Itinerary
Undiscovered Tohoku
This is a trip for the intrepid ski adventurer only. Travelling deep in to the Tohoku region, north of Tokyo and Japan's final frontier for skiers, we base ourselves in three ski resorts where a holy alliance between deep untracked powder and perfectly spaces Japanese birch trees creates a compelling proposition.
Beyond the slopes, this is a journey in to rural Japan. You stay in a lodge owned by a decedent of the Matagi people, traditional winter hunters and you will spend a day hunting and foraging in the whitescape with Mr Oriyama and his family. This is an immersive, off-the grid experience learning the ancient ways of the indigenous Matagi people and experience their profound relationship with nature.
Basing yourself in a wonderful, remote lodge for three-nights, Oriyama-san will take you out trekking in the mountains and valleys for the day, where its natural bounty is revealed; wild, foraged vegetables and meat for the pot. Indeed, dining will be a cornerstone of your experience, be it surrounding a bonfire out in the wilderness or feasting on Matagi staples such as ‘Kiridampo-nabe’, or even bear-meat, back at the lodge. This is an experience for those seeking a spiritual connection with nature, learning from 13,000 years of Matagi life in this region, sharing their world in both gratitude and respect. Your classroom will be the great outdoors, in a remote corner of Japan to this day untroubled by foreign guests!
Day-by-day itinerary
Suggestions & Variations
With no set departures or fixed dates this itinerary can be extended, or even curtailed, to suit your available dates or match your budget.
It is obviously possible to adapt this itinerary to include more skiing, or more adventure, or both!
We have you staying in Tokyo at the outset, to help mitigate the effects of jet-lag and also because the onward travel arrangements to these very remote corners of Japan don't work as well without a layover. However, you could potentially move straight on to Akita Prefecture on Day 3 and then spend your time relaxing and sightseeing in Tokyo at the end of the holiday.
How much would this holidays cost?
Obviously, cost depends on which accommodation you choose, how many excursions and activities you want to book, whether you wish to include ski hire and local backcountry guides, etc. An indicative lead-in price for this two-week itinerary would depend on how many ski guided days you would like to include and, leading on from this, how many people these costs are shared between.
An indicative costs would be north of £3,800 per person, based on a decent standard of accommodation (mid / low season), transfers, lift passes, two ski guiding days in Hakkoda, a day trip with your Matagi guide in Akita Prefecture (including some meals) and economy class flights from the U.K.
If you were to move the dates to January (but still avoiding Christmas & New Year / Chinese New Year), this would then rise by approximately a couple of hundred pounds per person.
Solo travellers should also be aware that costs increase, as you carry the burden of the accommodation cost alone.
We don't have to include international flights. However, by keeping it all within one package, your arrangements are protected by ATOL.
Different Snow strive to offer the most competitive prices in all instances. However, we pride ourselves first and foremost on quality - we are an independent specialist tour operator and, therefore, are not beholden to any supplier. We make our decisions based only on who's best in each and every instance.
