January in Japan is something that many skiers and snowboarders like me have dreamt of for a long time. Whether it was magazine covers, video parts, instagram posts, or stories at the ski resort bar… it was the dream! The sites always looked so foreign, the food always looked so yummy, and the powder always looked so deep.
In a “normal” year (minus pandemic) I would typically have the pleasure of welcoming friends, showing them around, and trying to get the last table at the sushi train. But this isn’t a “normal” year, and the borders aren’t open for my friends (or any international visitors) to come in and share the experience.
So I got to thinking… how can I share this experience with my friends and family? And with that, the idea of a Japanuary series was born. In Japanuary Episode 1 my partner and I scored a great powder day at Niseko’s Grand Hirafu Resort. In Episode 2, some friends and I decided to skip the Japanese holiday “crowds”, and opted to head to the backcountry. In Episode 3, my buddy Juan Saldomando and I head for the city to run errands… but we take a pitstop along the way to scout a zone that has been on our list. And in this episode; Juan, his partner Delfi, and I cruise up to an abandoned ski resort outside of Niseko and have an incredible FOUR LAP day in the backcountry!
If any of this sounds like something you are interested in, I appreciate you liking the videos, subscribing to my channel, and turning on the notifications. And more than I can express in words, I truly appreciate the stoke shared in the comments! Looking forward to sharing more in future content!!!
Music:
Forever by Trophies :
Stay by NORTIN :
Cheers!
Nick Hill
Japanuary Episode 1:
Japanuary Episode 2:
Japanuary Episode 3:
AloJapan.com