KevinDay 1 - Kumanoyu Onsen - Such a great first day! I skied 11 runs, 8km.
Day 2 - Takamagahara - Gorgeous day and nice conditions, but only the bottom half was open so I had to do more runs to ski the same distance as yesterday. I skied 11 runs, 8km.
#skiing #shigakogen #takamagahara #nagano #japan #japow #ski
Day 3 - Yokoteyama - Bluebird skies and a lots of fresh artificial and natural snow. I skied 11 runs, but only 6 km today since a university ski team was practicing and it got a bit busy. Myoko and the Sea of Japan are visible off in the distance.
Day 4 - Yakebitai - Cloudy at first but got nicer towards the end of my workout, and the piste was terrific. Skied 11 runs, 11.5km, and fastest max speed so far this season at 82.1 km/h.
Day 5 - Kumanoyu - Cloudy and wet conditions but the piste was surprisingly speedy this morning. Skied 7 runs, 5.5km… Wanted to ski more but 4 bus loads of middle schoolers took over the resort so I left early.
Day 6 - Kumanoyu - it was cold and snowed a bit last night. The lift opening was delayed a bit so I only had a short day. Skied 4 runs, 4.4km and it was nice that the top of the resort was opened up.
Day 7 - Yakebitai - Bluebird skies and perfect pistes this morning, and not at all crowded. Skied 9 runs, 9.4km. Can’t wait till the heavy snows hit next week and the whole resort opens up ⛷️🥰
Day 8 - Ichinose Family - First time this season here. It was supposed to rain but weather held out and I had a fun time until the uni students started training after 9:30. Skied 9 runs, 6.2km. There was a nice #rainbow 🌈 out over the valley which was wonderful ⛷️🥰
Day 9 - Kumanoyu - After the big rain Friday night much of the snow melted but since it’s the weekend it was crazy crowded. Skied 7 runs, 5.1km.
Day 10 - Kumanoyu - Really nice cold conditions but I had to take care of some things at the town office so I left early after just a few runs. Skied 6 runs, 4.3km.
Day 11 - Ryuoo - First day at Ryuoo this season and only my second time ever to ski there. Had a great time chatting with some of the kids snowboarding there. It was cold, partly cloudy and super easy going today. Skied 10 runs, 12.6 km.
#skiing #shigakogen #nagano #japan #japow #ski #happybirthdaytome
Day 12 - Ryuoo - Went back again today since it was fun yesterday. It was sunny and hard pack today. Skied 8 runs, 10 km. No video today due to my incompetence operating my iPhone camera 😳
#skiing #shigakogen #nagano #japan #japow #ski #yamanouchitown
Day 13 - Yakebitai - I couldn’t update this yesterday due to meetings and an event. Yay! Snowing hard and an additional run opened up at Yakebitai. Unfortunately I had a meeting to attend so it was a short day. Skied 4 runs, 4.2 km. Really looking forward to skiing today with all the new pow.
#skiing #shigakogen #nagano #japan #japow #ski #yamanouchitown
Day 14 - Kumanoyu - Best conditions so far this season… about 30cm of the lightest fluffiest powder you can imagine. I had errands to take care of again today so I couldn’t ski that much but I got in 5 runs and skied 6.9 km. It’s gonna snow more tonight. All hail the snow gods 🙏
#skiing #shigakogen #nagano #japan #japow #ski #yamanouchitown #kumapow
Day 15 - Kumanoyu - Thank you Snow Gods❣️ Fifty cm of fluffy stuff fell last night and this morning. I moved from my early season skies to the Rossignol Super Virage Versatiles which are decent on this type of powder and piste mix. Hope it stays cold so we can get past the forecast stretch of no snow weather over the next ten or so days. I skied 7 runs, 9.2 km.
#skiing #shigakogen #nagano #japan #japow #ski #yamanouchitown #kumapow
Day 16 - Alpen Blick - Yesterday was gorgeous bluebird skies, and despite the snow shortage, surprisingly good conditions at Myoko’s Alpen Blick Ski Resort’s opener on Christmas Eve Day. I skied 9 runs, 17.3 km. It was also great to meet a fellow mastodon community member for the first time irl!
Merry Christmas everyone.
#skiing #ikenotairaonsen #alpenblick #myoko #niigata #japan #japow #ski #ikepow #christmas
Day 17 - Okushiga - Yesterday did my first day at Okushiga Kogen and it was beautiful and, surprisingly, not crowded for Christmas Day. No powder but the pistes were rocket 🚀 fast. I had to leave early though for a meeting so only skied 3 runs, 8.6 km.
Merry Christmas everyone.
#skiing #shigakogen #okushiga #niigata #japan #japow #ski #christmas
Day 18 - Ichinose Family - Yesterday was gorgeous but very crowded. Ichinose and Yakebitai finally connected so did multiple areas. I skied 10 runs, 10.9 km. The sea of clouds (雲海) far below was stunningly beautiful.
#skiing #shigakogen #ichinosefamily #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 19 - Okushiga - It was cold, cloudy, and crowded yesterday so I retreated quickly to the hotel lounge and then the restaurant. The bit of fresh snow was nice, though. I only skied 2 runs, 5.9 km. It was too crowded so I didn’t take a video.
#skiing #shigakogen #OkushigaKogen #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 20 - Hoppo Bunadaira - such a difference a day makes. It was terrific at Bunadaira for their opening day. Though the snow depth is very shallow the pistes were extremely fast💨 I also got a couple runs in at Nishidate as well. I skied 8 runs, 10.1 km.
#skiing #shigakogen #HoppoBunadaira #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 21 - Tsugaike - Wasn’t able to update for a couple of days so this is from two days ago. Visited Hakuba for the first time in two years. Lots rocks and plants poking through the thin snow. Crowds were massive, too.
#skiing #Tsugaike #Hakuba #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 22 - Tsugaike - Second day at Tsugaike yesterday and it was way too warm. More rocks and bald spots poking out put some nasty scratches on my skis. The crowds were massive again too. The views up at the top were stunningly beautiful, though.
#skiing #Tsugaike #Hakuba #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 23 - Hoppo Bunadaira - (sorry for the lack of updates these past few days) This is from December 31st. Big rain the night before destroyed the pistes but at least there were no rocks. I skied 8 runs, 9.4 km.
#skiing #shigakogen #HoppoBunadaira #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 24 - Ikenotaira Alpen Blick - (sorry for the lack of updates these past few days) This is from January 1st. Happy new year everyone. I proved that I can still drink till the wee hours celebrating a new year and get out to the ski resort for first tracks. I also broke out the new Zuma skis for the fresh powpow that fell overnight. Great day! I skied 4 runs, 10km.
#skiing #Myoko #ikenotairaonsen #alpenblick #niigata #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 25 - Hoppo Bunadaira - Super nice day on January 2nd. I skied Bunadaira and Nishidate and the conditions were terrific with some fresh powder everywhere. Also enjoyed skiing with a sempai I bump into regularly from Yamanashi. I skied 8 runs, 11 km.
#skiing #shigakogen #HoppoBunadaira #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 26 - Hoppo Bunadaira - Today was super beautiful and Terakoya opened! Yay! There was shallow shin-deep but light & nice powder throughout the area. Higashidate was also great! I skied 10 runs, 14.1 km.
#skiing #shigakogen #Terakoya #HoppoBunadaira #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 27 - Okushiga Kogen - This was January 4th. It was snowing hard when I arrived but not really blizzard conditions. The powder was starting to pile up and it was really great to have fresh snow but visibility was low and I had to get back for a meeting so I only skied 3 runs, 8.1 km. The downhill course opened as well so I got my first run of the season there, too.
#skiing #shigakogen #okushiga #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 28 - Nishitateyama and more - This is from January 5th. My buddy came up from Karuizawa and we had an amazing perfect conditions day. We skied Nishitate, Bunadaira, Higashitate, Terakoya, Takamagahara, Tannenomori, Ichinose Family… and back. It was a picture perfect powder filled day. I skied 17 runs, 24.7 km.
#skiing #shigakogen #Nishitateyama #Terakoya #HoppoBunadaira #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 29 - Nishitateyama and more - Packed my small backpack and on my first run checked in to an inn on the ski runs. I ended up skiing the most of any day this season going from Yamanoeki all the way to Okushiga. It was cloudy cold and surprisingly uncrowded despite being the middle of a three day weekend. I skied 20 runs, 32 km.
#skiing #shigakogen #Nishitateyama #Terakoya #HoppoBunadaira #Yakebitaiyama #OkushigaKogen #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 30 - Hoppo Bunadaira - spent the night at a great inn that is only accessible via skis or snowcat/snowmobile, and woke up to 40+cm of fresh fluffy goodness and heavy snow falling. It was a short day due to an afternoon commitment but I skied 9 runs, 14.9 km.
#skiing #shigakogen #Nishitateyama #Terakoya #HoppoBunadaira #OkushigaKogen #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 31 - Terakoya - Stunningly beautiful day all day. My buddies came up from Karuizawa and we had perfect fluffy powder and firm but super soft pistes on Bunadaira, Nishitate, Higashitate, Takamagahara, and Terakoya. It was a real joy. I skied 12 runs, 18.4 km.
#skiing #shigakogen #Nishitateyama #Terakoya #HoppoBunadaira #OkushigaKogen #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 32 - Hoppo Bunadaira - Such a fun day teaching three kids how to ski better. They’re working at Shibu Onsen at a really famous ancient ryokan for months and didn’t understand that we have Japan’s largest and highest altitude ski resort right in town. I skied 4 runs, 6 km.
#skiing #shigakogen #HoppoBunadaira #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 33 - Takamagahara - (this is from January 11th) Super nice day with excellent conditions throughout the central area of Shiga including Terakoya, nishi and Higashidate. I skied 8 runs, 13.7 km.
#skiing #shigakogen #takamagahara #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn
Day 34 - Ryuoo - Much better conditions at Ryuoo yesterday. I’m really finding I like this resort and its funky clientele. I spent two hours skiing and hanging out with some university students who were up from Tokyo and they gave me confidence that Japan is gonna be fine. They also taught me about #BeReal lol. I skied 11 runs, 12.7 km.
#skiing #kitashigakogen #ryuoo #nagano #japan #japow #ski #skiresortporn #yamanouchitown
Day 35 - Ichinose Diamond and more - Skied with friends who came up from Karuizawa and had a fantabulous day with powder that was out of this world!!!
The powder was super light and it snowed for hours and hours. I skied 19 runs, 23.4 km and did my first run on #Giant of the season. Today was an outrageously good day. Can’t wait for tomorrow!
#skiing #shigakogen #IchinoseDiamond #nagano #japan #japow #ski #shigapow #skiresortporn #yamanouchitown
Day 36 - Sun Valley and more - My friends from Karuizawa stayed overnight and we had another fantabulous day. Yesterday was bluebird skies and tons of fluffy white goodness from 50+ cm dump yesterday. Finally got to Sun Valley, too, and had a blast in the powdery abundance. Probably the best day of the season so far. I skied 26 runs, 23 km.
#skiing #shigakogen #SunValley #Maruike #Hasuike #nagano #japan #japow #ski #shigapow #skiresortporn #yamanouchitown
Christopher Keener, pHd 
@japanskier had to look up #BeReal. Interesting what new social media platforms are doing to respond to excesses of prior generations of platforms, but I have to say I personally fail to find it appealing.
@RoboticistDuck Apparently it’s huge right now with students.
TomatoGrilledCheese 
@japanskier Dude, that looks awesome!
@TomatoGrilledCheese It was exactly that. And tomorrow will be even more awesome ⛷️
McSpadden@japanskier amazing!