Frequently Asked Questions

“To learn the true meaning of skiing or snowboarding is to be able to live in the NOW. That feeling when your mind and ego are at peace while riding down that pristine slope, and you are totally in the present moment can have life changing repercussions for all aspects of your life. True realisation of ongoing enlightenment happens in the NOW and this is the hope we have for all our guests when they leave us at Japan Powder Culture Tours.” Jase (Owner)

FAQ’s, Tour Essentials, and Pre Trip Information

 We understand when coming to a new country for the first time it can be a bit nerve racking and daunting navigating, so we have compiled this document to put your mind at rest. Unlike many western ski destinations, Japan has its own unique challenges when trying to organise a ski trip.  The language, a difference in business focus and communication, a predominately cash society and ski resorts that are not set up for westerners’ passion for powder can create frustrations when trying to deliver a quality product.  This document is broken down into three parts including, frequently asked questions, tour essentials and pre trip information, so please read through this document before you send us your questions as they may already have been covered here and it will save you considerable time having to try googling things.  For those that are coming to Japan for a longer period to do some sightseeing at the beginning or end of your tour we can assist with suggestions of some areas to go to experience the real Japan outside the hordes of visitors that congregate at the more publicised areas and we offer a service to assist you with your trip outside our tours so you get to see the real Japan and not just the tourist traps that some travel agents or online organisations may recommend to you.  We understand this document is a bit of a novel, however by reading this you will save a lot of time having to spend time on Google trying to plan your trip.

What can you tell us about skiing Hokkaido versus Honshu?  This is written by Jase owner of JPC TOURS with his own personal experience of the Japanese ski scene.

I will give you an assessment of Hokkaido (this also applies to resorts such as Hakuba, Myoko and Nozawa Onsen on the main island of Honshu) vs the area Japan Powder Culture Tours is based in Nagano.  I just did a count and I have now skied at over 60 resorts throughout Japan, so I probably have a few valuable insights from my last ten plus years in Japan.  Initially I started work at Niseko in Hokkaido as that was all that was marketed back then when I started going to Japan.  I did a couple of seasons there working for guiding and ski school companies and then moved on as it changed from where you could get fresh lines all day if you knew the mountain to where it all got smashed up by 10 -11am and it turned into a race to get the powder, with the lift lines getting bigger and bigger. I worked for other guiding companies for a couple of seasons as well guiding all the well know resorts in Hokkaido but also many of the unknown ones as well (which in my opinion was where the gold was at).  I really enjoyed my time in Hokkaido and the snow is fantastic especially at the resorts off the beaten trail from the more westernised pockets.

Then fate, the universe, God, source energy or whatever label you wish to use for that unseen power that guides us, brought me to the area we are now based in Yudanaka (home of the world-famous Snow Monkeys). 

So, let’s talk about the snow first as that is what most are coming for initially.  Hokkaido gets snow just as Honshu does.  In Hokkaido the weather pattern is different to Honshu. It storms a lot and can be very cold, windy, and blue bird days are infrequent, so it is a lot more brutal up north for beginners and intermediates who are looking to progress their skills.  The advanced skiers and boarders can jump into the trees (side country) to combat the weather however the less advanced have to stay to the more exposed trails. Also due to the wind element in Hokkaido and the fact that the resorts can be very conservative with their lift operation there can be many times the upper lifts are closed which causes huge congestions on the lower slopes.

The reason you hear so much about Hokkaido POW in my estimation is that many of the resorts that have been westernised meaning you see few Japanese at these resorts and much more gaijin (foreigners) because the western market has purchased accommodation, land, buildings, bars, restaurants and shops and have a vested interest in promoting the resorts in places like Niseko and Furano and the same occurs on the island of Honshu at Hakuba, Myoko and Nozawa Onsen.  The predominantly Japanese resorts are generally not as adept at marketing to gaijin and are more interested in getting their own domestic skiers to their resorts, so you do not hear about them as much.  Also, many of the true powderhounds go to Hokkaido so there are a lot more YouTube videos online promoting the area.  The international travel is longer and more expensive as you generally land in either Narita or Haneda airport on the island of Honshu then have to take another flight to Sapporo in Hokkaido then bus transport to whichever resort you choose.

Compare that to where we are based.  We are the only guiding company in our area after 10 seasons, and it will stay that way for quite some time which I will explain when you get with us.  The real bonus of where we are is, we have a mountain I call old faithful in the form of Shiga Kogen which is not only the largest ski resort in Asia (with over 50 lifts) but also the highest lift access, with the longest season of just over 6 months.  To give you an idea most resorts in Hokkaido their lifts go to about 1200 metres.  Shiga Kogens highest is 2307 metres with the majority at 2000 metres.  Hence the higher and drier slogan comes to bear.  They liken a certain part of Shiga Kogen powder to that same consistency as that of Utah which is super dry. 

The other great thing of being based in Yudanaka (our base authentic ski town at 600 metres) is that we have our own vehicles and can chase the best snow as we have many other resorts we can go to from this hub.  You get a lot of microevent snow happening in Japan so it may snow in the south one night and not in any other directions of the compass, so we go where it snows as we have no pre-arranged cheaper lift prices from any resort, so we do not promote one resort over another just to make a few extra bucks.  The other resorts we go to are Madarao, Tangram, Togakushi and Nozawa Onsen.  The 2019/2020 snow year was a lower than usual one in Japan and many guests cancelled their trips to Japan as the resorts that are lower than where we are located did not have the consistent quality of snow.  We did not have that problem and were able to still find powder for our clients throughout the season.  So, it really makes sense to go to the highest resort you can in Japan to counteract any less than traditional snow years (which thankfully do not happen too often). 

Just to give you an idea of how we structure things after a fresh snowfall.  We will go to a place called Madarao and Tangram ski resorts as the best skiing is straight after a fall as they sit at 1380 metres so the snow the next day following the POW Day is not only chopped up, but it can warm up being lower making it pretty funky snow.  We then can hit a resort called Togakushi which is higher than Madarao the following day as it is a totally Japanese resort, so they do not ski off piste and our groups are like celebrities when we get there – we are definitely the minority there. 

We only go to Nozawa Onsen now if it is snowing during the day as many of the westerners will stay inside their accommodation and bars to await the storm to break so we then get a fair shot at the powder for our guests.  Nozawa Onsen has become very busy now with westerners and have been given the label of the new Nieko’s of Honshu.  We can then go back to old faithful Shiga 3-6 days after a storm and still give our clients fresh lines in the slack country all day.  I kid you not.  So that's the difference between the two islands in terms of snow.  International travel is shorter and less expensive as you land in either Narita or Haneda airports then you can either use the train network utilising the bullet trains or get a direct shuttle to your lodgings in Yudanaka. 

Now let's talk about the cultural aspect.  The only westerners that come to our base in Yudanaka are our ski groups and others are what we call the snow monkey people, who come for one night to see the monkeys.  They generally eat in their Ryokan accommodation so the restaurants in the town are all ours for the taking and there are many amazing mom and pop places to dine where you get to mix with the locals.  You only get this type of experience in Hokkaido if you have a vehicle to go to the smaller out of the way resorts away from the western congestion.  At the more westernised resorts in Hokkaido the accommodation, restaurants and shops are owned by westerners, so it is more like being in Whistler than Japan. 

We also have the benefit of some amazing cultural performances that we can share in the evenings. We include the cultural aspects of your visit in our longer tours rather than giving you options to do them at an extra cost as I have learnt very few people can be bothered organising extras activities and paying extra, especially after a day on the slopes.  Yoguri is a third generation Geisha to the area and her performance will leave you spellbound. Sensei Nakano who performs the Taiko drum, Shamisen guitar and lion dance show is world class and gets flown to different parts of the world to share his talents.  He is also an ex grand master karate champion of Japan from his youth and his interactive karate display is amazing.   The Magic show from Fred who is a "local foreigner" and performed magic for 30+years around the world is hilarious and draw dropping.  Also, Yudanaka is a hub to visit many famous historic castles (Matsumoto), temples (Zenkoji), Winter Olympic Museum, shrines and ancient trees (Togakushi) and the town itself of Yudanaka has many historic parts to visit as well such as Shibu Onsen where the famous Japanese movie “Spirited Away” was based and Samurai used to come and bath after their battles some 1300 years ago. The world’s largest Buddhist brass statue and temple and of course, the world class snow monkeys live in Yudanaka. We also list things like the sushi train, visit to the supermarkets, sake factory museum, Karaoke and the night snow cat tour to the tree monsters at the UNESCO national park of Yokoteyama under our cultural side trips. You generally need another holiday after your holiday with use to recuperate as we pack a fair amount into each day

So, as you can see I am pretty passionate about our little piece of paradise in Japan which we call Utopia number 1 (I do have a Utopia 2 available as well), which will stay this way for a very long time and I will explain why when you come on the bus trip to the mountain on the way to some of the best snow I have experienced in my 10+ years of visiting the land of the rising sun.

Oh, I forgot to mention we get many blue bird days in our area which is so important for beginners and intermediates as it is as much better environment to learn in and the winds are not to the level as Hokkaido so not as cold due to wind chill and the lifts are always open.   So, there is my spiel, I hope you found it informative.

When is the best time to join a ski trip in your area?

The ski season runs at Shiga Kogen from 23rd November until late May but as with anywhere in the world, weather conditions vary from year to year. Usually the best snow and coverage starts prior to Christmas and lasts until the end of April. However, January and February have most consistent snow falls and is when many foreigners come to Japan to ski. 

March and April are traditionally very good times especially at Shiga Kogen which has a 6-month season and conditions move between nice soft spring conditions to even softer conditions when a new storm comes through. For example in the pre pandemic season in 2020, all my guests left in March and I skied 17 true powder days between the tenth and 31st March and had 7 powder days in
April before the mountain was closed on the 15th April.  The other advantage of coming with us between March and May is our groups are smaller, so you get more bang for your buck in regard to tuition.  Keep in mind that even in one of the snowiest places on the planet, nothing is guaranteed and there is always the chance that you will catch that unlucky stretch of clear skies, however our guides are very good at sniffing out fresh lines on these days as well.

I heard that the 2019/2020 season was very poor all over Japan. How was it in the area that you operate?

The 2019/2020 was a fairly poor season for many of the resorts in Japan due to it being very warm season with lower snowfall than usual. 

However, we did not experience this in our area as we have set up our ski business at the base of Japan’s highest and largest ski resort, Shiga Kogen with a 6-month season.  Because of this elevation the snow we got we kept as our temperatures were almost always below 0 centigrade, whereas the rest of the more westernised resorts that get much media attention were above freezing level a good part of the season. This is the first time we have has to use this trump card of the highest lift elevation resort in 10 years of operating in our area as the season are usually very good in Japan, but it was definitely good to have it.

We did not experience any of the cancellations due to poor snow coverage that the more high-profile western type resort did in Japan. So, it is very important when booking a snow holiday, you look at the elevation of the resorts you are going to.  It is essential as it will make the difference between a very average ski trip and an awesome one.

I have been on tours before where we do not get out on the slopes until mid-morning, how do you operate?

As advertised our tours are powder and on-piste improvement tours not party tours.  We are there to ski and board.  Because we have such a wide range of resorts that we can visit, there are times that we will have an early start.  Everyone is given the heads up the night before on when the van or bus will be leaving and we base this on weather reports, although this may change by the morning as weather is not an exact science.  So, if we say we are leaving at 7.45am that means the wheels are moving at 7.45am so don’t be late or you will be left behind.  It is our goal at the minimum to be on the slopes skiing at 9am and ski through to 3.30 – 4pm which may vary due to conditions or group consensus.

Where do people come from on your tours and what ages do you take?

Our guests come from all over the globe and include such countries as the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Ukraine, Poland, Russia, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, France, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Slovenia,  Mongolia, India, South Korea, China,  Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Nepal, Africa, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand to name a few.  We cater for families who have young children as young as three years and our oldest client to date was 79.  It is a bit of a United Nations at times and the international flavor of our tour creates a fun group dynamic which can-not always be duplicated when there is only one country demographic on your tour.

How are the trips for single women and men?

Having singles on the trips that are hungry for some POW or improving existing skills on the snow is great!  Our tours have singles from all countries and age demo graphs, so you are catered for.  One of the greatest aspects of a trip like this is that you have riding buddies and adventure buddies to take pictures with, eat with, drink with, and sometimes make long-term friendships with.   Many of the tours are based on twin occupancy so what is done for our guests who wish to share, is that we endeavour to find the appropriate person (gender, age and non-snorer) to share with, however if this is not accomplished the guest is required to pay the single supplement.

You talk about group dynamics on your tours, what systems do you have if the dynamic is under threat?

It is often very hard to vet people’s personalities over the email.  Our guides are very good at helping the groups to gel, and the Karaoke evening helps with this, but in the case where we have a person or person’s that disrupt the group dynamic to a level outside the social norm (we have a different internal name for this which we share with you on the opening night) we make them aware of their behaviour and if it is not corrected they will be asked to leave the tour and given a refund for the days not used less accommodation cost. 

We have had to do this only on one occasion in the past with a guest, but it was totally necessary in the circumstances to ensure the other guests were receiving a tour that was an enjoyable experience.  All our guests have invested their money and time to receive a tour with us that they can tell their grand kids about, and we are very passionate at achieving this for our guests and are not afraid to point out any unacceptable behaviour to an individual or group to ensure a completely fun tour experience for all our other guests. Jase the owner operator of the business does not require your money and does this as he and his guides love sharing a truly unique and authentic Japanese ski experience, so he will have no qualms about moving anyone on that derives enjoyment by upsetting other guest’s experience.  Most our guest come from a democratic society; however, Jase runs these tours as a benevolent dictator much like the old king of Thailand.  He loved his people, and they loved him, and he got things done to benefit and protect his people, a great model to follow for any leader not only of a country but also a ski guiding business.

What time should I turn up on the day of arrival?

For all our set date pre-packaged tours we have a group briefing at 6pm at the Ryokan Biyu so before that is advisable.  If you are coming on the other non-set date tours it is still advisable to arrive mid-afternoon and we will catch up with you for a briefing and fit, you with any equipment you may require.  The accommodation providers have check-in time at 2 -3 pm however sometimes they can check in early depending on room availability.  If you do arrive early you can drop in your gear and go for a walk around Yudanaka and Shibu Onsen town which is very interesting.  If you are going to arrive late please let us know.

Your tours can give access to a wide variety of different resorts, how do we travel to and from these resorts and what does a general day look like on the snow?

We have a range of different tours operating through the season and some overlap onto others at times, so your group may gain or drop a person through the length of your tour.  We have a range of vehicles we use to transport our clients to and from the ski resorts and include 10-seater vans and 28-seater bus.  Our guides look after the packing of the skies/pole and boards in the morning and evenings, and our guest are expected to take care of their own boots. 

The drive times to each resort vary and at times the road conditions can slow our progress because of heavy snow.  We recommend that our guest wear suitable footwear on the vans or buses as we change into our boots when we get to the resort.  Once we are kitted up at the resort your guide will give you your day pass and you will then spend the morning with your guide.  At lunch time we may meet as a group again at one of the resort restaurants however it is not mandatory to eat with the rest of the group if you wish to try a different restaurant.  At the end of the day we will change out of our boots and embark on our trip back to our accommodation.  There will be times on the way where we will stop on the way to experience some of the hidden gems we talk about, hence having adequate walking footwear.

Are Credit cards used in Japan?  How much extra money should we budget for over the cost of the tour?

Many westerners are surprised to learn that Japan is still a strong cash society.  Many cities are more card friendly, however many of the resorts, restaurants and accommodation providers we visit may not accept foreign cards and if they do they will generally charge a 5% surcharge on top of your purchase, so it is a good policy to bring enough cash yen with you. You can get cash from ATMs using some Cards but not all are accepted (check with your Bank), however don’t rely on ATMs being available everywhere.  Once again it is a very safe environment and theft is a very serious matter to the locals, so carrying Japanese yen on you is very common in Japan.

All our spending habits are different, but as a rule our basic needs of food or liquids are all that are required on top of your trip, anything else is discretionary.  Lunches at the resorts can vary from 700 – 1500 yen and you can have a dinner at a restaurant for as little as 1000 yen.  Spirits, sake, wine and spirit mixers are very reasonable in Japan, beers are on a par with what you pay in most western cultures.  Food is exceptional in Japan as long as you have an open mind and are willing to try new things.  Don’t expect to find the type of food you are used to at home as you will be disappointed, and your Japan tour is about trying new tastes anyway.   Yudanaka does have some restaurants that cover both Japanese and Western foods and we have some hidden stashes if you need a western food hit.

We see that tipping is not a big part of Japanese culture, how about tipping your guides?

Working in the ski industry as a guide or instructor is quite a tough industry to survive in.  The seasons are weather dependent and if there are no guests then the guide/instructor does not earn.  Our team work very hard to ensure that our guest have an awesome time on their holiday, and we work on the premise that if you enjoyed the level of service and wish to tip the guide/instructor it will be very much appreciated. 

The old saying at lunch time is “Enjoy the Ride, Feed the Guide” or at the end of the tour “Enjoy the Ride. Tip the Guide”.  But by no means is it expected.  Our people are chosen because they have a love for what they do and want to share it with as many people as they can, so do not feel obliged to tip.

What if I don't get great conditions for the dates I book? 

Japan is renowned for its consistent snowpack. There are times that Japan experiences dry periods that might make your skiing look less like the you tube videos. On all our tours we have the flexibility to ski where the conditions are best on any given day. We make our plans the night before on where we may ski for the next day, however weather forecasts are not an exact science and we are flexible enough to change plans if the conditions are more favourable somewhere else. 

We do not have any preferred financial relationships with any ski resorts, so we do not promote any one resort over the other just to put some more yen in the bank, instead we go where the best snow is. The goal is to be on the snow as much as possible when on tour; however, if there is a day when conditions are not favourable or for safety reasons (which are very rare), we have backup plans which we call our hidden gems.  Once the tour has started however, it will be completed to the end with no mid-trip refunds. 

What is the required skill level for these trips? 

We run tours and day programmes to include beginner to expert skiers and boarders.  For skiing on piste if you are in a beginner or intermediate programme you will have a trained instructor with you to help elevate your skills and confidence. Please ask for our ability chart if you are unsure of your level.  For the advanced to experts who are interested in skiing the off piste or “slack country” here are some guidelines.

Snowboarders - critical skills are the ability to hold a strong edge allowing for good high traverses without losing too much elevation and the ability to read terrain effectively.  You need to be able to make wise decisions to avoid the super deep powder and flat spots.  Some of the out of bounds runs will end with winding, bumpy trails through the take outs that you will need to be able to navigate. 

Skiers - the biggest challenge typically comes with skiing through deep snow and through trees. Much of the best skiable terrain occurs in the tree line so it’s important that you are able to consistently turn where the terrain dictates. We implement a buddy system when skiing in the slack country and it is vitally important to stick with each other for safety reasons.  On the super deep days if your skis are not wide enough, we recommend upgrading with a rental ski for your trip with us if conditions are deep and you aren't skiing on a powder ski.

There seems to be a lot of cultural activities outside the skiing on many of your tours, is it compulsory to be part of these?

The cultural activities are not compulsory, however many of our guests have not been to Japan before and others that have been before find these types of performances very entertaining and interactive.  We feel very fortunate to be in an area where we can provide these experiences with some extremely talented people and are able to give our guests what we call an authentic Japanese ski experience and the cultural activities definitely put the icing on the cake.

What do you suggest for travel insurance as there seem so many different types of insurance to do with skiing and snowboarding?

As with all sports there is a risk of injury for even the most experienced.  We try to mitigate these risks by having guide/instructors who have spent a lot of time in conditions outside the norm of inbound ski resorts.  We suggest a travel insurance that includes injuries from snow sports and loss of equipment or luggage as a minimum. 

In Japan you hear a lot about side country and slack country, what do these mean?

The rules when skiing at resorts in Japan can be a lot different to what is experienced in Western resorts around the world.  At a high percentage of the resorts in Japan trail skiing is the norm and anything off the main marked trails is deemed out of bounds.  The out of bounds is not patrolled so as far as the resort is concerned skiing there is at your own risk. 

The out of bounds skiing we provide are deemed what has been termed in Japan by westerners “slack country” or “side country”.  Many times, these out of bounds areas are in between two marked courses so at the bottom of the run you meet up on a marked course to take you back to the lifts, hence the term “slack country”.  Some resorts are more lenient with out of bounds skiing and others very strict.  Some will have signs that state ski at your own risk where others may not. 

As far as avalanche equipment should we bring it or not?

We consider everything that is not on a marked trail to be out of bounds so any guests who wish to experience the out of bounds need to have the appropriate avalanche equipment and be able to ski or board at a high enough level to manage the conditions.  We have rental avalanche equipment available for those that do not at a rate of ¥2500 yen per day (beacon, shovel, probe and pack). 

Anyone who wishes to ski off the main marked trails will be given instructions on the use of their avalanche equipment and will need to sign the release of liability agreement.  Our team have knowledge and experience at skiing the various resorts we visit, with accreditation and different combinations of instructors, ski patrol, avalanche awareness and first aid plus years of experience on the snow. 

What if I have special food or medical requirements? 

Our accommodation providers are very good at catering for different food restrictions if notified in advance.  Our customer information sheet which is filled out by every guest has a special area for food restrictions and medical conditions or medication taken so that we are fully aware of your requirements.  It is also wise to do some research on the type of foods available in Japan to see if your dietary requirements will be catered for.

Can you help with the rental of equipment?

We now have our own rental fleet for skiers only at this stage however we have a strong relationship with another rental shop who covers all the snowboard gear.  Our beginner tours include a full range of equipment in the price (ski/poles/boots, snowboard/boots and jacket, pants, helmet, goggles and gloves).  For the intermediate and advanced tours, we have access to fat skis and powder boards to rent.  We also have a large range of avalanche gear (beacon, shovel, probe and pack) in-house for rental.

I do want to try the Onsens while in Japan, so what sort of protocol is necessary.

Onsen is very much a way of life in Japan.  The geothermic is in plentiful supply in Japan so many of the hot pools you will go in come from mother earth without any additives.  It is a very good place to rejuvenate those muscles and joints plus a very social way of bathing.  The Onsens is separate Female (red flags) and male (blue flags). 

At many Ryokans they will change the men’s and women’s onsen every 24 hours.  This is because each onsen area is usually different as far as layout and facilities go.  When entering the Onsen you will have taken your shoes or slippers off before standing on the tatami mats.  There is a changing room with either baskets or lockers to put your gear in.  The onsen is only birthday suit compatible so leave the swimmers at home. 

For the men you will have a smaller towel which is used as a modesty towel to cover your privates while walking around the onsen area.  These towels never go into the onsen water so either beside it or on your head.  For ladies my wife informs me that the modesty towel is not necessary.  After changing take a seat to wash yourself before entering the onsen.  The washing areas will have body washes and shampoo for your use.  Best to test the water temp of the Onsen with your foot as they vary in temperature.  After your Onsen you can either wash yourself down or dry yourself direct from the Onsen.  . 

No beverages are to be taken into the Onsen.  Tattoos are fine in our area of Yudanaka, however some accommodations in the main centres do not allow them. 

Some of your tours come standard with Japanese style rooms, how do these work?

Many traditional Ryokans come standard with Japanese style sleeping arrangements which differ to traditional western rooms.  The traditional rooms we use at our accommodation providers are an open plan room with tatami mats with an on suite bathroom.  When you enter your room there will be a table with seating in the middle of the room.  While you are having your dinner, the staff will set up your room with futon bedding.  If you find your mattress is to thin you can ask for another one to be made up.  It is broken down again in the morning when you have breakfast. 

No foot ware is to be worn on the tatami mats and can be left at the door.  It is a very comfortable way of sleeping; however, there are western rooms available at an extra cost.  At Ryokan Biyu the majority of the rooms are Japanese style with a number of upgraded western rooms at an extra cost.  The sleeping arrangements at Lodge Aibiya are all western style.

What sort of footwear should I wear?

Good quality snowshoes with good grip are recommended.  The pavements and roads can get extremely slippery and icy even with quality snow footwear, so you need to be careful.  Within your accommodation slippers are provided, however they are Japanese sizes, so it is advisable to bring your own slippers if you have a larger foot size.

If we are coming to experience some of the cultural aspects of Japan outside the ski tour what suggestions would you make?

In our experience the Japan that is sold by many tour agents around the world is something like this which we call the golden triangle.  Visit Tokyo for three days, travel to Kyoto for three days for the Temples, Osaka for three days for the Castle, two nights in Hiroshima then a night to check out Mt Fuji and apparently that is Japan. Don't get me wrong these are all great areas, however they are the tourist traps hence you generally pay a higher rate as you do at most tourists traps around the globe.

Our ski tours are about going to the resorts where there are few other westerners to destroy our precious snow and our cultural side stashes are much the same.  The Nagano and Nigatta prefectures where we are based has the temple and castle elements covered in one area. For instance, you could stay two nights in Nagano city and visit the most famous temple in Japan amazing temple called the Zenkoji Temple which is a stunning fully wood structure with the oldest statue image of Buddha and the very entertaining street that takes you back to the train station has a myriad of great shopping and eateries.  There is also a bus that can take you from the Nagano train station to the M-Wave which is where the long course speed skating was stationed for the 98 winter Olympics and still is used with a full interactive history museum of the games.  And that will easily fill your day. 

For another full day, from Nagano there is a 40-minute train ride to Matsumoto, home of the oldest 6 story heritage castle in Japan.  Once again there is a really cool shopping and eateries area close by to the castle.  So, you have just ticked the box for the temple and castle without the masses.  Kanazawa is also worth a visit on the west coast just a 70-minute bullet train trip from Nagano City.  This place has some outstanding gardens, castles, museums and market so this is worth a couple of nights.  Kanazawa is a bit busier than Nagano and Matsumoto as it is quite a famous area for the Japanese, however wintertime is quieter than the warmer months.  From Kanazawa you can train to Hiroshima if this is on your wish list which is a 4 to 41/2 long train journey. 

As far as accommodation goes you can handle this yourself by using one of the many engines such as booking.com or trivago to get the best deals.  The deals on these sites are always better than going direct to the accommodation providers and a lot more efficient. 

Depending on your time frame we would suggest doing the Tokyo side of things at the start of your tour.  This will allow you to wind down from any jet lag before the tour and get a feel for a bit of Japanese urban culture.  So there are a few tips for you and if you would like some further suggestions just ask us as we have spent a fair amount of time travelling around Japan on the side roads that don’t get so much media attention. We are also now running spring and autumn tours off the beaten trails in Japan.

Is Jet Lag a problem for any of your guests?

Guests that arrive on long flights from North America and Europe may experience Jet Lag.  Many of our guests who have not been to Japan before will stay in Tokyo for a few nights pre tour which will help overcome this.  Here are a couple of natural remedy tips that will help with your jet lag:

• If you are travelling from east to west, try to get a dose of bright light in the evening.  The clock in your brain is a tiny group of cells called the suprachiasmatic nuclei, or SCN.  It is set by being exposed to bright light.  Taking a walk outside for about an hour is the simplest way.  That will help delay your sleep-wake cycle, allowing you to go to bed and wake up later.  If you are travelling west to east, go for a walk for an hour or two in the morning, which will help shift your body to an earlier bedtime.

• The natural hormone melatonin can also help reset the sleep-wake cycle.  The typical dose of 3 to 5 milligrams is way too much.  A better dose is 500 microgram (0.5 milligram) supplement and take it the day before your trip.  When travelling, melatonin can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply.  Only take this supplement under the supervision of a knowledgeable medical doctor.

• Change your diet to more of your destination 3 to 4 days before you leave.  The same applies when travelling home to change back to the way you eat at home

• Many of the symptoms of jet lag are realyy “wet lag” or dehydration.  The air in planes is extremely dry so you should drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.  Hold off on the alcohol and coffee until you get to Japan.  The Japanese whiskey is world class, and the sake and beer is pretty exceptional as well.

• Sitting in the cramped space of a plane seat can beat up your body.  To feel less achy, stiff and bruised after a long flight, take the homeopathic remedy Arnica.  Take three tablets of the 30C potency three times a day, beginning the day before your flight and continuing on the day you fly and the day after.

Tour Essentials

 Air Travel

Because we have guests arriving from around the globe the air travel portion of the trip has been left up to you.  Each of the tours we organise have different ground travel options from and to the airport and these are covered in the pre-trip instructions which align with your tour.  One comment we here often from our guests is that they wish they brought less gear, so something to think about.

Insurance

This is up to individual; however, we highly recommend you have travel insurance from the time you pay your deposit and book your flights.  We do not have any preferred companies, so this is left up to the individual.

Documentation

Passports are important documents. If you lose them it will be expensive. Take photocopies of all documentation (tickets, insurance, itinerary, passports and visas). Keep one copy in your ski/snowboard bag and leave one copy with family members along with your itinerary at home which can be handy in the event of lost or stolen documentation.  Scanning credit/debit/nexus cards and passport to your email travel folder can be helpful as well.

 Equipment and other information

• Each tour has different requirements regarding skis and snowboards.

Beginners:  If you are in one of our beginner programmes all your equipment is covered in the tour, so please fill out your details on the rental gear part of the customer information spreadsheet as accurate as possible and if you are renting the full equipment kit make sure you have adequate thermals underlayers and ski socks. 

Intermediates: For the intermediates on the powder progression programmes you will require wider powder skis or a longer and wider powder board than you are used to.  We understand that intermediates do not usually have this equipment so there are three options: buy it at the end of the ski season when there are deals on, hire it from your home base (for southern hemisphere guest you should be able to negotiate a pretty good rental from a local shop as it is outside their season and you may be able to pre-test the equipment at your local field) or rent it from us in Japan (we have a full ski rental shop and relationships with other stores for snowboard equipment). 

If you need some feedback on potential equipment you are looking at purchasing or renting email us as we may be able to give you some insights, and a hint - do not just take a salespersons word for it at a ski shop as they may just be wanting to move stock and not necessarily give you the right thing.  As a minimum we suggest that intermediate skiers and boarders have their own boots as rentals do not always cut the mustard.  We do have a brand-new range of ski boots in our rental which are extremely good, however we do not cater for boarders, and we use a local Japanese shop for the snowboard gear.

Advanced:  For advanced skier and boarders you will want a wider ski with plenty of width at the tip to help you float over the snow with some rocker.  Boarders will want a powder board or all mountain board with extra width and length.  We have our own rental store that has a range of fat skis, and we can assist with hiring powder boards from other rental shops.  And if you are considering purchasing gear, we can give you some feedback.

Pro Tips

• Take plenty of warm ski/snowboard gear, including thermals. neck warmer, ski socks, hat, helmets and a set of sturdy shoes or boots with plenty of grip.  We do make it compulsory to wear a helmet on our tours.  You only have one head so let’s protect it, plus they have the advantage of keeping your head warm. 

• It is recommended to take two sets of gloves.  At least one set should be some warm glove mittens as the temperatures can get very cold and there is nothing worse than cold fingers.

• Bring two sets of goggles.  A good pair with a low light and sunlight lens and a backup pair.  There is nothing worse than fogged goggles and it is very difficult to clear them on the day if they fog.

• If you have large feet bring a set of slippers as there are size issues in Japan.  Many of the places we stay it is expected that you wear slippers around the common areas.

• The biggest comment from our guests on this trip is they wish they didn’t bring so much gear as at the start and end of the trip you will be lugging it around.  Resist the urge to put an extra article in your bag as you will not use it.  Most the time you are in ski gear and all that is required is a change of clothes.

• One of the focuses on this tour is to give you the most amazing snow were there are minimal westerners.  If the call is made the evening before that the van or bus is pulling out at 7.45am that is the time that the wheels go around and round.  In Japan you can set your watch by the train service.  If the Shinkansen (bullet train) says it leaves at 3.43 and you get there at 3.44, the train has gone baby.  So, our van or bus is exactly like a Shinkansen.

• Issues can arise with use of mobile phones in Japan using international roaming.  Please contact your provider before departing to find out how to stay connected.

• Electricity in Japan is 100 volts and takes the two-pin plug (similar to USA) so make sure you take a couple of converters.

• WI-FI is available at all our accommodation locations for free.  For those that need extra WI-FI to keep in touch they rent Wi-FI boxes and sell sim cards at the airports which can be used everywhere in Japan and you can also rent online prior to arriving to save time.  Phones now have the e sim so if compatible this is a very good option.

• Even though it’s a country that loves unnecessary plastic packaging, recycling is very important, so make the effort to find the right type of bin for your rubbish. Usually, the lids off the PET bottles are disposed of separately.

• Playing with all the buttons on the toilets is a rite of passage when visiting on a Japan ski trip, so we won’t give you any specific tips here. Some toilets have English signs on them, and others don’t, which is half the fun!

• Many of our guests arrive earlier to Japan to do some sightseeing and do not wish to carry all their ski equipment with them.  There is a service at Narita and Haneda airport called “Black Cat” and they are a very efficient freight service. If you go to the information desk at any airport, they will direct you to their Kiosk. You just require the full address of the accommodation provider you are sending it to, and it is no problem for Ryokan Biyu to hold your gear.  Alternatively, if you are adding days on at the end of the tour you can ship your excess gear to the airport where they will hold it until you are ready to travel.  The addresses are:

 Ryokan Biyunoyado - 2951-1 Oaza Hirao, Yamanouchimachi Shimotakaigun, Nagano  381-0401, Japan Tel +81 269-33-4126

Luggage

A good investment to make to carry your ski or snowboard gear is a roller bag.  You can pack all your clothing around your skis etc which will protect you equipment in transit.  A back pack is also adviseable as it is a good size for carry on luggage on the plane and is easy to transport when moving through airports and train stations.

Japanese Society, Customs and Useful Informatio

• Japan is still predominately a cash society so take lots of cash in Yen.  Many shops and restaurants in the areas we travel don’t take credit cards or travellers cheques.  Yudanaka has two ATM machines at the Post office and 7 Eleven that will take overseas cards.  But do double check with your bank that they can be used in Japan prior to leaving.

• Japan is a very safe country and crime against tourists is very rare, however you should take routine safety precautions such as never leaving your luggage or personal belongings unattended and always keep important travel documents in a safe place.

• Drinking and eating while walking down the street is not done in Japan.  Also, if you are caught drinking any alcohol beverage down the streets of Yudanaka then this will expel you from the tour.  This sort of behaviour may be tolerated in the more westernised resorts in Japan like Niseko, Furano, Hakuba, Nozawa Onsen and Myoko but it will NEVER be acceptable in our area of Yudanaka.  This also includes such behaviours as fighting, vomiting and urinating in the street.  If you like this sort of behaviour head to the before mentioned resorts.

• Tipping is not customary or necessary in Japan, however our guide/instructors appreciate it very much.  “Enjoy the ride, tip the guide”.

• The Japanese are a polite culture.  Please be aware that drunken behaviour or rudeness will offend them.

• Don’t use your chopsticks that you’ve had in your mouth to then serve food off a share-plate – this is a pet hate! Would you use your fork to serve up food that others will also eat?! Use serving chopsticks, or worst-case scenario, use the non-eating end of your chopsticks.

• Littering is taboo in any country but litter in Japan and they might take your first born from you.

• The health care system in Japan is exceptional.  You can expect to receive a high level of care in the unlikely event you should require medical attention or hospitalisation.  If you do have a medical condition that means certain drugs or procedures can’t be performed, it would be wise to have this information translated into Japanese to give to the medical professionals in case of emergency.  The accommodation where you are staying can assist with this.

• Smoking is still very much a part of Japanese society, and many facilities i.e. restaurants cater for this section of the market unlike many western societies.

• The onsen experience is one of Japan’s most cherished traditions and is basically a hot mineral bath.  It is a fantastic way to sooth those tight muscles after a day on the slopes.  You will find separate male and female baths at the resorts and bathing togs are definitely not needed to be packed.

• Generally, the wines are imported into Japan with some very good local blends.  Beer is comparable to home prices as for some reason the Japanese seem to tax this higher than other alcohols.  However, things like spirits, sake, wine and a range of other alcohol beverages are a lot cheaper than back home.

• Bicycles are ridden on sidewalks and bikes are very quiet so keep to one side.

• When riding on escalators stand on the left side as this allows people to walk past you.

• Write hotel name in characters for your taxi driver, in and out of left rear taxi door and driver opens it for you and use two hands to give or receive with business cards etc.

• Bow to greet and before and after meals, and you can drink the water from the tap in Japan.

• Step out of shoes to tatami mat in your rooms and use separate shoes for washroom.

• Do not walk around accommodation houses in socks or bare feet, either use the footwear provided or if it is acceptable at where you are staying wear your own shoes

• You will see many Japanese wearing masks and are generally worn by those who have illnesses or allergies so as not to give germs to others.  They are also worn by those who do not want to get an illness as missing work for the Japanese means someone else has to do their job, so they are very focussed on turning up each day.

• No talking on phones on trains in seated area, you can go to the end of carriage to speak, and texting is fine.  Japanese phones have to make a sound when taking a photo by law for privacy issues. 

• Very few rubbish bins so carry any rubbish with you.  You will find rubbish bins in Lawsons, Family Marts and 7 elevens

• There are also many other unwritten rules which it pays to perhaps google or you tube to find out about.

• Learning a few Japanese words will help you bridge the cultural gap.  Bowing can gain some serious brownie points with locals as well.  The longer and lower the bow the more respect you are showing.

Pre-Trip Information

Start and Finish days of the tour

The first day of the scheduled 6, 8- and 10-day tours is the travel day to Yudanaka.  It is totally up to you when you arrive however it is recommended any time between mid-afternoon to 5pm.  The Ryokan is only a short 2-minute drive from the station so you can either give us your arrival time so a van is there to pick you up or you can talk to the information centre at the train station when you arrive, and they will call the Ryokan and a vehicle will pick you up.  Our team is generally on the snow everyday so pickups and drop offs to the station are handled by the Ryokan. 

Check in times are between 2pm and 9pm.  For all our set date pre-packaged tours (6, 8, 10 and 11-day tours) we have a group briefing at 6pm at the Ryokan Biyu before the guests of the Biyu have their meal at 7pm.  If you are coming on the other non-set date tours it is still advisable to arrive mid-afternoon and we will catch up with you for a briefing and fit, you with any equipment you may require.  The accommodation provider have check-in time at 2 -3 pm however sometimes they can check in early depending on room availability.   If you do arrive early, you can drop in your gear and go for a walk around Yudanaka and Shibu Onsen town which is very interesting and take a soak in the minerally rich onsens.  If you are going to arrive late, please let us know.

 The last day of the tour is when you transfer from Yudanaka to wherever you may be going.  On this morning everyone packs their gear early and leaves it at the reception.  For those staying at Ryokan Biyu they have a complimentary shuttle service at 8.30am for a short drive to the start of the monkey park where there is a 30-40-minute walk through the national forest to where the monkeys hang out in the onsen.  The cost of the Monkey Park is 800 yen.   It is recommended to visit the snow monkeys early in the morning if you want the place to yourself because as the day progresses more and more people turn up as it is a tourist attraction.  Another option our guest take is to walk back from the snow monkey park, stopping at the free sake tasting Museum then enjoying the 1300-year town of Shibu Onsen town where the famous Japanese movie “Spirited Away” was based on.  There is a pickup van at 10.30am from the monkey park as well which will transport you to Yudanaka station with your luggage to catch the 10.50am or 11.50am express train if you so wish, or back to the Ryokan if you have a shuttle booked. 

Those using the Nagano shuttle service back to the airport can be dropped off at the pickup point. 

Travel tips to and from Yudanaka

Because many of our guests either arrive early or leave later from Japan for our tours we leave the getting to and from Yudanaka up to you (however we are happy to assist with shuttle intel).  The two methods of transportation are by shuttle van or by using the rail network.

Shuttle Bus

Nagano Snow Shuttle provides a daily scheduled shuttle from Narita and Haneda Airports to Shiga Kogen and they cater for private shuttles as well.  The trip takes between 4.5 to 5 hours with stops along the way.  To book online go to http://naganosnowshuttle.com/ and make sure you enter the full address for the property as shown below in the address column on the online form.  Make sure you use the Shiga Kogen area as your destination, with the accommodation address inputted.

They have a changeover area just out of Nagano where they split guests into different vehicles between Shiga Kogen, Hakuba, Nozawa Onsen and Myoko Kogen. Then there is a dropoff at the Yamanouchi bus stop and if staying at the Ryokan Biyu we can arrange a pickup to bring you to the property. This service runs between the 20th of Dec till the 3rd March.

Ryokan Biyunoyado -  2951-1 Oaza Hirao, Yamanouchimachi Shimotakaigun, Nagano  381-0401, Telephone +81 269-33-4126

Option One: Scheduled Shuttle

This is the direct shuttle service between the airport and Shiga Kogen including Yudanaka.  Please see the schedule and the rates at https://naganosnowshuttle.com/

Option Two: Private Shuttle (for 4 to 6 guest)

If you are a group a private shuttle may work for you.  The Taxi driver can meet you at the arrival gate with a placard with your group name and takes you to your accommodation in Yudanaka and can pick you up from your accommodation and take you to the airport.  They have a meet and greet service at the arrival gate and is available at a cost at 3000 yen per group approx.  Please note late night operation fee will be required driving between (22:00 - 5:00). These rates can change so make sure you get a written quote by emailing tours@naganosnowtours.com

If Nagano Shuttles is unable to accommodate your requirements email us at info@japanpowderculturetours.com as we have other operators who may be able to help.

Train (maps at end of page)

This is a good option for those that are either arriving early and staying in Tokyo for a few days prior to the tour or for those who want to experience the Japanese rail network.  Quick tip.  If you are staying in Tokyo for a few nights, it is advisable to send your ski luggage direct to your accommodation using the “Black Cat” courier service from the airport (company logo below).  Very efficient, inexpensive and creates less hassle carting gear through the train stations.  There are various rail passes that can be purchased for foreigners to save money on travel so please let us know of your itinerary and we may have suggestions on passes to purchase to give you better bang for your buck.

Ryokan Biyunoyado -  2951-1 Oaza Hirao, Yamanouchimachi Shimotakaigun, Nagano  381-0401, Telephone +81 269-33-4126

For those that have not experienced the Shinkansen (bullet trains) it is highly recommended and a fantastic journey.  If you are doing the direct trip from either Haneda or Narita by train to Yudanaka it requires three different trains.  Coming from Narita to Tokyo there is the NEX Express, Skyliner or local train, and from Haneda there is a monorail (you get a pretty good view of the city) then a short trip in a local train at Hamamatsucho to get to Tokyo station.  The Shinkansen from either Tokyo or Ueno to Nagano (reserved and non-reserved seats) and the Snow Monkey Express or local train from Nagano to Yudanaka (non-reserved seats).

A little tip for those with ski/snowboard bags is to have a few flexible straps as you can then stand your bags at the end of the train cars and strap them in.  This can save trying to lift a heavy bag into the overhead trays which may be full of other travellers luggage.

When transferring from Narita or Haneda to Tokyo via train there are a number of different options. Narita to Tokyo - When arriving at Narita International Airport at either terminal 1, 2 or 3 you need to make your way to the train station part of the terminals, both on floor B1F.  There are four different options and they vary in cost:

1.     There is a bus service that runs every 20 minutes from the arrivals floor 1 at Narita and tickets can be purchased at the bus counter on the arrivals floor or online.  It is called the Keisei direct bus and takes between 70 to 90 minutes depending on traffic.  It is the cheapest option.  The bus finishes at the North exit of the Tokyo central station.  Check out the site as they have other combo deals for trains as well.  http://www.keiseibus.co.jp/inbound/tokyoshuttle/en/

2.     The JR East NEX Express train which takes 53 minutes and takes you to Tokyo Central station.  The cost of purchasing a two way ticket is about 30% cheaper and is limited to be used over a 2 week period.  Children under 12 are half price.  The trains run frequently and the timetable can be found at http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex 

If you have the 5 day JR East pass it covers the NEX, however you will need to book a seat on the NEX as it is reserved seats only.  If you do not have a JR East pass make sure you ask when you purchase your ticket if there are any two way special deals for foreigners as they do run specials at times and check out the above website for special deals.  All the NEX train timetable are on this site as well.  You can purchase both the NEX train ticket and the Tokyo to Nagano train ticket at the train terminal on level 1BF at the airport.

3.     The Keisei Skyliner takes 41 minutes and takes you to Ueno station.  The cost is 2470 yen for adults and half price for kids.  You purchase your ticket for the skyliner on level 1BF at the airport then when you reach Ueno you need to exit the skyliner terminal and make your way to the main JR train station to purchase your bullet train ticket to Nagano.  Using the Skyliner to Ueno then the bullet train to Nagano is a good option if you want to save a bit of travel money.  It works out about 1000 yen cheaper than the NEX train to Tokyo station and bullet train to Nagano from Tokyo station and is slightly quicker.  Their information can be found at http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/ae_outline/index.php

4.     JR Local trains and the timetable can be found at https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/

If you are arriving earlier in Japan and wanting to have a look around there are a number of different passes only available to foreigners which you can purchased online or at the JR East Travel Centres.  The Nagano/Niigata JR East 5-day pass which can be used over 5 days is quite popular with our guest if you are going to be doing some travel before the start of the tour, and can be purchased in country for 18,000 yen or slightly cheaper online.  Go to https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/en/pass/eastpass_n.html for more information

Haneda to Tokyo - Haneda airport is a lot closer to Tokyo than Narita so there are a number of options to use such as rail, bus and taxi and can be found at http://www.haneda-tokyo-access.com/en/transport/

Helpful Hints

• If you go into the JR East Travel Service Centre with the itinerary of the times you wish to book the trains for written down it will make things a lot more streamlined.  It can sometimes be frustrating trying to bridge the language barrier at times, however having things written down will help the assistant to get you on your way quickly.

• When using https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/  type in the “from and to” locations and the date of travel and a close time to when you want to travel and click search.  Underneath the Shinkansen train names that come up there is the “train timetable” and “interval timetable”.  The interval timetable will give you a list of all the trains that day so save it as a pdf for the future.  

Tokyo/Ueno to Nagano - When you arrive at Tokyo station you need to change levels and go to the Shinkansen platforms to get on the train to Nagano. Depending on which bullet train you are on the gates can be either, 20, 21, 22 or 23.  Everything is well sign posted in English at the Tokyo station and it is a great adventure making your way through the building. 

There is an information centre on the main floor of the station and if you were wanting to store your bags for the day to have a look around Tokyo they can direct you to a company that can do this for you which is one level below the main floor.  If you are on the Skyliner train to Ueno you will need to exit the terminal as it is a separate company to the JR rail who runs the bullet train.  If you follow the signposts to the JR rail station you can then purchase your bullet train pass to Nagano there.  

Nagano to Yudanaka - The 5-day JR East pass does not cover the train from Nagano to Yudanaka as it is a private line and there is an extra cost of 1290 Yen one way.  This can only be purchased at the machines prior to boarding your train at the Nagano Dentecu station.  Make sure you hang onto your boarding ticket as you will have it stamped when going through the gates and a representative will take it off you when you disembark at Yudanaka, there are also attendants to help you if you get stuck.  To make life easier for you we have made a list of all the Snow Monkey direct limited express trains that run to and from Yudanaka under the map of the Nagano train station below. 

When arriving in Nagano you need to make your way out of the terminal and go to a separate terminal to get on the express train to Yudanaka, which is called the Nagano Dentecu Line.  When you exit the Shinkansen gates hang a right and go down the small escalator in front of you.  About 50 metres further on your right is an escalator which will take you down to ground level which is the west exit or Zenkoji exit of the station, you then take the next escalator down to the Dentecu Line, exiting the escalator and turning left. If you are having trouble finding the exit to this station the easiest thing to do is drop into the JR travel service centre or the information centre at the Nagano station and they will give you directions. 

They have numerous local trains going to Yudanaka however they stop at many stations and take longer than the express train and you will need to change trains at Shin Nakano to get to Yudanaka.  You want to get on the snow monkey limited express train as this is the direct train, and you can search on https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/ You don’t have to worry about where to get off because Yudanaka is the end of the line. If you need to get on the local train to Yudanaka it takes a bit longer and you need to change trains at the Shin Nakano terminal.  They make announcements in English on the train to tell you which station to change at, and if your carriage has completely cleared out it is a pretty good sign that you need to change trains.

Remember the train system in Japan is very efficient and if it says the train leaves a 6.53 don’t turn up at 6.54 if you want to get a ride as it will be gone.  Once again, the website https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/ website is the best place to get the train timetables from or look at the schedule we have done below.  Once you have worked out what time you will arrive in Yudanaka, whatsapp or email us your arrival time or ring the Ryokan Biyu +81 (0)269-33-4126 so they are there to pick you up for a 2-minute drive to the Ryokan. 

If you get really stuck and arrive in Yudanaka at a different time, there is an information office there and if you tell them you are staying at the Ryokan Biyu they will make a call for you.  The key thing to do when using the rail system is not to panic, there is always a travel service centre to help you if you need it and if you treat the whole experience as an adventure, it is a lot of fun. Please use the following maps to assist your travels.