I tried emailing guides directly from a list of accredited guides I found online and was striking out after at least 20 emails. I decided to message Powderhounds and they were able to find me a very friendly and competent guide, Phil. He took us to the backcountry behind Kokusai. Great snow back there but snowmobiles were going off that day as was a national holiday which tracked over the nice open areas we were skiing. No fault of Phil’s as he delivered great terrain in the trees once the winds and snow made backcountry untenable for us and the sledders. Thank you Powderhounds!
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Traveled to Japan from the US with a group of four friends and did two guided days with Max. He's incredibly knowledgeable, kind, fun and takes all the precautions expected from a large backcountry operation. Would 10/10 recommend Max for your next guided adventure in Japan!
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The tour was wonderful and gave us the opportunity to find deep lift-accessed powder, which is the main reason why we came up Japan. Max was very prompt for pickup and got us to the resort and back with no issues. He offered us the flexibility to stay as long as we liked and to have a lunch break whenever we wanted. He clearly knew the terrain at Kiroro very well. Lastly, he helped out someone in my group who was stuck in a hole in the powder who struggled to get out. I would definitely recommend using Max for those seeking out powder and unfamiliar with the local terrain.
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