Just stumbled across this thread...think I might become a regular here!
Popping over to Japan in a couple of weeks for my annual Japan ski holiday. I've given up on Perisher thanks to the ridiculous lift prices.
Will be skiing Hakuba (2nd time there. 1st time was 2024 and concentrated only on Tsugaike)
2025 - Akakura Onsen
2024 - Tsugaike
2023 - Nozawa Onsen
Have skied Switzerland many moons ago but have been lobbing down to the Aussie alps (pretty much the NSW resorts only) for 40 years, with a few gap years when kids were too young & money tight.
This year I am going to take my own skis mainly just as an experiment to see how well I handle the public transport with a big, long bag plus my other luggage! (Yeah I know about black cat/takubin but I don't want to wait a day or 2 for my gear to arrive at my accommodation).
Q for the peeps already over there...I know they're getting a massive dump right now. My skis are 80mm underboot. Freshly waxed. I'm only an on-piste skier (sorta good intermediate, almost advanced) but I'm thinking they may be too narrow for the fluff even on piste. Happy to leave mine at home & hire wider skis if that's the consensus.
As an aside, I have seen a few instas/tiktoks of lift lines at Niseko. Like 15 to 20 mins wait! One of the main reasons I'll always avoid school holiday times, even try to avoid uni holidays too.