Spend a week snowboarding in Japan with Chad Otterstrom.
This is an incredible experience where you can snowboard and hang out with Chad Otterstrom for a week in Japan with a small group of just 6 riders. He’ll share with you his knowledge and experience from a life in the mountains. We’ll have our photographer and videographer on hand to capture all the action. Plus we’ll send you home a better snowboarder and STOKED.
This tour is based in Asahikawa City on the northern island of Hokkaido – THE most snow-sure part of Japan. Asahikawa is Hokkaido’s second-largest city and has the rep of having the most days with snowfall and the coldest temperatures in all of Japan. Expect some of the deepest, lightest and driest powder in the world.
Asahikawa is off the usual tourist trail so you’ll get a real Japan experience. What you’ll find here is deep powder, quirky old-school resorts, a steaming volcano, incredible backcountry, authentic onsen and a buzzing city without western influence.
Throughout the week you’ll ride a variety of lift accessed backcountry and resort terrain. You’ll chase the snow and ride at different resorts or backcountry areas each day – Asahidake, the lesser known ski areas and always a couple of our secret spots. Mint has years of experience snowboarding in this region and will monitor storm cycles daily to ensure you’re scoring these zones in the best conditions.
At night, Asahikawa is a buzzing city with plenty of ramen shops and izakaya where you can try the local speciality of Asahikawa ramen and the famous Otokoyama sake. After dinner there’s plenty of great bars to check out or simply walk back to the hotel and get ready for another big day riding in Central Hokkaido.