Had been wanting to go to this region for a while and decided i would join a tour rather than try and organise it all myself. Was a little unsure what to expect but the tour (and the snow) totally delivered. The "off the beaten track" small and local resorts were great, exactly what i was after. No crowds and it helped that we had some good snow too. Came solo and skiied with others from the group most of the time, it was really 'go at your own pace'.
Our host (Kayde) and the JST team were excellent, professional and very helpful. Happy to answer all the questions from our group and keep us on track, if not actually in line all the time. We had a full size bus and driver for the tour, information on departure and arrival times was clear. Thought some of the driving might drag, but time flew by talking or looking at the scenery.
Accomodation was excellent, in large comfortable rooms. Always an onsen (including a couple of outdoor ones), something that really helps recovery after a day skiing. Large breakfasts and dinners included that were very good.
There are plenty more small and medium resorts out there - we drove past several - this is a great way to explore a few.
See our video here

I joined this tour hoping to avoid crowded resorts overrun with foreigners. This tour delivered exactly that and completely met my expectations. The company was a pleasure to deal with and they seem to be really engaged in their work and always acted with integrity. Our host (it is not "guided" as such, rather you are escorted from resort to resort with a host present to make it all happen smoothly), was fantastic. She was knowledgeable, personable, well-organised and fun.

The resorts ranged from very small to mid-sized and I enjoyed each one of them. I found the Tohoku region very enjoyable and interesting. I had been not looking forward to the various bus trips between resorts, but it turned out to be a highlight as the scenery was amazing and so interesting.

The staff at all of the hotels were very helpful and the hotels were comfortable and clean. All of them had onsens and we made use of these every night.

I think the cost is very fair considering it includes all transfers, a host, lift tickets (for non-Indy pass holders) and breakfast and dinner each day, which were generally of excellent standard.

I would not hesitate to book this trip again. Note the schedule is quite demanding but there is opportunity to take a rest day any time you feel like it.
See our video here