Perth
Ability Level: Beginner Snow Boarder
Accommodation Location: Yudanaka
Price: Fairly priced
Several Inclusion + more

If you’re reading this, then you’ve either taken the leap to join Jase and the crew and you’re trying to get a feel for whats to come. Or you’re sitting there contemplating, trying to figure out whether this service/tour suits you and that you’ll get what you want. If this last one is you.. then definitely read further as I describe how I had the time of my life! All thanks to Japan Powder Culture Tours.

I can tell you now that what Jase provides is BEYOND what anyone would ever expect on and off the slopes.

I joined the team as a nervous, beginner snow boarder from Australia who’d only been boarding once before with no lessons or guidance on the slopes and after that tour I’m itching to get back and do it all again.

Guiding:
I had a couple different guides over my 5 days, Harry, George and Jase on my last day. I started out with the basics and got given tips I feel like you wouldn’t usually get taught like foot placement and direction for how to skate with your board and strapping in standing up. We went through safety (#1) posture and stance and began with simple exercises like the dreadful task of getting off the lift. Every day you were straight on the board, getting out there learning and still having fun.

As I progressively got better over the days there were moments where I was taken out of my comfort zone, which I think is important for improving (#3) your skills and building up your confidence. Some slopes were non the less terrifying but I was guided down the entire way and once I got to the bottom, the feeling was unreal! and I wanted to go again.

Each guide had something different to give in terms of helping shape you as a better boarder. They were all so friendly and kind, very informative, patient and you didn’t feel any judgement or unease at any time. It was nothing but pure fun! (#2)

Resorts:
We went to a different resort every day which is great to see a variety of places instead of staying at one. We went to resorts at Shiga, Togakushi and Madaroa, all with different beginner friendly slopes with plenty of snow. The resorts picked were dependent on the day, snow fall, how busy it was ect. So it was great knowing you were getting the absolute best there was to offer that day. Everything was well organised lunches at the resorts, lift passes and you were well informed of your day ahead. We didn’t have to wait long if not at all for the chair lifts at any of the resorts. There weren’t very many foreigners and it made you feel like you were making the most of your day being able to do runs constantly without it being busy.

Accommodation:
I stayed at Omodaka Hotel and if you want to experience the Japanese culture in fine form I’d recommend this place. The staff are very accommodating, the hotel has a humble feel to it with a beautiful view, the rooms are spacious, and the onsen.. that’s an experience in itself and most definitely the best part of the day. The in-house dinner and breakfast was also fantastic with a variety of dishes, overall it’s a great place to stay. Yudanaka town centre is about a 10/15 minute walk from Omodaka which has a mix of bars/restaurants/convenience stores which is worth checking out

Off the slopes:
There was nothing short of fun and entertainment off the slopes. Jase the legend that he is had us enjoying side shows like the Geisha performance, dinner outings for the whole group at some of Yudanakas delicious restaurants, a Karate performance, pits stops at the local service station and temples/shrines along the way, sword fights with the local traffic controller, Tokyo drifting up the hill to the slopes, story time on the ride back to the hotel, local information and music on the bus oh and my favourite karaoke night..which might I add I was the 1st customer to complete the Chu-Hi Challenge - Enquire if you dare, I bid you good luck!

Jase went that extra mile and really looked after everyone. He helped me get my bib fixed and he met me in Nagano AFTER the tour had finished to help kit me out with a new board and full set up. Now if that isn’t customer satisfaction to a Tee then you’ve got me stumped!

Not only does JPCT offer a guided service, they build up your confidence, improve your skills immensely and let you have a sh*tload of fun whilst doing so.

If that’s what you’re looking for then I’d suggest you book in with Jase and his team. Come with the right attitude and willingness to learn and you won’t be disappointed.

Massive thank you! to
Japan Powder Culture Tours
See our video here

I learnt how to ski with Japan Powder Culture Tours back in March 2019 as a complete beginner and had a great experience on the ski slopes of Nagano. Jase and his team has a structured way of teaching the foundations of skiing that is easy to understand and the rest is practice.

This year I wanted to do a little ski holiday over Christmas and came back to JPC because I trust Jase and he takes good care of all his clients. All of the instructors are amazing, patiently teaching and correcting my technique. They gave exercises to do for each run, things to focus on...what my body needs to do to ski better. We were split into groups based on ability and there was 1 instructor to 2-3 of us, or at most 5 at any one time. Each of us always got the attention and instruction that we needed.

I'll share more about my 2nd day to illustrate how patient and dedicated the instructors are: Jase wanted to really help us cement learning the side slipping technique so took us to a high and steep slope (of course he didn't give us a heads up before otherwise we wouldn't have gone)! I understand that learning and improving is getting out of one's comfort zone and being on that steep slope definitely motivated me to adapt and learn! Harry was our instructor for that day and he stayed next to us the whole time, sometimes blocking me from sliding too far forwards or backwards. I was scared I'd take off down the slope or roll down, but of course that didn't happen. Even though it was a bit scary, I felt safe as Harry was there the whole time talking us through what we needed to do, how to do it, correcting us and watching us slowly make our way down at the pace we were comfortable with. It took us 1.5 hours to get down that slope and he stayed next to us the whole time!

On the third day George, who instructed me that day, taught a few things that helped tie everything that I learnt the previous two days together and I felt smoother going down the slopes! I felt more confident with my skiing and started to have more fun!

What I like also about JPC Tours is that we go to ski resorts that are largely local and not overrun with tourists. The experience feels authentic and there's a bit of culture as Jase will share about the region and Japanese culture. I missed the karate, geisha and taiko drum performance as that was on the evening of my arrival day as I was exhausted from traveling all day but the others in the group enjoyed it.

The accommodation arranged at Omodaka is wonderful, the room was spacious and warm. Everyday we had an amazing and healthy breakfast feast to fuel up before driving out to the ski slopes. And of course coming back to the onsen after a day of skiing is the best way to wrap up the day and help those tired muscles recover. A thing to note is that Hotel Omodaka (and most accommodations in Yudanaka) don't have showers attached to the rooms, so one would have to go to the onsen (located within the same building) to take a shower. Initially I felt that wasn't something I'd like but it is actually ok - I went to the onsen everyday anyway, and for hygiene purposes one would shower before getting into the onsen. It is never crowded in the onsen, male and female are separate, nudity is completely normal and no biggie, everybody just minds their own business. I highly recommend the onsen experience, it is quite something different and a Japanese tradition. Everything that one needs is provided in the onsen and shower area. There are also hairdryers, face/body moisturisers.

My stay included one dinner in the hotel and it was the best dinner I've had in years! It must have been 8 courses with some side dishes, all meticulously prepared and delicious!

It was very nice of Jase to take us out to karaoke at the Geisha bar on Christmas night, we had fun! Good vibes from the crew and fellow skiiers/snowboarders in the group. I can't wait to come back again and improve my skiing.
See our video here

Great snow conditions, every day is so different and fun, awesome instructors/guides who know what they're doing.

You can make it more fun and exciting for yourself if you actively try to make friends with people who enjoy the same things you do (eg. bar hopping) or you could make it more relaxing by simply enjoying a walk around the quiet town in the evening. If you're staying at the Biyu, a daily visit to the onsen is a must-have.
See our video here

We had a wonderful time with Japan Powder Culture Tours. From gear fittings and transportation to entertainment nights and accommodation bookings, Jase and his team has made our experience feel seamless. We especially got a lot out of spending each ski day with our instructors Dan and Liam who guided us through the foundations and provided great technical feedback too. Would recommend this package for anyone who just wants to rock up and ski without worrying about the nitty gritty of planning.
See our video here

I booked a 4 day/ 5 nights solo trip package with JPCT in mid-December 2022 and spent time in Tokyo either side of the dates I had booked as recommended by Jase. I would highly recommend doing this as it enables you to see multiple aspects of ‘winter in Japan’ as a first timer. This was my dream trip and JPCT was the best part.

After heading out to Nagano on a bullet train (an amazing experience in itself), I was met by Jase and his chipper team of ski instructors. The team are really easy to get on with and it was clear they would go the extra mile to make the trip special. They answered any questions I had and were extremely professional throughout the entire trip. I felt that my safety was prioritised as a beginner; this helped me form a really good relationship with the sport of skiing and has encouraged me to take it on in more trips. The age differential across the instructors means that there is always someone in the team you can get along with that has a similar age to you.

The accommodation was stellar and situated in a small town inhabited by only Japanese residents and tourists. It’s amazing that Jase has garnered a relationship with the locals, that enables only his guests to see ‘behind the curtain’ at some of the nicest and most private ski fields in Japan. Staying in a traditional-yet luxury hotel (Royokan Biyu), eating from traditional menus, and doing an Onsen (public hot water bath) each night formed the ultimate package, that felt exclusive to Japanese locals.

I was initially concerned that the 12th of December would be too early in the season, however the snow conditions prevailed, and I was welcomed with falling snow each morning as I walked out and sat in Jase’s van. The skiing was fantastic, and I was spoiled by virtually 1-1 teaching from people in the ski team, since it was earlier in the season. I picked up a multitude of skills and tools (at least 10 skills) that will forever be valuable in future skiing expeditions. I didn’t need to worry at all about logistics as Jase already had everything covered well in advance (he even had food recommendations at each restaurant we visited). Jase recommended I take 1 day out of the trip as a Japan culture day. I liked this experience as I was able to view some of the less known cultural hubs in the local towns. It’s also a great idea as I was able to rest and come back stronger on the next day. Each night Jase had organised cultural experiences, were local Japanese artists and cultural leaders would come and perform. These were extremely personalised to our small group and offered extensive interaction.

The overall theme of this tour was that I was being given access to the ‘real’ Japan, that is not overtly available to international tourists. This was emphasised in every aspect of the tour from the accommodation to the skiing to the cultural experience. It has reshaped my view of taking a holiday, and this will be a key criteria I use when booking future holidays in other countries. Would 10/10 recommend- you would be missing out if you went with any other tour group.
See our video here

We joined Jase and his team for 3 days in skiing and it was nothing short of a magical experience. Hailing from the ass crack of the equator, we had never even seen snow before, let alone skiied. Pre-trip, Jase patiently answered all our queries and efficiently arranged the booking process and was key in making us feel at ease and excited.

As part of a highly customised tour, Liam and Dan were the padawans who took care of the beginner group and they were not only patient, encouraging and skillful, but also flexible at adjusting to our individual learning speeds. We felt comfortable being under their care and pushing ourselves knowing they had our backs.

There are many other areas we were impressed with, including the group's dedication to ensure we had the best snow conditions throughout all three days and Jase's top notch driving skills! The cherry on top is all the other activities that Jase and team organised, including taking us out to local haunts for dinner; beautiful, non-touristy spots that truly felt special; taiko drums and geisha performance; karaoke nights; the list goes on.

The biyu was an excellent choice of accommodation. Staff (including honorary staff Jase) were friendly, helpful and the onsen after a day of skiing was absolutely divine. Yudanaka is a quaint town with proximity to the snow monkeys and Shibu Onsen, great for exploration.

Overall, it was an extremely smooth and enjoyable process that was fun, safe and we found a new, very addictive hobby. We thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend to anyone looking for a good experience. Miss the team and can't wait to be back!
See our video here