At 68, after a 30-year hiatus from skiing, I embarked on a journey with Powder Culture Tours. The skiing landscape had evolved, rendering my previous knowledge obsolete. Yet, Jase and his team in Japan were unwavering in their commitment to helping me understand and implement new techniques and make incremental improvements every day. Over eight days, they guided me, helping me rediscover the joy of skiing. By the trip's end, I confidently navigated steep terrain and even conquered steep runs that were cut up by previous skiers. I relished the leisurely pace of skiing through small wooded areas, a testament to the transformation I had undergone with Jase, George, Dan, Oscar, Harry, George.

If you're anything like me and are feeling nervous about returning to skiing after a long break, I highly recommend booking with Jace and his team. They are some of the most hospitable, helpful, kind, and encouraging young men you will ever find on a ski slope.

One of the major benefits of skiing with Jase and his team is that they take you to the areas where the snow is the deepest, which may require travelling up to an hour by coach. However, the time passes quickly as you engage in conversation and listen to Jase's insights. More importantly, you will be taken to locations with minimal crowds, resulting in very short wait times. In fact, the longest queue I encountered during my 9-day trip was only for 12 people waiting for an 8-person gondola.
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Coming from a safe tropical island with no mountains or snow and doing boring sports like canoeing, biking and swimming, it's easy to think that I've got no business being on slippery ski slopes. Picking up skiing at age 39 several years ago, I never progressed much. I decided to throw a 2-week trip at this and Jase (a real GC that guy ;) ) was flexible to customise the trip for me. This is my third time back with Japan Powder Culture Tours.

Since I expressed motivation on progressing, Jase gave me homework to do - reading the instructor's teaching guide! A lot to remember and it also gave me a better insight to what the JPC instructors have all been teaching me. "Repetition is the mother of skill" so I was quizzed on the basic ski movements and almost every session I had on the slopes we worked on one or two things. It's all about fine-tuning the technique! I was surprised by how easily I could forget something or pick up a bad habit, so I'm glad I dedicated two weeks to this! I needed someone to correct me frequently.

On day 7 at breakfast Jase told me that he wants me to teach the beginners, together with one of the instructors of course. I panicked, who am I to teach anyone how to ski when I'm still figuring this stuff out! But it helped me heaps and I was able to help two complete beginners. Being in a teaching position meant that I had to remember everything that I've learnt. It also made me so much more aware of my technique, the movements and how to articulate it in a way that I understood and they understood. Seeing how the beginners ski also made me more aware of what I'm doing. Win-win for all.

I also got on the fatter powder skis for a few days which were a different feeling! We had a spell of warm weather so I didn't get to try them out on powder. I definitely learnt how to ski in different and interesting conditions. This is good because I can sort of handle different ski conditions on-piste (such as slush and icy stuff).

I even went down a black slope and it was pretty ok, Gus was with me the whole way as I made my way down turn by turn. On the last day the snow arrived. With more powder on the slopes it almost felt like learning something new again. I then started to understand why they kept drilling into me to learn to ski with even pressure on both skis, to parallel ski with the skis as close to each other as possible and a few other things. because those are needed in powder conditions. I still have some way to go before skiing off-piste and I'm enjoying the journey. Can't wait for the next season already!

Besides skiing, there's so much more that adds fine touches to the exeprience. Like knowing the good places to eat and the best time to go to beat the crowds and have a hassle-free day. The guides are also on walkie-talkies with one another so communication about where everybody is, which lifts are open/closed, and adjustments are always clear. The culture performances are great! Authentic and delivered with passion by each artist. For even more details, read the review I wrote for my trip in Dec 2023.

The JPC crew and operations are a well-oiled machine and I felt safe and looked-after all through my trip. It's so nice to meet fellow travelers on tour, we usually share stories during the bus trip down(or up) or at dinner! After writing all this, I can only conclude by saying that words don't do justice to the experience I had at Shiga Kogen with the JPC crew and fellow travelers! ARIGATO GOZAIMASU!
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Jase and his team are big hearted, super well organised and seem to have boundless energy. They tailor every day to suit the group and find the best conditions. The days are topped off with onsens, dinners and cultural activities. If you just want to ski a couple of hours a day you can do that too, but you'll need to wait around in a Cafe until it's time for everyone to finish for the day. From that perspective if you want to stay on the mountain, spend half a day skiing and the rest of the day doing other things this is not the trip for you. Having said that, great instructors and all round a very enjoyable experience. Oh, and the snow monkeys are a bonus.
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Wow …… wow ….. I love love love powder skiing!
I’ve skied powder in Canada before on a guided tour that pushed me so far out of my comfort zone with rocky cliffs and trees, I was hesitant. Which is not me. Powder Culture Tours have 5 guides including the owner Jase. You are guaranteed to ski with equal or better skiers in your group. The tuition you receive is ‘priceless’. The guides are professional, know the different resorts inside out to find the best POW available, encouraging and very occasionally empathetic. They are totally there for you, making you feel safe and working out your personality to know how far to push for improvement. Always there to rescue you from ‘powder tumbles’. Did I mention F.U.N.! Lots and lots of laughs were had. Generally ranges between 20-30 peeps on the tour changing personalities around you all the time. Which I love. From all walks of life. The accommodation, daily onsens, dinners, cultural events, sneaky stop offs after skiing, music on the bus, all help to bond the guests and make for a second to none experience. They had me at ‘Harry (guide) playing the saxophone on the bus on the way to the slopes’! I never go back to the same place twice …. BUT I’LL BE BACK.
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Really, there's no point in contemplating or thinking about it. Just book it - you won't regret it 1000%!

I booked Jase's tour as a single female snowboarder. I wanted time away from my mundane 9-5 and just get away from it all while improving my snowboarding, specifically in powder and experience the famous jaPOW. Boy, I really got it. We had powder everyday! The unique thing about Jase's tour is that he and his crew know where to go to find jaPOW. So even when the on-piste runs don't seem to have much powder, they will take you to places that do so that you're assured that you experience FRESH untouched jaPOW. It's amazing! They crew knows the runs and the mountains forwards and backwards, knows where and when it's safe to go. They are all patient with their instructions, enthusiastic about the sport, and will make sure you get that powder that you came to Japan for.

Not only do you get to experience japow, Jase will also make sure you experience cultural aspect of Japan as well - visiting shrines/temples, geisha show, taiko drum/karate performance, sushi train, lion dance, karaoke, etc. One of the ski instructors, Harry, even brought out his saxophone to show off his musical skills. Most other tours do not include this aspect into the tour packages, and it really made the trip unique and interesting.

The ryokan Yumoto where I stayed had an in-house onsen which I took advantage of everyday after snowboarding which helped the muscles recover and probably is what allowed me to snowboard everyday for 8 days straight. My room had western style beds and Japanese living area that was spacious with room for all my gear. Oh, and the breakfast and in-house dinners..So delectable,... so scrumptious. I miss it everyday.

All in all, very worth the money, time, energy, and effort to make this trip happen and I will cherish the memories for a long time. Hoping to repeat the trip next year for more japow!
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Firstly, I would like to say a huge thank you to Jase and the team! I joined the tour for 10 or so days at the end of December start of January and every aspect was incredible.

Yudanaka was a quintessentially Japanese little town with narrow streets, temples, onsen and incredibly little eateries. The Japanese rooms at the Royakan are a paragon of practicality. Always warm and always welcoming, with warm green tea at the ready and a cute daily sweet. The staff were lovely and the onsen at the end of a day Japanese snow was just the best!

Each day was organised and brought with it an new adventure of snow, mountains, cultural immersion, quirky lunch places and amazing stories from the guides and guests.

The snow was incredible and I enjoyed skiing with different guides as each had their own style, wisdom and guidance to share.

It was a very rejuvenating trip and the perfect way to start the new year - already looking forward to the next one!
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Get in early with Japan Culture Tours.
Wouldn't be surprised if they are fully booked next season.
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The information (FAQs) provided before the trip was very comprehensive and made organizing my travel easy. The "Japanese experience" at the hotel as well as the food and entertainment were fun. I visited in the first week of March: we had fresh snow and powder the first and second days but this changed to spring skiing for the remaining week which was a little unexpected and disappointing. The groups were small and intermediates were separated from beginners and advanced skiers. I met some amazing people whom I hope to meet again some time.
I had a lot of fun and am seriously considering going back next year, perhaps in January or February.
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What a fantastic time we had! Having never been to Japan before, this trip was the perfect way to get immersed in Japanese culture and, most importantly, the JAPOW!

The team at JPCT emulated everything Japanese - warmth, patience, respect and humility. The entire trip was so well organised and delivered everything as promised. Our entire cohort was exceptional too - we were respectful of each other and got along swellingly. We made great friends through this trip and planned to do this together again. Each guide was a seasoned veteran and knew precisely when to push or hold back and balanced the dynamics of varying skiing/snowboarding abilities well. I have definitely left becoming a better skier

In summary, I am having massive withdrawals of the culture, the powder, the fun, the escape from our monotonous daily lives and I would absolutely do this again in a heartbeat.
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• Do not pay attention to fake news. Shiga Kogen goes off with POW in any season.
• Boof heads need not apply. There is a policy for your kind.
• Beware the green light district. A different kind of downhill slope awaits you.
• Do not overestimate your ability. The mountain will take its revenge. Be realistic and you will be rewarded by the mountain with sublime conditions.
• If Australian, do not steal things, all eyes will be on you.
• Do not wear shoes on Tatami mats. Samurai sword awaits your toes.
• Do not ignore the Onsens. Your muscles and joints will take their revenge.
• Work on your abs. Humour on the road trip could split your sides.
• Don’t bother if you don’t enjoy your tucker.
• Don’t be shy. No matter solo, couple, family or group.
• You will have to put up with people from all over the world and all walks of life.
• It is addictive. No form of rehab will cure you once you have a taste. Three tours and counting for me. Frightening to see family and friends so concerned for my well being.
• Jase and his crew are bullies. They make you have fun and smile whether you like it or not. They act in the most sneaky of ways to make you a better skier/boarder. You like it and feel good, must be a sin.
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