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Nagano

2015-2016 Niseko Ski Season

Well, what a season it has turned out to be.
With a slow start which had many Niseko veterans worried, the snow arrived and has not stopped.
David and I were lucky enough to be able to spend from mid December 2015-end February 2016 in Japan with the odd side trip to the UK for Christmas, the US (Jackson Hole) and Singapore but largely in Japan.
Our trip began with 6 days in Hakuba from 16th December. Sadly there was little snow there for our 6 days of skiing however we could imagine that when the snow did eventually fall, the skiing would be great. Very different scenery to Niseko, more like the Alps and quite spectacular. David managed to tag along with some mountain guides who did 2 training days up very high and the rest of the time we did a little touring. We visited Matsumoto Castle, or Crow Castle as it is locally known due to its black exterior, in Matsumoto City and Jenkoji Temple in Nagano City. If you do have the time to make it here make sure that you also walk around the surrounding streets which are filled with lovely traditional buildings and shops. A visit to that part of Japan would not have been complete without a drive to Jigokudani Monkey Park at Yamanouchi to see the famous Snow Monkeys bathing in their own hot spring up in the mountains. What a sight!