I met up with my old friend Steve in Niigata, and after a day hanging out at his house we went to Myoko for a couple of days in the snow.

Myoko is a ski area close to the Niigata Nagano border. Mt Myoko is the mountain the region gets its name from, and there are several small ski areas on different parts of the peak. 

On the first day we went to Myoko Suginohara, the largest and busiest area. It was a Sunday and great weather so the slopes were quite crowded but it was good to be back on a snowboard again. After face planting off a jump, I also came to the grim realization that perhaps my skills have got a little rusty after a 7 year break.

We stayed at The Hawk and Hare Inn in Akakura which is run by an American ninjutsu falconer (I couldn’t make this stuff up.). It had a really relaxing atmosphere with a roaring fire, a constant supply of hot tea and a variety of boarding games. We played Risk, and I won (Steve will claim it was a draw).

Steve at Akakura Kanko (showing he's been in Japan too long by flashing the peace sign for photos)

The next day we went to Akakura Kanko. It was now a weekday, and snowing heavily so there were relatively few people out on the slopes. Much better snow conditions and for the first few hours there were even a few nice lines of untouched powder along the edges. We stopped for a break  at the Akakura Kanko Resort and Spa a large hotel complex located halfway down this small ski area. It was built in 1937, a collaborative effort between the Japanese and Germans, and perched on the side of the mountain. There is more than one reason why some locals gave it the nickname “the eagle’s nest.”  Steve and I  came in out of the cold, sat down in the very nice cafe and had cheese buns and coffee.

Akakura Kanko Resort & Spa (Spending most of my time behind a camera rather than in front of one has led to me forgetting to smile. I was having a good time, honest.)

After another couple of days in Niigata, I headed south to Tokyo.