After 3 months in SE Asia, it feels peculiar to step foot in Japan.
Should I be drinking the tap water?
Can we flush toilet paper in this country?
Wait… the toilet seats are heated AND they play music?
Hold on, you’re telling me that we stand in a single file line to get on the train?
Is this real life?
Fun fact, I have not worn pants in months and Japan is in full fledged winter mode. That’s really the reason we are here. We like winter, because winter means snow. We like snow, because snow means snowboarding. And we love snowboarding.
And what’s a snowboarding adventure without some friends? We meet Sandra and Michaela at the Narita airport. You may remember them from such travels as Day 93-94: Iceland (Golden Circle), Day 95-100: Iceland (Ring Road and Westfjords), and my personal favorite; VIDEO: Highlights from Iceland.
In a few days, we get to add more friends to our crew; Zac and Carly. They basically save the day after we lose a phone in feet of powder (thought someone would have found that bad boy in the spring). I also want to mention that our friends did majority of the planning for this trip. Thanks friends!
Buy a Japan Rail Pass
First order of business, before even stepping foot in Japan, is to purchase a Japan Rail Pass. If you are planning a vacation to this beautiful country, you need to buy the JPR. The pass is only available to tourists, and the price changes depending on how many days it is valid. Our 14-day pass costs a total of $411. This sounds pricey, but without it, our train tickets would easily run us over $1300. The JPR paid for itself after 2-3 train rides. It is possible to buy the pass once you arrive in Japan, but you will pay around $50 more.
Traveling with your Gear
You may be asking yourself, “How are these guys snowboarding? They only have like 5 shirts?” Well, in August we flew back to KCMO for my sister’s wedding. While home, we packed our snowboards, boots, bindings, and other gear into a Burton snowboard bag. Our amazing friends picked up that bag in Kansas City, and brought that bad boy with them. 50 lbs of snow equipment comes in the clutch.
Rolling a big ol’ snowboard bag through the Tokyo train station is not my idea of fun, but we get it done. Eventually, we learn that it is very inexpensive to send your bags to their final destination via courier. We send three bags (one carry-on suitcase, and two snowboard bags) from Hokkaido to our accommodations in Hakuba, and the price ends up being around $60 USD. Worth it.
Slippers and Pajama Party
Before we get to the PJs, let’s talk slippers. Literally every place we stay has slippers. The “genkan” is the term used for the entrance area (usually a lower level) of an establishment where you would make the transition from shoes to slippers. It is definitely a faux pas to wear your shoes past the genkan area. When you step foot on that upper level, you need to be wearing slippers or at least a pair of socks.
If you are in someone’s home and you go to the bathroom, you may encounter toilet slippers. Who knew? Upon entering the the bathroom, take off your regular house slippers, pop on the bathroom slippers, do your business, and then get back into those comfy house slippers. Got it? Good.
Now let’s talk pajamas. My new favorite surprise is what kind of Japanese PJs will I get to wear at night. The first pair I try on are very similar to a Karategi (my orange outfit pictured above).
Some PJs resemble an old-man nightgown that buttons down the front so you can feel the breeze between your legs. At Rustsu, I felt like I was wearing some sort of brown velour track suit. I fully embrace the Japanese Pajama Culture and rock my outfit at multiple Japanese breakfast buffets.
Best Snow of my Life
No Joke. I am ruined now. Thanks alot Hokkaido.
Even though the forecast is a little iffy for snow, we experience the most, and best, snow of my life. We are talking feet of powder. Fresh light fluff that is never-ending, with perfectly spaced trees. Pair these conditions with our good friend and professional snowboarder Sandra who always pushes us to the limit, and we have the time of our lives.
For more on our snowboard adventure on Japan’s north island of Hokkaido, check out Kristin’s post.
Stephen gets Naked (pictures not included)
On our last day in Hokkaido, I tweak my knee before lunch and decide to call it a day. It’s a cold one outside and anything that resembles a hot tub is calling my name.
The Gals (Kristin, Sandra, and Michaela) tell me about the Japanese onsen/bath a couple days before, so I have a bit of an idea what I am getting into. I walk into the men’s onsen locker room. I don’t know the exact protocol, so I loiter a bit to see what others do. Turns out the first step is to get in your birthday suit. No towel, no swimsuit or speedo. When you walk through the door of the locker room there are actual signs forbidding clothes past a certain point.
Leaving the locker room, you enter an area with rows of shower stations. I see people pick up a small stool, so I do the same and set it down in front of a station. Each station has bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body soap. Sitting there naked between two Japanese men, I think to myself, “well this is different.”
After cleaning my body, Japanese-style, it is time for the actual onsen/bath. The onsen at Rusutsu has three baths of varying temperature. There are a couple hot ones, kind of like a hot tub, and a colder one as well. I take a seat in the hottest one. You may think it’s like your classic hot tub with jets, but the water is completely still. Sitting in this calm water with a few nude middle-aged Japanese men still makes me laugh.
It’s strange to me because I always considered Japanese to be a bit on the shy side, but then we have this freeing tradition of the onsen. I think Americans are just prudes when it comes to nudity.
Let’s Talk Toilets
Going to the bathroom is a whole other experience in Japan. After being in the land of bum guns for the last few months, I am introduced to the Japanese toilet. We have the bidet that shoots out warm water while the sound of waterfalls drains out the sounds of your business. My cold buns are always welcomed with a toasty toilet seat and that is something I miss the most. I know what I am asking Santa for Christmas.
Best Food of my Life
You may think I am exaggerating; best snow AND food of my life? Is this guy serious? Believe me, I was not expecting Japan to jump up to #1 on my country food list, but here we are.
This stellar ranking is a direct result of the expert advice and cooking skills of our new friends; Yuki and Kana. Yuki and Kana met Sandra at Cascade Snowboarding camp when they all worked together way beck when. From amazing sushi trains to gourmet meals bought with ingredients from a convenience store, Japan makes my stomach happy. My mouth is watering just talking about it. Please take me back!
Why is everything so delicious? The ingredients are crazy fresh and an extraordinary amount of effort is put into making sure you have a high quality dining experience.
We also find out that a huge bowl of ramen or udon is exactly what you need after a snowboarding session.
Fun Things to do in Tokyo:
Shinjuku Golden Gai
Back in the 1950’s, Shinjuku Golden Gai was known for prostitution. Today, the tiny rooms that dot the skinny alleys are now bars with an average capacity of 5-6 people. There are 8 of us and we barely squeeze into one of the “bigger” bars. We order some drinks and the bartender pulls out two bags of chips for us to snack on. We take over the playlist and an impromptu group karaoke session ensues.
Go-Karts
It may sound a little (see: alot) cheesy or super touristy, but driving go-karts through Tokyo is 100% worth it. We ride for about an hour and I want to go an hour more. There are six of us, dressed in costume, driving through the streets of Tokyo. Luckily we have a guide who knows the traffic laws and his way around.
Wanting to partake in this Mario-Kart fantasy? Make sure to get your international driving license. Also, don’t forgot that in Japan, they drive on the left side of the road.
Maid Cafe
I could write a short novel about this next experience. For Sandra’s birthday, Kana takes us to an interesting establishment in Akihabara; a maid cafe. Where do I start? When you walk in, you are greeted by Japanese women (maybe in their 20s?) dressed up in skimpy maid outfits.
The “maids” call the women patrons “princesses” and the male patrons “master,” not strange at all right? The premise is that their master/princess has come back from out of town and they are here to serve him/her. On the menu they have food and drinks with the option to buy packages where you play children’s board games with the maids.
The majority of people in the cafe are males, age 20-40. There are a few groups of people, but most come by themselves. The waitresses/maids also mention this word “Muy.” I don’t think I am spelling it correctly, but it references a kind of childhood innocence and they talk about being 17 forever… not sure why it couldn’t be at least 18. How about 21? Also, you are not really allowed to take photos. They say it’s because if they are not prepared their eyes might be closed and that would make them very sad. Lol.
Anyway, it was a birthday party to remember.
Hakuba Valley
Need another amazing Japan locale to go snowboarding? What better place than the home of the 1998 Winter Olympics? Nagano baby! So, Nagano is actually about an hour drive from the city of Hakuba, but this is where most of the Olympic events took place. The Hakuba Valley consists of around 10 resorts with a combined total of over 200 runs. The average snowfall in this part of Japan is roughly 11 meters. And guess what?! Lift passes are cheap. If you get a one-day lift pass for Hakuba 47, it will only run you about $45.
The two resorts we hit up are Hakuba 47 and Happo-One. Both good choices if you are in the area.
Day trip to Matsumoto
Looking for something to do when your snowboard weather isn’t cooperating in Hakuba? Head to the city of Matsumoto.
With mild weather and a little rain in the forecast we hop on the train and head to Matsumoto.
The 16th century Matsumoto castle is our first stop. FYI, this castle doesn’t have heat or AC, so dress accordingly. Nicknamed “Crow’s Castle” because of its dark color, the building is surrounded by an impressive moat filled with huge Japanese Koi. After winding your way through the many steep staircases of the castle, make sure you find a Samurai wandering through the garden for an unforgettable photo op.
Stop number two on our Matsumoto adventure is Matsumoto Brewery. They have a tap room in Nakamachi where they sport their 4 original beers as well as some guest beers. I recommend the pale ale. It is lovely.
With some time to kill before jumping on the train back to Hakuba, we explore some of the trendy vintage shops, and stumble across a stingy robot that serves ice cream.
Snow Monkeys
Jigokudani (good luck pronouncing that one) Monkey Park is another popular destination outside of Nagano. We buy our ticket (Snow Monkey 1-Day Pass) from the Nagano station. The 3500 Yen price includes entrance to the park as well as a roundtrip bus ride.
Why should you go to the Snow Monkey Park? Imagine this. Majestic Japanese forest. Snow-covered trees. Monkeys in a hot tub. Baby monkeys. Need I say more?
I read a few blogs that mentioned their bus was completely empty to get to the park. We get in line about 30 minutes before the bus leaves and the bus fills up fast. I think a second bus came by to pick up the remaining line.
Pro Tip #1: Get to the Nagano bus station early. There will be a line to take the bus to see the snow monkeys if it’s winter. It is also smart to buy your ticket well in advance for the day you would like to visit the park.
Pro Tip #2: If it is winter time, the trail to see the monkeys will be snowy/icey. Bring appropriate attire. Good/warm shoes are a must.
Pro Tip #3: Bring snacks. If you cut it close leaving the park to catch the bus, it’s nice to have some Japanese rice balls (onigiri) for the ride home.
Master Kashiwa
This beautiful man runs an amazing guesthouse in Hakuba. The Country Inn is more of a traditional Japanese guesthouse. Walking in, you are greeted by a kind man in his late 60’s, frantically running around with a phone tethered to his pocket.
My favorite story of the stay involves our good friends Sandra and Carly. They throw their boards and skis on the back of the guesthouse van and Master Kashiwa drives them into town. Arriving at their destination, the two jump out and start thanking him. He proceeds to drive away with their skis and snowboards attached. Spoiler Alert: He didn’t come back.
We pay for breakfast on our stay and each morning it is a pleasant surprise. The real Kashiwa cuisine pride and glory is the dinner. Check out this spread!
If you’re in the Hakuba area, stay at this guesthouse. When traveling, it is very easy and convenient to choose a generic restaurant or hotel that caters to tourists. Don’t get me wrong, Master Kashiwa is advertising to tourists as well. I mean the place is called the “Country Inn.” This guesthouse still embodies many Japanese traditions and cultures. That is what I love about it. It’s authentic and a one of a kind experience.
The Great Taxi Blunder of 2019
Every once in a while, things get lost in translation. Sometimes, it’s not a big deal, sometimes it costs you $250. Story time?
Exploring Tokyo gets the best of us and we are all running a bit behind for our flights. There are a multiple options to get to the airport, so we are not too worried. We can catch a bus, which is the cheapest option. There is the train, which costs a little bit more, or we can always grab a taxi, but they are pricey.
With two stuffed board bags in tow, we arrive at Tokyo station and check out the bus situation. The lines are a bit long and we quickly learn that they aren’t letting large snowboard bags on the bus. Awesome.
We make a bee line to the train ticket counter for the next departure to Narita airport. Come to find out, the whole train is sold out, so we would have to wait for a later train. That later train would be cutting it a little close, so we go back outside and weigh our options.
It’s crunch time, so the taxi is our one and only hope. With 4 people, two board bags and a few backpacks, we head to the cab line. Seeing an open wagon-like cab, we flag it down and ask if they’ll let us clown car it to the airport. The driver doesn’t seem to have a problem, so we stuff our gear in. Kristin gets the front seat (I can’t remember why), Sandra, Michaela, and myself get stuffed in the back. Keep in mind one seat is laid down and has the snowboard bags filling up space. It’s a veerrrrry tight squeeze.
During this whole ordeal of getting in the taxi we are asking about price multiple times and telling our destination (Narita Airport) multiple times. And we’re off, we’re going to make it!
Time to Panic?
Flash forward 20-some minutes into the drive. We see a sign for Haneda airport. Haneda? Narita? What did he hear? We tell the driver we are headed to Na-ri-ta airport… which is the complete opposite direction. This change of destination bumps our taxi price up to $250 and costs us precious time. The worry sets in.
We make it to the airport, pay the taxi driver, and start our mad dash. All of us make our flights and are finally able to breathe a huge sigh of relief. So what’s the lesson here? Maybe show your driver the destination a map… ya that’s probably a good idea.
