There`s no question that foreign tourism has taken a beating in Japan since the March 11th earthquake.  The number of foreign tourists dropped 32% last August & were down more like 60% last April.  Numbers are rebounding but its still tough times. Obviously there are 2 main culprits for this, the strong Yen & the common misconception that travel beyond Fukushima poses health risks from radiation. The Japan Tourism agency plans to combat this by giving away 10000 free international flights to the land of the rising sun starting sometime mid-2012.  Yes that`s right….10000 & FREE! The idea is that those 10000 people will return home spreading the word that Japan is as fun & as safe as ever and a great destination for your next adventure. I`m confident that`s exactly what they`ll do……..especially those who will have spent their last week shredding knee deep powder in the Hakuba trees! It`s an ambitious proposal & an interesting marketing strategy and i hope it helps.  I also hope thatmore than a few Hakuba bound travelers can reap some of the benefits.  So, check out the links below & we`ll update the blog as more information becomes available. According to the Wall Street Journal, online applications will  start next April with lucky winners being selected next summer. Check out the Wall Street Journal`s Japan Realtime article & also, have a look at the JNTO`s website for more info….& we`ll keep you posted! Nihon Ganbare!

The first snow was actually on Sept 19th but it melted by 8am. The first decent dusting happened in the last two days. There’s a definite chill in the air and everyone is busy in the village harvesting the rice before the first frost. Not long to go now!

SnowJapan.com has been one of the leading online resources for information on skiing & snowboarding all over Japan for over a decade.  Like a lot of us in the ski & snowboard industry here, they`ve fielded lots of questions concerning the implications of the disasters on the ski hills here.  In response, they`ve put together an online  “guide” providing “clear, balanced & honest information on the subject”. Anyhow, Its full of interesting links & resources & worth taking a look at, so thought i`d pass it on here. Be sure to check out the local accounts of the disasters & the section on radiation data. SnowJapan guide to the ‘Great East Japan Earthquake’ Can`t believe its still June & i`m already getting real excited about next winter!

If you live in the States & like to ski or snowboard in exotic places with tons of untouched powder……..you have 2 weeks left to register  for a chance to win a free trip for 2 to Hakuba Japan! ****For our non-US friends, apologies this contest applies only to US residents……….but the good news is EVO is offering %10 discounts to all Morino customers…..and they`ve already got the best prices on the best ski & snowboard gear. Just contact Morino and we`ll send details**** Winner will get: Round trip airfare from LA for 2 provided by JustFares.com (Want to buy this trip?) 5 Nights of lodging for two including breakfast at the Morino Lodge 2 Outerwear kits provided by Oakley Ski or Snowboard setup for 2 provided by Salomon Skis & Salomon Snowboards 2 Helmets provided by Bern Helmets Layers for 2 provided by Under Armour Mountain 2 Contour GPS HD Helmet Cams provided by Contour Round trip ground transportation from airport to Morino Lodge Spending money for meals ($500) Trip valued at: $7,000 Travel dates: Jan 8, 2012 – April 7, 2012 (your choice within that window)

Hakuba`s been having one of the better Springs i can remember with a healthy base remaining and sunshine galore….& at just the right temperature to keep the snow from getting too slushy. Up until a few days ago we still had full coverage right to the bottom of Happo & now there`s still lots of fun to be had on the top two thirds of the resorts. So if you`re into a carve or jib session on the piste, Happo, 47/Goryu & Tsugaike are all open through May 5th. Unfortunately the Happo Park has closed for the season a little earlier than planned. I believe this was a cost-cutting measure brought on by the big drop in business immediately after the Tohoku Earthquake. Fortunately, business at the resorts has bounced back as it becomes clear that Hakuba was unaffected by the disaster. The 47 park is still open….and its a good one too. And complimenting the on-piste action, there`s still great skiing to be had in the backcountry. Yesterday we had a visit from Erick & Kayoko –  friends & former Wadano Lodge managers – and took advantage of a stunning day with a long hike off the top of Happo. Even after 11 seasons here these mountains never fail to blow me away……. After a looooong descent down a perfect & untouched bowl, looking back at at literally dozens of similar untouched chutes & bowls i thought to myself “there isn`t a single bowl in my former home resort of Whistler that can touch anyone of these.” Hakuba….What a place!

It`s hard to believe that a month has already passed since the the devastating earthquake & Tsunami struck the North East region of Japan.  The pictures & videos that swarmed every media outlet on the planet were horrific and continue to shock us today.  And the hardship of those worse-affected is by no means over and the clean up & recovery will be a long & trying one indeed. Add to this the ongoing troubles at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear power plant and the near hysterical response of the international press & you can certainly say it was a strange and somewhat melancholy end to the otherwise fantastic ski season that`s currently winding down. On the other hand, we`ve been amazed at the outpouring of kindness and concern from family, friends & former guests of Morino, and the ski/snowboard community in general. All the emails, facebook posts, phone calls, etc. have been deeply appreciated & have reaffirmed our love for what we do……..provide a great place for great people from all over the world to come together and play in some of the best ski conditions on the planet! Lots of you have been asking about the situation in Hakuba and now that the fog of  disbelief has lifted and a little clarity has returned its a good time to share with you all the view of it all from Hakuba.   Was Hakuba affected by the earthquake? We felt the big one & a few of the aftershocks here in Hakuba but very lightly. Anyone who has lived in Tokyo for an extended period is accustomed to small earthquakes so none of us suspected anything major had occurred. It wasn`t until Jen was alerted via twitter that we realized the severity of what had happened up near Sendai. As […]

We were fortunate at Morino to have the good people of beardo for an extended stay with us this March………and they were fortunate to get some classic Hakuba conditions (its been a powder-filled March)……..& they made this killer video to back it up………thought i`d share it with you all. If its a hassle-free, warm & stylish hybrid beard-hat you`re after, check out http://www.beardowear.ca/

A nice touring hike today despite mixed resort conditions. Hiked up the first peak and then dropped into a nice north facing sheltered chute then up the next peak and down through perfectly spaced trees. Conditions were great in the chute as no sun had got in there! Not so good conditions on the 2nd lower descent but the views made up for it. The rare sunny February conditions look set to continue so get out there and enjoy them!